The exciting world of photography never seems to rest, and here we find that Toad Hollow Photography has been looking in all known corners of the internet for links to tutorials, special features and great photography to share with everyone. This weeks list is composed of a wide diversity of subjects and features, from some of the best writers and artists working in the field today. We really hope you enjoy checking out all these links as much as the Toad did himself in bringing this weeks list to you.
Tutorials
How to Master Low Light Landscape Photography – this is the best guide on low light landscape photography I have read during my career. This article, posted right here on Light Stalking, covers all the key points to help you get the most out of your shots under some pretty challenging conditions. The post covers technique and gear and also includes some awesome shots to inspire you.
Tips on Travel Photography from National Geographic Photographer Bob Holmes – Bob Holmes shares a great set of tips from a seasoned pro for those who love to capture great shots while travelling. This video feature is just over 6 minutes long and is full of great insights that can only be shared by someone who has been actively working in the field over the course of a storied career.
Get to grips with lighting for stunning portraits – for many of us getting started with artificial light begins with the first daunting step. With so many options, and resulting finished looks, the entire artificial light landscape can be overwhelming. This article sheds some light on this topic by covering the various types of lights available and their applications.
A Beginner's Guide to Controlling Light With Grids – when it comes to large light sources, controlling the direction and spill of light can be a key factor in getting great shots. This short video presentation shows us how a grid can change the directionality of light and allow you to take full control.
How To Photograph Airplanes – many of us love moving machines, and love to photograph them. This in-depth article talks about airplane photography specifically, with some awesome tips and tricks on how to get the most out of this genre. The shots included illustrating the article are well worth the time on their own.
Street Photography – this article leads to a series of articles that cover many different key aspects of street photography. Sample shots are included along the way to show us how to apply the tips in a way that helps you express your own vision and style.
How Emotions Mold the Art We Create – art is always a personal expression of many different factors and facets of our own experiences over the course of our lives, and this can have a powerful effect on how we see the world and how we engage with it. This article takes a profound look at how mood and emotion can impact our work. Ultimately the article as a whole serves as an inspiration for us all to get out there and make the art we honestly feel.
Special Features
10 Amazing Examples of Black & White Cameraphone Photography – our ever-present smartphones are becoming increasingly common in the field of photography as a great tool that can be used to capture stunning shots. This collection of black-and-white images showcases how these simple cameras can create compelling images that are every bit as good as ones taken with a DSLR setup.
Rare footage of eagles bathing captured by Vancouver photographer – nature is truly amazing and sometimes photographers are lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time to capture amazing things, like this video taken on the west coast of Canada that features a large gathering of eagles bathing in a shallow pool of water. Being able to see such a large group close-up like this is rare as these private and elusive birds are not always easily seen.
Andreas Urscheler: Minimalist Mountain Scenes in Monochrome – the use of monochrome in photography is a perfect way of capturing minimalistic, and frequently abstract, images that shine with artistic tension. This series of shots were captured in the snow-covered mountains and their surroundings and shows us a great example of this style.
Joe McNally's Tips for Learning Lighting & Facing Failure – as I travel an endless path of obsession towards learning how to take control of light to create engaging images I always return to the inspirational words of one of our generations leading photographers, Joe McNally. This short video discusses the power of seeing and shaping light and is well worth the time invested to watch it.
Obscura: Beautifully Puzzling Imagery of Surrealist Simon Hjortek – prepare to embrace the utterly sublime in this photo series of a commonly themed collection of images carefully staged and created to tell a story. One of the best parts of a surreal study like this is when the artist includes no contextual information around the collection, as we see here, allowing us to interpret the presentation on our own.
This Photographer Put a Full Wet Plate Photography Darkroom on a Tricycle – one of the best parts of the art form of photography is the limitless ways photographers can create and present their work. This article shares a mobile wet plate setup that is transported on a tricycle adding a whole new fresh dimension to a portable studio.
The Streets Are Ours – it is often said that truth is far stranger than fiction, and this article gives us a great example of this idiom. This post features the work of a photographer who captures the community of deer that live in the streets of a Japanese city during the day, only to retreat to the surrounding forests at night.
