With so much exciting stuff going on in the field of modern photography it sure is great that we have Toad Hollow Photography searching all corners of the internet looking for the best tutorials, special features and great photography to share here with enthusiasts from all corners of the world. This weeks list is full of a wide variety of topics and photographs, featuring the work of some of the best photographers and writers working in the field today. We really hope you enjoy checking out this list as much as the Toad did himself in creating it for you.
TUTORIALS
How to Perfect Your Indoor Portraits Using Mirrors – finding new ways of taking advantage of things that exist in your natural world can be a wonderful creative spark that takes you on brand new journeys with your photography. This terrific tutorial is posted here on Light Stalking, and it discusses how the use of mirrors, both big and small, can produce incredible compositional opportunities that create very unique images.
100 Best Photoshop Tutorials (From Basic to Advanced) – learning how to take advantage of all that Photoshop has to offer, whether you are just beginning or have been an avid user for years, can be a large task that seems to never end. This terrific article shares some of the very best Photoshop tutorials out there on a wide range of topics with something in here that is sure to be useful for people working with this powerful production tool at any level.
Simple Web Tool Teaches Beginners How to Use Manual Settings on a DSLR – well done infographics can be a powerful learning tool inasmuch as they provide their lesson in an easy to understand graphical format. This interactive infographic is a powerful tool that can help everyone understand the relationship between ISO, aperture, shutter speed and exposure in a fun presentation.
The Weird Tricks Food Photographers Use to Fake Delicious Looking Meals – food photography is a thing all unto itself, and here we learn some of the secrets that photographers in the field apply to their workflow to get those amazing, mouth-watering results. The kicker here is that most of the shots involve food that is not that tasty, and in some cases is downright inedible.
How to Set Your White Balance for the Most Common Types of Streetlights – managing white balance can be a daunting undertaking for many photographers who don’t have a lot of experience with it, particularly in settings that have a wide variety of light color in them. This great article discusses the various types of lights found on many of today’s streets and shares some strategies on how best to manage these situations for great imagery.
How to shoot long exposure timelapse with direct sunlight in the middle of the day – creating terrific timelapse videos often requires long exposure settings to create a smooth and interesting presentation. This video tutorial takes us through the process of using a ND filter to drop the shutter speed, allowing for silky smooth timelapses that are pleasing to view and enjoy.
Panning technique: How to photograph moving subjects – a very brief and high level guide that takes you through some of the basics behind the techniques used to capture stunning panned photographs. The blending of sharp subjects against a dynamic backdrop full of motion blur is a technique that in some cases takes practice to perfect, and the results are truly stunning shots that capture the imagination.
SPECIAL FEATURES
What a shot! 24 amazing sports photos – let’s head on over to CNN to see what great photos they are featuring as amazing sports photographs from recent sporting events. These terrific candid shots capture fast-paced life in a split-second, giving us all a glimpse into some of the things that happen so quickly they are for the most part missed.
Photographing the Famous Abandoned Church Full of ‘Ghosts’ – an amazing series of photographs is shared in this blog post that focuses on ghostly characters purposefully created to help with a fundraising initiative in an old and weathered church. The incredibly figures are posed realistically inside the building, creating a very eerie feel that are perfectly captured in this set.
Nos deux regards au Musée de Minéralogie (Mines ParisTech) | Nos deux regards – Mathias Lucas and Anne-Laure share their unique versions of photographs taken at the same place at the same time in this twin set of blog posts. These extensive catalogs of photographs focus on a macro look at gems and minerals with extremely purposeful compositions that reveal a side of nature that is often missed by most.
Photographer captures incredible light pillars that look like something out of a Sci-Fi show – an amazing natural phenomenon creates stellar light pillars in the night sky that are perfect for out-of-this-world photography. This incredible light display is captured in still and video images, revealing a side of nature that is apparently quite rare, and utterly delightful.
Photographer runs epic photo shoot to recreate Beauty and the Beast with his daughter – there are some seriously mad Photoshop skills shown off in this feature presentation, one created by a father for his daughter as a sign of the love he has for her. He first captured shots from various locations and then did a special photo shoot with the girl, bringing it all together into Photoshop where a magical world came out of his digital darkroom.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
R I S E – a beautiful classically styled white clad church with a red roof stands in a field as the sun rises in the distance in this amazing shot from Timothy Poulton. The eerie clouds in the sky add a dash of drama to the scene, creating the perfect natural conditions for this shot to come to life on all our screens.
Bow Lake – Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta – Len Saltiel shows us all exactly why reflections can be such powerful compositional elements in landscape photography in this beautiful shot that features the rugged Rocky Mountains in Canada. In this shot we find the mountains perfectly mirrored in the soft reflection of a lake in the foreground, finishing off the image just perfectly.
