Some Sensational Photography Articles to Start The New Year With

With the new year upon us Toad Hollow Photography has been looking all over the internet to find the best links to share with everyone here.  This week's list features a set of tutorials, reviews, special features, great photography and interesting blogs from points all over the world.  We hope you enjoy checking out this weeks list as much as the Toad did in bringing it to you.

TUTORIALS

10 Tips on How to Creatively Use a Slider – sliders can really add a pro touch to those working with video.  This brief 4 minute video tutorial takes the viewer through a series of ways to use this great tool, showing both how to stage and shoot the scene, as well as an example of the finished product to really illustrate the power and capabilities of a slider.

Best Lenses for Landscape Photography – an in-depth piece created by Anne McKinnell takes the reader through the myriad of options available in lenses.  With so many choices and uses for each of the options, a detailed article like this one really helps to remove a little of the mystery of choosing the right lens for the job at hand.

Capturing Moving Objects – a brief but very helpful series of tips and tricks to use when shooting moving objects, like cars.  I’ve used these techniques quite a bit myself in my practice, and the guidelines shared in this article are key to achieving high quality results.

Food For digital Thought: POV – Joe Baraban discusses the importance and the effect of changing the point of view when shooting.  Perspective is really everything, and as Joe illustrates in his article just changing your POV during a shoot can radically affect the results and the images captured.

Coping with Digital Noise – this brief article by Joe Farace discusses the origin of noise in digital photography.  Joe shares a few insights on how to minimize this effect at the source, that is during the shoot itself.

REVIEWS

A First Impression of the Sony a7R & How Canon/Nikon Can Beat It – the game changing paradigm for photography in the latest interchangeable lens cameras is reviewed in fairly good depth in this article.  No matter what your take or belief in this form factor, it’s hard to argue that they are here to stay and that the images captured by this breed of camera are terrific.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Smouldering Embers : Allegany County Home – A.D. Wheeler presents another of his extensive photography series, this time taking us deep inside an old and long forgotten facility.  A.D.’s incredible photography features the effects of decay from neglect and time, sharing beautifully haunting images in a context sure to have you on the edge of your seat as you join A.D. on the adventure of a lifetime.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Gingerbread Houses – Oak Bluffs – heritage architecture is always a favorite for us, the terrific character of the buildings makes for great photography subjects.  Wayne Beauregard shares a pair of shots captured on Martha’s Vineyard that features a pair of homes with stunning details that are brought to life in the imagery.

Fantastic Catch – incredible details in a bald eagle are exposed in this great shot by Michael Decker.  As the regal bird pulls up after just making a fresh catch, Michael captures the picture at just the right moment to really bring the character of the eagle to life for everyone to enjoy.

The Silent Intruder – the incredible beauty found in owls in the wild is shown in this terrific photograph by Laurie MacBride.  Laurie shares this great image with the story behind it, adding an element of depth to the post sure to delight and amaze everyone.

Wannalancit Spiral – an abstract piece that features an old wooden staircase in the Wannalancit Mill in Lowell, MA.  Steven Perlmutter’s perfect composition uses perspective to create a perfect spiral that leads the viewer through, and ultimately into, the heart of the frame.

Upper Tumwater in IR – the incredible results that come from infrared photography are exemplified in this fabulous image from the studio of Scott Wood.  Capturing the IR spectrum of light reveals details and features otherwise lost, delivering a piece that is both unique and captivating.

TCR – Lonely Shack – wonderful natural tension is found and expressed in this shot of an old and falling down shack in a field, captured and processed here by Jim Denham.  The inherent character of the little shack sitting alone in a field that looks long forgotten is brought to life in a timeless photograph.

Bay Bridge without Lights, San Francisco – a powerful sunset shot featuring the dramatic architecture of the Bay Bridge and epic colors in the fading light of day.  Anakin Yang’s shot uses old wood piles and long exposure to create an ethereal and moody piece that really shows off the bridge as a piece of human engineering.

Mountain Lightning – a powerful and dramatic piece from the studio of Chris Frailey showcases nature’s fury in the form of an electrical storm.  Dramatic clouds overhead add to the sense of the image which also features a rolling landscape below the strike that almost creates an abstract feel.

Red Truck Grunge – a great shot by Edith Levy that simply invites the viewer to hop right into the remains of this old classic pickup truck.  Great framing in this image gives a glimpse inside the truck, showing just enough to leave you wanting more.

