An absolutely wonderful week passes us by, and Toad Hollow Photography has been busy online seeking out tutorials, great photography and interesting blogs to share with everyone here. This weeks list is a comprehensive selection of some of the best pieces encountered, featuring some really wonderful photographs captured by truly talented artists. We really hope you enjoy viewing this list as much as the Toad did in compiling and bringing it to you.
Check out the Toads latest 3 part series (“Tea At The Villa” | “Dinner With The Roscoes” | “Catching Butterflies“) highlighting an original house built in 1865 that was saved from demolition and now serves as a cornerstone to local heritage. Over 10 years of dedicated efforts by TLC The Land Conservancy of BC is showcased as the immaculate home is readied for the upcoming Canada Day long weekend events, and the Toad takes us behind the scenes to see the beautifully finished rooms, grounds and gardens of this lovely historical villa.
TUTORIALS
Photographing Smoke for the first time – Dru Stefan Stone creates such a great post here it actually belongs in two categories for this week’s list. This post would be equally at home in the Great Photography section below due to the wonderful photos that accompany the information, but due to Dru’s fairly comprehensive look into how she achieved this, it also stands as a tutorial.
Screencast – Integrating SmugMug hosted images with WordPress powered blogs – Scott Wood delivers a great screencast here that outlines his reasons and methods for using his SmugMug based galleries as sources for his popular photoblog. Setting up a photography site can introduce many challenges and questions, and posts like this one here from Scott can go a long way to helping answer these issues.
On Foreground Elements – another incredible post that belongs in two categories in this week’s list, this one from Adam Allegro. Adam shares a stunning series of landscape photos, but in doing so he also shares some tips and insight into composition. These thoughts are well written and leave the reader with a new outlook on this aspect of photography.
Life Before Photoshop: The Saturn In Front Of The Diner Ad – Joe Baraban creates another informative post that discusses techniques and concepts to use to get the shot right in-camera. Many of us use modern software programs to adjust our images in post-processing, and having good technical, conceptual and compositional skills makes our work that much better.
Graduated Toning – Short and Simple HTDS – Mark Neal creates another one of his post-processing video primers on photography, today tackling the subject of graduated toning. These presentations are brief but are full of great tips and tricks that will be of help to anyone interested.
Monochrome Through Color – CJ Schmit writes a great article here that discusses the methods and workflow behind creating dramatic monochromatic imagery. CJ is a leader in this particular field, and his article goes into great detail in this genre, creating a post that is sure to teach almost everyone something. He also includes several of his best B&W shots for everyone to view and enjoy.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
The Powder House – Andy Hooker (LensScaper) brings us along on a wonderful adventure exploring the sea coast. Andy’s extensive set of images really brings the sense of scale and beauty of the area to life. He punctuates the fabulous photographs with some very, very interesting facts on the area… I won’t spoil the surprise on this one, you’ll have to discover it yourself.
Water’s Up – a gorgeous landscape photo taken in Hazen P. Mooer Park on the southernmost spot of Cottage Grove, MN awaits the viewer in this post. Jim manually blends two exposures in this shot trying his hand at a new technique with simply stunning results. Jim also produces and shares a short video showing the viewer a few details of the area in question.
… streets of Maó (Menorca) – a dramatic photo of a bicycle creates an unexpected dash of drama in this picture from Tomàs Rotger. The black-and-white shot posted here delivers a delightful break from the usual for the visitor, creating a picture that is sure to be enjoyed by all.
The LOUD Teenager ! – one of the best bird photos I’ve seen in awhile is shared in this picture from Dean Mason. Crisp details and a masterful use of depth of focus converge in this shot to really bring something very special to the viewers screen.
Head space – once again our very own Tom Dinning (@tomdinning) creates a magical post by weaving his wonderful photo through his poetic words. Sure to leave the viewer with a strong sense of question and intrigue, this picture is without doubt a must-see in this week’s list.
