Seriously, These Are….The Coolest Photography Links Of The Week

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It has been another exciting week in the world of photography and we find Toad Hollow Photography searching all over the internet for links to tutorials, special features and great photography to share here with everyone.  This weeks list features tutorials that discuss strobe lighting techniques, compositing images and non-destructive photo editing, along with a handful of special features and the usual list of awesome photographs to view and enjoy.  We really hope you love this weeks list as much as the Toad did himself in bringing it to you.

TUTORIALS

The Ultimate Guide For Mastering Light In Your Photography – the control of light and the effects it has on powerful photographs is something many of us strive for and continue to learn about.  This great post is full of tips and techniques sure to help you capture that look you are going for.  Terrific sample shots are included to illustrate the points covered in this original Light Stalking piece.

Paulo.hvo
Paulo.hvo

One Strobe, Hold the Modifier: Crafting Portraits With a Single Hard Light – this terrific video tutorial is just over 8 minutes in length and discusses how to take advantage of hard light to create extremely dramatic portrait photographs.  The entire setup along with settings and configuration of the lighting application are augmented here with sample shots that show off the rich results you can expect with the technique.

Create Amazing Rainy Composite Images With This Great Photoshop Video Tutorial – learn how to create truly compelling composites in this 2 part video tutorial feature.  The combined videos are roughly half an hour in length and walk you through each step as you watch a master at work, with the end result being rather natural looking and a real pleasure to see.

Shooting at Sunset: How to Balance Ambient Light With Strobes – a 4 minute video presentation takes us through the entire process of lighting a highly stylized scene at sunset, with the goal of total light management to deliver the required results.  It’s truly amazing what can be learned in such a short time period, and for those who use strobes frequently in their practice this tutorial is terrific.

brando.n
brando.n

Non-Destructive Photo Editing in 60 Seconds – in less time than it takes to drink a cup of coffee you can learn the difference between destructive and non-destructive post production.  This is a terrific primer for those hoping to learn the high level pros and cons between the two methods.

SPECIAL FEATURES

How Ansel Adams Grew From a Casual Photographer Into a Legendary One – Ansel Adams is inarguably one of photography’s master artists, being responsible for many innovations at a time when technology didn’t exist in the way it does today.  This brief video presentation shows us how he started and grew into an amazing artist and human being, one who has been a true inspiration for many of us working in the field today.

‘Undisturbed Places' Takes You to Some of the Most Remote and Beautiful Places on Earth – this terrific time lapse video presentation is 4 minutes long and takes us to some truly remote spots in Africa.  The images created in this presentation show the natural beauty of this part of the world that often times only finds illumination from the stars above.

jameskkmok
jameskkmok

Vancouver filmmaker Corbie Fieldwalker captures beauty in derelict mansions – the effects of vandalism and the decay of time merge in this article that shares 2 video presentations from master filmaker Corbie Fieldwalker in this special feature.  The sight of multi-million dollar mansions left long abandoned is becoming an increasingly common sight on the west coast of Canada, and this great expose finds the art held within the long forgotten walls of these once great homes.

These Mesmerizing Photos Show Tall Buildings Framing the Sky – as always, perspective is key to creating a great photograph, and this article shows us how looking straight up is a striking compositional tool that yields unique results.  This selection of shots from Andy Yeung all feature completely different buildings, and as such frames, that all exhibit strong elements of the abstract within them.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Spooky As – this is a terrific Urbex themed shot, one that exudes a ton of artistic tension with the questions it leaves the viewer pondering about the history and story behind this once active school.  Michael Criswell takes us inside a dilapidated and forlorn school, and in this shot we catch a glimpse of a stairway with halls and rooms that feed off the space, producing many different zones of intrigue along with the rich textures and details that are created by decay.

Simplicity + – Uroš Demšar takes us to a magical spot in Europe, Bled Lake, where an ancient monastery sits perched on a tiny island in the heart of the lake.  In this shot we find a gentle fog covering a portion of the landscape behind the old facility, adding a perfect feel to the shot and contributing to its ethereal nature.

Jon Fingas
Jon Fingas

Siesta Chilling – join Len Saltiel as he visits the sunny and warm shores of Florida, capturing an iconic shot of a sailboat in the distance with wind behind it.  We also find several birds perched in the rightmost part of the frame, adding an anchor to this terrific shot that is sure to have northerners packing their bags and heading for the sun.

Stormy Days – this shot was captured in the great Pacific Northwest region of the United States and embodies a mysterious feel that is so predominant in this area.  A pair of huge rock formations peer out from a thick fog, and we also find a lone photographer in the frame adding context and scale which helps to reveal the immense size of natural features.

Slash Christian Church – this post covers a subject near and dear to me, that is heritage structures that have deep-rooted meaning in the community they inhabit.  Mark Summerfield takes us to explore a wonderful old church that was originally built in 1729, and it’s remarkable condition today makes it a perfect facility to capture in photography.

