83 Amazing Photography Articles and Photos You Should Know About

With another week passing us by, Toad Hollow Photography has been busy searching the internet for links to tutorials, great photography and interesting blog posts to share with everyone here.  This week's list has some terrific content in it as presented by some really wonderful photographers and artists.  We really hope you enjoy viewing this list as much as the Toad did in making it and bringing it to you.

Hinode Views the 2012 Venus Transit by NASA Goddard Photo and Video, on Flickr

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TUTORIALS

White Swan – Jimi Jones shares a brief insight into post-processing and is turn delivers a stunning image to enjoy of a swan.  Modern photography tools are so powerful, sometimes just knowing where to start can help get you out the gate.  This post is a great example of this.

Landscapes at 11:00am – Shoot It Anyway! – Lee Brown discusses a concept that is dear to our heart.  We love to photograph right out in plain daylight, and use post-processing to bring the scene to life.  Lee delivers an absolutely breathtaking landscape photo to share in this post, and then adds to that with a great write-up that describes the tools and methods he used to accomplish this.  This quick read is well done and really is worth the time to visit.

Camera Raw 7.0 & HDR – Blake Rudis creates a video presentation that showcases the new version of Photoshop CS6 Camera Raw 7.0.  Blake shows how you can use this tool in post-processing to create HDR-like images from a single frame.

AskJoeB: Street Shooting Question – street photography is definitely a genre and style all its own, and Joe Baraban shares a few insights into what can make it great.  This brief article discusses a critique of a submitted photograph, that Joe uses to create a great learning point.

Just After Blue Hour – a really wonderful pair of photos awaits the viewer in this post from Blake Rudis.  Blake shares an inside tip on how to perform post-processing on these types of photos, delivering a post that belongs both in the tutorial section as well as the great photography section of this week’s list.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Penguins in Antarctica: An Extraordinary Photo Shoot with David C. Schultz of West Light Images – extraordinary doesn’t begin to describe this stunning series of photographs from David C. Shultz of West Light Images.  David takes us on an extensive journey together to the Antarctica where he captures and shares a large series of photographs of the local penguins.  These wonderful little animals are all so expressive and creative, and David does a wonderful job in bringing the wonder and magic to our monitors for everyone to enjoy!

The Miraculous Staircase – truly awesome tones in the woodwork are complimented by great lines and incredible shadows to create the necessary drama for this architectural study.  Len Saltiel shares a view of a wondrous staircase, guaranteed to delight everyone who visits.

Breakwater Lighthouse by CJ Schmit, on Flickr

Keep your eyes and mind open – a wonderful photograph from Chris Maskell is accented here by his profound blog post.  Chris shares an image of a wonderful old antique bike that he so carefully post-processed, and uses that as an example of how to broaden our horizons as photographers.

Tuscan earth.. – ah, the rolling hills of Italy!  This breathtaking landscape image taken of the Tuscan countryside is full of rich details and colors, as captured and shared by Edmondo Senatore.

Hot Rodmania!!!! – old, classic hot rods make for fabulous photography subjects.  Great flowing lines, wonderful details and bright vibrant colors merge in this shot by eclipse_supremo to create a compelling and unique piece.

Hospital C – Tyred – more urbexy and gritty goodness is delivered from the studio of Mark Blundell in this shot of an abandoned hospital room.  The weathered and worn wheelchair in the scene is perfectly composed, adding huge elements of drama.

Touching Down – mad tendrils of electrical fury rain down upon the countryside, and Chris Frailey is ready to capture this spectacular lightning strike.  Great colors and details in the bolt come shining through in this shot, making it a real must-see image in this week’s list.

Here Comes The Sun – it is as if the heavens themselves converged to create this compelling image by Svjetlana Peric.  Wonderful natural light beams into the centre of the scene, illuminating a portion of the landscape that in turn creates a very dramatic vista.

Sunny Day at St Peters Cemetery – cemeteries by their very nature are highly emotional subjects.  Trying to paint a visual story by using one as a subject can be an entire artform in itself, and Mark Neal does a great job in creating a great shot full of contrast and details here.

Seasons – rich, delightful greens punctuate the viewers screen with this wonderful photograph taken in a fast-moving creek.  A cascade in the foreground is covered in silky smooth waters, and Jerry Denham does a wonderful job capturing this beautiful scene to share.

Abandoned school – a complete series of images takes us on an exploration of a long abandoned school.  The rich details and textures in the weathered artifacts left behind and in the building itself really work together to create a post from Kamila Borowska that will be enjoyed by all who visit.

Holy Details Batman – Adam Allegro takes us on an epic journey together where he explores the architecture and details of the Duomo of Erice.  Wonderful tones and historic details all emerge for the viewer who spends time taking in the image, producing a truly compelling series that is guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone.