The End of the Line – an abstract piece from LensScaper (Andy Hooker) shares something wonderful with the viewer. As he sat on a train at high speed, he took this image and through careful post-processing has created something very unique with great colors, tones and subtle lines.
Felicitous Favourite Fridays – a beautiful vivid flower is presented here by Sarah Ria. The rich colors in the flower are truly accented by her delicate composition, creating a very mesmerizing picture that is sure to be enjoyed by all.
Fields of Green – an iconic American farm scene is captured and shared in this shot from Steven Perlmutter. The wonderful colors of the barns and outbuildings really come to life in the great natural light that Steven captures in this picture.
Weekend Relaxer #25 – a vintage ale, literally, poses on a window sill for Chris Nitz to photograph. In turn Chris creates an image that is really rather compelling, and when coupled with his beer review we find a post that is a real joy to visit.
DDR Hörsaal B (De) – we’re not sure how long this school has been left abandoned in Germany, but it appears to be decades now. Still in remarkable condition, these skeletons of the past produce the most striking photography subjects.
Prison H – textures, grit and decay… all masterfully captured, processed and shared in this fabulous post from Scott Frederick. Scott’s Urbex work is second to none, and this shot really exemplifies his style and work to a “T”.
Bill and Karen's – a colorful and mesmerizing classic Ford drop-top is delivered by Bob Byington. Seemingly an instant classic, this picture is full of great colors and details that are sure to be a delight for anyone who loves this genre of car.
Santa Maddalena Morning – what appears to be an old historic church forms the perfect subject matter for the photography of Hans Kruse. The beauty of the surroundings is punctuated by the church nestled deep in the valley, all of which is brought together with a majestic set of mountains as a backdrop and dramatic clouds looking in the sky.
The “Big Picture” of Shanghai Detail – the true scale of this epic modern city is revealed in this compelling photo from Viktor Lakics. Viktor captures some great natural leading lines with the architecture and busy roadways below, creating a very dramatic scene.
Julia Ideson Building – fabulous textures and details are all captured in this wonderful image from Tim Stanley. Tim shares an architectural study with his visitors here, captured in the blue hour to really accent the tones and colors.
A Horse – Helene Kobelnyk creates a fabulous photograph of a horse in a stall. The natural expression on the horses face serves to create a compelling piece, sure to be thoroughly enjoyed by all who visit.
First Bank of the United States – a great architectural study is performed by Mark Garbowski in this wonderful face shot of an iconic bank. The grand and magnificent stonework that has gone into this building's construction forms a huge element of interest in this scene.
Barred Owl Pair – a pair of gorgeous owls poses in a tree for Steve Creek to capture in these images. The character that Steve has managed to grab in his frames here really helps bring these glorious feathered-friends to life.
Park Accessories, Toronto – juxtaposition is the word for this photograph from the studio of Ren Bostelaar. The clever composition featuring an old film camera is offset by the peek of a modern tool in the world of photography, a cell phone.
No Bait and Switch Here – wonderful natural tension is expressed in this picture from Mark Neal. Mark explores a most beautiful park, and finds a fisherman sitting on the shore biding his time. Mark uses HDR techniques in this shot to really bring all the elements of the scene out for everyone to really enjoy.
Still In Love After All These Years – a rather rare big-block convertible Corvette graces the viewers screen in this fabulous photo from Wayne Frost. This classic muscle car is carefully shot and processed here, producing a picture that can keep my gaze for quite some time, that’s for sure.
The Colors of Life – wonderful motion and vivid colors are brought to life in this mesmerizing piece from Erik and Kathleen Kerstenbeck. One of the best parts of photography is its ability to share an entire story in a glance with the viewer; this is a great example of this.
A gate on Canyon Road – great colors and tones as come together with great textures in this shot to deliver a scene full of rich character. Jim Nix really does a top drawer job on this shot, taking the viewer directly to this captivating part of the world in an initial post that he promises to follow with much more.
USS Constellation – Tall Ships are one of our favorite photography subjects, they are full of great character and wonderful lines. Jimi Jones takes us along as he captures a pair of great exterior shots of one of the most iconic ships in the States, now on display as a museum. These are exquisite photos, guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone.
