The Most Interesting Photography Links of the Week

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This week has been action packed in terms of photography resources online, and Toad Hollow Photography has been searching for the very best tutorials, great photography and interesting blogs to share with everyone.  This week's list is full of wonderful and unique sites, all well worth the time to view.

Check out the Toad’s photoblog and gallery of Canadian Landscape Prints.

TUTORIALS

Portrait Photography Tips From Damian “The BIG Dog” McGillicuddy – an absolutely fascinating and delightful article espousing the effects of different lighting techniques and styles.  Everyone will learn a little something from this post, which is complete with imagery to provide examples.

How to Measure Your Blog’s Growth – a fabulous post by Kristi Hines details some tips and tricks on managing your blog traffic and watching for growth patterns.  These recommendations can easily transfer directly to more traffic and business, and are well worth the time to read.

HDR Cookbook – Pics to play with: Mountain Shed (HDR) – another great post from farbspiel photography shares some tips and tricks about HDR processing.  Download links are available to download a few brackets he has posted, allowing the user to play with some of the issues tackled in the tutorials.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Victoria Project; image collection – a collection of poignant and profound B&W images of Victoria, BC, Canada.  Master photographer Harrison Lansing takes us on a different journey through the city than we are typically used to, with absolutely wonderful results.

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Mysterious Roving Rocks of Racetrack Playa by NASA Goddard Photo and Video, on Flickr

Dragon Flies – our very own Light Stalking thread on our forums here showcases a set of absolutely incredible photos of dragonflies.  Astonishing clarity and depth of focus combine to create this series that is truly amazing.

The Boathouse On Lake Evans – Wayne Frost showcases an image that started life as a wonderful photograph.  Careful processing has created an oil painting styled image that is really exquisite and a joy to view.

What's All That Racket? – a wonderful piece that showcases a highly inquisitive cat with a truly wonderful facial expression, peering back at the photographer as he goes about his work.  The textures and tones of the surroundings add a great sense to the picture, well worth the time to check out!

1948 Lincoln Continental – reflections, colors, rich details…  this picture has it all!  A wonderful study of a classic convertible automobile that is perfectly composed and processed to bring us a nostalgic sense of a time now past.

49 Brilliant Pieces of HDR Photography – a great collection of HDR images, all of really wonderful subjects and all marvelously composed and processed.  Some very stunning scene in this set, well worth the time to peruse.

Pinks – hot rods make for wonderful photography subjects, especially the classics.  This gorgeous baby pops right out the screen at us with vibrant colors and great details.

Live Oak Lace – a slightly surreal piece from the studio of Bob Lussier of a gnarled group of oak trees.  Exquisitely processed in B&W, this image just oozes drama and is reminiscent of a scene from another world entirely.

30 Coach – railroad themed images always provoke a sense of nostalgia and romance for me.  Chris Frailey delivers a compelling image, with an awesome depth of focus that leads the eye right to the subject.  An absolutely wonderful picture.

The Bandit – a wonderful piece by Aaron Barlow depicts a very curious raccoon in a tree.  The facial expression of the fur bearing friend really brings home the humor and emotion in this photograph, this is truly awesome.

January Sunset – a stunning HDR image of a landscape with an absolutely profound reflection!!  The result is an almost surreal photo, and definitely one that is totally amazing.

Chaos of Light – storm chaser Mike Olbinski delivers another powerful and breathtaking lightning photograph from this years storm season.  Mike is the master of this style of photography, and the latest post from his studio is sure to amaze everyone!

2011 Rodeo – Barrel Racing – a wonderful set of images from Mike Victorino delivers a true sense of being a spectator at a fast-paced rodeo.  These shots all freeze the action in it’s tracks to give us a sense of the big event.

Macro Wet Web – this incredible shot of a wet spiders web almost looks like a chain-link fence.  Fabulously detailed macro work brings out all the luscious details of this scene.

Clowning Around – do clowns entertain or scare you?  Either way, this captivating set of images is sure to entertain everyone and is well worth the time to peruse!

Beratan Sunrise – sure to amaze everyone, the colors and tones in this picture are absolutely delightful.  The reflection coming from the lake in Bali is absolutely mesmerizing and breathtaking.

