After a bit of an illness we are happy to see that Toad Hollow Photography has returned with their regular weekly lists of tutorials, special features and great photography for enthusiasts of all types to enjoy. This weeks list is the first for the new year, full of great photographs and articles with something here sure to be of interest to everyone. We really hope you enjoy checking out all these links as much as the Toad did bringing this list to you.
TUTORIALS
X-Ray Photography – alternate spectrum imagery is a form of photography that can produce stunning results by studying different light waveforms visually through the art of photography. This great article will get your inner creative genius flowing by sharing some great tips and starting points to get you going with this exciting style of photography. As you would expect, some awesome sample shots are included in the article to help you visualize what to expect.
An Introduction to the Rule of Thirds and Why It Is Worth Mastering – the rule of thirds is an often referred to compositional technique, and for a good reason. This article talks about how you can apply this to your own work, with great results, and shows us how the technique can add something to the overall quality of the pictures you take. For those who are just starting out in photography, this is a great way to initiate yourself to one of the basic compositional tenets of photography.
How to digitise photos and slides – many of us have old shoeboxes and slideboxes full of old images, many of them personally nostalgic from family outings and events. Being able to digitize images like this can be key to making a collection more portable, and easily viewable on different platforms. This tutorial covers some of the basics involved in getting the best quality digital pictures from your prints and slides.
7 Tips for Shooting AMAZING Cityscape Photographs at Night – shooting nighttime cityscape scenes can seem daunting to some at first, but with a little insight from the pros you can be capturing stunning shots of your favorite city with no problems. This article includes a terrific video tutorial that follows some key considerations and setups when shooting this style of photography, and shows you how to get the most out of the experience.
5 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Vintage Lenses – shooting with vintage lenses can provide some great benefits to your photography, for several reasons. This video presentation gives us a handful of solid reasons to explore the application of old lenses to our workflow, and shows us exactly why this is something to consider if you’ve never done so before.
This Is the Simple SECRET to Making Dramatic Landscape Photos – there are as many insights and tips pertaining to landscape photography as there are landscape photographers. This article and video takes us through the thought process of one landscape photographer who shares his processes and techniques in the hope that we can all learn from these to take our own practice to the next level.
An Introduction to Long Exposures and How to Create Surreal Images – long exposure photography is a terrific technique that allows you to make great shots that combine the sense of static elements that are complemented by elements that are dynamic. For landscapes you can create beautiful location scenes that also exhibit a sense of motion in water. In cityscapes you can create compelling light trails from fast moving vehicles. This great primer article takes you through all the important basics of this genre, and as you would hope it also includes some great sample shots.
How It Was Shot: Capturing a ‘Ring of Fire’ Eclipse Portrait in the Desert – go behind the scenes and learn about all the planning and challenges in execution that were undertaken to capture a truly amazing photograph. Location, time of day, camera settings, just to name a few key elements, had to be perfectly balanced and timed to get this shot. The result is breathtaking, and having the ability to learn all about how the picture came to life can give us all an insight into how some of the greatest shots are captured.
13 Crazy Camera Tricks that Will Help Your Photos BLOW UP in 2020 – take a unique approach to your photography with the new year upon us in this video feature that shares a few pretty interesting ways to shoot. The video itself is not in English, but it is pretty easy to follow as the host goes through the various methods.
SPECIAL FEATURES
A Spiritual Journey Exploring the Magnificence of Trees – the fan of abstract black-and-white photography will really enjoy this special feature that showcases the inherent beauty in trees. This article shares the work of an artist who captured this variety of scenes in spots in China, revealing both the wonderful abstract shapes that can be found in trees, along with the incredible surroundings of the region.
Outstanding Wildlife and Adventure Photography by Charly Savely – this is one of the best sets of outdoor photographs I have seen this week. This post features a great selection of shots of wildlife and adventure themed scenes, all compiled into a cohesive collection from a photographer who has created a unique style that is wholly sympathetic to the subject matter.
The extraordinary aerial photography of Bernhard Lang – once again the amazing images captured by drones are on display in this post for us all to enjoy. This particular perspective allows certain scenes to take on an abstract look at first glance that starts to reveal great detail to the viewer who spends time exploring the frame.
The Dangerous and Beautiful Storms of the Midwest – storm photography is one of my personal favorite genres as it reveals the beauty of the natural world framed in the context of the fury possessed and exhibited by massive storms. This collection of shots showcases this phenomenon with a series of truly amazing shots that makes you want to scramble for cover at the same time you reach for your camera to step out the door on an incredible adventure.
