Photography Links to Lose Yourself In….
Check out this week's list of photography links hand curated by Toad Hollow Photography here just for you.
This week's list contains great links to tutorials, special features, great photography and a few interesting blog posts that relate to photography. We really hope you enjoy checking out this list as much as the Toad did in bringing it to you.
PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORIALS
8 Tips on How to Photograph Pets – photographing pets can be a big challenge in terms of grabbing great images that convey the spirit and personality of the subject and it’s immediate surroundings. This great list of 8 tips and tricks posted right here on Light Stalking gives you an invaluable starting point to help you get great shots, both staged and candid, of our animal friends.
Off Camera Flash Techniques For Dramatic Portrait Lighting – this article comes with a brief video segment that discusses several really terrific ideas for lighting portraits. The accompanying shots included in this presentation are noteworthy on their own, and when considered in the context of the article they add a lot of depth.
Three Ways to Use a Beauty Dish – increase your lighting repertoire with this trio of methods that use a beauty dish to control light and deliver exceptional images. A short video accompanies this article, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how the shoot is staged and how it all comes together seamlessly.
Breaking Down the Lighting of a Studio Portrait – this tutorial goes through the process used to light a complex commercial shot that is used for advertising. Many different lights were applied in this shot, and the reasoning behind each one is discussed in the video segment to give you a great idea of how to use these techniques in your own work.
How to Edit Concert Photography – In Depth Guide – shooting in a fast moving concert is challenging enough for most, and the post-production step is an important part of the process that allows you to finish the work you captured at the show. This article discusses some of the basic steps that can be used for this genre of photography, giving you some bite-sized tips and tricks to help you achieve the look you want.
5 ways to get rid of chromatic aberration in Photoshop – Jimmy McIntyre hosts this brief video tutorial that shows you 5 different ways of eliminating the dreaded Chromatic Aberration that sometimes appears in photography. Jimmy shows us how each technique works against a live image that exhibits the problem, giving you instant feedback on how each approach works.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Photographing Liquid Mountains – the raw power and fury of nature is something that mankind cannot contain, however in some circumstances we can freeze the drama in the context of a frame. Canadian photographer Dave Sandford takes us out into the freezing cold waters of Lake Erie where this special video presentation showcases his work in capturing waves that form on the lake that sometimes reach upwards of 30 feet in height.
16 mesmerizing pictures of Patagonia – there is no arguing that Patagonia is one of the most amazing places on earth with landscapes and mountains that rival anywhere else. This set of shots showcases the natural beauty and a selection of must-see spots in the region, sure to get you on the phone to your travel agent with an eye towards heading there yourself.
There's no place like home: NASA releases beautiful satellite photos of Earth – our very own planet Earth is the prime subject in this set of photographs captured from miles above the surface. These incredible shots come to us directly from NASA, revealing an almost abstract look at the home we all inhabit and love.
Previously unseen photographs of Stalin's Russia revealed by US historian – check out this set of shots taken in Russia during the 50’s, recently discovered after the passing of the man who took these photographs. These great photographs give us a little insight into life in this nation during a very interesting time in history.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY LINKS
Gwaii Haanas North – there is a certain look and feel created by shots captured using film over shots captured digitally. This wonderful oceanscape piece comes to us from Vancouver Island photographer Ehpem who shares a view that is encountered in this beautiful yet remote part of the west coast of Canada.
Windows – artistic tension comes in many shapes and forms, and it is always a compelling element to include in a strong image. This black-and-white shot comes from Kai Ziehl, featuring a silhouette of a person standing in a grand space looking outward, leaving the viewer with a series of unanswered questions that help create the overall feel.
Hallstatt – this tiny community sits perched on the shores of what appears to be a lake, surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains that seem to reach upward forever. Kurt Hinterreither’s photograph shares a view of the community captured in the heart of winter, adding a quaint touch that instantly has everyone scurrying for the indoors.
CaixaForum – a wonderful contemporary staircase creates natural leading lines that guide the viewer into this frame where a sense of the abstract awaits. Alfon No captures this shot at the perfect moment just as a person wearing red walks through the image, adding a small touch of great color to an otherwise dominantly monochromatic piece.