White On Blue – for those who love nature photographs, this is a real must-see shot in this week's list, coming to us from Pasi Kaunisto. The stark white feathers of the national bird of Finland find sharp contrast against the deep blues of the frozen lake they stand upon.
Larry the Mute Swan – Anne McKinnell shares a poignant series of photographs of a beautiful swan the often graced her with it’s presence at the campsite she frequents during the summer months here on Vancouver Island. Each of the photos is absolutely beautiful, showcasing the magnificent beauty these birds behold upon those who appreciate them. Sadly it seems the swan recently passed, so this series now becomes a memory book dedicated to him.
Rocky coast of Liguria – a moody picture is presented here by Maxim K. featuring a ragged coastline sitting undercover of a layer of wispy clouds that add to the overall feel of the setting. Wonderful details in the rock faces that look out towards the ocean reveals a look at the splendor of nature as it carves out the cliffs through countless years of pounding surf.
Whispering Gallery – Michael Criswell does it once again, sharing his terrific photography skills in the form of an architectural study that reveals the true scale and scope of the interior of the Texas State Capitol building in downtown Austin Texas. In this shot, Michael uses a fisheye lens to capture the massive rotunda from floor to ceiling, with incredible details found at every level to draw the viewer into the frame.
The Lion City – Elia Locardi captures a stunning cityscape photo of a major city in Singapore during the blue hour. The lights from the building twinkle in the amazing architectural features of this incredible city, anchored by a bridge that guides the viewer into the heart of the city in the distance.
Quality Time with Uncle – prepare yourself to be utterly delighted in this pair of photographs from Laurie MacBride who shares these shots of a newly born fawn playing with it’s uncle. Both photographs featured in this post are heartwarming, showing off the obvious love these wonderful animals have for each other.
Lighthouse keeper searched – incredible drama and fury that can only be found in the ravages of nature graces our screens in this epic photograph from Jasna Matz. As the furious waters of the ocean pound upon the shores in this shot, they almost completely envelope a tall lighthouse in the frothing and roiling waters that are the domain of Poseidon himself.
The greatest church in the world – the inside of the Vatican in Rome comes to full life in this stunning image from Jim Nix. The space inside is so huge that even with people milling about on the ground level, incredible details in the fine architecture are revealed for those who are inclined to spend a little time with the shot exploring it visually.
Cute Baby Fox – if you have a heart and love all the creatures of the natural world, prepare for a true “ahhh” moment with this photograph of a wonderful tiny fox baby as it explores the world it finds itself inhabiting. This delightful portrait was captured by Roeselien Raimond in perfect natural light conditions, creating a splendid frame and setting for this adorable little fox to steal the show.
sky, ocean and ancient rock – a castle that was once a home many, many years ago stands sentry on the cliffs of Northern Ireland in this wonderful photograph from Frank King. The ruins of the castle create a distinct dichotomy against the beautiful surroundings that once inspired those who were lucky enough to live here.
6th Ave – the convergence of that which is static alongside the light trails of a fast moving train is the prime focus of this terrific shot that was processed with a cinematic feel to it. Ryan Millier captures this terrific natural dichotomy deep underground in the tunnels of the city of New York where the subways live.
Hitting the Road – a small, tight-knit bear family frolics in the natural setting found in the far north of Alaska in this wonderful image from Ron Niebrugge. In the foreground we find a pair of cubs playfully wrestling as the bears mom stands watch in the background, producing a heartwarming image that helps us all to realize how special these amazing creatures truly are.
CRYSTAL E Y E – the repeating patterns of a helical staircase create a composition that is mesmerizing in the flow of geometric shapes and lines, as seen and photographed by Romina Kutlesa here. The post-production techniques utilized to finish this piece add a great deal to the overall feel this picture exhibits, creating a near-abstract image that is sure to be the source of fascination for many.
Fine China – the ghosts of those who used to work in this fine china factory are captured in a frame in this urbex themed shot from Michael Criswell. Stacks and stacks of molds are still in storage in this long forgotten complex, creating a mosaic that creates a strong sense of artistic tension.
Reflections in Abu Dhabi – this shot embodies the notion of artistic tension with a few of its compositional elements, including a terrific reflection of the grand architecture that is visible in a still pool that sits in the foreground. Further amazement is found by those who look deeper into this shot by Gonzalo N. Bendito, where a lone woman walking across the scene delivers a strong sense of scale and context to the shot.
Castle in Clouds – fairy tale castles are wonderful photography subjects, as shown in this terrific shot taken by Kilian Schönberger that overlooks a massive medieval looking structure. Thick clouds linger and flow all around the old castle here, adding to the sense of magic and wonder found in this great setting.