The Toad never seems to rest, relentlessly searching in all corners of the internet for links for photography enthusiasts of all types to enjoy. Just like a bowl of mashed potatoes, we've got a heaping helping of tutorials and great photography to check out.
Find your favorite boat of gravy and pull up a seat to settle in for a time as we look at these great shots and read interesting tutorials and articles from some of the finest artists and writers working today. We really hope you enjoy checking out this list as much as the Toad did in bringing it to you this week.
TUTORIALS
15 Incredibly Useful Tutorials On Headshot Photography – this link leads to a series of great links that talk about how to get great headshot portraits. Posted right here on Light Stalking, this great article gives you a wide range of articles and tutorials that can really help you get the most out of your own portraits.
Here’s How to Make Beautiful Portraits at Home Using Table Lamps and Window Light – sometimes the best photographs are a result of the simplest setup, as we see here in this video tutorial that shows us how to use available light from a window along with light cast from table lamps. The results are amazing, and for those of us looking for a unique process to capture great portraits, this is a must-see tutorial.
Simplify Your Background for More Powerful Compositions in Photography – great compositions can be found everywhere, sometimes they are intentional and other times they are a result of being in the right place at the right time. This article discusses how to use simplified backgrounds to improve the overall quality of any composition.
Surf Photography: Catching The Wave – there are countless photography opportunities on beaches and shores, particularly if you are in an area that is actively used by surfers. Capturing this type of image however requires a slightly different approach than many other genres of photography, and this article shows you how to get the most out of your shots.
Introduction to Aperture in Photography – all the mysteries of how to use your aperture to its full potential are discussed in this in-depth article. Sample shots are included along the way to help you see how the various settings affect the image. The concepts shares in this post are key to taking full control of your exposure and depth-of-focus.
Create a Water Reflection With Photoshop – have you ever wanted to have a great water based reflection in your composition, even though the scene captured in camera doesn’t include one? This video tutorial is just over 10 minutes long and takes you through the creative process of creating one in post-production.
How to Photograph Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park – this is the final article in a series that talks about photography in world-famous Yellowstone National Park. Learn about the various times of the year and what to look for, and for a more detailed exploration of this topic, you can follow the links to read the entire series.
16 Things I Learned While Using Tilt-shift Lenses – tilt-shift lenses are typically used in architectural sessions to allow for management of converging lines, but they also can be used for many other purposes, as outlined in this article that talks about how to use them in portrait and food photography, just to name a few. This post talks about the learning curve and gives you some much-needed insight into this type of lens.
Pull Off Unique Camera Angles in Tight Spaces with These Simple Steps – learn how to achieve the near impossible in this short video tutorial that shows you how to shoot in extremely tight spaces. The resulting photographs are fun and astonishing, giving a fresh perspective to certain compositions that just can’t be achieved in any other manner.
How To Photograph Seascapes – this article shares an in-depth perspective on how to get the very most out of your seascape photography. All the key steps are covered in this post, and they are accompanied by terrific example shots to allow you to visualize the topics covered and to help inspire you to get out to your favorite shore to capture your own great shots.
How to Shoot Night Photography – getting great shots at night is a totally different challenge than it is to capture great day shots. This video tutorial shows us a bunch of tips and tricks from a pro that will certainly help get you started, or help you take your shots to the next level.
Five Ways To Shoot More Effectively With Natural Light – let’s take a look at how to get the very most out of your natural light images in this great post that covers all the key facets of this style. Great sample shots are included as you read along, allowing you to see how the topic can be applied with full effect.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
Toronto Night 01 – cityscape photography is a compelling type of photography in that is reveals modern cities with all the people going about their lives, not knowing that they are part of the study being conducted at that time. This terrific shot from Evan Gearing was shot during the blue hour and does a fabulous job of capturing the iconic modern architecture of the city with great detail.
New Life Everywhere – as spring emerges here in Canada it’s time to turn our focus to everything that is springing to life. This great post from Lisa Gordon features this concept wonderfully with a series of shots of macros of new plantlife, capped off with a shot of a birds nest full of just born chicks.
