Waste a Few Hours With This Huge Collection of Photography Links

Another incredible week rolls by and we find the Toad busy hopping all over the internet searching for tutorials, great photography and interesting blogs to share with everyone.  This week's list presents a serious compilation of the best links he could find from some really incredibly talented photographers and artists.  We really hope you enjoy checking out these great works as much as the folks at Toad Hollow Photography enjoyed bringing them to you.

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TUTORIALS

Topaz DeNoise For HDR – a 10 minute video takes us on a tutorial by Blake Rudis that shares his favorite presets for achieving the wonderfully photography work that he produces.  This presentation is particularly useful for photographers working in the realm of HDR imagery, as noise is a common and difficult problem to deal with.

Studio Photography Insights : shooting liquid, glass, how to deal with reflections on the glass and much more! – Alex Koloskov shares so much back to the photography community, it’s not even funny.  This is a great presentation that once again takes us behind the scenes on how to perform breathtaking product photography in a studio setting.

Portraits Using Ambient Lighting – a brief but very interesting post discussing the use of ambient lighting for portrait photography.  Doug Pruden shows us how to achieve a really great outcome with the simplest of equipment and lighting.

Photomatix HDR walkthrough – Tristan Jud delivers a great presentation on some of the basics of using Photomatix, one of the #1 HDR merging and tone-mapping applications out there.

Concert Photography Tips: Shooting Concerts Like a Pro! – a concise post that gives us a few important behind-the-scenes pointers on how to achieve great concert photography.  This is a tricky venue to master in photography, and each tip provided can really help with getting the results you want.

How to Engage Your Viewers by Creating a Moment of Discovery – a great article that discusses compositional techniques to achieve stunning and unique photography.  This is a very well-written piece, and is guaranteed to shed some light on this topic for readers of almost every skill level.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Adentrándose en Los Cerros – our very own @astaroth here on Light Stalking takes us on a journey exploring a vast park in his country.  Wonderful perspectives are shared here as well as some insights into his work.  This is a great post, one that is truly a must-see on this week’s list.

Asylum – an old abandoned asylum holds the keys to a wonderful mystery in this great video composed of a series of still images.  This is the culmination of a 7 month project with over 35,000 still images.  An absolutely epic piece, sure to mesmerize all who view it.

Caesars Atlantic City – some really great shadows and rich colors are presented in this architectural study of this famous location.  Jimi Jones captures a great and unique shot, sharing it here for everyone to enjoy.

Vibrant Music – Radio City Music Hall delivers some truly striking details and contrasts to enjoy in this top drawer image from Dave DiCello.  Great details emerge for the viewer as they spend time taking in the image, producing a mesmerizing image.

Flying In Ink – another unique image from the studio of Aaron Barlow showcases his special technique for the creation of images.  In this shot, a mighty heron is captured, resulting in a really wonderful photograph.

Flatiron Peak – a moody and dramatic architectural view of this iconic structure in NYC forms the subject for this shot by Edin Chavez.  Great textures are exposed in the image, producing a piece that is really wonderful.

Weekend Relaxer #15 – another in the series of shots by Chris Nitz that showcases an awesome shot of a beer label in a unique setting, which in turn is further accented by a really great blog post.  Well worth the time to pop by and view.

Red-Winged Blackbird – the true spirit and character of this beautiful little bird are masterfully captured and shared in this post by Jay Taylor.  Intricate details in the feathers and expression in the bird really add a wonderful dimension to the shot.

Portrait: Ramón Saura – all the drama and tension that can be found in a black-and-white portrait is found here in this image by Tomàs Rotger.  Each of Tomàs’ pieces are full of life and passion, and this photograph is a great example of this.

Old Rail Yard in Albuquerque, New Mexico – Helene Kobelnyk shares a captivating piece, showcasing an old historic rail yard.  All sorts of rich details emerge for the viewer to enjoy as they spend time taking the photograph in.

The Falls Behind The Trees – a truly stunning waterfall sits hidden in the trees, and Michael Lewis Glover is there to capture a really riveting picture of this setting.  This gorgeous landscape image is well worth the time to visit in this week’s list.

See You Soon – an almost angelic scene awaits the viewer in this post by Barbara Youngleson.  A wonderful sunburst pokes through the clouds, and an airplane adds a touch of tension to the scene, producing a really captivating piece to enjoy.

