Weekly Photo Link Roundup: The Coolest Of This Week

The freezing cold fingers of winter have arrived in the Toads part of the world, but this hasn't kept him from searching the internet for the best tutorials, photography and interesting blogs to share with everyone.  He was slightly limited due in part to the storm, but is still very happy to share this list with everyone.  We hope that you enjoy seeing the work of these talented artists and photographers as much as the Toad did in bringing them to you.

Check out the Toad’s photo blog, as well as his extensive gallery of 1750+ images on their Canadian Architecture and Landscape Photography site.

TUTORIALS

Lancome Mascara and liquid drops – master product photographer Alex Koloskov shares all the tips, tricks and secrets he uses to produce some of the most stunning product based photography I have ever seen in my life.  A time consuming and intricate process, Alex discusses each step of the process with the final result on display to show how it all comes together.  Even if you don’t do this style of photography, this is a truly incredible article that is guaranteed to teach everyone advanced techniques.

The Golden Hour in Photography (Magic Hour) – a brief article that discusses the benefits of shooting during the Golden Hour.  This is a well written piece that is easy to understand by photography enthusiasts of all calibre, well worth the time to visit.

A Do-it-yourself Soft Focus Filter – you have probably never heard of such an idea before, and I have to say it’s GREAT!  Doug Pruden writes and shares a tip and technique for a makeshift filter for your photography activities that really delivers incredible results, even though I was personally a little skeptical when I first encountered the article.  This is the kind of “out of the box” thinking that really can have an impact, well worth the time to read.  A must see post for this week, for sure!

Choosing Night Photography Settings – a comprehensive and complete guide to night photography outlines a series of great tips and tricks.  This well written piece is guaranteed to further most anyones desire to learn and practice this style of photography.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Empire – one of the must-see shots in this weeks list, in this case a picture of the NY city skyline.  Bob Lussier carefully and masterfully captures this scene and processes it in black-and-white to accentuate all the drama.  The cherry on top of the cake is a wonderful reflection of sunlight on the Empire State Building producing a truly stellar photograph.

Moonlighting Moraine Lake – a stunning landscape photograph straight from the studios of Hansrico Photography.  The iconic and beautiful Moraine Lake sits in the Banff National Park in Canada, and Rick really captures it’s stunning beauty producing a truly striking image.

Nice Curves – it seems that Steven Perlmutter shares our deep love of old and classic cars.  In this post he captures and shares 3 truly breathtaking shots of a classic burgundy car, each photo more incredible than the one before it.

Hospital B – Disarray | Carnage! – Mark Blundell and his partner Viveca Koh seem to have a magical ability to find the most incredible subjects to shoot, and in this wonderful set of images we have a great example of such.  A long abandoned room in a hospital produces a striking scene, and Mark and Viveca are ready with their cameras to capture and share a truly stunning image from the location.

Looking back on a smart move! – never one to hop off a perfectly good cliff with just a rubber band between me and certain demise, I can certainly understand the rush of adrenaline that folks get from doing this…  I just wouldn’t do it myself, for any reason.  In this great post by John Mead, he seems to have a similar thought pattern on this subject.  At which point, he finds himself aboard a helicopter overlooking the very same falls and he captures a truly epic and masterful shot of the surroundings.  Well worth the time to visit & view!!

Love Love Love Abandonment – some images really deliver more as you spend time taking them in.  This is a great example of this as Scott Hovind captures and delivers a compelling shot taken inside an abandoned building, complete with great graffiti and light as it drapes across the floor, adding so much interest and drama here.

Winter Sunset – a truly breathtaking, albeit slightly abstract, photograph of a stunning landscape as the sun just falls behind the horizon is in store in this shot by Mike Victorino.  This is an absolutely beautiful image, well worth the time to visit and view.

I Like That Old Time Rock and Roll – this is a great image, straight from the studio of Len Saltiel.  The accompanying blog post adds some depth to the story of the old classic jukebox, as well as providing a little fodder for thought.  This is a wonderful image, well worth the time to visit and view.

Casa Batlló – so much to take in and enjoy in this truly incredible photograph by Barbara Youngleson.  Exquisite composition and a unique perspective converge to create a stunning piece, guaranteed to delight and amaze all who pop by for a visit.

Glassed Poinsettias – really wonderful colors and lines are carefully composed and captured in this fabulous photograph from Rob Nopola.  Really wonderful details all begin to emerge when the viewer spends more time with the image, producing a strong and compelling piece.

National Ballet School, Toronto – a fabulous architectural study taken with a completely unique composition of this iconic location in Toronto is posted here by Ren Bostelaar.  This wonderful image was captured at night, adding so much interest to the scene that Ren photographed.

Over the Wheel – a wonderful perspective, shot way up high, produces a wide angle view of the city and activities below.  Captured in Scotland, this colorful and detailed image is presented by Adam Allegro, and is absolutely guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone who pops over for a view.