Willis/Sears Tower and 311 S Wacker – this shot exemplifies the power of black-and-white as a medium, capturing two iconic contemporary skyscrapers with natural light coming in from frame right to accent the rich contrasts. As a result, Evan Gearing’s shot accents the powerful nature of these huge buildings, allowing the viewer to focus on great modern details highlighted by dramatic shadows.
Javelina Family – Ron Niebrugge captures a delightful shot of this strange animal, featuring a mother and two young right behind her on a relentless mission to nurse. The tiny babies are a sharp contrast against the size of the full-grown mother, and this really great photograph showcases a bit of their personalities and spirit.
Blue and green should never be seen?? – wonderful natural colors are explored and intersected by railways lines, a river, and a bridge that cuts through the landscape in this great aerial shot from Jason Row. Presumably shot from a drone, this photograph gives us a perspective of this country that is not often seen in an image.
LuxFactoryWinter Is Coming – Brad Truxell visits the city in the early morning hours looking for compositional opportunities that take advantage of the rich palette found in autumn. This shot features a train track as a leading line, covered in a thin layer of beautiful yellow leaves, accenting the overall feel of the shot.
Light – this is another shot in this week's list that utilizes the lines of a staircase to create an abstract image with leading lines and shapes. This shot, from Luis Valadares, features what appears to be an old spiral staircase with an abundance of texture, with the added feature of a photographer partway down training their lens back up at us, the viewer.
Sandra VallaureGray-tailed Mountain-gem Hummingbird, Costa Rica – Mark Paulson captures the iridescent colors of a hummingbird, perched on a tree limb looking towards frame right. The shallow depth-of-field used in capturing this shot helps to isolate the bird from its backdrop, making it pop from the screen.
Dressed To Chill – you simply can’t beat animals for the wonderful expressions and character they can give to a portrait, as shown in this absolutely delightful shot from Marsel van Oosten. This shot features a Giant Panda perched in the crux of a tree limb, looking directly back at camera with a fabulous facial expression.
Groton State Park – VT – incredible colors pepper the expansive landscape in this gorgeous shot from Wayne Beauregard. A strong sense of scale is shared here as we explore layer after layer of rolling hills, with a beautiful blue lake in the middle of the frame for an added dimension.
Two Islands – a thin fog drapes the landscape in this powerful ethereal piece from Daniel F., adding to the sense of mystery of the scene. Peering out through the fog we find island outcroppings covered in lush green trees, with mountains making their presence known in the backdrop as the mist moves through the frame.
Castle Eltz. – Michiel Pieters captures and iconic shot of a grand castle nestled in the forest on a gloomy and moody day. The wonderful architectural features of this majestic structure create a wonderful and magical juxtaposition against the seemingly endless forest it inhabits.
Tropical Storm Hermine Sunset – Mark Summerfield takes advantage of the rich colors in the sunset after a major tropical storm passed by his region. Office buildings line the street he used to create a leading line, with beautiful light glancing off the reflective surfaces of the structures to add a great element of interest to the frame.
Statsraad Lehmkuhl – this great nighttime shot features several terrific features that make it so compelling, including old architecture and a terrific sailboat that is tied to the dock. Rune Hansen’s shot is full of rich details, delivering a strong sense of the character of the location.
INTERESTING BLOGS
Film photography makes a stunning comeback – squarely in the “who’d have thought?” category, we are beginning to see a resurgence of sorts back to the world of analog, with film photography being involved in a big way. This article discusses the recent uptick in film, and the why’s behind this surprise return to the past.
A Look Back at the Forgotten Art of Hand-Tinted Photography – in another throwback to a bygone era, let’s join Grace Rawson as she hand colors a black-and-white print. In the 50’s before color became the dominant media form in photography, hand coloring was an artistic process that brought life to these iconic black-and-whites, and this video shows us how a master painter went about her work in this field.
Improve Your Travel Photos by Creating a Shot List Before You Go – many professionals work off a shot list at events and portrait sessions, ensuring that their client gets a set of photographs that reflects their wishes. Not many people think about this in the context of travel photography, as outlined in this brief article that talks about the merits of this approach.
Further Learning
Advanced Photoshop users. Are you listening?
If you're on the hunt for advanced techniques – particularly Nature Photographers, you HAVE TO have a look at this.
3 Comments
Toad
Thank you for including one of my images in this collection.
It is very much appreciated.
Mark Paulson
Most amazing colletion of exotic photo’s! True art. Loved it all.
such a nice collection.