Longview Lake – Blake Rudis brings us along on his excursion to a place full of great architecture nestled amongst nature's beauty. The great details and textures in the columns and stonework really helps to create a set of totally unique pictures.
Antique Car Shows Part 1 | Antique Car Shows Part 2 – we get to tag along with Mark Summerfield in this great pair of posts that highlights a set of photos of really classic historical cars. Mark performs detailed studies with some of the cars bringing all the intricate details and interest that the original designers included out for everyone to enjoy.
The Forgotten Trulli – history is carefully captured and shared in this post by Adam Allegro. Adam takes us along as he encounters long abandoned ancient homes in the outskirts of cities in Italy. An absolute must-see in this week’s list!
Entering the Enchanted Realm – the bluest of blues are captured and displayed in this fascinating photograph from Christian Klepp. Christian does a wonderful job in composing and capturing this scene of a natural wonder, guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone who visits.
Frederiksborg Castle, view from across the lake – a stunning architectural study of a historic European castle is accented here by a beautiful reflection of it in the lake. The intricate architectural details captured here by Steve Clark are full of character making this a real must-see image in this week’s list.
lost in time – what appears to be the bedroom for a long abandoned manor is presented in this great photograph from Daniel Schmitt. The dichotomy of finding the weathered and decaying structure alongside the interest in the remaining furniture really poses a strong image sure to be enjoyed by all.
The Well – this is truly one of those scenes that if you didn’t see it for yourself, you’d have a hard time trying to grasp the notion. Brian Adelberg captures and shares a shot of a natural wonder that truly defies description.
Rose and Guitar – a picture that presents both wondrous romance as well as intense drama is shared here by Anita Megyesi. Anita uses a very shallow depth of focus in this monochrome picture to create the strong emotion found in this picture, one that is a real must-see in this week’s list.
Into the Mist – a dramatic rock emerges in the mist in this great minimalistic abstract piece from Rick at Hansrico Photography. Wonderful colors in the surrounding sky is diffused in the fog, creating a lovely effect that is guaranteed to delight everyone.
Golden Hour Reflection – the natural and intense beauty found in the Canadian Jasper/Banff National Parks is something that is difficult to comprehend if you don’t have a chance to see it yourself. Len Saltiel captures and shares an epic landscape shot in the early morning light complete with a dramatic reflection in the still waters of Herbert Lake.
Flat Fins – Tim Stanley takes us along as he captures an iconic shot of this classic American car. The sharp lines and rich colors of the car combine here to really deliver something that represents the styles of this time in a truly wonderful photograph.
26062012 – the teaming rain converges with the stark contrast introduced by the tones of the scene in this picture by Ken Lau. This is a truly captivating picture, one that delivers more to the viewer as you spend time taking in the subtle details and elements of interest.
My Old School – what appears to be an abandoned school room is the focus for this great photograph from Raymond Jabola. Rich textures and details in the old items are all accented with Raymond’s careful processing of this scene.
PERAHU – a boat sits almost looking as if it floats on a beautiful blue mirror in this absolutely captivating piece from the studio of Muhamad Azri. This is really a completely surreal scene that gives the viewer the illusion of no horizon, of a planet that seems to go on forever.
Overlook – something slightly nostalgic, slight romantic awaits the viewer in this picture from Rich McPeek. Rich takes a shot of an overlook with a viewfinder and does a great job in post-processing the picture in black-and-white. The results are a scene full of natural tension.
The Getaway Car – Keith Cuddeback shares a writeup of the ioSafe backup device that seems to come with some pretty lofty guarantees that speaks directly to the issue that many of us face in terms of storing all our images. He then shares a picture so full of character, details and interest, that I had a real hard time figuring out how to classify this link for this week’s list. All I know for sure is this is one of those must-see shot’s.
Badwater sky – two exposures captured at different times are blended together to create something mystical and mesmerizing in this shot from James Lake. Rich blue tones in both the sky and reflected back off the ground here combine to really create something ethereal that is sure to be enjoyed by all.