Spacetime – gentle golden light dances across the Tuscany landscape in this terrific photograph from Lorenzo Nadalini.  The country roads and undulating hills of the area find harmony with the natural setting in this shot to create perfect leading lines that guide you through the frame and into a world of discovery of this amazing place.

Sunset At Madrona – the shores of Vancouver Island are bathed in glorious color as a vibrant sunset settles upon the island in this breathtaking shot from Randy Hall.  A finger of land juts out in the distance, casting a terrific silhouette that adds a crucial element to this incredible composition.

Turbulence – this shot appears to come from another planet entirely, captured from a high elevation looking down upon the tops of skyscrapers that jut out from a thick fog.  Tang xuguo’s image mixes great detail in the contemporary architecture along with a mystical feel created by the moody presence of an all-enveloping fog.

With Time It All Falls Apart – the descriptive title of this shot lends itself to the overall haunting feel encountered by the exploration of this abandoned and weathered room.  CJ Schmit’s shot focuses on an area that once was a kitchen but today is now a textured canvas that CJ uses to capture a frame that features the pure essence of wear from years of neglect.

Madrid Lights – Alfon No creates an image with a distinct fine art feel to it, capturing details in the city’s incredible architecture along with fast moving light trails from cars that traverse the highways.  This blending of a highly dynamic element alongside the buildings that comprise the heart of the city work perfectly together to create something unique.

Bison Calf At Antelope Island State Park – Steve Creek captures a portrait and a contextual shot of a bison calf in this post, showcasing the inherent wonder and beauty in these creatures as they live in their natural surroundings.  Steve’s post also features some background information on the bison herd, adding a terrific layer of interest to the detailed photographs.

driver Photographer
driver Photographer

Low Tide in “Carrasqueira” – a rickety looking wooden pier leads us through this frame where we discover a vibrantly colored sky in the distance covering the far-reaching seascape.  This wonderful composition from Ricardo Bahuto Felix takes advantage of the natural leading line from the pier itself, helping to guide us into the picture.

Hatley Castle – fellow Vancouver Island photographer Jason McKenzie visits a very special spot on the lower part of the island, Hatley Park Castle.  This feature shot showcases the grand stone-built castle during the blue hour as interior lights glow, adding a sense of life to a very dramatic scene.

A Kestrel in a hurry… – it’s nearly impossible to beat the intrinsic delight that we can find while observing wildlife in its natural habitat.  In this shot, Austin Thomas captures a frame of a kestrel in full run, heading straight for the camera and into all of our hearts.

Meet “Cheeks” – this post features a delightful furry little chipmunk in a variety of poses and with varying levels of cheekiness (pardon the pun), as photographed and shared here by Lisa Gordon.  Lisa’s intimate portraits of this little fellow enjoying the bounties of the land really expose a bit of it’s character and personality, sharing a wonderful moment with everyone who pops by to see for themselves.

The Windmills of Kinderdijk – this wonderful shot features a great color palette and shows off the incredible windmills that dot that landscape of Holland.  Andreas Grund’s composition is full of rich details in the structures, accented here perfectly by the swatch of color in the sky that adds a perfect element overall.

Mothers Day Northern Lights – a terrific display of the northern lights is captured and shared in this breathtaking shot posted on Scott Wood’s photography blog.  As the lights dance overhead with their distinctive green patterns, the city of Olympia twinkles below, adding context to a great image.

A Touch of Magic – we are whisked away to the Netherlands in this dramatic shot by Martin Podt.  A line of trees stands alongside a leaf covered pathway with light streaming in from frame right as the pathway creates a leading line that takes us to a terrific vanishing point for a touch of artistic tension.

Full Spectrum – Mark Garbowski returns to the Lawrence Mills where he captures a colorful shot composed in one of the original and now empty spaces in the complex.  Light painting is applied to this composition, casting wonderful and varied colors over the walls, adding a perfect touch and creating a great feel.

Paulo.hvo
Paulo.hvo

inner liberty – Lafugue Logos shares a wonderful macro shot of a flower and it’s fluffy tendrils, showcased in a predominantly blue color palette.  The super shallow depth-of-focus in this image works perfectly with the key subject to isolate it from the backdrop entirely, accented here by the reflective surface the flower sits upon.

Neighbourhoods of Tel Aviv – Carmel Market – this is most certainly an image that belongs on postcards the world over, captured by Edith Levy on her visit to Tel Aviv.  This shot is full of wonderful character, revealing a vignette of this region, that Edith then carefully processes and turns into a digital painting that is truly delightful.

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I am a fine arts photographer that specializes in HDR techniques. Please feel free to visit our Limited Edition Prints site, our Online Gallery or our lively Photoblog.

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