We have had another terrific week in the world of photography with tons of new material being created and posted by some of the best photographers and writers working in the field today. This weeks list has a wide variety of topics in it, covering tutorials, special features and as always, great photography. We really hope you find the time to explore and enjoy this list of links as much as the Toad did himself in bringing it to you.
TUTORIALS
5 Essentials When Shooting Video With Your Stills Camera – many of us who have focused on still photography are now looking to enter the exciting world of videography. This genre of imagery requires a completely different approach to it, and here we find a great primer that will give you some foundational ideas on how to get started and create compelling videos.
20+ gorgeous backlit rainy photos and a tutorial on how to take them – rain can create an incredible ambience that makes photographs look great when shot properly. This in-depth presentation includes a great set of photographs to view, along with a 20-minute video tutorial that takes you through all the key aspects of trying this for yourself.
This Fiery Wedding Portrait Was Made with a Single Long Exposure – a love scene framed with incredible flames comes to life in this tutorial that reveals the finished shot, as well as all the great details that went into the making of this shot. A brief video presentation is included here for added interest and sharing how it all came together.
How to Create a Soft Light Blurred Background in Photoshop – this article takes you through a series of detailed steps that shows how to create a soft and blurred background to help a subject pop out of the frame. Each step includes screenshots of Photoshop in action, allowing you to follow along as the process unfolds.
Learn How to Create Better Subject Separation With Rim Lights – rim lighting is key for studio portraits, helping to create a great looking shot where the subject pops out from the background. This short video tutorial takes us through the process of setting up and adjusting power levels for speedlights, and shows the great results you can expect from this technique.
Add style to your natural light photographs – I love this highly cinematic looking shot that features a model in an architecturally fascinating old church. Each step of the stylization techniques used is discussed along with screenshots to show how the process unfolds, allowing you to see how you can apply these processes to your own pictures.
How to Create a Great Product Photography Shot Using Speedlights – product photography is a genre all it’s own as we see here in this short video tutorial that takes us through all the steps in creating a great shot. The best part of this presentation is in how the gear used isn’t terribly expensive or complex, and when used properly the results look terrific.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Faraz Azhar’s Black and White Urban Geometry is a Solitary Study of Shapes – sweeping shapes and lines dominate the photographs shared in this collection of black-and-white shots that feature architectural designs from all over. The application of monochrome to this study allows the designs to breathe in the frame, with some of the photos showcasing a wide view of the overall design while others focus on features and how the light plays with them.
Elinchrom and Red Bull Team Up for an Amazing Whitewater Photoshoot – the team at Red Bull never cease to amaze me with the great photographs they create that always feature various sports activities in action. This feature shares a trio of shots captured during a whitewater adventure, along with a brief video tutorial that takes us quickly behind the scenes.
‘Ghosts of the Arctic’: A Photographer Hunts for Photos in the Polar Winter – the depths of winter create amazing scenes that sometimes appear to come from another planet. This set of shots features various aspects of life and nature in these remote regions and is accompanied by an amazing 6-minute video presentation as well.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
Brand New Day – long exposure photography can create stunning results, as we find here in this great oceanscape piece from Ricardo Mateus. The main subject in this shot is an often-photographed bridge in Portugal that creates a perfect natural leading line and vanishing point, with an emphasis on the silky waters from the exposure time and a wonderful sunrise creating color on the horizon.
Inside the Antiquarium – Jim Nix takes us inside an amazing place in Munich, Germany, revealing architectural features and wonderful artistic details that help to make the space feel very grandiose indeed. Paintings adorn all the facets in this immense space, and the sheer scale reveals the attention to detail that went into creating every inch of this dramatic interior.
The Edge of Truth – TJ Drysdale shares a cinematic feeling landscape shot that includes a rugged and rocky shore in low light conditions. The blue hues create a dramatic canvas for the image to work against, and for those who look closely you will see a girl standing on the edge of a cliff looking outward.
Darkwater – Ehpem takes an expedition to a remote and beautiful part of Canada on the west coast, capturing this black-and-white landscape shot on film. The rich contrasts found in this picture do a great job of showing the natural textures of this rugged location along with the black outlines of tree stalks that inhabit the shoreline.
Connetquot River State Park Preserve – an inviting and beautiful scene awaits you in this great shot from Sam that looks out over a wooden pier onto a lake scene full of warm tones. A soft fog lingers over the landscape to add to the ethereal sense of the overall picture.