Weekend Relaxer #22 – Chris Nitz has a special ability to turn frosty beverage labels into true pieces of art.  Talk about building a thirst from checking out great photography!

The Bridge To Nowhere – a very dramatic black-and-white image from Aaron Barlow shows us a character-rich bridge.  Mother Nature herself has begun the process of dismantling this structure, and Aaron does a wonderful job in capturing the pure essence of the scene to share.

Supermoon at Bryce Canyon – this is a breathtaking landscape that is punctuated by Anne McKinnell’s personal rendition of the recent supermoon.  Bryce Canyon is a marvelous location, full of great scenes to capture, and with the incredible moon on the horizon in this shot, we’ve got an image that would look great hanging on anyone’s wall.

Brunch with the Devil – as the hummingbirds come out once again Jay Taylor captures a wonderful photo of one in action.  The wonderful details in the little bird are accented by the delicate bokeh that Jay achieved with this image.

charging lions – I can only hope that Deschuymere Carole turned and ran immediately after capturing this heart-stopping image of a pair of rather large and serious lions charging.  This is a truly amazing image, one that is a must-see in this week’s list.

Let sleeping cows lie – cows can be mighty cute, even though they are rather large in size.  Scott Wood does a top-drawer job in capturing this particular one at rest in a field.  Wonderful character here, well worth the time to pop by and view.

Howletts Lion… – we’re bumping into a few lions here in this week’s list, and I am rather happy to be checking them all out from this side of the monitor, myself.  This is a great photo from Tony Matthews that captures the character of spirit of this mighty lion.

The other side – this is an absolutely delightful post, as we have come to look forward to and expect from our very own Tom Dinning (@tomdinning) here at Light Stalking.  The dramatic black-and-white photo that Tom shares here could stand on its own in any venue, but when you include his words you suddenly find yourself looking deeper.

Fisherman Sunset – a bit of tension is accented here by some wonderful colors in the sky as the sun sets.  CJ Schmit delivers a shot that is full of questions and answers, one that is sure to be enjoyed by everyone.

The Stable at Hess Ranch – gritty textures and details are carefully presented in this awesome photograph from the studio of Bob Lussier.  The remnants from a very early settlement in the area are full of wonderful stories, and Bob does a great job in capturing a slice here to share with everyone.

Redfish Lake, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho – this wonderful landscape image from Mark Paulson has several key elements at work.  His unique composition brings the surroundings into perspective and the main subject of the shot in turn takes on a life of its own with a great reflection in the water.

Antique Motorcycle Show – Denton, North Carolina – classic car and motorcycle shows are great venues for photography, and in this post Mark Moore takes us on a journey to one hosted in his home state.  Mark does a great job in capturing the spirit and character of these classic vehicles, and delivers a very interesting series.

Sunset Behind the Mandir – Tim Stanley creates a very compelling image in this post featuring the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.  Wonderful colors decorate the sky, all of which is brought together by some gorgeous light beams dancing in the evening sky.

IMG_1381.jpg by syuu1228, on Flickr

Nanjemoy Baptist Church, Charles County, Maryland – heritage architecture is splendid in its beauty and tends to typify the times it was built in.  Mark Summerfield takes us to a wonderful old church in Maryland, creating a fabulous shot that is sure to be enjoyed by all who visit.

1938 Ford – we love hot rods of all shapes, colors and sizes.  Jim Jones gets a shot of this iconic classic rod draped in bright red paint sitting in a parking lot.  This is really a vibrant scene, one that is a must-see in this week’s list.

Walk This Way – drama, vanishing points, sunbeams…  all individual elements that can help to make a great photograph.  When brought together in one scene, it has the ability to create pure magic!  Steven Perlmutter creates and shares an awesome black-and-white photo that is slightly minimalistic in nature, but is full of wonder and interest.

Red Peony Macro – you’ve never seen red like this before!  Deep and delicious colors grace the monitor of the viewer who pops by to see this great image from Mark Garbowski, making it a real destination in this week’s list.

Yosemite Panoramic – Aaron Barlow delivers an expansive black-and-white landscape panorama with this post.  Aaron has created a piece here that shows the scope and grandeur of this incredible place.

Coming Full Circle – a sense of action, of excitement and even a touch of childhood is to be found in this wonderful photograph and post.  An antique carousel whipping around provides the perfect photography subject for Erik and Kathleen Kerstenbeck, and they use this to create this vibrant and fascinating image.

Lakeside Lights – a beautiful evening scene is shared with this photograph taken lakeside.  Anita Megyesi creates a wonderful image to enjoy here, complete with a soft reflection of the city lights in the lake water.

The Royal Galleries of Saint Hubert – I love the expression in this image, one of a vibrant and very active shopping mall in Belgium.  Jim Nix creates a fabulous image using a great composition that introduces a vanishing point as well as a strong sense of scale into the photograph.

