30 Of The Coolest Photography Links Of The Week For Your Enjoyment

This week's list of links has something for every avid enthusiast of photography, including tutorials, special features, collections, and as always a selection of great photography. In this past week, we have found Toad Hollow Photography searching all over the internet looking for the best links from contemporary artists and writers to share here, and we really hope that you enjoy checking these links out as much as the Toad did himself in bringing this list to you.

TUTORIALS

5 Technical Tips On How To Convert Portraits into Black and White – achieving a great result in the process of converting portraits to black-and-white is more complex than just removing all saturation from an image. This short tutorial is posted here on Light Stalking and talks about some of the key things that need to be considered and dealt with to create stunning monochromatic pictures.

How to Get a Smooth and Blurred Background in Wildlife Photos – learning how to take control of your depth-of-field is an important topic for those who are wanting to create rich images where the backdrop is out of focus. This creates a sense of isolation for the subject of the shot, really making it pop out of the frame for the viewer. This great short article gives you everything you need to start exploring this technique.

How to Use the Healing Brush on Edges – learn how to best leverage the healing brush tool in Photoshop with edges to avoid some of the common side effects in this video tutorial that is less than 5 minutes long. A sample working image is used throughout the video to allow you to see the technique in action.

6 Tips for Mastering Macro Photography – for those interested in creating great macro shots, this article covers 6 key concepts that will help jumpstart this for you. This is a primer article that shares a couple of great example close-up photographs to show you what to expect with your own work if you follow these tips.

Using Radial Gradients in Photoshop to Draw Attention – the power of radial gradients in Photoshop is explored in a 10 minute video tutorial here that takes you through the concept of applying this technique to your pictures. A couple of great shots are used as examples as the tutorial unfolds, showing you how powerful a technique this can be for you to explore.

The Difference Between Vibrance and Saturation – there are several key differences between vibrance and saturation, and this short video tutorial covers these with a sample shot to illustrate the concepts. In just over 5 ½ minutes you can learn about these differences and learn how best to leverage these color adjustments.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Photographing Hurricanes and Extreme Weather – by the Man With Over 30 Years Experience – this terrific article gives us some insight into what goes into one of the most challenging and dangerous genres of photography, storm chasing. This article is based on an interview and includes several incredible shots that show us exactly why nature is the one clearly in charge of the conditions that surround us all.

An 8K Time-Lapse of the Dolomites – check out a story told in just over 3 minutes that brings together a series of time lapse sequences captured in stunning 8k video. This feature presentation was all captured in the gorgeous and dramatic mountains found in northern Italy and really showcases the raw and majestic beauty found in this part of our world.

13 Amazing Locations with Otherworldly Landscapes – you really don’t have to leave planet earth to find locations that are rooted in our imaginations in places far away. This collection of photographs features a variety of spots, all captured here on earth, that reveal how unique and distinct this planet is when considered in the framing of its entirety.

COLLECTIONS

40 Amazing Long Exposure Photos – long exposure photography can create some of the dreamiest and ethereal looking images out there. This collection of shots features some of the best shots from this type of photography posted recently.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Haircut? – Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – you’re definitely going to want to schedule your next haircut somewhere else as this particular barber chair has been long neglected and the entire setting is rather crusty looking. Len Saltiel does an exemplary job in capturing all this rich patina and weathering in a shot that frames the character of this long unused penitentiary in the context of a frame.

Matterhorn fascination – exquisite natural light covers this landscape shot from Daniel Metz that has a wood cabin in the foreground in a meadow overlooked in the distance by the mighty and majestic Matterhorn mountain. The snow-capped mountain is a dramatic presence in this picture that when accompanied by the cabin creates a nostalgic and bucolic look at this magical location.

Abandoned on the Mother Road – Route 66 is a real must-see ribbon of highway in the United States, featuring all sorts of things that represent the state of highway motoring from a time from well over 50 years ago. This shot showcases an old gas station, captured by Jim Nix, in a composition that instantly takes you back in time.

~ Porto ~ – David Gomes shares a stunning sunset photograph captured in Portugal captured from an elevated spot looking down upon Douro-Porto. A brilliant sunset paints the sky in gorgeous colors as terrific details in the architecture and landscape of the city twinkle below.