The Odd Couple – a truly interesting study in contrasts is explored in this photograph of a pair of trees left standing from one of the worst storms in our century, by Mark Neal.  A great composition here really brings the scene to life, producing a piece that is a delight to view.

West Bay Marina – a special little place in the heart of Victoria, BC presents a scene of marine living.  The houseboats nestled in the marina really produce a wonderful subject, as explored and shared by Benjamin Madison.

First Rose – most wonderful colors are captured and explored in this stunning flower photograph by Jerry Denham.  As spring approaches we all crave these types of scenes, and Jerry delivers a really stunning piece to view and enjoy.

the new boss in the neighbourhood – a beautiful little hummingbird is perfectly captured in this shot by dragonflydreams88.  Absolutely perfect depth of focus and composition are used in this image to create a really compelling and enjoyable image to view.

Yellow Hotrod – classic cars make for great photography, hands-down.  Incredible character in the lines of these old cars produce scenes guaranteed to mesmerize, and in this shot Tim Stanley really delivers on this concept.

The Organ – a stunning piece that explores the organ and some of the incredible ornate architectural details in St Paul Cathedral, Innsbruck awaits the viewer here.  Stefano Pedroni does a great job capturing the details and rich tones in this scene.

Storm Over Arizona’s Verde Valley – a truly epic and moody sky delivers all the drama in this great landscape image as captured and shared by Renée M. Besta.  The scene itself presents a strong and compelling scene to take in, and the weather pattern at work takes this shot to a whole new level.

Urbex Palace – The White Room – Mark Blundell delivers another provocative and exciting piece in this post.  An uninhabited manor of grand proportions becomes the subject of this piece, and Mark delivers a really compelling view complete with the perfect composition that leads the viewer through the room and down an endless hall.

Periwinkle Bud Up Close – a truly stellar study in macro photography awaits the viewer with this post by Ehpem.  In this post we take a really close-up view of a plant, producing imagery that is full of details not often seen.

Hawk Watch – Steve Beal shows us how a simple optical device can become a great subject in compelling photography.  Steve utilizes a great composition and natural elements in the backdrop to create an absolutely wonderful photograph to view and enjoy.

Blue Hour On The Jetty – Mike Victorino shares a scene of great tones and a fabulous reflection, delivering a picture with rich blue colors and other elements of interest.  A wonderful image, well worth the time to visit to view.

Sunrise on the Mount – a rich and detailed shot of a sunrise over the city of Pittsburgh forms the most wonderful scene to take in.  Rich McPeek delivers a really wonderful shot, one that is sure to delight all who visit.

A Toad Blending In – you just have to love a great shot of a Toad.  Well, at least we sure do!  This is a wonderful composition of this fine amphibian, as captured and shared by Steve Creek.

Hidden Away – Edith Levy shares a wonderful photograph of an old boathouse and a few rowboats waiting for the weather to change, signalling time for their use in the summer season.  This is a great composition, resulting in a photo that is well worth the time to visit to view.

Same view, different light – the megapolis of NYC is shown in its true scale here.  Dave DiCello shares an absolutely epic shot of the city skyline with so many details to take in and enjoy, the viewer will spend quite the amount of time going from one point of interest to the next.

The Foundry – a green glow envelopes this abandoned facility, creating an almost otherworldly feel to the surroundings.  Bob Lussier delivers another intoxicating image in this post, one that is really a wonder to visit and view.

Welcome, And Enter – a wonderful beginning to a new series of images that Mark Garbowski captured on a recent photowalk in an abandoned area.  This image is full of great textures and natural leading lines, and is accented by some of the details and graffiti found in the location.

Contrabando, Texas – a ghost-town is a ghost-town, even if it was built and used as a movie set.  This wonderful series of images as captured and shared here by Anne McKinnell takes us all on a journey back to the Wild Wild West.  Without all the gunplay.

Housefly 5 – this is creepy.  Seriously, seriously creepy.  A close-up macro shot of a housefly is presented here by soheil shahbazi.  This close-up is so detailed, you can clearly see how badly this fly needs to shave.

Jackson's Mill, West Virginia (Part 1) | Jackson's Mill, West Virginia (Part 2) – this wonderful 2 part post delivers not only a really great set of images of this iconic and fascinating location, but also shares the tale of its history.  Mark Summerfield shares a captivating piece to take in, really guaranteed to be enjoyed by all who visit to see.

