It has been another awesome week out in the wide world of photography with tons of great new material being posted online by some of the leading photographers and authors working today.
This week's hand-selected list of links comes to us from Toad Hollow Photography, who has been looking all over for links to tutorials, special features, and great photography. We have a wide variety of topics and genres covered in this week's list, with something here for everyone.
We really hope you enjoy this weeks list as much as the Toad did in compiling it and bringing it to you.
TUTORIALS
How To Replace And Fix Overblown Skies In Photoshop – learn how to leverage layers and masks in Photoshop to replace an uninteresting sky in a landscape shot with one full of interest. This tutorial hosted here on Light Stalking takes us through the steps to accomplish this with a series of screenshots so we can see the work in action, and is capped off with the final result to show you what to expect if you try this approach yourself.
Here’s How to Bring Boring Photos Back to Life with a Little Help from Lightroom – this video tutorial takes us through the process of transforming a somewhat uninspiring shot into a terrific cityscape scene full of drama and contrast. The video format allows us to follow along as all the intricate adjustments are made, with the final reveal of the finished image topping it all off quite nicely.
Why Size Matters: Lens Compression at 400mm in Landscape Photography – lens compression is an effect created by the physics of a lens and its corresponding focal length and is an often discussed topic in the world of photography. This great article shows us how changing up a focal length and taking advantage of this concept can really accent an image. Sample shots, as well as a brief behind-the-scenes video, are included in this presentation to provide full coverage to the topic.
Lightroom’s Range Mask Tool Is Amazing For Food Photographers – for those who love to shoot food, this tutorial with a video presentation talks about how to use the range mask feature in Lightroom to maximum effect. Follow along as the steps of post-production are covered and see how these techniques can easily make a great difference in the finished shot.
The Best Lenses for iPhone Photography – mobile phone based photography is an increasing area of interest in the field of photography, and having the ability to connect external lenses to our devices really opens up a whole new world. This article talks about a handful of fairly high-quality lenses for the iPhone platform that can expand your smartphone camera’s repertoire.
How to Find Your Style in Photography – creating your own unique style in photography is key to helping you stand out as you create a body of work over time that takes on a common look and thread to you. This in-depth article discusses how to go about finding your own style, and it also includes a terrific set of shots to see and admire as a source of inspiration.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Incredible pictures capture rare ‘Elephant Queen' in Kenya – prepare to have shivers run up your back as you check out this gallery of black-and-white shots of an extremely rare large tusked elephant in its natural setting in Africa. This set of shots gives us a glimpse into this amazing animal, of which there are estimated to be less than 20 or 30 of in the entire world.
Brendan Barry: The Camera Maker – logs are for burning in a fireplace, butternut squashes make perfect side dishes with any dinner, but did you know these unique items also serve another potential purpose? Check out this feature article with a 15-minute video that showcases the incredible inventions of Brendan Barry who makes cameras out of the most unusual things.
Photos of Death Valley Flooded with a 10-Mile Lake – Death Valley is a desert-like location in the United States which is never known for the beauty of its lake. This set of shots was captured after a very rare rain event that created a huge lake in the landscape that created a series of compositions that are incredible to see.
Wonderful Adventure and Landscape Photography by Andri Laukas – this collection of photographs features the work of a landscape photographer who is very active in the field and online. These shots cover a wide variety of subjects and all can easily stand on their own as a terrific image.
A Portrait of Mexico Through the Eyes of Graciela Iturbide – this article discusses and includes a handful of black-and-white shots captured in Mexico over the course of a photographic career. These monochromatic shots are amazing in how they capture the essence of the region during the timeframe they were shot.
Garden for Wildlife™ Photo Contest – check out this terrific set of shots that are award-winners in the category of outdoor and wildlife photography. Each of the photos selected are amazing, telling a story in a frame of the creatures and natural elements discovered by the respective photographers.
What Lies Beneath – this large photo-essay shares a Q&A session along with a stunning set of photographs all taken below the surface of the water. These compositions feature a wide range of subject, including close-ups of various underwater dwellers along with some wider views of the natural beauty, found just below the surface.
40 Stunning Photographs of Cliffs To Inspire Your Next Landscape Adventure – I just love how a cliff can add a dash of drama to a shot, either as the prime focus in the picture or as a strong element to accent the overall setting. This collection of shots shows us a great selection of images all composed with this theme in mind.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
Rally Car – this amazing photograph captures a fast moving rally car as it traverses a bend in the track, leaving a massive cloud of dust and dirt behind it that acts as a perfect canvas for the car to come to life against. Great detail in the car itself perfectly captured the dynamic nature of the fleeting moment, creating a strong sense of motion and drama.