Travel Back in Time with This Incredibly Crisp Footage of Life in New York City in 1911 – ever wondered what New York City looked like over 100 years ago? Ponder no further as we enjoy this incredible video presentation that takes us to the Big Apple just as a new century begins to unfold. The picture quality in this piece is astonishing given the equipment used and the age of the film.
André Josselin Documents the Venice Beach Skate Scene with Gorgeous Photos – we head out to a skateboard park in Los Angeles in this collection of great street/documentary photographs. The particular style applied in post-production to this set brings out all the great character and the feel of the location.
Watch the World’s Fastest Camera Car in Action – um, WOW!!! Have you ever wondered what a $500,000 camera rig capable of capturing stunning images of super fast cars might look like? Wonder no further, my friends, click the link above and strap in for the ride of your life!! By the way, I wouldn’t mind one of these for next year's holidays as a present if anyone is keeping track…
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
Great Bear Rainforest – prepare yourself to feel your heart beating in your chest as you read the amazing story that accompanies a set of stunning photographs of the bears that live in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, a place my wife and I lovingly call home. I have taken several treks over the years into relatively uninhabited locations here on the coast to see and photograph the bears, and each trip has left me a profoundly changed person. In this post we get a special present, that is a photograph of the rare white spirit bear as it makes a brief appearance for photographer David Mackenzie on the shores of the incredible landscape that comprises the Great Bear Rainforest.
sos orange – this terrific shot from Benny bulke reveals the abstract that can be found in architecture, especially modern architecture that uses contemporary materials and design to create lines and curves. The scene we see here looks to be captured at a subway station in Belgium featuring great leading lines, textures and colors to please the eye.
Photos of Divers with Massive Schools of Fish – Anuar Patjane takes us below the surface with this series of black-and-white photographs that feature divers swimming amongst schools of fish. Some of the schools are absolutely massive, and having the people in the frame really adds a strong sense of context and scale to the images.
Arundel Dawn – let’s head over to the UK with Jason Row in this great photograph where he captures an elevated perspective of an old stone castle with his drone. Beautiful warm tones from the sun comes in from frame right to add a distinctive feel to the image.
Brown Bear Portrait – I reiterate from one of my previous entries; aren’t bears wonderful? Check out this fabulous portrait of a large brown bear from Ron Niebrugge captured in the wilds of Alaska. This shot features a tight frame of this beautiful animal as it peers back at the camera with mild interest.
俯瞰 – photographer 逮啥拍啥 Zhang jijun shares a terrific black-and-white landscape shot in this post that showcases the inherent beauty found in layers, particularly when gently covered in a fog that adds a strong dramatic element to the setting. The undulating mountains seem to go on in the distance forever in this shot, creating a really strong sense of depth.
Na Pali Paradise – Rom Savage shares a terrific coastline shot taken in Hawaii featuring the rugged and dramatic cliffs and mountains of the region as they reach for the oceans waters below. Beautiful natural light streams into the scene in this photograph, adding to the happy feeling experienced when viewing this amazing landscape from this perspective.
Navegando por el Ebro – the golden hour creates the perfect warm tones to frame a fascinating cathedral that emerges from a grove of trees across from a slow moving river. Víctor Usieto’s shot features a gentle reflection of the facility in the waters of the river, as the majestic spires reach through the watercolor filled skies.
Rockingham County Courthouse – built in the late 1800’s, this terrific heritage courthouse building features dramatic architecture finished off with terrific details. Mark Summerfield shares a set of shots of this interesting building, along with some historically fascinating details that bring these shots to life.
Fight for Survival – two massive polar bears stand and face each other in a battle for survival in this amazing photograph from Marsel van Oosten. The bears cast striking poses as they face off, giving the viewer a brief glimpse and sense of the raw power these amazing endangered animals possess.
Sunset in The Badlands – Jim Nix takes us along to The Badlands region of South Dakota to see one of America’s natural treasures. This amazing location features weather worn landscapes that take on a strongly abstract feel to them, and Jim does a terrific job of creating a sense of depth and texture with his photograph.
Tyniec – an 11th century monastery stands perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking a semi-still river at dusk in this breathtaking shot from Claudio de Sat. The structure is in amazing condition from what is visible in the photograph, and one thousand years of history exudes from its ancient stone walls.
The Bird House – Bob Lussier shares a minimalistic black-and-white shot that is composed mostly of white space, but is punctuated by a lone bird house perched atop a small post in the middle of nothing. Grasses surround the tiny house, adding to the strong sense of artistic tension that is noted while viewing this simple but powerful piece.
Mountain Cabin – the mountains of Austria create a perfect frame for this snow-filled photograph that overlooks a valley that is flanked by snow-covered mountains. In the near foreground a wonderful wood cabin stands sentry over the amazing landscape below in this great shot by Arnd Kolleck.