The Corvette River – being slightly biased towards sports cars and specifically Corvette’s, this picture is the epitome of grace and class.  A deep lacquered black paint job accents the cars insignia and it exquisitely captured by Erik Kerstenbeck.

The Pinnacles – a true sense of grandeur and beauty is captured in this beautiful landscape photograph from Jason Hines.  The shores of Australia are amazing to behold and we hope ourselves to visit one day.

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Untitled by SheldonPhotography, on Flickr

10 Countries in 10 Days from Google+ Day One – Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre Italy – a truly breathtaking shot of Italy as dusk sets in on a beautiful little bay.  This photo is absolutely compelling and beautiful in every sense of the word.

“Jump” – sometimes a picture requires absolutely no accompanying words.  This B&W image is sure to tickle everyones funny bone and is a great example of something that shares an entire story in one glimpse.

Carnival – a series of shots by Chris Maskell showcasing the Notting Hill Carnival.  A true sense of the excitement and fun had by all was captured in this great series of photographs.

Fancy That Of London – Jim Nix shares a colorful and detail rich picture of a storefront in London.  The color in this picture paints a tapestry of London environs and is sure to please everyone.

Penguin Daycare – David Schultz posts an absolutely incredible photograph of a community of penguins.  This picture is absolutely cute and adorable.  Perfect composition and wonderful colors really pop out here, creating a wonderful mosaic.

Paris Palms – a shot from the studio of Jim Denham that showcases the sights of Las Vegas.  Truly wonderful use of palm trees to frame this colorful picture helps to create a scene that will instantly take you to the big city!

The Moulton Barn – John Mead delivers an utterly compelling image of an old and weathered barn in the Teton Mountain Range.  This contrasts of the texture and tone rich barn and the backdrop of the majestic mountain range creates a scene unlike any other.

Big Sky – Michigan plays host to Thomas Barnett who in turn captured this absolutely breathtaking landscape photograph.  A true sense of the expanse of this great land comes to life through the lens of Tom

Macro Monday – this just incredible photo of an opening sunflower gives us something to truly enjoy.  The colors are so intense, and the fine details give us true sense of intricacy.

Good Morning – Roosevelt Island Bridge – as the sun begins to rise over the bridge, the colors begin to emerge welcoming the new day.  The bridge strikes a commanding silhouette and Mark Garbowski is at the ready with his camera to capture and share this striking image.

Old Montreal City Hall – Edith Levy showcases her latest photograph taken in Montreal city with 2 different processing filters.  Each one delivers a totally unique image with it’s own style, and each is truly incredible.

Another Barn – This Time in Color – Tom Baker really brings home the wonder of a weathered and textured barn in his latest post.  Fabulous colors and details really bring this rural scene to life.

Spirals of My Mind – Mark Blundell shares a picture full of texture and geometry, creating a truly visually appealing and interesting piece of art.  Fabulous tones further add to the sense of old and decay in this awesome urbex shot.

Emu Sees You – in this highly emu-tional shot, we get a wonderful close-up, front-on view of a, well, you guess it..  an Emu!  What a fabulous portrait of a truly interesting character from the studio of Kristi Hines.

The Peacock Butterfly – colors and designs in nature make for exquisite photography subjects.  Today’s picture of a most beautiful butterfly is full of rich and wonderful colors and details, truly proving that Mother Nature is the best artist of all!

Up close with a Red-spotted Purple Butterfly – this picture is something you will not see often.  A masterful capture of this gorgeous butterfly as it’s tongue is protruded in a gorgeous curl.  A truly incredible photograph!

Reflections Of Dusk – Jacob Lucas delivers a powerful and compelling image of a dusk marine scene.  Incredible colors and reflections converge to create a picture that is sure to take your breath away!

The Last Stage – a wonderful and detailed shot taken in the California gold mining town of Shasta.  This stagecoach is a wondrous subject and the surroundings create the perfect backdrop for a vintage bit of American history.

Holy Grail Found! – a tapestry is woven through the fantastic blog of Charlie Grosso sharing with us a captivating story accompanied by some great images.  A wonderful post well worth the time to read.

Commitment – a heartwarming tale coupled with just incredible sunset photos as hurricane Irene approaches creates a totally compelling blog post.  Andrew Gimino shares a wonderful moment with all of us.