Robin in reflection – a tiny Robin looks down inquisitively at its own reflection in the still waters of a river in this beautiful shot from Robert Didierjean. The shallow depth-of-focus that Robert used to grab this shot creates a perfectly colored soft backdrop to ensure the bird pops out of the frame.
The Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland – Anne McKinnell takes us into the heartland of Scotland where incredibly beautiful natural scenes await those adventurous enough to chase them down. This series of shots on Anne’s blog reveal an amazing landscape full of little water features, and her use of a long exposure time for many of the shots creates interesting textures out of the moving waters, adding to the overall allure of the photographs quite nicely.
Big Horn Bolts – a rolling landscape sits under a massive storm cell that rages overhead in this dramatic photograph by Roger Hill. The perfect focus for this picture is found in the lightning bolts that reach from the heavens to the ground below as sheets of rain can be seen in the distance pummeling the earth.
Steps of St. Agnes – Michael Criswell finds an eerie setting in the basement of a long forgotten church where years of decay and weathering are taking a strong hold on what remains of the building. As we follow the stairs up to where the main part of the church is, natural light streams down adding terrific natural drama to the scene.
La buse pattue – incredible details in this tight portrait of a raptor reveal a glimpse into the spirit of this wonderful bird. This shot from Andre Villeneuve is so detailed, all the features of the birds feathers can be enjoyed along with the fierce beak that it uses to hunt as a glint of ferocity can be seen in its eye.
Lost Coffins (Coffin Factory), Belgium – moss-covered walls frame a small collection of wicker coffins in a factory that was part of a fire some time back and now lies forgotten and abandoned. Obsidian Urbex Photography visits the site and finds a few compositions that reveal a surreal scene that is more than just a little creepy.
Hallstatt Austria – deep contrasts really bring all the character of this tiny village to life in this shot from Etienne Ruff. A long exposure turns the waters into a silky smooth texture as the mountains in the distance create a perfect frame as a light fog anchors the entire scene.
Brown Bear Reflection – Ron Niebrugge finds a majestic brown bear in the wild in Alaska with this shot as it looks back towards the camera surrounded by lush green vegetation. There is a body of water in the foreground that adds a rippled reflection of the bear to cap off the composition perfectly.
Uttar Pradesh sunset – warm tones envelope the world famous Taj Mahal as sunset begins to set in and draw the day to an end in this great photograph from Manjik photography. The incredible exterior of the building finds great harmony with the natural light found at this time as all the details in this landmark building are brought out for everyone to enjoy.
a sweet apple fragrance – this post is really an ode to the rose, both visually and verbally, as Diane Schuller goes out on a limb to wax poetic about the inherent beauty of this, nature’s treasure. The shots that accompany the prose she shares are simply sublime, sharing contextual views alongside in-depth studies of the nuances that make this flower the most popular flower to study photographically.
Ruffles ! – Sunil captures and shares another great portrait of a raptor in this weeks list, this shot being of a Black Kite bird. Wonderful details in the feathers are explored here as the crisp details in the portrait bring the character of this great bird to life.
Old Isle of Wight County Courthouse – for those who enjoy historic architecture, this post comes to us from Mark Summerfield who captures a set of shots of this simple brick construction courthouse that was originally constructed in the 1700’s. The simple architectural design of the building lends to its purpose as it stands so grandiose throughout all the years.
In the land of Winnetou – Johannes Hulsch takes to the sky with his DJI drone to capture this stunning landscape scene in Croatia. In this shot we find a winding body of water snaking its way through the rugged landscape, finished off perfectly with a man standing on the brink of the cliff looking outward for a touch of artistic tension and context to the overall scene.
the summer reflections – a gentle breeze flows over the prairies as Frank King enjoys the beautiful outdoors to capture this beautiful landscape photograph in Western Canada. In the distance the snow-capped mountains add a touch of drama against the skyline as the lush greens of the rolling landscape at the foot of the mountains emanates the colors of summer.
Hail to the Core – a jaw-dropping storm fumes overhead as lightning tendrils trail to the ground in this epic landscape shot from Danilo Faria captured in the United States during a stunning storm event. The dramatic clouds that hang overhead are full of raw texture from the massive amount of air being moved around as the storm marches its way across the land.