The Wait – in yet another example of how incredibly dramatic black-and-white can be as a medium, we get this terrific shot from Michael Criswell taken from inside an abandoned building. A strange chair sits in the hallway here, serving as an anchor into the shot, and creating a strong sense of artistic tension in how we are all left with many unanswered questions.

*** – check out this cinematic looking shot taken inside a train station with a lone person making their way out of frame for a perfect touch of artistic tension. Ed Gordeev’s shot also showcases incredible natural light streaming in as light rays, adding to the overall impression of the picture.

Kilchurn Castle, Scotland – if you love old dilapidated Scottish castles half as much as I do, you definitely want to click on this link that takes you to Anne McKinnell’s blog post which is full of castley goodness. In this particular post, Anne takes us along as she explores the wet Scottish countryside and comes away with a pair of quintessentially Scottish shots.

Head Light – reflections are a very powerful compositional element that can really make a photograph stand out, as we see in this terrific shot from Kurt Hinterreither. This shot of a mountainous landscape features a great mirrored reflection in a pool of water in the foreground that uses the beaming sun as a key element.

St. Luke's Church – let’s head back in time, almost 400 years to be precise, to check out this old brick church located in the state of Virginia in the US. Mark Summerfield shares a pair of great shots of this historic heritage site along with great historical details, creating a well-rounded article that reveals the interesting story behind the construction of this important original church.

Dream house in Iceland – Johannes Hulsch creates and shares a dark and moody landscape picture with this piece, revealing a view of a small white wooden house sitting on a rock bluff on Iceland looking out over the water. The dark contrasts found in the low natural light along with Johannes great post-production of this scene converge to deliver something really special.

the symbolic sunset – grain elevators are nostalgic and bucolic in nature and are often-photographed subjects on the prairies as they hearken us back to a time when the landscape was dotted with huge farms. Frank King’s shot has a trio of these elevators in it with the bright orange one dominating the scene with a splash of color.

Downtwon Bangkok – light trails from moving cars and crisp architectural details form the basic key elements in this cityscape picture by Manjik photography. Taken in the heart of nightime, this shot uses a strong bridge presence as a perfect leading line into the frame where the city thrives.

A Lot to Bite Off – Laurie MacBride shares a very interesting shot along with some background information in this post. Laurie’s shot is of a small fish that was just moments before part of a larger family of fish feeding on a jellyfish. This led Laurie to ask a few interesting biology related questions, all framed by the fact she captured this interesting scene as a foundation to a deeper discussion.

in blue – for those who love great macro shots, this photograph is a surefire winner in this week’s list, featuring a small butterfly perched on a leaf. Nᴏʀʙᴇʀᴛ Lɪᴇsᴢ uses the blue backdrop of the setting and a shallow depth-of-focus to really make the small butterfly pop in this terrific picture.

Surveyed from all sides – this is a great shot from Andy Hooker (LensScaper) who visits an abstract piece of architectural art on display and waits patiently for the right moment as observers come together to study the piece in the exhibit. There is a rich sense of artistic tension in this picture as we see the people contemplating things and forming their personal thoughts.

Accidentally Deleted – Michael Kendziorra delivers a cityscape shot that uses deep and dark contrasts to create a strong sense of architectural drama by finishing it as a pure black-and-white piece. We see a bridge that divided the frame in half and in the distance there are crisply detailed buildings that add to the overall feel of artistic tension.

Lost Control – Urban Vagabond visits a long abandoned control facility where nature and decay have been the dominant force in control since the last time people actually worked in the room. Natural patina has taken over in this urbex themed shot and now it’s only a matter of time before what remains is fully overtaken as it disappears forever.

Snow in Shinjuku – this is a delightful shot captured during a snowfall in the city by photographer Yoshiro Ishii as we look down a narrow walkway flanked by quaint little storefronts. The effect of the snow as it falls in this shot is terrific, as it reveals a glimpse into a unique part of the world enhanced by the joyous feel of the pure white snow.

Hookipa Windsurfer – a wicked windstorm pounds the surf as Randy Hall takes advantage of the natural weather event to capture a shot with rolling waves and a lone windsurfer trying to hang on. The dark skies add to the drama, bringing all the key elements together in a shot that is sure to have you heading for shelter as you stand alongside Randy.

Lonely Earth – a serene view is shared in this photograph that uses a wooden pier as a leading line out into the scene where a quaint wood structure sits over the waters. Anton Raharja captured this shot at the perfect time of day, taking in all the color of the sky as the sun sits low on the horizon.