Symmetry – Christos Lamprianidis captures a shot that features a stunning reflection and beautiful tones in a gentle lake scene enshrouded in a rolling mist.  As the name suggests, the perfect symmetry of the scene creates an image that pulls the viewer into the frame to become a part of it.

Winter Bandito – Jay Taylor finds and captures a shot of a Townsend’s Warbler sitting on a little branch.  The incredible details in this shot are accented by the features of the bird, exposing stunning colors in it’s feathers and it’s terrific personality.

Morning on Bled – the magic of a very old gothic church sitting on a small island makes Lake Bled a destination for the photography enthusiast.  This shot by Bojko features a misty morning with the world famous church peering through the veil of fog, creating a truly moody setting captured perfectly.

“Play Time” Sibling Rivalry – a brother and sister grizzly bear pose and play creating the perfect photography subjects for Howard Jackman to capture and share.  Great details in the bears expose their pure personality, showcasing creatures that are both cute and dangerous.

I’m Dreaming… – with the holiday season upon us all, no better time to enjoy themed photography than now!  This shot by Erin Duke features a pine tree covered in thick, beautiful snow, decorated for the times with colorful dangly balls of wonder.

Matrix – this epic shot of the City of New York at dusk is simply breathtaking, featuring crisp details and great depth.  Örs Cseresnyés captures a scene with stunning definition in the architecture of the city, working in dichotomous harmony against a backdrop of colorful nature.

Shades of Orange – the incredible colors cast in the skies of a beautiful sunset are captured in this shot from Tim Stanley.  As the sun sets in Florida, Tim captures a stunning shot that finds you following the shoreline right into the very center of a glorious sunset.

Brooklyn Bridge Dawn – as dawn rises above the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges at dawn, Mark Garbowski captures a shot that showcases the incredible architecture of both spans in one frame.  The beautiful colors in the sky from the emerging day create a wonderful canvas to showcase the city and it’s wonderful architecture.

all saints derelict church in berners roding – the inside of a forgotten church is showcased in this image by David Stoddart.  Wonderful textures and details in the decaying interior are all brought to life in this great photo.

Back In The Day – Beverly Everson captures a great shot of the remains of the inside of a building.  Nature has fully engulfed what is left at this site, making for a great image full of natural artistic tension and mystery.

First light on fresh snow at the barn – a snow blanketed barn sits quietly in an open field as the first rays of daylight kiss the landscape.  David Soldano captures a beautiful shot here, featuring a great leading line and wonderful character in the rustic barn.

A Paradise from my window – Light Stalking’s own @astaroth shares a set of photos taken from the window in his house of the landscape that surrounds him.  The wonderful tones work in perfect harmony with the thin layer of fog that drapes over the countryside, creating mesmerizing images to take in and enjoy.

3000 years + – a thin mist creates distinct mood in this landscape photograph by Uroš Demšar that features the iconic ancient church on the island in the middle of Lake Bled.  So much character and drama is found in this world famous place.

A Trio Of Trains – Nostalgic trip by Christa Nünlist | The Jacobite train by Rafal Kwiatkowski | YORK #17 by David F. Brown – this threesome of photographs were all captured by different photographers, featuring an underlying commonality of having steam locomotives as the main subject.  These wonderful old trains are full of inherent romance and intrigue, and each of these photographs features these elements just perfectly.

Cold night – a beautiful old character church sits surrounded by thick snow in this photograph captured in Iceland by Sus Bogaerts.  The stark white of the landscape around it works in harmony with the great details of the architecture, creating an alluring image to visit and enjoy.

INTERESTING BLOGS

Photographer Has Blower Confiscated by TSA Because it ‘Could Fly Like a Missile’ – in yet another example of how perhaps we as a society have taken the whole security thing a little too far, this article shares the story of how a blower used to blow dust off a lens was suddenly considered to be a key part in the creating of a missile.  I guess I should consider myself lucky, inasmuch that my blower doesn’t have fins.  It probably can’t fly that well as a result, to be honest.

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About Author

I am a fine arts photographer that specializes in HDR techniques. Please feel free to visit our Limited Edition Prints site, our Online Gallery or our lively Photoblog.

And a Happy New Year to you, too, Laurie! Thank you so much for your kind visit today, we sure do appreciate it!

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