87 Cool Web Links No Photographer Should Miss

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Always searching for the very best links to tutorials, collections, features, great photography and interesting blogs, Toad Hollow Photography is happy to share this week's list with everyone here.  The list created this week features some wonderful images and insightful blogs, as well as great material for learning a little about photography in general.  There is definitely a little something here for everyone.  We really hope you enjoy checking out this week's list as much as the Toad did in bringing it to you.

TUTORIALS

Post Processing – Sports – Jerry Denham delivers a concise and information-rich feature that discusses in pretty good detail the finer points to sports photography.  This genre of photography comes with it’s own built-in challenges, and this well-conceived and written guide takes the reader to the core of the issue with a series of great tips helpful in the field and in the digital darkroom.

Tuesday in the Studio: Working with Umbrellas – a terrific, short and concise piece by Joe Farace that delivers a series of tips and tricks that give the reader a broad overview of proper use of light umbrellas.  Joe includes a great photograph to illustrate the points he covers in the article.

30,000 Foot Photography – a great genre of photography with it’s own unique set of challenges to overcome to capture great photography, shooting from inside a moving plane can produce striking results.  Blake Rudis takes us way up in the sky and shares a great series of tips and tricks on how to achieve the very best results.

On Piste Action Photography – this is a terrific post by Andy Hooker (LensScaper) that shares a great series of ski themed photographs he has captured over a variety of different conditions.  Andy shares a bit of his expertise in this area with some thoughts and concepts as the series unfolds, making this a highly informative post for those who photograph on the slopes.

Finding Camera’s Your ISO “Sweet Spot” on Valentine’s Day – Joe Farace writes a great article on how to go about testing your ISO settings on your camera to find the upper limits you can satisfactorily use in your practice.  This brief post takes you through the process and Joe shares an example in his post to illustrate the points being made.

Quick Photo Tip: Humor – Joe Baraban delivers another of his great articles that takes us outside the conventional to look for opportunities in unusual ways.  This article discusses the use of humor to create the main compelling component to an image.

COLLECTIONS

artistic street murals – once again photography brings us a story with roots elsewhere, in this case it’s found in truly incredible street murals.  Eduardo Kobra has created an amazing collection of bright and rather large murals over the span of his career, and these photographs capture some of his really spectacular work.

10 Photography Rules To Break – this is a collection of rules that are oft-discussed in the practice of photography, and how and why it’s good to break them.  Each point comes with a picture to show the reader a bit of the underlying reason and outcomes from breaking those pesky rules.  Sometimes.

120 Stunning and Inspiring Examples Of Macro Photography – for those who love this genre of imagery, here is a comprehensive list of images and links to lead you into macro-land for quite some time.  The terrific photos posted here are sure to please the enthusiast from all corners.

Roads Paths & Lanes – a fabulous collection of photographs featuring roads, paths and lanes.  Almost all the images in the set feature terrific colors in the trees, an interesting composition in finding the road or path surrounded by these trees, and all finished off with an exquisite vanishing point in the distance.

Amazing Levitation Inspired Photography – a pretty interesting series of images, all featuring people in various sets and stages, all levitating or so it seems.  Many of the shots here are amazing, leaving the viewer wondering how the artist managed to create them.

SPECIAL FEATURES

14 Commandments for Fine Art Photography Marketing – a terrific short essay by one of the very best, Alain Briot (@alainbriot).  These tips and tricks on how to market fine art photography are based on a successful career, and are very well conceived.  Simple, concise and a complete common-sense approach to removing the mystery of one of the biggest challenges photographers in this field face.

The Asylum – an absolutely mind-blowing, full-on panoramic presentation of a breathtaking chapel in a wonderful state for photography.  Mark Blundell’s work in this genre, presenting fully interactive 360* pieces on his blog, is truly second-to-none and this exhibit is a great example of why.  Great textures and details in the very, very old building, along with the terrific character found in the architecture converge with Mark’s talent to create a very special feature, indeed.

Box Quarry – a history lesson and a lesson in mining and tunnelling, this great feature takes us deep, deep into the heart of an old quarry, long unused now.  An in-depth story about the site is accompanied by an incredible series of photographs that showcase the incredible scale and magnitude of the place.

Sunday Morning Harbor Timelapse –  a short timelapse presentation by Curt Fleenor finds us in a harbor as morning crests.  This fabulous brief exhibit shares a snippet of time on the water in a few short seconds, making it well worth the time to visit.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Palouse Falls Rainbow – breathtaking doesn’t even begin to cover this awesome photograph by Justin Reznick.  This oft-photographed landscape is captured in a terrific composition that exposes terrific details in the gorgeous landscape, and tops it all off with a great rainbow in the distance.