Selfie Stick – contrary to the name of this post, here we find a great inside shot of the Texas State Capitol building in Austin from Michael Criswell. Michael uses an extremely wide lens to capture this shot that reveals the great details of this building from the roof to the floor far below, revealing the wonderful features that comprise the building’s design.
U Bein bridge (Myanmar) – this is a truly mesmerizing black-and-white shot, one that exemplifies the concept of artistic tension with the people who are walking across a wooden bridge. The wood posts the hold up the bridge are the first thing that captures the eye here, but as you look deeper you will find a story begin to emerge.
Wrapped in Clouds – Barbara Youngleson explores the beautiful coastline of New Zealand in this shot that looks over the waters towards islands and mountains covered in trees. The muted colors in this picture do a great job of expressing the raw drama found in this part of the world.
La Madeleine – right in the heart of France, we find this amazing architectural design that Manjik photography then processes using predominantly blue tones to highlight the inherent drama of the sweeping space and its fine details. The repeating patterns and shapes found here create a bit of an abstract looking shot, but the real delight is found in the old architecture of this place.
Heart’s Afire – this is a great and apt title for this breathtaking shot captured deep in the Antelope Canyons in Arizona. Edith Levy’s shot captures the essence of this location, using the natural rock formations to bounce light and color throughout, creating natural abstracts that are a delight for everyone who appreciates this type of picture.
Road – Luis Valadares captures this photograph from an extremely low perspective, just inches off the road surface, creating a perfect leading line and vanishing point as you follow the dotted lines of the roadway through to the end. Dramatic trees line the ribbon of asphalt here, creating a perfect frame for the overall composition.
Lonely Beetle – the remnants of what once was a VW Beetle now sit in the rubble of a building long forgotten in this compelling and dramatic shot from Urban Vagabond. The skeleton of this once active car create a dramatic subject to see amidst all the decay and patina of this brick garage, and it certainly won’t be anytime soon that this car hits the open road once again.
Reflections in Blue – gentle purples and blues come to life in this serene shot of a swan swimming in still waters in this gorgeous shot from Roeselien Raimond. A soft and nearly still reflection mirrors the picture, finishing it off perfectly.
Encounter at Low Tide – racoons are one of those creatures that can really appear to be very cute from afar, but they certainly aren’t something to trifle with up close and personal. Laurie MacBride shares a great shot of one as it scours the shore for a meal looking rather upset at being interrupted in the midst of dinner.
room with a view – a stark and cold landscape greets you in this great shot from Jens Klettenheimer captured on the edge of the world in Norway. Little red houses dot the shores in this winter image, creating dashes of color that help to draw you into the frame and also provide context and scale.
Sun Nap – there is something inherently interesting and satisfying about pictures captured on film, the grain creates a very unique look that adds some subtle texture in a way that is nostalgic and quite pleasing. This shot from Mark Garbowski is a great example of this, featuring a seaside scene with a bench in the foreground playing host to someone who is lying on it taking in the day’s ambience.
Hourglass – incredible natural lines and shapes take hold in this mesmerizing shot from Danilo Faria taken in the world-famous canyons of Utah and Arizona in the United States. As the eye follows the leading lines carved into the canyon walls after untold years of erosion you will find a splash of terrific orange color as natural light streams in from an opening above.
I tried to catch some fog . . . – a small island outcropping poses in the foreground of this shot from Vancouver Island’s own ƊƦคƓ๏ƝŦlץƊгєคɱʂ88, revealing silhouettes of trees as far in the background we see a forest emerging in the thin mist. This shot reveals a glimpse of the nature of life on the west coast of Canada just perfectly, drawing you in with our own form of serenity that can only be found in nature itself.
what now! – wonderful spirit and personality are captured in this frame from Mark Bridger that features an owl perched atop a tree stump looking back directly at the camera. There is something truly special in these birds and how they interact with their environment, and this shot does a perfect job of capturing that essence.
Yaquina Head Lighthouse – Newport, Oregon – blue skies and dancing grasses frame a wonderful lighthouse found on the coast of Oregon in the United States in this shot from Len Saltiel. This structure stands over 90 feet tall, warning sea-going travellers about the dangers of the coast, and it also provides a terrific subject to capture in photography.