Good Night Sechelt: the World Awaits Awakening – a wonderful night shot of a pier on the coast of Canada and an inspiring story of pending new adventures combine in this post from Jordan Oram as he readies himself for a new journey.  This is a great post, sure to leave the visitors looking forward to more.

#jarviewalk The Google + Photowalk in Salt Lake City – Salt Lake City’s Main Library – join Howard on an incredible photowalk journey visiting the Salt Lake City Library.  Great architectural elements are captured, as are a series of images of photographers actively taking photographs; this is really quite a compelling series sure to be enjoyed by everyone.

mirror mirror  . . . – an absolute crystalline reflection beams an image of this grand bird back to the viewer in this stunning photograph from dragonflydreams88.  The water is so very still in this shot, producing a true mirror effect.

Foggy Mental Breakdown – a thick fog covers the scene, providing a wispy look at this wonderful old historic building.  Gareth Glynn Ash delivers all the drama inherent in the scene in this fabulous black-and-white image.

Dreamed Horizon… – a wonderful photograph with great tension is presented here by Amador Esquiu.  This is a highly emotional piece, guaranteed to delight everyone who pops by to view.

..kuala lumpur @ dusk… – a colorful and detailed view of a Malaysian cityscape shares a breathtaking scene.  The city looks so peaceful, yet full of life at the same time.  A wonderful image to see.

Manor House T – The Chapel – a private chapel in an uninhabited manor is masterfully captured and shared by Mark Blundell in this epic post.  The room is painted with exquisite details, and Mark does a great job capturing the intricacy of the painting and the architectural elements.

Reflections of Sunset – the most incredible orange hue is cast upon the landscape in this gorgeous shot by Curt Fleenor.  The body of water in the foreground captures and reflects this really stellar glow, creating an image full of wonder and interest.

Monongahela Incline – a really character-rich architectural study takes us to the oldest continuously operating funicular in the USA.  Rich McPeek captures a set of great shots that share incredible views of the facility and the Pittsburgh city skyline.

Bow Lake Morning – Len Saltiel shares an image of one of the smaller lakes in the Jasper/Banff area in Canada.  Great, deep blue greens and blues await the viewer in this breathtaking landscape photograph.

Green Goo – what is a swamp to some is home to others, like for example yours truly here!  This Toad loves swamps and Tim Stanley really delivers a bang-up shot of an alligator filled one here.  It’s just so beautiful.  A must-see shot in this week’s list.

Macro Harp String – our local photographer Ehpem delivers another absolutely compelling piece with this macro study of harp strings.  His recent work with a super-sharp macro lens and all its technical challenges really shows off his skills in the world of photography.

Loch Lomond trail – a mystical and magical place in Scotland is captured and shared by Jim Nix.  The Lochs of Scotland produce the most stunning landscapes, and this one is perfectly composed and photographed by Jim.

Melodramatic Monochromes – all the drama and moodiness that can be found in great black-and-white photography is here for everyone to enjoy.  Adam Allegro captures a series of candid street shots in Italy and shares them here, producing a post that is absolutely a delight to visit and view.

Falling to pieces – Dave DiCello brings his long-running series documenting the dismantling of an iconic arena to an end.  The city of Pittsburgh will never seem the same to many with its now modified skyline.  This is a great shot and post to wrap up the series, a must-see item in this week’s list.

Bridge at Keller – great details of the landscape and the bridge are offset by the drama and intrigue that a slight misty feel brings to the scene here.  Jim Denham grabs a really beautiful image of this landscape setting, producing a really compelling image to view and enjoy.

Use Only With This End Up – a gritty and moody piece is posted by Bob Lussier, delivering a piece that is full of great textures and details to take in.  The black-and-white processing that Bob uses in this picture really brings in an extra touch of drama; absolutely perfect!

Mosco Street, Sunday Morning – Mark Garbowski features an empty NYC street shot on a Sunday morning in this really wonderful piece.  The perfect composition here takes the viewers eye quite naturally through the frame, producing a strong image to view and enjoy.

Full color on board – wonderful colors and reflections converge in this photograph to create a really mesmerizing image.  sarawut Intarob grabs and shares a really mesmerizing piece, one that is sure to delight and amaze all who visit.