Blue Bridge Control Shack – having the privilege to find and befriend local photographers with similar interests can really result in some fascinating and fun things coming across your desk.  This is a truly great example of such.  A local photographer friend of mine, Ehpem, captures and shares a great series of images of a local icon to the city of Victoria, our Johnson Street bridge.  Soon to be demolished to make way for a new structure, these will undoubtedly be some of the last professional quality images of the bridge.  This is a great post, well worth the time to visit.

Fire in the Sky – what a truly breathtaking pair of photos as captured and shared by LensScaper (Andy Hooker) in this post.  Trees provide the ultimate in form of silhouettes, and Len masterfully composes and shoots these images, producing a pair of pictures that are absolutely compelling and almost magical.

Quebec – The Old City – a wonderfully processed image taken in Quebec showcases the local architecture in this fabulous photograph that deserves to be displayed on anyone’s wall.  Edith Levy brings out the details of the window frames with selective color, producing a strong and compelling image that will delight and amaze everyone.

Weekend Relaxer #2 – once again, Chris Nitz delivers a truly fabulous image that showcases both his photography skills as well as his intensely creative and artistic side.  Carefully placed props accent the overall composition, creating a ton of character and interest in the resulting photograph.  An absolutely wonderful piece!

Checked Out – master explorer Steve Beal finds an old abandoned library in a school to capture and share.  The children may be long gone now, but the spirit of the school remains.  This wonderfully composed image produces a piece that definitely gives us a glimpse into a time now past, producing a strong and compelling picture.

The Painted Snowy Egret – a beautiful bird poses for Anne McKinnell as it readies itself for take-off, and Anne carefully captures and processes the image using a painterly style to produce a piece that is absolutely unique.  This gorgeous bird creates the perfect subject matter for Anne and her skills, allowing her to deliver a stunning image to enjoy by all.

Shot of the Day-Long Lines at Barcelona Airport – a wonderful and colorful image taken inside a bustling airport produces a compelling piece in this post by Edin Chavez.  Carefully composed lines as found in the inherent architecture naturally leads the viewer through the frame, creating a sense of scale and expanse.

Downtown – beautiful lights, colors and details are found in this top drawer image from the studio of Helene Kobelnyk.  The scene is further accented, creating further interest, with the wonderful light trails that are a result of the long exposure used to capture this shot delivering a sense of both serenity and motion at the same time.

Snow Goose at Skagit Valley – a truly wonderful image of a snow goose in flight presents itself in this great post from Jay Taylor.  The really exquisite processing and textures that Jay uses to bring this image to life are second to none, producing a really wonderful shot of this beautiful bird in flight.

You’re My Sunshine – what a beautiful set of sunflowers as captured by Barbara Youngleson.  Incredible details and colors are all here to be found by the viewer, captivating all who pop by for a visit and a view.

Splashdown! – a fabulous photograph captured by Jerry Denham delivers the action, frozen in time forever.  This is a perfectly composed image, sharing some details of what the kayakers experience when they go over a perfect waterfall.  Personally, this takes far more courage than I possess, and I have to say this produces some pretty striking imagery to enjoy.

Dinner With Squirrel – it took me almost 20 minutes to stop laughing uncontrollably after reading this GREAT post by Scott Hovind!  This is a wonderful set of photographs accompanied with some truly witty banter.  I promise, you haven’t seen a post like this before, and please be warned that the humor-factor is extreme here and you are guaranteed to laugh!

Fender Rhodes – nothing is beyond the reach of the talented Steve Beal, and in this case he presents us with a wonderful and carefully composed photograph of this iconic musical instrument.  This piano is a cornerstone of much of our classic rock ‘n roll, and Steve really does an incredible job of creating a special piece of imagery to celebrate it!

Mais Oui…C’est l’architecture! – wonderful architecture presents itself in this great collection of images taken in France over the holidays by Sarah Ria.  Gothic and classic influences make for great subject matter in the field of photography, and this series really delivers a set of compelling shots to view and enjoy.

A Discussion Among Cranes – a stunning and delightful image as shared by Helene Kobelnyk shares a view of a gathering of cranes.  Fabulous details and wonderful composition converge in this great picture, producing a compelling piece that is a true delight to see.

Tunnel Vision – a wonderful photograph, complete with exquisite leading lines, awaits the viewer in the top drawer capture from the studio of Edith Levy.  A long tunnel with wonderful lighting creates the perfect subject for this stunning shot from Edith, well worth the time to visit and view.

The Edge of the World – straight from another world, this incredible shot by Mike Olbinski shares a view of a place that produces such incredible drama and intrigue.  Wonderful colors in the sky further punctuate the scene, creating a shot that is truly compelling.

Venetian Gothic Architectural Details of Ca' d'Zan Mansion – a wonderful and intricate architectural study of a mansion in Florida awaits the viewer in this fabulous post by Mark Summerfield.  The perfect composition in this short series of shots work together with the scene to present a post that is guaranteed to really delight everyone who pops by to view.