Vintage Photos Show Rare Look at New York City When It’s Empty and Quiet – shot in the mid-‘60’s this series of black-and-white photographs depicts the city in a far different state than we find it today. This collection of vintage photographs reveals empty buildings and streets, providing a stark contrast to contemporary times.
Interview: One Photographer’s Love Letter to the Land and People of Kyrgyzstan – this post features a great interview and catalogue of photos, reminiscent of a National Geographic spread, featuring sights and observations from Kyrgyzstan. The varied subjects covered in the images paint a picture of this region that most of us would not have the opportunity to see.
Great Photography
either way – the light is dramatic and exquisite in this black-and-white shot from Benny bulke featuring a wide-angle perspective taken inside an ancient corridor. The architectural features create strong leading lines and the deep contrasts in the shadows deliver a lot of drama.
Brown Bear Reflections – Ron Niebrugge is well known for his work in Alaska shooting the beautiful landscapes and wildlife that inhabits the area. With this shot we find a large brown bear searching for nibblies amongst the mudflats and a thin covering of water creates a terrific reflection of this awesome animal.
Photo – this long exposure piece from Richard Beresford Harris was taken in Norway during what looks to be the blue hour. Red houses on piers create great colorful anchors and context in the shot as the silky waters that they sit on add a touch of the surreal.
Banff Hoodoos – Town of Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta – the thing about the Canadian Rockies is that their natural beauty is only surpassed by the sheer size of the park. This great shot from Len Saltiel reveals a landscape that is peppered by majestic mountains and lush green trees that carpet the entire park.
Autumn at Bow Bridge, Central Park, New York – a cast-iron bridge crossing a pond serves as both a great leading line into the frame, as well as a touch of juxtaposition against the vibrant colors of the leaves from the autumn season. The pond itself casts a muted reflection back into the picture, and in the distance, a dramatic building rises above the treeline for added interest.
Blue Boxing Ring, USA – I can never really reconcile the scenes that we find in many urbex themed shoots as they focus on buildings and places that were once bustling with activity and yet today they are slowly decaying back into the ground they stand on. This great set of shots focuses on a storied and historic location that has a once-famous boxing ring in it. Today the match bell is quiet and according to the article that accompanies the shots the location is under consideration for razing with a parking lot in the plans to take over the space.
Autumn symphony… – here we find another autumn themed shot, with this one taken in Slovenia overlooking the rolling hills that are covered in falls vibrant colors. If you spend some time carefully going over the photograph, you will also find that Krzysztof Browko has included some wonderful character buildings in the composition.
Gloucester County Courthouse – a classic colonial courthouse is the main focus of Mark Summerfield’s post. This old brick building is in incredible condition and is an important part of the region's history.
Fog Wave – this is a brilliant example of how still photography can capture unusual natural phenomenon as Kilian Schönberger finds a scene that features a moving fog that looks like a river flowing over the landscape. Beautiful colors in the sky create the perfect finishing touch for this almost abstract looking landscape picture.
Pebble Beach – once again we find that the famous Slot Canyons in the United States can create ethereal scenes that are almost too good to be true. This shot comes to us from Danilo Faria and features light play off the stone walls, great textures in the silky waters from the long exposure and a ladder that leads down to the shallow pool of water for an anchor.
Creepy Lee – the effects of years of decay and neglect are seen in every corner of this dramatic frame from Michael Criswell taken inside a long-abandoned building in Detroit. This building has gone through several iterations of use before it was finally abandoned in the 1990s, and what remains now is a reminder of a bygone time in this famous city.
Dresden at Sunset – this tack-sharp image of the city of Dresden taken looking over the river is punctuated by a vibrant sunset adding a great color palette to the composition. Claudio de Sat finds the perfect time and conditions to capture this breathtaking image, sharing a perspective of the city that features its heritage architecture.
Doe and Fawn Evening Drink, Minnesota – Mark Paulson shares a heartwarming shot of a mother doe and her fawn as they take a drink from a water source late in the day. This photograph gives the strong impression of the pair enjoying a moment together in their natural setting as the day draws to a close.
Niedzica Castle – a majestic castle built around 700 years ago sits perched on a hilltop overlooking a winding river in Poland. The dramatic sky overhead adds great texture to the shot that showcases a look at an ancient building in this historic region.
