It's Spectacular Photography Links You Want? This Is Your Lucky Day.

Join us as we explore another weekly list of spectacular photography links, hand-curated by Toad Hollow Photography. This week's list features a wide variety of topics and images in tutorials, special features and great photography. We really hope you enjoy checking out these links as much as the Toad did in bringing this list to you.

Photography Tutorials

How to Make Your Long Exposure Photography Rock By Using ND Filters – this article discusses the application of ND filters in the field of long exposure photography. This technique allows the photographer to apply long exposure times to a scene, creating alternate pictures of reality that in many cases reveals glimpses of dynamic versus static elements, resulting in an ethereal sense frozen in a frame.

The ultimate guide to understanding ISO – my inner nerd wants to spin the propeller on the top of my hat with much gusto after watching this intense and in-depth look at the proverbial “man behind the curtain” in terms of ISO and how it relates to digital cameras. This video presentation is almost 22 minutes in length and contains a terrific amount of detail that can appeal to folks who are just starting out in the digital realm, along with answering detailed questions that seasoned pros may have.

Seriously simple portrait lighting for beauty shots – a 10 minute video presentation covers in good depth the use of simple lighting gear and setups in the field of portrait photography. The sample shots included in the video help to show you how the various techniques apply to the end result and give an added layer of depth to the tutorial.

How to add a Vignette of Any Color to Any Photo in Photoshop – this is a very easy to follow tutorial article that included screenshots of Photoshop in action alongside the effects the changes have on a sample image. The article also includes a brief bit about how vignetting came to be in the world of photography, adding depth to the piece itself.

How to easily edit and blend fireworks photos in Photoshop – with the Fourth of July just behind us now, and an active summer season of festivals and outdoor events just in front of us, this timely video tutorial shows you how to create compelling fireworks shots. Jimmy McIntyre takes us through his entire process in Photoshop, showing you behind the scenes tips-and-tricks that can help you create stunning shots.

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Special Features

The timelapse bar has been raised once again with this amazing Singapore timelapse – this is a jaw-dropping feature presentation, taking the art of timelapse photography to a whole new level with mesmerizing images in a powerful production. This city of Singapore is showcased in this video, featuring construction, the city at night, storms brewing overhead, and a plethora of other great elements that are carefully crafted to come together to create something special.

Nos deux regards à Grand Train | Nos deux regards – Mathias Lucas and Anne-Laure take us along on a photo essay that explores a train exhibit in what I believe to be France. With both wielding their camera and applying it through their own sense of artistry, we get to enjoy a facility and its exhibits through the sets of two eyes.

Pacific ocean cool: when American Arts and Crafts met Japanese modernism – the work of photographer Yasuhiro Ishimoto is posthumously exhibited and featured in this brief article that discusses his body of work and the current exhibition. The shots posted alongside this article feature wonderful architectural details from Yasuhiro’s career and illustrate the intrinsic details and beauty found in great architecture.

Photo Essay: The Other Side of Palestine – this presentation is hosted on a popular photography site and showcases an alternative side of life in the war-torn middle east. Brian Megens takes us deep into the zone where he discovers day-to-day life, lived by regular people just like you and I, as vignettes of lifestyle and landscapes are exhibited to show a different view.

Great Photography

Grizzly lo – Igor Altuna captures a shot sure to tear at your heartstrings, featuring a pair of mighty Grizzly Bears at rest together. The sense of peace and tranquility found in these majestic creatures as they take a brief nap is a stark contrast to the stories found in the media, showing how these bears really do have big hearts both for family and friends, and the world that they live in.

Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet

Evening at the Farm – this great shot comes to us from Len Saltiel, sharing a great landscape piece that takes on a bit of an abstract feel due to the rolling hills and deep shadows found in The Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest in the US. In this composition we find a winding road that creates a great leading line, taking us to a farmhouse nestled in the crook of the hills.

Floating Houses – Remo Scarfò captures and shares a great shot of the canals of Amsterdam and the architectural wonders that line the waterways. These old buildings were in some cases built in the 17th century, and today the entire urban landscape forms a distinct and immediately recognizable destination for those who love adventure.

Where is the Money – artistic tension reigns supreme in this terrific black-and-white photo from CJ Schmit featuring an urbex themed shot taken inside a long forgotten schoolroom. Rich textures from years of decay combine with great elements to deliver a shot that leaves the viewer yearning to know more.