Chemainus Theater – probably my favorite part of being involved in the field of photography is all the fantastic people I get to interact with.  Just this last week one of my alltime favorite photogs Keith Cuddeback happened to be in my city for a visit and we had a chance to get together for an all-too-short visit.  It was an absolutely wonderful time, expanding my horizons in the field and introducing me to new lifelong friends.  Keith’s visit to the island resulted in some great shots, this being one of them.  This theater on the island is a key facility for the arts and is one that my wife and I visit at least once a year.  Great shot!!!

Dockside Reflections II – great reflections in the water of this well-known spot in Victoria are really quite captivating in this terrific series from local photographer Ehpem.  He posts both color and black-and-white versions of his pictures, adding a great dimension of interest to the post.  The city of Victoria is quite striking with many variations of architectural styling, and this series really showcases this.

autumn splendor – a stunning and vibrant reflection of an autumn landscape is presented in this wonderful piece by Andy 58.  The soft reflections of the colorful trees really create a warm and serene scene, sure to be enjoyed by all.

Thetis Island by Ferry – this lovely island off the west coast of Canada is a few kilometers from where I live and this wonderful, serene photograph by Keith Cuddeback features all the best elements of island living including the wonderful red Arbutus trees that are very rare and local to the Pacific Northwest, and the beautiful waters of a still bay.

Restricted Area – a really interesting shot, completely captivating, by our very own @astaroth here on Light Stalking.  The composition is great, but the real star of this shot is the crooked sign that is so brightly stating it’s purpose.

St Francis Xavier in Mill Bay – a fabulous series of black-and-white images captured by local photographer Joseph de Lange.  This very old heritage church in Mill Bay is a local landmark and an important link to our past on Vancouver Island, and Joseph’s great photographs really bring out the character in the old architecture that looks as good today as the day it was built, well over 100 years ago.

Snakeprints – a terrific landscape and a terrific abstract, all in one.  Alonso Díaz creates an image that features great abstract wavy lines in the sand in one half of the frame, and a beautiful water scene in the other, separated by a great wooden fence serving as a leading line that runs away into a vanishing point.

Lockhouse 6, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal – an absolutely stunning series of photographs by Mark Summerfield takes us to a historic American site.  Great details in the landscape and the heritage architecture of the facility blend together, taking the viewer back in time.

Ancient and Modern – a great set of shots that produce a strong juxtaposition against each other through the expression of old and dilapidated versus new and modern.  Andy Hooker (LensScaper) uses two distinct compositions that accent different elements of the two buildings, yet they work in harmony together in a study.

Deserted Streets – fabulous stonework in great, old architecture is explored and studied in this great photograph by Len Saltiel.    The great character of Kotor, Montenegro is really exposed in this shot, making for a must-see image in this week’s list.

Winter Door – Prague – a great old wooden door presents a dramatic face to an encroaching vine, almost gripping it in it’s endless tendrils.  Pat Kofahl’s image features this door with great tones that draw the viewer straight to it, surrounded by some of the great local architectural features.

Let Me Entertain You… – Edith Levy takes us along as she and her camera club have a chance to explore the inside of the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto.  Terrific details in the old architecture converge wonderfully with the natural tones in the theater from the lighting to deliver an absolutely captivating piece to view and enjoy.

“Nowhere to see” – a series of never ending piers, mostly submerged, take the viewer straight out into the heart of the mist-enshrouded seascape beyond.  Junel Corales creates a black-and-white featuring great elements, all finished off with a mesmerizing vanishing point.

emotionally attached – a lonely and emotional piece done in black-and-white finds the viewer presented with a ship left on shore.  The composition with the sea and an island in the distance in the backdrop works perfectly with the steel ship in the foreground to produce a visceral reaction.

Lights in the Night! Downtown Los Angeles – light trails everywhere delight the viewer as crisp details in the city’s architecture at night produce strong elements revealing sharp lines.  Nhut Pham captures a great shot, with really captivating colors emanating from the busy city at night.

Pistol River Sunrise – this is most definitely a natural abstract, featuring great light trails that produce vibrant colors and fabulous layers in the backdrop landscape that appears to roll on forever.  Chip Phillips creates a wonderful image with great details and sense of scale.

Irondequoit Bay (& angry birds) – although we don’t get to see any migrating fisherman as alluded to, we still get to check out a set of great photos from Oneowner.  The first shot in the set is a terrific black-and-white landscape, full of ice-cold drama, and the next two are of swans in various state of personal expression.