Transferium HDR – I believe this series of photos originates in the Netherlands.  A fabulous and colorful set of images taken at a bus terminal provides a cornucopia of great tones and details to enjoy.

Ripples – long exposures using ND B&W filters is catching on in the professional photography realm, and Heath O’Fee delivers an absolutely stunning example for us to enjoy.  Fabulous details, smooth and smoky water and an incredible sun on the horizon all combine to create a truly breathtaking image.

Smallpox Hospital – an absolutely breathtaking piece from Mark Garbowski showcases Renwick Smallpox Hospital near the southern tip of Roosevelt Island.  Dark and moody with plenty of details and textures to enjoy, this picture is sure to amaze!

Vintage Leatherheads – Jerry Denham produces an absolutely incredible set of images processed in a style to give the viewer a sense of age.  Young football players in various classic Heisman poses provide fabulous subjects for Jerry’s skillful photography.

Tropical Storm Irene Photos from Burlington, Vermont – a great series of images taken in Vermont shows us the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.  A poignant and profound story to share via photography, the area has been hit pretty hard and the folks there are needing assistance in rebuilding.

Secluded Pool – Curt Fleenor shares a truly compelling waterfall landscape with a gentle and beautiful natural pool.  The tones are warm and the details plentiful, producing a truly beautiful image.

Force of Nature – a truly stunning image taken of Niagara Falls.  The sense of power and motion is exquisitely captured and brought to us in this incredible photograph.

Malpeque Fishing Village – a tiny community of Prince Edward Island in Canada is the subject for this pair of wonderful photographs.  Colorful boats and boathouses create the main theme, and when coupled with some fabulous clouds in the sky Anne McKinnell produces two very compelling photographs.

Point to the sky. A sunrise over the Burlington, Vermont landscape – an absolutely wonderful photograph from the studio of Andrew Gimino shows us a view of a beautiful sunrise that uses a natural artifact to add some drama.  Gorgeous colors and details are sure to amaze everyone.

Keep Off the Dunes – Steve Beal delivers a compelling and colorful scene taken as the skies begin to change as Hurricane Irene makes her way through the area.  A compelling and exquisitely processed image, full of color and drama.

Downtown Austin – a very colorful and detailed view of the skyline of Austin, Texas.  Jim Nix shares with us an incredible architectural study of the skyline which is punctuated by the wonderful reflection in the waters at the fore of the frame.

Just a Trim – a really compelling image taken inside a factory produces a scene of drama and details second to none!  Awesome processing from the studio of Jim Denham, this picture is guaranteed to amaze everyone.

City Sentinels – a classic style architectural shot of the Boston city skyline from Bob Lussier really brings home all the interest and drama in this style of photography.  Great skies give the scene a little extra; this is a truly amazing photo!

Church of Our Lady – Alt Angle – a wonderful, dramatic and nostalgic shot of a classic church, processed in black and white to bring all the contrasts to life.  Exquisite and wonderful details merge to create an instant classic.

Where Do Hummingbirds Go During a Hurricane? – a heartwarming story of the strength of all creatures accompanied by a beautiful photograph.  This gem from the studio of Rob Hanson really shares an incredible story, well worth the time to view.

Dew Drops on Caterpillar – the smallest details in a photograph can produce the most striking results.  This close-up macro shot of a caterpillar with tiny drops of dew on it is absolutely mesmerizing!

Black Swan Preening – having never seen a black swan myself, I found this incredible photo to be utterly captivating.  Fabulous details and expression combine to create a most wonderful photograph.

Moving On to Pipers Lagoon, Nanaimo, BC, Canada – a series of images taken on Vancouver Island, in the area we live in.  A fabulous photoblog post showcasing some great island highlights, definitely a very enjoyable post to take in.

Rocky Sentinel – an absolutely incredible shot of the Beavertail Lighthouse originally built in 1749.  This historic facility still runs strong today and is a beacon of safety and hope for all who travel these waters.

General’s Quarters – Scott Frederick showcases another absolutely stunning image, from Valley Forge National Historic Park where General Knox’s quarters have a barn.  The textures and tones in this image really reflect the age of the facility, and a slight dancing of light on the floor adds a huge element of interest.

Maison R – Lay Me Down To Rest – the creepy factor is running at 10 here in this really incredible shot taken by Mark Blundell in an abandoned mansion.  Perfect composition, so very sympathetic to the subject at hand, helps to create an overall picture that is both so very dark and alluring, all at the same time.