Steam Punk Sunset – another one of Scott Frederick's otherworldly images hits the internet with this picture.  Scott grabs and shares a scene of the city as the sun sets, taken from atop an abandoned steam plant.

Rosso veneziano – what a stunning photograph, with exquisite light.  Looking down a canal with wooden boats bobbing about to add interest, this is a wonderful and detailed image by Maurizio Fecchio.

Early Morning – a subtle reflection brings the wonderful colors of the sunrise to light for everyone to enjoy in this landscape photograph.  Chris Frailey captures and shares an almost iconic scene at Woods Canyon Lake.

The Forgotten – this is an almost epic shot taken using a long exposure.  Careful processing by Mike Olbinksi further adds to the apocalyptic scene he encountered, delivering a highly dramatic piece.

New Life – all the comments in this post refer to the bokeh in this shot.  No doubt that it’s astonishing, but I also really love the wonderful natural light and how it turns certain parts of the leaves here almost transparent.  Aaron Barlow shares a shot from his collection that is a real joy to view.

Employee 626 – a wonderful image accompanied by a laugh!  This is one of the trademarks of Chris Nitz and his work, and this photograph shared here is an awesome example of how to do this, and do it well.

Eastbound Westbound – a combination of just great stationary details are accented by the fluid sense of motion blur in this shot that could easily hang on anyone’s wall.  Aaron Yeoman delivers an image that showcases the concept of dichotomy.

Machinery – even the title of this post is great.  Steven Perlmutter really does a great job of exploring all the textures and details in this machine-intensive picture, producing two different versions created with variations in post-processing.

Sakura – great composition here brings interest to this scene filled with the glorious colors of a blooming cherry tree.  Edith Levy uses the roadway to produce a really great natural leading line to guide the viewer through the image.

Choir – every single detail in the architecture is brought to life for everyone to view and enjoy in this absolutely breathtaking piece by Dave Wood.  This is a truly stunning photograph, pretty much guaranteed to mesmerize everyone who pops by to see it.

L'esprit d'escalier – a beautiful, mesmerizing and slightly ethereal photograph showcasing the natural beauty of the female human form awaits the viewer.  Tracie Taylor delivers an absolutely tasteful image that really highlights natural beauty.

Oh Really??? – this tiny owl is much larger than life thanks to the masterful photography of Henrik Nilsson.  This highly detailed image brings all the character of this little feathered-friend to life for everyone to view and enjoy.

A Taste of Breaux – talk about vivid colors and soft textures!  This shot by Jay&Jacy Photography brings a behind-the-scenes look at a wine making plant to life.  All the details inherent in the scene are perfectly captures and shared here, producing a really compelling piece.

Chain Bridge Infinite – a fabulous vanishing point is eloquently captured in this architectural study of an iconic bridge.  Giuseppe Sapori photographs and shares this scene and presents an image full of interest to take in and view.

The King takes a walk – a fabulous photograph by Bev shows us a view of a commanding male lion as he wanders his domain.  Great composition and details in the incredible cat brings all the power and character of this mighty beast to life for all to enjoy.

Summer Dragon – a spot-on shallow depth of focus delivers a bokeh-rich picture to enjoy.  Kerri Farley captures a photograph of a dragonfly complete with truly incredible details in the body and wings.

Living Room, Ottawa – another great shot by Ren Bostelaar takes us inside a living room, of all things.  The candid nature of this image really exemplifies the concept of tension in imagery, with the end result being a fabulous image to enjoy.

Makes Me Wanna Take a Back Road – a great fence produces a natural leading line, as does the dirt road in this great photograph by Michael Lewis Glover.  The trees in the scene drape their mossy tendrils over the road, bringing a further element of great interest to this image.

Lookout Mountain Curves – I love this shot, it’s an absolutely unique addition to this week’s list.  Great tones in the sky as the blue hour sets in are accented by the silhouette of the mountain range in the distance and the light trails meandering their way up the hillside.

The Roadster – Jimi Jones shares a simply wonderful photograph of a classic hotrod.  The classic lines and colors in the car come together quite nicely in this shot to share a nostalgic scene sure to please every fan of cars out there!

Wild Horses – a great photograph by Len Saltiel takes us to a place where horses run free.  This is a wonderful photograph showcasing a group of wild horses doing what they do best.

