It has been a very exciting week for those of us who love photography with authors and artists from all known places contributing great pictures and articles to the global photography community.
We're lucky to have Toad Hollow Photography here who has searched all over for links to terrific tutorials, special features and great photography compiled into this list of hand-curated links. We really hope you enjoy checking out all these sites as much as the Toad did himself in bringing this weeks list to you.
TUTORIALS
7 Easy To Follow Tips For Better Portrait Photography – learning how to take awesome portraits is a skill learned over time, with a lot of trial and error. This great article talks about some of the key principles and methods that all portrait photographs use in their craft to produce exceptional portraits, no matter the location or subject. Some terrific sample shots are included in this article to help you see the core concepts in action.
Lightroom vs Photoshop: Which Program Is Better for Editing Your Images? – the age-old discussion around which tool is best for post-production is covered in this video feature posted on Shutterbug. This feature has us following a professional photographer who processes a photograph in both tools to show us the pros-and-cons of each application.
How to Get Nice Puppy Portraits (Hint: It’s Not Easy) – who here doesn’t love a cute and cuddly puppy, especially when you get to shoot or see them in the world of photography. This video tutorial takes us through the process of photographing a puppy, and as the title promises we learn this isn’t an easy or 5-minute process, but with a little patience and planning the pictures can be totally heartwarming.
Create Awesome Sunbursts in Your Photos: Here’s How – sunbursts or starbursts in photographs can we a wonderful effect to add a bit of punch to your image. This tutorial talks about how to effectively accomplish this and also includes some incredible sample shots that show off the effect to its fullest.
A Practical Guide to How the Inverse Square Law Affects Your Subjects and Background – for those who love to understand some of the extended physics principles behind imagery, and in this case specifically lighting, this article and pair of video presentations talks about how to apply math to your lighting setup for the best results. These videos contain a lot of technical information, but if you are interested in understanding this topic in-depth this is a feature you will want to check out.
10 Practical and Simple Photography Tips – this article features a set of tips that are intended to get you motivated to check out new photography subjects that you can find in our local surroundings. Some of the shots included in the article as an example are excellent representations of their respective type of photography.
A Super Simple Trick for Shooting Into the Sun in Landscape Images – sometimes the simplest solutions to problems are by far the best, as we see here in this video tutorial that shows us how to take control of situations that call for shooting in the direction of the sun. By using this simple technique, you can eliminate contrast problems and lens flare with your photographs.
SPECIAL FEATURES
A Portal Into Another World Through Puddles on the Street – reflections can be a very powerful compositional consideration when it comes to great photographs when the technique is applied correctly. This feature article shares a set of shots that use puddles of water as a reflective surface, creating amazing images with unique framing and compelling elements.
Go deep with the 2019 Underwater Photographer of the Year winners – for fans of underwater photography, this comprehensive set of shots features some of the best award winning shots found in this category. This large collection of shots features both wide perspectives that reveal some of the context of the subject being shot while other images are close-up macros of really interesting underwater features.
14 award-winning photos that prove Scotland's beauty is unrivalled – Scotland truly is a gem for the travel and photography enthusiast as the country is full of great landmarks and features that help make it stand out. This set of shots shows us some of the most incredible natural features and icons found in this amazing country, making it an instant addition to our “must-visit” list of destinations.
Gallery: Architectural abstractions – the seductive geometry of buildings from above – architectural studies often focus on the abstract patterns and geometrical shapes that are evident in their design, creating compelling images that can take on a highly artistic perspective. This set of shots was captured from the air looking down upon the buildings below, delivering great examples of how these types of shots can create a cohesive catalog of excellent images.
Drone footage shows Yemen’s city of Taiz in ruins – the raw devastation produced by war is a heartbreaking situation that far too many people find themselves in the middle of in today’s world. This post shows a set of drone photographs captured in a war-ravaged zone that looks almost surreal. It’s hard to believe that people can live and exist in environments like this, however, it would seem that someone the resilience of the human spirit can overcome even situations like this.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
First Light Of A Cornish Dawn – check out this incredible aerial photograph taken from a drone in Cornwall, the UK by Jason Row. The first light of day is just cresting over the landscape here as we look out over the entire setting.
Awesome Moon Picture by Andrew McCarthy – astrophotography is a great genre of photography, often producing imagery that reveals the context of the planet we all call home to and revealing the incredible natural beauty found in the stars. This set of photographs features a selection of images that showcase our moon with great detail.