Bodie Gallery – I don’t really have a bucket list, I have a todo list and it’s a mile long.  This is just one of those places, though, that I just have to get to.  Lee Brown does a great job of capturing a fabulous set of shots of this old ghost town turned museum, bringing all the unique character and haunting effervescence out of a place many could spend a lifetime exploring.  A truly fabulous series.

Repeating Windows – incredible lines and patterns captured in monochrome gently lead the viewer through and around the frame in this great abstract by Aaron Barlow.  Very subtle variations in tone across the spectrum of the piece add a compelling touch.

Snowy Sunset – a gorgeous sunset rolls over the snow covered hills of a perfect valley that leads off to a beguiling vanishing point.  Jerry Denham’s landscape is full of beautiful colors from the setting sun and details from a magical forest.

Costa Rica Sunset – a stunning, stunning sunset in one of the world’s most beautiful spots take you away instantly to a place of peace.  Edin Chavez captures a lovely shot in one of the world’s iconic tropical paradises.

Signs of Spring – Jimi Jones shares a shot from last year’s spring, full of glorious color and new growth, leaving the viewer really looking forward to the upcoming weeks when it starts to unfold.  This is a beautiful landscape image, full of great features.

Rock and Flow – a great composition really accents the key features and creates a perfect natural leading line through this fabulous black-and-white landscape photograph by Jim Denham.  Subtle processing produces extremely sympathetic results gently guiding the viewer through the key elements designed to be noticed.

Bay Bridge blues – the early morning blue hour casts the most incredible hues across the waking seascape of San Francisco that features a shot of the commanding Bay Bridge alit in the evening’s glow.  Jim Nix captures and shares a top drawer shot here, with a great finishing touch of a set of piers in the foreground to add another layer of interest.

Red Winged Blackbird Calls, Minnesota – one very expressive bird sits on a branch and orates quite heartily.  Mark Paulson captures a terrific shot, leaving the viewer with a ton of questions, mostly centric to the source of the bird’s consternation.

Shelter for the night – travelling photographer Jordan Oram takes us to the west coast of Canada where he finds both a place for shelter and a connection with friends.  This spirit comes shining through in the lovely image taken at twilight, bringing the viewer to a spot that is the definition of serenity.

Inner Harbor Sunrise – absolutely wonderful colors and reflections are presented in this great shot by Metro DC Photography.  A sunrise in Baltimore, MD paints the sky with just incredible tones, highlighting the architecture of the area and some of it’s key features.

Rusting Chevrolet Pick-up Truck | Classical Gas Museum, Embudo, New Mexico – a pair of posts, one featuring an old long-forgotten pickup sitting in a field, full of rich details in the rust that now paints the truck red.  The second post is related by showcasing the terrific nostalgia that is found in our old gas stations, and their artifacts.

Castolon – I just love the old historic feel to this great photograph by Derrick Birdsall.  Fabulous tones in the way that Derrick processed this shot bring this strong feel out, featuring some great natural leading lines and shapes with just enough detail to instill a sense of nostalgia.

Not – this is one of those terrific images you come across every once in awhile that has several layers of interest embedded deep in it, only exposes those treasures to those who spend some time taking in the details.  Melinda Green Harvey captures a shot of a falling down business, long closed now, and uses the facade of the building as a frame to create a strong sense of juxtaposition between the standing and the fallen.  The finishing touch lies in the signage at the top of the remains, and all the different incarnations that the building endured in it’s lifetime.

Vastness – wonderful vanishing points, great leading lines and a floor bathed in glorious natural light converge in this photograph by Steven Perlmutter that features an unused floor of the old mills he has been photographing with Bob Lussier in their area.  There are so many great elements at work in this shot, it’s really one that is sure to be enjoyed by all.

On the right track – an awesome shot by photobypawelp that features several great elements that make it great.  The tones in the sunrise captured here in Ireland create a warm tone to envelope the scene, but the real star of this shot is the great line created by the railroad track and how it reflects the light back to the viewer.

Awake My Soul – the vibrant color of yellow is the main subject in this photographic exploration by Erin Duke.  A small set of images featuring gorgeous flowers beaming the color yellow back to the viewer are shared here, creating a post that is sure to remind us all of warmer times.

Dawn of Calm – a true natural abstract, captured and shared here by Rachel Cohen.  An endless horizon painted in the most glorious natural colors creates the perfect division in this shot which is totally bereft of any other features, creating a pure and delightful abstract.