Timeless Glowing – the Antelope Canyon is a well-known destination for photographers as the location is full of interesting compositions created by the rock walls that have been carved out of the rocks over the course of countless millennia. Simon W Xu delivers a stunning shot of this natural phenomenon that includes great elements such as light streaming in from above along with sand falls that create an almost surreal feel to this magical locale.
Epic Morning – Ricardo Mateus discovers that being at the right place at the right time with a plan can often lead to amazing images. This shot is of a modern bridge with traffic running to and fro as a very thick fog creates an amazing frame for the modern architectural design, making it look as if it is suspended in the very heavens.
Madrona In May – Vancouver Island based photographer Randy Hall takes to the shore in the early part of the year to capture this seascape shot. This picture was captured in the evening, taking advantage of the beautiful golden hour and the striations that were found in the rock formations in the foreground for an added element of interest.
Moody path to Pyramid Island – this shot features a strong leading line in the form of a wooden bridge that leads outwards onto a small island that is ensconced entirely in a thick and moody fog. This shot from Johannes Hulsch also features a strong vanishing point from the pathway, adding a great touch of artistic tension to the composition.
Stamping Symmetry – Michael Criswell heads to the roof of the long abandoned Cadillac Stamping Plant in Detroit city for this black-and-white shot. Michael’s composition uses the beams of the building as strong leading lines here to capture and image that features a strong vanishing point, highlighted by the myriad reflections found in the small puddles of water collected from recent rains.
A boat ride in Austria – this image features a dominantly blue color palette which helps to create the moody feel of the terrific landscape that forms a frame of sorts for the picture. Tobias Hägg captures this shot at the perfect moment as a small boat works its way across the still waters, delivering a perfect touch of allure to draw the viewer in.
Hallstatt is just beautiful – Jim Nix brings us along as he explores this picturesque community in Austria that is the inspiration of photographers far and wide. This shot features their character-rich architecture set against a backdrop of majestic snow covered mountains.
Santorini style – the rich colors of the buildings found in this world-famous spot in Greece find beautiful harmony with the deep blue seas that form the backdrop for this photograph from Daniel Metz. This shot features a tight frame of the top of a church along with the bells that overlook the ocean beyond.
Mysterious Worlds at Hand – Laurie MacBride shares a wonderful shot that takes on a bit of an abstract look, focusing on the teeming lifeforms that float past her just under the surface of the ocean. Laurie frames this wonderful shot with her personal insights that add a dash of the profound to the photograph shared.
Castle in fall – the vibrant colors of fall foliage form the perfect skirt to encircle the amazing Neuschwanstein castle as it overlooks the valley below. Jovana Rikalo captures this terrific shot at the peak of the season, creating a joyous feeling picture that welcomes the viewer in for a closer look.
John Hite House – those of us who appreciate heritage architecture will want to check out this post in this weeks list from Mark Summerfield. Mark turns his camera to a wonderful classic home that was constructed in the mid-1700s and today stands as a beautiful link to our collective past.
Waterfall in undergrowth – it is very hard to beat the ethereal effect that long exposure can have on fast moving waterfalls as the shutter time turns the surface of the falling water into a veil of visual silk. This shot from Robert Didierjean does a terrific job of capturing this style of image as the dynamic falls emerge from the natural vegetation that surrounds it.
The First Spiral – there is just something nostalgic that can’t be replicated in images captured in film many years ago. This shot comes to us from Andy Hooker (LensScaper) who shares one of his early black-and-white shots of a spiral staircase in an apartment he lived in. The natural light in this shot reveals a glimpse into some of the early inspiration he has had over the years in his photography practice.
Playfull cubs – those who love wildlife photography will not want to miss this shot in this weeks list, coming to us from Joke Hulst. This shot features a pair of small fox cubs playing as fabulous light swirls around them to add to the overall feel of the great scene.
Schwabacher Landing – this shot was captured in the amazing Grand Teton National Park in the US one early morning by Michael Criswell. Here we see the amazing and dramatic landscape that comprises this park, including majestic and rugged mountains in the backdrop as a gentle reflection in the foreground mirrors the scene back to the viewer.
Neverending – Christophe Staelens captures this amazing helical staircase, looking upwards as layer upon layer of geometry draws the viewer further upward. This shot is processed as a black-and-white to bring out the great shapes and lines found in this particular architectural feature, culminating in a great vanishing point in the distance.