Bonfire, Toronto – Ren Bostelaar shares an image that is a great study in light and dark, and deep contrast and shadows.  This shot is great not just for the obvious elements at work, but also for all the questions it leaves lingering in the viewers mind.

I Get My Kicks… – I love this shot, there’s something rich and full of character at work here.  Len Saltiel creates a great photo for everyone to enjoy of an old toy truck in a diner.  Len’s great composition and post-processing on this one really brings the scene to life.

~464~ – this wonderful image is created by Michael Criswell and shares a view of an iconic plane.  Mike’s really fabulous processing takes an already interesting subject and uses it as a basis to create an image that takes on a life of its own.

The Whirligig of Time – this is definitely one of those profound “wow” shots you encounter periodically.  Mark Garbowski takes us along as he explores a very abandoned facility in NYC that is full of rich textures and details through the act of natural decay.

Take Out Door – Wayne Frost has a totally unique style of image creation that is vibrant and vivid, as well as full of great interest for the viewer.  This colorful image looks a lot like a painting in its finished state, producing a great picture that is well worth the time for a visit.

False Element – this is a picture of a beautiful red flower, carefully composed and created here by Gareth Glynn Ash.  The careful staging and lighting used to create this image really brings the colors to life, resulting in a captivating image.

Super Sunset – it’s no secret that sunsets make for great photography as the colors are beyond description.  Hansrico Photography captures a great shot that exemplifies this wonderfully.  There is a cloud formation in the sky here that looks like a fireball, creating a huge element of interest.

A Seat In The Shade – delicate shadows bring drama to this shot by Curt Fleenor.  An old bench in the outdoors is full of awesome textures and details from the weathering, and Curt captures a scene peppered with captivating shadows to share.

I Want To Be Just Like You Mom – warning!  Cuteness factor: 100!  Barbara Youngleson captures a shot of a baby elephant with its mom that is just so wonderful to view.  This one is guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone who pops by.

Venus Transits the Sun – Adam Allegro brings us along on an epic adventure where he shoots Venus as it crosses paths with the sun.  Great colors in the photos bring the rare scene to life, and there is even one photo here with a stunning reflection dancing off the waters.

Fire Station 7 – a detailed architectural study of a fire station is presented here by Tim Stanley.  Tim does a wonderful job capturing all the rich details of the buildings design and with the lights aglow, he creates a picture that is sure to captivate all who visit.

Green Fields – check out this expansive HDR landscape photograph from the studio of Andy Gimino.  The viewer is given a strong sense of expanse and scale, and the rich details in this image really brings the entire scene to life.

Vintage Lighthouse – I just love lighthouses for photographs as they make for striking and romantic subjects to shoot.  Steven Perlmutter captures a really great shot of one here and then carefully uses textures to create the finished look.

Probes examine surface of hairy pitted planet by broo_am, on Flickr

The Early Bird – a colorful sunrise on Lake Michigan is shared here by Jim Denham.  The beautiful colors in the sky really accent the wonderful composition that Jim used here with great leading lines from the pier in the foreground.

It’s Been A Year…Entry #52 – A Museum with a View – Edith Levy brings us along as she celebrates her first year anniversary with her blog.  Edith uses this chance to share a special message with everyone and delivers an epic photo taken of Ponte Vecchio from the second floor of the Ufizi museum.

Ghosting Through The Trees – as summer approaches here, Aaron Barlow takes us deep into the woods where he captures a black-and-white shot of a snow covered scene.  The long exposure that Aaron used to get this image smoothes out the fast moving water, creating a very dramatic scene that is sure to be enjoyed by all who visit.

Not Now, Dagnabit! – great textures are explored in the remains of a wrecked car in this shot from Erik and Kathleen Kerstenbeck.  The composition that they use to capture this shot really accents all the inherent drama in the scene, producing a picture that is a must-see in this week’s list.

Wish a Wish for Me – great colors in the wisps in the sky create interest in this fabulous shot by CJ Schmit.  A tree stands in the right portion of the frame, casting a very dramatic silhouette into the scene.

Tranquility in the Storm – photography has the ability to deliver the most stunning scene to the viewer, in some cases visually describing something that would be otherwise difficult to believe.  This great photograph from Jay&Jacy Photography is a perfect example of this with a landscape scene being pelted by a storm with a distant lightning strike on the far horizon to bring in tension and drama.

Why I Love IR Photography – this breathtaking image as shot and shared by Scott Wood gives us an inside look into the art of IR photography and what Scott finds so compelling about it.  Prepare to be amazed at this image.  Full of great details not normally seen in person or conventional photography, the results of this genre can really result in unique and mesmerizing pieces to take in and enjoy.

Gokyo Lakes – Khumbu Nepal – an almost magical place is explored through great photography in this image from Dan Ransom.  The mountains are majestic and commanding in nature, and the gorgeous reflection in the pool at the base of the landscape creates a picture that is full of great details and interest for the viewer.