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Sneaking in… – a truly terrific portrait of the Great White Owl inbound on it’s next unsuspecting target. Bobo captures a detailed shot of this majestic birds features, bringing the personality and spirit of this gorgeous creature to life on our screens and monitors everywhere.

baby blackfish . . . – ƊƦคƓ๏ƝŦlץƊгєคɱʂ88 shares a distinctly west coast shot that features a baby Orca Whale breaching in the ocean. These wonderful creatures inhabit the oceans up here, and everyone always delights in sightings. This shot gives us a portrait of a new addition to this whale family.

Equilibrium – Andreas Agazzi’s landscape shot features a shoreline that acts as a perfect natural leading line, guiding the viewer into the frame where the snowy winter scene exhibits the raw beauty of a winterscape. The stark contrasts the snow brings into the composition find harmony with the blues of the still waters, delivering something peaceful and tranquil within a frame.

Summer In The City – as evening descends upon the city of Pittsburgh, Brad Truxell is there with his camera to capture a stunning sunset framed by the dramatic architecture of the city. The beautiful colors in the sky add the finishing touch to this shot, creating a piece that is sure to captivate the imagination of everyone who sees it.

~ Colors party ~ – this often photographed architectural feature seems to float above the waterline, creating a natural leading line that blends into a vanishing point for wonderful artistic tension. This rendition of the bridge was captured by David Gomes, and features vivid colors in the sky to really accent the overall sense the image brings.

158 – Dave Wares showcases the power of a dramatic black-and-white shot in this piece, using a causeway to create leading line that guides the viewer into the frame. A lone runner coming at the camera adds a dash of tension to the shot, finishing it off just perfectly.

Mystical And Mysterious Prague – as promised in the title of this shot, we visit the old city of Prague to enjoy it’s rich heritage and history as found in the architecture. Robert Schüller’s composition finds the buildings highlighted by beautiful colors, creating the sense of allure and magic expressed in the image title.

the drama of daybreak – a gorgeous sunrise casts vibrant colors on the horizon in this shot from Frank King. The body of water that covers the foreground of the shot reflects the amazing colors in a mirrored surface, adding an awesome element to a stunning morning scene.

Sweety – cat lovers everywhere will be scrambling to find this cute little pussy cat with pointy ears as it tugs at our hearts and beckons to be scratched behind the ears. Marion Vollborn’s wonderful shot features all the personality and character found in this species of cat, exhibited in a playful manner sure to melt the hearts of all who see it.

Iris Bloom, Oregon – beautiful purples and yellows dance across our screens in this wonderful photograph from Mark Paulson. A simple Iris, show with a shallow depth-of-focus is the prime subject in this shot, perfectly isolated from the perfect green background that adds interest to the composition.

Night – the New York city skyline pops to life in this mesmerizing photograph from Krzysiek Rabiej. Taken from across the water, the vibrant colors of the city are accented here by the long exposure time used to capture this shot, resulting in silky waters with old wood pilings that lead the viewer into the frame.

Herns Mill Covered Bridge – Mark Summerfield captures a slice of history in these two frames, featuring a wonderfully restored and maintained covered bridge in the US. Surrounded by thick, green vegetation, this bridge stands for over 120 years as a link between the two areas it services and today is a wonderful bridge to the past.

Shanghai-Skyline B+W – the incredibly dramatic skyline of Shanghai finds life in this terrific monochromatic shot captured and shared by George Nevrela. The processing finds perfect harmony with the subject matter in this piece, taking on a bit of a post-apocalyptic feel in the stark contrasts and details of the city’s buildings.

Massillon State Hospital – this is much more than a set of images in a post, this is a terrific short photo essay that takes us inside a well-known mental state facility that today is heavily guarded and therefore little is known about its status. Michael Criswell takes us inside and shows us the incredible historical architecture and items on display in what has to be a special post with a photo opportunity that would be unavailable otherwise.

Out of the blue – Dany Eid’s stunning composition brings out the natural blue hues found in this cityscape piece featuring the bustling metropolis of Dubai in the evening. The ring road that encircles the predominant building is accented by the light trails of moving traffic, adding to the neon feel discovered within the frame itself.

Proud Fairlane at Sunset – Tim Stanley does a beautiful sunset and a gorgeous classic car justice within the context of a frame in this great car photograph. A classic Ford Fairlane on display at a car show is captured during the last moments of the day at sunset, framing this incredible ride in perfect light and highlighting its lines and details.

Supercell Thunderstorm in Lamesa Texas – for those who love the effects that photography have in terms of freezing a moment in time, this great shot from the studio of Chris Frailey does a great job. As a monster storm moves across the landscape, with dramatic clouds brooding overhead, this incredible composition comes together to capture a scene that exhibits the power and fury that only nature can deliver.

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