Down The Counter – this is just so very, very cool.  Mike Victorino takes us inside a special place, a bar, where a group of regulars meet.  Mike grabs a great shot with a totally unique composition here, that brings in all the emotion of the place into one still image.

The Gatehouse – an architectural study that focuses primarily on one of the most incredible staircases I’ve ever seen.  This great set of images by Rich McPeek really conveys all the inherent interest in the scene quite wonderfully, a piece well worth the time to visit in this week’s list.

Mom Told Me To Freeze – a wonderful, wonderful image as shared by Rob Hanson also comes with a really entertaining blog post to accompany it.  This photograph of a new bunny really captures all the natural “cute” in the scene, and brings it here for everyone to enjoy.

Exit Below – Aaron Barlow poses a great introspective question both photographically and with his words in this top drawer post.  The black-and-white processing of this HDR shot really brings all the textures and details out of the scene.

C&O No. 490 – classic storied trains produce the most incredible subjects for photography.  They have texture, detail and character aplenty to take in and enjoy, and in the case of this image by John Sotiriou we get the best of all worlds.

A Softer Rose – a gorgeous composition highlights the natural colors and beauty of this rose.  Eden R. Ellis really does a wonderful job capturing an image that would look great hanging on any wall or sitting in a frame on a desk.

Kensico Lake – I love reflections, no doubt about it.  Steve Beal pulls out all the skills he has to grab this detailed photograph of a bridge reflected back in a lake.  The long exposure achieved from the ND filter he uses really smoothes out the water and gives the viewer a ton of interesting elements to view and enjoy.

Sunset on a Ghost Town – what a wonderful series of images of an old ghost town in Texas.  Anne McKinnell is there and ready with camera in hand as the night begins to come in and she comes away with a really fascinating set of photographs to take in.

Touareg Ali – this is an incredible photo of a camel and its owner making their way across the desert.  The great composition that Victoria Rogotneva uses in this shot brings out all the tension in the scene and produces something rather breathtaking.

Redbud and Poppies – beautiful and vibrant flowers will adorn your screen if you follow this link to Michael Frye’s blog.  Michael shares a couple of great landscape photos featuring these flowers, as well as a few brief pointers on how to make such photographs.

INTERESTING BLOGS

Newspapers Chose Not to Run Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photo of Bombing – this article really shows the power of a photograph.  In some cases a single image can convey such a strong message, it has far-reaching ramifications.

Life Before Photoshop: New York Lotto – this is beyond absolutely wonderful!  What a great concept to use as an ad for a lottery, and the resulting photograph from Joe Baraban is the pure definition of tension in art!  This is truly a must-see post in this week’s list.

Brand your Facebook Page Timeline with these 4 awesome tools – this is a great article discussing some of the new features and tools available in Facebook.  I even learned a few things and updated our page with this guide!

My Encounter with a Woolly Mammoth and a Grizzly Bear – we go on a journey together deep into the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, BC, in this post.  Several of the features are explored photographically in this post.

Photographer of the Month – April 2012 – what a great interview that is accented by some truly jaw-droppingly awesome photographs!  Gina Soden discusses her craft and shares some of her fabulous shots in this epic post.

Everyday Scenes Become a Bizarre Reality – a touch of surreal, a touch of whimsy and a touch of the abstract are all elements in this rather bizarre but captivating set of photographs.  Ryan Schude is a photographer with a truly unique view of the world around him, as evidenced by this set.

Personal Pearls of Wisdom: “Good Photographers Follow the Rules, Great Photographers Break Them” – an insight into the thoughts of master photographer Joe Baraban as he imparts some of his years of wisdom to the masses.  Joe always leave the visitor with a sense of a deeper understanding of their craft and the world around them.

HDR – Photo Art to Techno Art is Still Art – Mark Neal shares a series of images and thoughts in this informative and interesting post.  Starting with an image, he takes us through several steps and styles of post-processing to share ideas with anyone visiting, and as a result delivers an entire unique series of images to view and enjoy.

India’s Holi Festival At 2500 Frames Per Second – an incredible slow-motion video taken with a super-expensive high frame rate and high quality video camera delivers a presentation that is sure to amaze everyone.  Words alone cannot do this justice, it’s something you just need to see for yourself.