Running Out of Titles – I just love Mark Garbowski’s work in the realm of Urbex photography. In this shot of an abandoned building with few anecdotal details Mark creates a picture that truly stands on its own as a work that is both incredible as well as mesmerizing.
the rose . . . – flowers of course create the perfect subject for photography, but when composed just right and processed delicately, they can really produce images that hold the viewer. dragonflydreams88 does a marvelous job in creating and sharing one such picture here in this post.
Kayak Amelia – Jay&Jacy Photography captures and shares a study of color and shapes in this great picture. A stack of kayaks poses, full of bright color, creating the perfect subject for this picture.
Who lives here? – some of the finest elements of a photograph are all found here in this great shot from clickonthe… Northern Lights gently light up a beautiful snowscape with a wonderful little character home that in turn helps to cast a scene that is purely magical.
Ghost Ranch – Jim Nix transports us through his photography to a place where the landscapes are breathtaking. This post features a pair of images he captured at Abiquiu, NM, just a bit outside of Santa Fe. Both pictures included here are exquisite and really showcase the grandeur of the area marvellously.
Land's End – an epic picture that leaves the viewer certain they’ve escaped planet Earth and have found themselves on a foreign planet. This long exposure shot from Mark Mullen is minimalistic in nature, but deep with drama and inherent emotion.
Middletown Cruise Main Street: Part 2 – if you love classic cars half as much as I do, I apologize in advance for this link; bring a beverage before you click, the next 20 minutes of your life is about to disappear! Jason Knight takes us along on a wonderful tour of some truly incredible cars in this post.
Eye – just because my name is Toad and I love amphibians doesn’t mean this is the only reason this picture was selected for this week’s list. Steve Beal does a wonderful job in creating and capturing this shot of a wonderful Tree Frog, sure to catch the eye of everyone who visits.
Country Road – Heather Neil photographs and processes a lovely shot of a winding country road that she then processes in monochrome. The end result is a nostalgic image that is full of character and interest.
Disney’s Fort – a very carefully composed and delivered picture is presented here from Len Saltiel. A plethora of details is captured here, producing a truly mesmerizing scene that continues to give gifts of wonder to the viewer as they spend time taking it in.
iCrash – everything about this photograph is great. The name of the shot, the cute little sleeping puppy… it’s all here for everyone to enjoy! Rob Nopola captures and shares a really wonderful picture of a little fur-friend, sure to be enjoyed by all who pop by for a visit.
A Night at the Museum – Trey Ratcliff delivers another one of his epic HDR photographs, this one of the Museum of Natural History. Taken inside the museum, this shot delivers a wonderful collection of details and elements of interest to captivate the viewer making this a true must-see shot in this week’s list.
Bridal Veil Falls – a gorgeous waterfall creates a dramatic mist through which Jason Hines captures this wonderful landscape scene. Using a pair of green trees to frame this setting, Jason has created a very beautiful artistic piece that is an absolute joy to view.
Marrakech – a great collection of images captured in Marrakech by Craig Desjardins is on display here. These are truly wonderful images, taking the viewer to a place full of wonder and romance.
Field Of Sunflowers – a colorful and beautiful collection of photos is posted here featuring a field of sunflowers and a pair of great birds. Steve Creek does a top drawer job here in capturing and sharing these pictures, creating a series that is sure to be a delight for all who visit.
Up North – a fabulous cityscape is captured from a very elevated position in this post from Dave DiCello. This expansive image covers a huge amount of the north side of Pittsburgh, and reveals a ton of great details and interesting elements for the viewer.
Kenilworth Castle – Bob Lussier whisks us all away to a magical place in the UK, full of gentle rolling hills and castles long left to ruin. Bobs fabulous composition on this shot brings all the inherent character of the scene to life, creating a picture that is sure to delight everyone.
waiting at the gates of Desire … – the black-and-white aspect of this compelling piece bring drama and the silhouettes bring natural tension. This great shot from the studio of Tomàs Rotger is slightly abstract in nature, creating a wonderful image that is a real must-see in this week’s list.