Haifoss – the landscapes and waterfalls of Iceland are truly a sight to behold, making this a must-see destination for photographers who enjoy exploring the world. This shot comes to us from Tanner Wendell Stewart and features one of the incredible waterfalls in Iceland with a terrific moody sky hanging overhead to punctuate the overall drama of the scene.
Hunter in the Mist – this great early morning shot shows us a view overlooking a feeding spot for a gaggle of geese as the sun rises and creates an amazing light over the scene. The fog from the early morning hides a coyote who spooks the birds and makes them take flight, creating terrific silhouettes in the sky. Shot by Garry Everett.
Reflections – this high contrast shot from Georgi Donev focuses on a wonderful little church that sits on the shores of a lake. The reflection on the still waters from the scene accents the overall image with a great compositional element, highlighted by the deep contrasts of the scene to accent the details and textures.
OldTimer Barn (Old Iron 5), Belgium – old and rusty objects that are long forgotten or used are some of my personal favorite photography subjects, both hiding and revealing at the same time the storied history that brought the object to this particular time and place. This post features a set of shots of a pair of old abandoned cars in a delectable setting, full of patina, rust, and character. This series is brought to us by Obsidian Urbex Photography.
Christine Falls, Mount Rainier Nat. Park, WA – this terrific shot of a waterfall on the west coast of the United States is framed perfectly by a stone walking bridge. Dale Johnson uses a long exposure for this image to accent the dynamic nature of the falls while retaining excellent detail in the surrounding landscape and the bridge.
Fisher Body Plant 21 – Michael Criswell shares a great black-and-white shot taken inside a long-abandoned industrial building that was once part of the thriving automobile manufacturing consortium that resided in Detroit in the heyday. This terrific image is of the inside of one of the buildings, now full of rich decay and a great pool of water that produces incredible reflections of the massive windows that adorn the once bustling building.
Dreamland… – Krzysztof Browko’s photograph shared here is an awesome study in light and shadow as it takes true advantage of the natural light that crosses an undulating landscape. The hills and valleys of the scene dominated with green tones creates a strong sense of dimension and texture, highlighted by some of the natural leading lines created in the shadowplay.
Puppies and Chewing on Sticks – this wonderful portrait of a family pet dog comes to us from Scott Wood who finds a moment while spending time playing to grab this great character shot. The details in the dog’s face are truly delightful, revealing the true personality of the family’s best friend.
Chios Island Windmill's – beautiful stone windmills in Greece are explored in this great picture from Gürcan Kadagan. A long exposure was used to grab this shot resulting in a silky effect for the waters in the foreground while all the rich textures and details found in the stonework of the mills is perfectly preserved and highlighted.
Tide you over – Vancouver Island based Diane Schuller shares a set of close-ups of various types of flowers she found in her domain. The shallow depth-of-focus she used to capture these pieces does a splendid job of isolating the plants from their various backdrops, helping to make them really stand out.
Chasing the Light – George Triantafillou captures a stunning panoramic format shot in New Zealand that focuses on a distinctly haunting silhouette of a lone tree standing in water. The beautiful landscape that surrounds this scene adds to the overall feel, as does the silky waters and dynamic clouds that are created by the long exposure used to take the photograph.
Sunrise Worship – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming – prepare to be amazed by this great shot from Len Saltiel that reveals a great old heritage church in the Grand Teton’s against the dramatic backdrop of the epic mountains of the park. The great details in the building set in a truly bucolic setting are really brought out with this composition.
sunset Malibu – captured on the shores of the ocean looking outwards, this shot is full of warm golden tones found just before sunset, creating a joyful and captivating scene that invites the viewer in. Serge Ramelli’s shot also features great cloud coverage to add a distinct element of interest to the sky.
Orcas – Orca whales are a pretty big deal in this part of the world with people coming from all corners of the globe with a hope to see one in the wild. Ron Niebrugge captures a great shot of a pod of these whales in Alaska as they explore the waters around the boat he was on during his trip.
Midnight Sun – this is the second shot in this weeks list that features a gorgeous waterfall in Iceland. This shot comes to us from Simon W Xu and reveals the landscape looking out from slightly behind the falls, showcasing the epic natural beauty of the location.
Heritage Gardens – with spring finally just around the corner here, we begin to look forward to the cold landscape giving way to beautiful colors as new life emerges. With this in mind, check out this great shot from Wayne Beauregard of a gorgeous garden in full color to help inspire us all as the new season comes in.