Mont Saint Michel by Night – an ethereal castle sits on a hill illuminated by lights creating an almost mystical setting for photographer Lars van de Goor to capture.  This is a visually breathtaking piece, one that is sure to delight and amaze everyone who pops by to see.

Fisgard Lighthouse – this is a different sort of lighthouse photo, from our very own local photographer Joseph de Lange.  Joseph was hunting seagulls with his lens and came across this totally unique composition for this historic local lighthouse, creating a picture here that is distinctly unique.

Weeping – a gorgeous tree poses just perfectly for Jerry Denham as the sun sets.  Jerry does a great job in capturing this scene, complete with a dramatic sunburst making its way through the tree.

Spirit Garden – a wonderful, magical place is explored, photographed and shared here in this picture from Marc Adamus.  Wonderful light beams make their way through the forest, further adding to the mystical feel of the picture.

[One of] My Personal Moby Dick[s] – this is a dramatic architectural study of a very difficult building in NY to attain a great composition on.  Mark Garbowski captures a black-and-white photo here that showcases the great lines and curves of this building, as well as some of the subtle weathered features that are evident from this particular angle.  Great details are all captured of this building, creating a shot that delivers more to the viewer as you spend time taking it in.

Longview – Scott Frederick shares another of his awesome long exposure images in this post of a bridge in Philadelphia.  Smooth clouds and water are juxtaposed against the crisp details of the bridge and the city in the backdrop, creating a scene that is a joy to view.

A Flight of Butterflies – two elegant butterflies are captured and shared in this wonderful photograph from Bev.  A great shallow depth of focus was used to create this image, which really makes the lovely little butterflies pop right out of the monitor at the viewer.

Two of a Kind – it’s time again for the Monarch butterflies to make their appearance, and Kerri Farley is there to capture this great shot of a pair of them on a flower.  These butterflies are wonderfully beautiful, and this image from Kerri really shows off this natural beauty.

You just wait till I get you! – what a wonderful composition in this picture shows several insects going about their days.  This particular composition makes it appear that one of the insects is closing in on another with bad intentions.  This fabulous shot is full of natural tension and is sure to be enjoyed by everyone.

Red Hot – Kat White captures and shares a vibrant photograph of a bright red poppy here.  Lovely colors and tones are all presented in this picture, creating a piece that is really compelling.

INTERESTING BLOGS

Timelapse of a little Colorado supercell – Mike Olbinski creates and shares a video presentation of a timelapse video he created of a storm supercell in Colorado.  Mike is famous for his work with capturing storms, and this really incredible video is a great presentation that will delight everyone who pops by to see.

The Honey Hunters of Nepal – this series was shot in 1987 yet appears to be of such high quality and composition that the photographs really look to be much newer.  This is an astonishing story told with breathtaking photography and great writing; absolutely guaranteed to knock your socks off!

Entre cultivos y cerros – this is a wonderful post from our very own @astaroth here on Light Stalking who brings us along on a recent photo adventure he had in his home area.  We get to see incredible rolling vistas in this series creating an oasis for the visitor to view and enjoy.

Things I Learned From Ansel – Heather Neil shares a profound and personal insight into the autobiography of Ansel Adams.  Her thoughts here are worthy of consideration, and I for one left her post with a renewed sense of inspiration.  This is a quick read, well worth the time to visit.

My iPhone likes my Nikon, but someday it might want to kill it – this is just one of those great posts you bump into every once in awhile.  I had a very hard time figuring out which heading to put this under, because it’s both a great blog post, but it’s also a really great series of images!  Jim Nix takes us behind the scenes with his whimsical look at photography, and he also shares some “behind the camera” scenes of him at work.  The only missing in these shots is Jim himself, but I guess he’d need another iPhone and an operator to pull that one off….

When Is It A Landscape? – photography as an artform means something different to everyone.  Terms and classifications to many are guidelines rather than rules, and Mike Victorino gives us an insightful look into this age-old question.

Hold Still! Baseball Action Shots from the late 1800′s – back before the advent of special effects, photographers had to employ techniques that worked against physics to create images like this.  Either that, or stage them up well.  This is a fascinating series of images, one that is truly well worth the time to check out for yourself.

Accepting Time and Change – a great insight is shared here regarding the discussion of film vs. digital photography.  CJ Schmit shares some of his thoughts in this brief post, one that is sure to fuel further discussion on this highly contested topic.

May 20, 2012 Partial Solar Eclipse from Salt Lake City, Utah – this is an AMAZING post!  My friend Howard takes us along on his adventure in photographing the recent solar eclipse.  Howard documents several great elements and bits of timing of the event, and uses these awesome photos to create this blog post that is guaranteed to both amaze and teach.