Eyes As Black As Coal – I often wonder why as a kid I touched the stove, even though my mother warned me it was hot. Same here. I knew what we were to find, yet I clicked anyways. Aaron Barlow creates and shares another of his macro pieces detailing a furry and creepy Wolf spider. Awesome!
Turret Arch – Anne McKinnell captures and shares a picture of a natural rock formation that is compelling both in shape and color. Anne’s spot-on composition really brings all the drama inherent in the scene to life, creating a wonderful picture.
American Classic – classic, indeed! The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is an icon of Americana, and CJ Schmit creates a fabulous image of one using classic architecture as a backdrop to add interest. CJ’s careful processing of the image is highly sympathetic to its nature, helping to round out a captivating and nostalgic piece.
The Donkey Conveys – an old, forlorn house sits high atop a hill, and Rob Hanson is right there to capture this detailed and dramatic scene of it. As the house continues to decay, elements of interest rich with texture begin to take shape, creating a piece that is a must-see in this week’s list.
Landscape With Repose – this is absolutely lovely. A gentle path leads the viewers eye naturally through the frame, with a short rest partway through on a bench that is just so full of wonderful character. Gareth Glynn Ash creates an image here that is a pure delight to view.
Classic Car Graveyard – nature reclaims all, as evidenced in this epic series of photographs taken of a long forgotten car graveyard. Sometimes it takes awhile, but nature always wins. This series is highly compelling with some really fabulous compositions here that are full of drama and emotion.
Good morning from Cowichan Bay – a gorgeous set of ocean based photos is captured and shared just a few short miles from our home here by local photographer Joseph de Lange. Each picture posted can stand on its own in terms of inherent beauty and interest, but the very first shot presented here has the most incredible reflection.
Moonrise – glorious colors are captured in this shot from Scott Wood of a sunset on the ocean. The blues of the water are mesmerizing and we get an added bonus of a moon cresting the horizon, bringing a little extra interest to an already fabulous setting.
The Embudo Gas Museum – incredible colors and details are all brought to life in this pair of shots taken of artifacts hosted in a gas museum. These classic and antique gas related accessories are full of great colors, details and textures, and Jim Nix does a fan-flippin-tastic job of bringing it all together in this post.
Exposed – a beautiful and colorful pair of landscape photographs are posted and shared in this post by Jerry Denham. Jerry does a wonderful job in composing these shots of the waterfall, and he also discusses exposure techniques at a high level.
Otherworld Dreams – great vanishing points can add so much tension to a photo, and this picture is a great example of this. Adam Dobrovits creates a scene that is beyond captivating with elements of fog, color and depth.
Kitten – cute. Seriously, seriously cute. You’ll be inclined to try and reach into your monitor to scratch the ears on this cuddly lil’ kitten, as captured and shared here by Dany Caramete. Dany does a great job in capturing a fabulous natural expression on the kitten’s face that takes this picture to the next level.
Caroline and Pie in a victory lap – my good friend aguden1 just posted a great series of equestrian themed images to his Flickr account. This picture of a rider atop a horse is perfectly composed and takes the viewer right to the event. Great, crisp details round out this image, making it one of our must-see shot’s in this week’s list.
Lionshare Dressage (HDR) – the perfect blending of inside and outside exposures in this shot by aguden1 showcases the subtle nature of HDR perfectly. Great details in both the indoor and outdoor highlights of the scene are enhanced by the wonderful framing that he has used to achieve this shot.
Rolling In – an absolutely breathtaking landscape scene is carefully captured and delivered here by Scott Ackerman. The wonderful details in the forest scene is punctuated here by a beautiful reflection that is host to the most interesting rock, adding a little something extra.
Lightning Strike – Chris Frailey risks life and limb to head straight into a serious lightning storm to grab this dramatic image. The tendrils of the strike create a crisp silhouette against the dark sky, almost coming to life in a dance of the ages.