Arizona sunsets and The #WayBackMachine – as Scott Wood finds himself away from his studio for work, his post this week features a picture from his special category he calls The WayBackMachine.  This Arizona sunset really embodies this great part of the country as Scott finds a sky lit in incredible colors as the city sits below.

Old Guitars – these instruments have been around for a mighty long time now, instantly recognizable and an indelible part of our society.  This great shot by Syd Weedon composes a shot with an acoustic guitar that leads the viewer through the frame via it’s fretboard, and with Syd’s wonderful post-processing, we get to enjoy a truly compelling piece.

A Coyote Barking To Warn Her Mate – Steve Creek brings us along as he captures a really great pair of shots that feature a pair of coyotes.  The female in the first shot is warning her mate, and in the second they are sitting side-by-side.  Steve’s great post sheds a little light into their lives as well, adding a great extra dimension.

Wanderlust – this is a fabulous shot by Sherry Galey that features some elements she had in her boat brought outside to shoot, and then very carefully processed to bring all the character of her vision to life to share here in her blog.  This is a great picture, a real nautical expression of adventure and exploration.

Castle in the Trees – a foreboding castle peers just above the grove of trees that surround it’s outer compound.  Windsor Castle is one of the most famous castles in the world, and this great picture by Tim Stanley delivers a unique and captivating composition of this aspect of the facility.

who has the best wig? – a shot full of great layers, textures and elements, sure to captivate the viewer is presented here by david stoddart.  A staged shoot at the Chateaux in France presents a great opportunity to capture a great image that exemplifies the true feel of these times now long past.

Swan in the frame – a fabulous picture by Barry Turner shares a picture of a swan who popped it’s head between the fence planks to check out what’s going on outside the pen.  Barry’s great composition does a spectacular job of capturing the rich character that this bird exudes.

Crisp – a cold evening casts the perfect glow upon the city Milwaukee in this captivating picture from the studio of CJ Schmit.  The rich blue tones in this picture do a terrific job of sharing the cold, winter feel that is so evidently captured in this image.

Cabot Square… – a center square leads the viewer through the frame into the background.  The very best part of this shot is how the black-and-white picture finds great tension and drama in how the buildings in the backdrop melt into the scene as an entirety due to the thick fog.

Cantina, Toronto, 2013 – Ren Bostelaar captures a great shot inside a cantina as patrons sit about enjoying the spirit and offerings of the facility.  Ren’s terrific work in the realm of candid photography does a perfect job in creating a picture that is sure to engage everyone.

Heart of the Canyon – Rick Louie finds himself in the world-famous Antelope Canyons, where he encounters the most amazing natural abstract formation.  This one features all the great lines, layers and tones that many photographs from these canyons yield, but in this case the formation casts a familiar shape.

Purple Train – this spellbinding shot from Chris Frailey delivers a few great elements for the viewer to enjoy.  A great bridge provides the architectural element to naturally guide the viewer through the frame, and it finds itself surrounded by great tones from the sunset.  The finishing touch comes in the form of a great reflection from the still waters in the distance.

Come Fly With Me! – Mike Criswell finds himself suddenly a hawk-whisperer as he channels his inner raptor to convince a really beautiful bird to sit still long enough for him to run home and grab his gear.  Yep, you read that right, he talked to the bird and blasted home for his gear, only to return to find this glorious bird paying attention to his instructions.

York Minster – this is a great black-and-white architectural study by Mark Mullen that exposes a very dramatic scene full of rich shadows and contrast.  The incredible architecture of the setting stands tall and proud, from centuries past, producing a truly compelling feel to the shot.

Portrait of A Killer – timing, a shallow depth-of-focus and a very dramatic scene converge in this shot featured by Jay Taylor.  You’ve never seen anything quite like this, Jay has captured a shot at just the very precise moment this incredible bird snatches a snack from the waters.

Fanes by rachel_thecat, on Flickr

Sunrise Over the Pyrenees –  great shadows and an epic rolling landscape come together in this gorgeous shot from Barbara Youngleson.  This world-famous location is the perfect setting for landscape imagery, and Barbara’s shot here is a great example of this.  Shadows, layers and details all are found in this wonderful picture.

Yellow Sunset – Scott Prokop finds a stunning sunset with rich, vibrant colors to capture and share here.  The great colors in the sky highlight the beauty of this Canadian landscape, which finds a great additional element in the colors that adorn the rocks in the foreground.

