Another exciting week in the world of photography has passed, and here we find Toad Hollow Photography searching in all corners of the internet for links to share with everyone. This weeks list contains a series of interesting tutorials with something here for everyone, some really fascinating special features, and as always a list of great photographs to check out. We truly hope you enjoy these features and photographs as much as the Toad did himself in bringing this list to you.
TUTORIALS
Finding Creative Potential in the Great Indoors – this great article is hosted right here on Light Stalking and talks about how to find great compositions indoors. Stunning sample shots are included throughout this article, illustrating the core concepts being shared, sure to leave you inspired and looking at interior spaces with a fresh artistic eye.
Advanced Sky Selections in Photoshop – with so much power and flexibility at our fingertips when using Photoshop in post-production, it’s great to be able to refer to tutorials like this one that reveals a trick that can be used to create a selection mask with a complex sky. This video tutorial covers this technique in just over 6 minutes, making this an invaluable resource to come back to time after time.
How to Use One Light Overhead in Your Portrait Photography – it’s amazing what can be learned in just over 2 minutes, as shown in this brief video tutorial that covers a minimalistic approach in terms of photography gear in the context of portraiture. This unusual approach to the genre produces astonishing results, as evidenced by the sample shots that are included in the article.
How to Add Magic to Wedding Ring Photos with Household Items – this article takes us way outside the box where we can learn about how to utilize common items found in most of our homes to create settings that frame wedding rings beautifully. All the items used here are inexpensive and easy to find if you don’t already have them, and the overall presentation of the article is sure to give you further ideas.
Photoshop in 60 Seconds: How to Use Frequency Separation Actions – actions are a powerful tool embedded in Photoshop, allowing you to get right to work by automating some of the mundane procedures that need to happen each time to try to use a specific technique. This video tutorial is just over 1 minute in length and shows you how to fully leverage frequency separation actions in your own workflow for terrific portrait retouching.
How to Realistically Change Hair and Fur Color in Adobe Photoshop – I’ve never really had the need to create a pink squirrel in my photography, but knowing how something works can be very helpful in day-to-day image production. This brief tutorial covers how to select and manipulate hair or fur and change the overall color to create a specific look.
Using Natural Light in Fashion Photography – this short tutorial covers some of the basics on how to fully leverage natural light in the context of fashion photography. Both indoor and outdoor venues are discussed, and sample images are included to help you visualize the concept.
SPECIAL FEATURES
This timelapse shows Norway's beauty over four seasons in 8K – this mind-bending 8k timelapse video took over 2 years to plan, shoot and edit, and the results are absolutely breathtaking. This special feature takes us through all four seasons as they unfold in this amazing part of the world, revealing nature ebbing and flowing over the course of an entire year in a distant part of the world.
Cormorant Fishermen in Guilin, China – some of the most incredible and artistic shots I’ve seen over the years are those that feature the famous Cormorant Fishermen in China. Anne McKinnell’s special feature here that showcases these people that fish the same way for well over 1,000 years, passing on a deep tradition from generation to generation. The resultant images are truly breathtaking and form a very special post you won’t want to miss in this week’s list.
This Photo Manipulation Timelapse Shows Off Some Mad Photoshop Skills – I am not entirely sure if I am blown away by this timelapse video that is just over 2 minutes in length, or I should consider quitting and walking off the stage. This amazing video takes us through a mad Photoshop session that finds the artist creating a masterpiece in a compressed timeframe from a rather bland source shot. In all truth, I am blown away….
Photographer Captures Striking Time-Lapse of Aurora Borealis From Plane – this timelapse video is under a minute in length and takes us through an experience that was had onboard an airplane travelling at roughly 35,000 feet as the incredibly beautiful aurora borealis danced in the night sky all around. Quick thinking by the photographer allowed him to create a studio onboard the flight that removed the interior light from the plane, removing any light pollution that would have detracted from the ongoing spectacle.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
Nos deux regards aux Beaux-Arts de Paris | Nos deux regards – the incredible Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts is the focus of this visit by photographers Mathias Lucas and Anne-Laure, with each of them coming away from their time spent here with a unique and different photographic perspective of the facility. This terrific collection of shots hosted by these two artists do a great job of showcasing the incredible work going on inside the school, revealing vignettes and wide perspectives of certain scenes.
Golden Morning in Slovenia – the monastery that sits on a tiny island in the middle of Lake Bled in Slovenia is an often photographed scene due to the wide variances in effect that can be found during different seasons at different times of day. In this shot by Daniel F. we take in this medieval structure as it sits under a cloak of golden light with a light fog that lingers around it for an added ethereal feel.