From Grey Cloud – Jim Denham takes us along on an adventure during sunrise to see an image that contains some really fabulous elements to view and enjoy. Jim’s photo features a really great sunburst, a deserted road that creates a compelling natural leading line and some gorgeous natural colors and tones.
White Gyr – an amazing bird is meticulously captured and presented in this post from Bev. We get an up close and personal view of this majestic bird, full of great details to be enjoyed by all.
High Energy – a member of the frog family is captured in a photograph here by Kat White. The perfect depth of focus here really brings all the character and interest of this lil’ frog-friend to life.
Heart Of Gold – Kerri Farley does a wonderful job in capturing a macro shot of this beautiful flower to post and share here. The composition Kerri uses to create this image serves to add an extra dimension of interest here, producing a very compelling piece to enjoy.
Julia Longwing – incredible details are presented in this macro shot of a butterfly close-up. We get such great details in the eyes here, making it seem that you can almost read this tiny creatures mind! John Mead captures and delivers a photo that is guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone.
INTERESTING BLOGS
She shoots wildfire photos amid the flames – this CNN article shares a bit about the life of a fire photographer. Kari Greer braves thick acrid smoke and hot flames to get right to the heart of the fire and in turn she creates images that are both educational as well as engrossing. This is a very inspiring piece.
Photographic Bliss in Bodie California – a ghost town forms the basis for this epic series posted here by Lee Brown. This old town is now long abandoned, and the remaining buildings and artifacts housed in them are protected and provide a great setting for photography. Lee does a wonderful job in bringing this truly haunted and long forgotten town back to life, even just briefly, for us all to enjoy here.
Vintage Car Wrecks – automobile accidents from the early 1900’s look a lot different than they do today with all the technology and safety advancements that have come along over the years. This is a really amazing post, full of compelling photos of accidents from these early times.
Water Screen – this is one of those epic blog posts you encounter every once in awhile that features both great photography and truly interesting writing. Local photographer Ehpem while out on assignment in a remote location working with a group of archeologists captures and shares this in-depth post. This is both a great post to view for entertainment purposes as well as educational.
Goldstream Park, Coombs, and Parksville – I love how photography can shrink the miles and bring the world together in one neat little package. Local island photographer Keith captures and shares a large series of images taken on our very own island, many of these places are very familiar stomping grounds to us.
Harvest – a fabulous collaboration between a group of great digital artists is displayed in this post hosted by Blake Rudis. Each personal interpretation of the base frame is crafted into each artist's personal vision, creating a series that is very compelling and enjoyable to view.
Monks Point Park – Tofino BC – this is a video journey to a semi-remote spot here on Vancouver Island. The great folks at TLC The Land Conservancy of BC maintain this wonderful heritage facility, presenting the visitor a chance to rent it out to enjoy personally. This house sits on a gorgeous bluff overlooking the oceans and mountains of Vancouver Island and its surroundings. This YouTube video does a great job featuring this facility, bringing you right along to see a place that is as beautiful as it is enchanting.
12 Comments
Thanks for this incredible collection this week. And thanks again for including a couple of my posts. Very much appreciated.
Thanks, Mark, we really appreciate all your kindness & support here, my friend!
Great list this week and thanks for including a couple of mine.
Thanks Steve, we really appreciate all your support here!
WOW, Mark this is awesome, lots of great learning to do, thank you!
We really hope you enjoy viewing the work in this list, there are some truly wonderful pieces posted here! Thanks for your visit, and for taking the time to leave us your comments!
Thank you very much for including one of my photos. Glad you like it!
All my pleasure, and thanks to you in return for your kind visit & comments here!
. . . love this feature!! . . . so many wonderful links!! . . . and such an honour to be included!!! . . . thanx Toad(s)!!!
It’s truly our pleasure and honor, my friend, many thanks for your kind visit!
theres a really nice collection here thanks for putting it together.
All our pleasure, to be perfectly honest, thank you for your visit and for taking the time to leave us your comments!