Little Blue Heron, South Florida – a wonderful Heron sits perched as Wayne Beauregard has a chance to capture a great photograph of it.  Wayne included some really fascinating information on the bird in the post, adding an extra dimension to this post.

“Up” You look so small from up here… – Howard Jackman brings us along as he photographs a family skate event.  Howard’s specialized post-processing does a great job in bringing all the elements to the forefront that he was hoping to share.

Na Pali Coast – great layers and rich, golden tones adorn the viewers screen when checking out this great photograph by Vassili Broutski.  The incredible layers in the craggy rock formations that form the coast produce a strong sense of depth and drama.

Scotney Castle – an absolutely peaceful and serene setting finds us joining Ann Paine who is taking in a lovely old stone castle by the side of a body of water.  The perfect composition that Ann used to capture this includes a fabulous natural element in the foreground and great reflections in the water, mirroring the castle back to the observer.

Future Leader – it’s hard to imagine something is truly so very cute could grow up to be one of the most feared creatures on the planet.  A lion cub is making it’s way towards the lens of Hendri Venter with a parent in close proximity holding up the rear.  The spot-on depth-of-focus on this shot brings several key elements together, with the primary focus being where it should…  right on that cute little cub.

Geometry – this is a terrific study in geometric shapes, designs and lines.  This black-and-white photograph features a hallway that exhibits some really dramatic lines, including the leading line that carries the viewer through the frame into the vanishing point.

Lago Maggiore – a fabulous landscape shot that features gorgeous colors in the sky, interesting cloud formations to introduce an interesting element, a long pier that takes the viewer out into the body of water, and silky smooth waters from the long exposure.  Clickalps .com creates and shares a stunning image here.

The Reward – this is a striking landscape scene, if you’ll pardon the pun.  A sunset captured while standing in the fast-moving waters on the shoreline is shared here by Dylan Fox.  Incredible colors in the sky and the most amazing natural rock formations converge in this shot to paint the scene in incredible tones and showcase the power of the moving waters.

Sense of Scale – a huge hotel sits on the crest of a hill by the water with the commanding mountains forming the backdrop in this epic shot by Len Saltiel.  As advertised, once you spend some time taking in the surroundings to the main hotel in the shot, the immense sense of scale hits you.  This is a gorgeous part of the world, and Len’s shot here does a great job of taking us to it.

Monkey Island – Adam Allegro finds himself adventuring on Monkey Island in Halong Bay, and comes away with a great series of images of the monkeys on the island.  These highly expressive creatures are fabulous photograph subjects, posing and acting for the camera.  This great series does a fabulous job in bringing this to the screen for everyone to enjoy.

A Visit from Ms. Merganser – a lovely, lovely post that features an absolutely wonderful photograph of this gorgeous little bird making her way around the pond looking for lunch.  The accompanying post from Laurie MacBride sheds a little light on the lives of these incredible little creatures, making for a must-see post in this week’s list.

Half Buried – a simple landscape, in some ways of an abstract nature, is created and presented here by Jim Denham.  The inherent drama in the black-and-white shot is brought fully out with Jim’s careful post-processing, making for a fabulous image.

Up the Down Staircase – great textures and details are brought out of an old staircase in the mills that Bob Lussier is famous for shooting.  The old doors, brickwork and colors in the stairwell are all completely brought to life in this shot.

INTERESTING BLOGS

Ice Hotel In Sweden Showcases Its Design For This Year – a perfect fusion of practical and art, this hotel every year invites in groups of artists to create room-by-room sets.  All the items are made of ice, with some metal in particular spots to hold weight.  This lends itself to a captivating setting that almost seems as if from another world entirely.

Downtime. – a terrific concept, perfectly executed here by Phil Kneen.  Using a leather chair as a prop and a source of interest for scenes, Phil photographs it in various spots with different people in poses.  This anchors the chair into the series, giving it a theme of sorts, and produces a set that is truly captivating in itself.

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.

Thanks so much Keith, we really appreciate all your support here! Lovely photos of the island, that little church in Chemainus is a favorite subject of mine! You’ve done a terrific job with it!

Toad – this is another great set. I have just ‘wasted a perfectly good hour’ going through many of the links, and the places that they lead.
And thanks once again for including one of my posts – I am very pleased that you like those reflection photos enough to include them here.

I feel like I should apologize for your time situation there, Ehpem, but it’s kind of what we do here at Light Stalking!! LOL Fabulous comments, my friend, thanks for your visit!

Derrick, thanks so much for your comments today! I tell ya, my friend, we are totally hoping to pilgrimage our way down to your area on day for a visit! That would be awesome!

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