Johns Hopkins Glacier – a jagged, snow-capped mountain scene jumps onto our screens in this wonderful landscape photograph by Ron Niebrugge captured in Alaska. This remote location showcases the epic natural beauty of the region in the context of a still frame.
South Dakota Sundown – a massive and foreboding storm forms in the dark skies overhead as the day nears its end in this dramatic shot by Derek Burdeny. The amazing storm system creates a brooding presence that shows us the raw power of nature when she unleashes her full fury on those of us below.
Undulating Road – Len Saltiel’s shot uses a ribbon of dirt road as a leading line amidst the abstract of the rolling hills in the Palouse region of the United States. The roadway appears and disappears as it makes its way across the landscape, creating a great vanishing point and a perfect leading line into the very heart of the frame.
Toward The Sun – James Xiang uses a long exposure and a wide lens to capture this amazing shot captured on the shores of the ocean with the sun hanging low in the distant horizon. The beautiful colors in the sky find harmony against the crisp details of the rock formations that dominate the foreground of the shot, accented perfectly by the silky waters created by the long exposure.
A stunning sunset in Anguilla – a gorgeous sunset frames a row of deck chairs sitting in front of a perfect row of palm trees in this tropical themed photograph by Jim Nix. The real star of this shot is indeed the colors created by the sunset that casts a warm and inviting glow over the entire scene as a whole.
Soft Arctic Colors – Daniel F. shares a tranquil shot here that features a tiny community sitting on a still body of water with incredibly dramatic mountains lingering overhead for a dash of natural drama. The soft reflection in the waters create a perfect and somewhat muted mirror reflection, finishing off this piece just perfectly.
Subway Tableau #4 – Edith Levy captures and shares a great black-and-white candid street shot she encountered while visiting the subway system of New York. The monochromatic nature of the image accents the textures of this busy underground cavern, and in it we find a person who adds the perfect touch of artistic tension to the scene.
~ Amsterdam ~ – the amazing architecture and canals of this old city come to life under the night skies in this mesmerizing shot by Remo Scarfò. The reflections of the lights that outline the arches of the bridges add a touch of color and brilliance to the composition.
Spring Brown Bear Cubs – a visit to Ron Niebrugge’s blog is always sure to delight the landscape and nature enthusiast, and this particular post does not disappoint in the least. This shot features a mother bear and two of her cubs doing what they do best, frolicking in the grasses as their watchful mom keeps a vigil nearby.
Some Kind of Magic – the world-famous Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon anchors this amazing photograph from Ricardo Mateus who captures this scene under a covering of incredible color from the skies above. The bridge creates a perfect leading line that is finished by the vanishing point that leads the viewer into and through the picture.
Storm Chasing Olympia Style – storm-chaser Scott Wood finds a dramatic storm unfolding in his area of the Pacific Northwest, allowing him the opportunity to capture a great shot that shows us all how beautiful nature can be, even in the throes of an angry storm event. The interesting cloud formations that hang above the city below are definitely the main attraction in this shot.
Seagull – this light and airy photograph by Michiel Pieters features a shoreline created by incredibly dramatic rock faces that look out over the ocean. The natural light captured in this scene paints the scene in terrific light that leads to the overall sense of joy the viewer finds in the discovery of a pair of seagulls effortlessly drifting through the air.
Mystic Fog – a soft scene emerges in this photograph captured during the heart of the golden hour to accent the overall feel of the setting. Lauri Lohi shares this shot that features a tiny island in the middle of a small body of water with a terrific and moody fog encircling it.
Seal Cove – moody and ethereal doesn’t even begin to describe the evocative black-and-white scene presented here by Bob Lussier. This monochromatic piece features a series of wood homes atop piers near the edge of water as a very thick fog encrusts the entire scene in a magical cloak.
Open Your Mind – videophotoart com uses framing to create this stunning shot that reveals a glimpse through an open door that looks out over azure blue waters. The textures and details of the weathered interior are the real star of this shot, leaving the viewer with a distinct feel of the artistic tension created in unanswered questions.
Eye on The Capitol – Michael Criswell delivers another of his unique shots from the Texas Capitol Building, sharing a terrific and detailed vertical panorama of one of its architectural features. Michael’s framing takes advantage of the opening in the outdoor feature to create a very unique and truly compelling composition.
Helicopter ride over Austria – the beautiful landscape of Austria flies by far below in this shot from Johannes Hulsch that methodically uses the side of a helicopter to frame the picture and add some great context. The details below from the snow-capped mountains and the ribbon of road do a great job of drawing the viewer into the frame in a personal moment of discovery.