Tree Huggin' Nut Lover – Christina Rollo shares with us a wonderful bird photo with fabulous details.  Subtle and effective processing further adds to the picture, creating a perfect end result that is a true joy to view.

Extremely long exposure: Photographer endures 15-hour shoots in the wintry Australian outback to snare stunning images of star trails in the night sky – this is sure to absolutely amaze everyone.  Long exposure shots can produce absolutely striking results.  This series of photographs is sure to leave your jaw on the floor as you take in the beauty and wonder of the work created.  It’s even more amazing to know that this photographer got his first camera less than a year ago.

Old Baldy’s View – perspective is crucial in the visual arts, and wide open landscapes can be quite compelling.  This image taken by Bob Lussier from high atop a lighthouse really shows North Carolina to be an absolutely wonderful place.

Patience – Jason Hines shares an incredible and profound blog post.  The concept is punctuated by a wonderful photograph that helps to bring the point of the story home.

Brown bear #7, Lake Clark National Park – holy leaping brown bears, Batman!  Ian Plant displays a photograph taken with perfect timing.  A bear is mid-leap into the water, no doubt to chase down a snack.

Waiting – an utterly compelling piece from the studio of Chris Frailey shows us how sometimes that which is left to the imagination is the most powerful.  Fabulous composition and the most incredible light help to produce a really incredible work.

Bye Bye, Colorized – a stunning shot from Kristi Hines of an old abandoned dog track.  The way the light comes through as you look down the long hallway really adds a ton of interest to this incredibly dramatic shot.

Sacrebleu! – an amateur photographer takes this jaw dropping photo of the Eiffel Tower with a distinctive lightning strike behind it.  Absolutely breathtaking!!

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Australia by The U.S. Army, on Flickr

INTERESTING BLOGS

Strings – a really great photo accompanies this absolutely profound blog post.  A source of true introspection, this blog post will surely cause you to stop and pause, even if just for a moment.

A Rainbow of Tiny Translucent Creatures – a truly astonishing blog post depicting a style and type of art I have never seen before.  Perhaps slightly strange to some, the colorful results of an incredible work-flow are absolutely astounding.

Nikki Sixx: Recovery ‘Softened My Heart' for Photography – a fascinating article in Rolling Stone discusses Nikki Sixx’s re-found love of photography.  A truly interesting read into the mind of an artist who uses the past-time to aid his recovery and finds a new passion in life.  Warning: contains harsh language.

Photographer Profile: Leanne Staples – a fabulous interview with a street photographer is a riveting read.  A new blog is being launched to discuss and showcase this style of photography, and if this appeals to you is definitely a fascinating interview.

Top 10 Ways for Photographers to Get Attention on Google+ – industry leader Thomas Hawk has compiled a great list of tips and tricks for how to interact and get noticed on Google+.  This latest social media site is gaining traction in the photographer community and is a great place to promote yourself and find others who post awesome work.  This list of tips and tricks is sure to help you get integrated and become a social presence online.

Beautiful Portraits Made With Old Wine Corks – perhaps not directly related to photography, this interesting blog post showcases an artist who makes grand portraits using old wine corks.  The results are photographed and discussed in this really interesting blog post.

Bent Objects – this blog is so fabulous I couldn’t pick just one to highlight, so I included the link to the entire site!  What an awesome use of ordinary objects staged in a wonderful manner as to produce a completely enticing and compelling series!!

Landing a Photo Agent – Part II: Elizabeth Weinberg – an interview with Elizabeth Weinberg discusses the in’s and out’s, the pro’s and con’s, of getting an agent involved in your business.  No matter what type of photography you do, this is an interesting article to read.

Google Tries to Freeze Photographer’s DMCA Take Down Notice – now, I am far from a legal expert when it comes to these sorts of things, but this blog post seems to be something that might be of interest to a wider audience and thought we should include it in this weeks list.

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.

I am surrounded by the most wonderful photography in the world, this is not a problem at all, rather it’s something I truly enjoy doing!! Thank you my friend!

You’re very, very welcome! I loved that set of images, it was something I was so happy to share here with everyone else!

Same here, Jordan! We sure do appreciate all the friendship & support you’ve shown us as well!

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