Salton Sea Preview – a truly epic shot from the studio of Chris Frailey delivers a scene that is both surreal and utterly beautiful.  The inherent drama in the scene, coupled with a fabulous reflection in the water and a great set of tones in the sky all combine in this highly dramatic scene to produce a picture that is utterly mesmerizing.

Torrent – a wonderful black-and-white abstract piece straight from the studio of Curt Fleenor.  An almost painterly effect emerges as the viewer takes the image in, producing a strong and compelling piece that is well worth the time to visit and view.

My Thoughts – I love this set of images as shared by Carlos.  These dramatic and emotional black-and-white images combine with the wonderful words that accompany this post to create a truly top drawer series to take in.

Lines of Light – wonderful details and color tones are all exposed in this captivating scene as captured by Jim Denham.  A sense of scale and expanse is masterfully captured and shared here, producing an image that is guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone who visits to view.

The Tunnel – a strange entranceway to a nice hotel forms the subject theme for this great shot, as captured and shared by Aaron Barlow.  The black-and-white processing used in this image that appears to go on forever further accents the natural drama in the intrinsic scene itself.

My Undefined Present – a wonderful snow scene awaits the viewer in this fabulous post by Gareth Glynn Ash.  In my eye, the tree that is perfectly composed in the scene is the leading character in this image, producing a strong element of interest and questioning; well worth the time to visit and view!

Have You Driven A Fordson Lately? – a wonderful, wonderful capture by John Sotiriou showcases one of our favorite subjects; an antique Fordson tractor!  Full of great textures and details, John masterfully captures a top drawer image of this iconic tractor, producing a piece that is full of character and interest.

Inner City Canal – a fan-flippin-tastic pair of images, straight from the studio of Jimi Jones, delivers imagery of a canal complete with wonderful architectural details and incredible reflections in the water.  Wonderful colors and tones accent the captures, creating a pair of shots that are compelling and wonderful to take in and view.

The Photographer’s Playground – this image needs to be framed and belongs on anyones wall.  Jason Hines captures and processes a snow scene complete with a dramatic rock formation that is mesmerizing and stunning beyond description; guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone who pops by to view.

New York Escape – I love architecture and the natural lines it can sometimes create when carefully composed.  In this image by Len Saltiel we get the best of all worlds; great textures in the brickwork, fabulous natural lighting painting the side of the building and a wonderful leading line that gently leads the viewer through the frame.

State Bank Stone – another jaw-droppingly awesome shot by Jim Denham makes the list this week with this unbelievably incredible shot of this State Bank building.  Wonderful light and tones are all so carefully captured here by Jim, producing a strong piece that is mesmerizing and wonderful to take in.

Along the Hudson – this is a truly compelling and dramatic scene, captured perfectly by Mark Garbowski.  The Hudson River rolls in the background with a perfectly composed highway in the foreground, combining to create an image that is truly captivating with a tinge of tension; a must see shot in this weeks list.

Dreaming of Snow – a wonderful and dreamy scene is masterfully captured by Michael Glover in this winter setting.  Black-and-white processing adds further drama to this top drawer composition, creating a truly stunning piece that is guaranteed to delight everyone who visits and views.

Convicted – a truly epic scene, seeming to originate from a hundred years ago, awaits the viewer in this masterful and stunning piece as delivered by Scott Frederick.  A long abandoned prison delivers a strong and dramatic scene for Scott to capture and share, and he also gives a few details into his post-processing, producing a post that is a true must-see for this week.

INTERESTING BLOGS

This Is A Painting! 3D Fish Painted in Layers of Resin – art is such a wonderful way to express ourselves, and in this case we’ve got something truly special to share with everyone.  This incredible work by the talented Riusuke Fukahori really stands out as innovative and unique pieces, and this blog post highlights some of his work.

Life Before Photoshop: Allstate Insurance – a wonderful behind the scenes look at a photo-shoot for a large company, sharing tips and tricks on how the shoot was accomplished.  Joe Baraban loves to share great articles with the community, and with this great piece he really delivers something interesting.  Well worth the time to visit and read!

Hidden Splendor: NYC’s Abandoned City Hall Station – incredible…  the first words to pass my mind as I encountered this post.  Now long forgotten, this subway station built many years ago presents a captivating photography opportunity.  Guaranteed to amaze everyone who visits, this is a must-see series for this weeks list.

China: Recent Photos Show Shocking Pollution – we get a peek at the underbelly of an area of high pollution in the world.  These stunning photographs are absolutely profound to view, and will leave the viewer with more questions unanswered.  Well worth the time to view.

10 Questions with…Thomas Hawk – a look into the inner thoughts and workings of one of our generations leading photographers by Jim Nix provides a post that is a true “must read” article in this weeks list.  Thomas is a true artist and character who works very hard in our field producing truly epic and stunning pieces, and this comprehensive interview is a wonderful behind the scenes look at what drives a master in the field.