32 Of The Coolest Photography Links Of The Week

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After a few weeks away we are pleased to see that Toad Hollow Photography is back and looking in all corners of the internet for links to tutorials and great photography. This week's list covers a wide variety of styles and interests in the field of photography, with something here sure to please enthusiasts of all genres. We really hope you enjoy checking out this terrific list as much as the Toad did in bringing it to you.

TUTORIALS

A Guide To Surf Photography – Fantastic shots from Richard Johnston punctuate this great guide. Richard's tips and tricks will help you improve your surfing pictures and even your seascapes – this guide gives an in-depth account of how to improve your images when shooting from the water but, if this isn't your cup of tea,  it goes into capturing great images from the beach as well.

How to Control Contrast So You Always Get Amazing Landscape Photographs – controlling contrast in an image is a very important aspect of helping a picture to pop, and in this article posted here on Light Stalking we discover how to manage this in the landscape field of photography. Terrific sample shots are included as the article unfolds, allowing the reader to easily visualize the concepts being shared.

Pok Rie

Fundamentals of Photography: Guide to Shutter Speed – this is an in-depth article that goes over all the important points of shutter speed in photography. As the article progresses along, great pictures are included at various points to help illustrate the core topics. This would be a great article for those who would love to know more about this one aspect of exposure that is so critical.

A Simple Technique to Remembering Hundreds of Poses – a quick 2-minute read on how to remember different poses for when you need to pull something out of the hat

How to create 5 cinematic looks with 2 lights in under 3 minutes – in just a few minutes you can learn about 5 different techniques that can be done with only 2 lights for great portraits. This short video feature covers a lot of ground in a short period of time, giving you some great ideas to pursue on your own.

Official U.S. Navy Page
Official U.S. Navy Page

Using the Power of Curves to Make Effects in Photoshop – learning how to master curves in Photoshop can open a whole new world for you in post-production. This video is just over 14 minutes in length and takes you through one workflow that is fairly easy to follow as we see a picture emerge that exhibits a particular style.

Adding Background Blur for a Shallow Depth of Field – this 7-minute video tutorial takes you through the process of adding a great and natural looking background blur for a photograph from beginning to end. The entire technique is covered here, including the selection process, as well as how to use a gradient for the actual soft focus effect.

Greg Gjerdingen
Greg Gjerdingen

This beginner's guide will have you shooting great landscapes in no time – learn how to capture great looking landscape shots with this video presentation that is just over 18 minutes in length. All aspects of this genre of photography are covered in this feature, from gear to composition to post-production, making this a great starting point for those new to landscape photography.

Food For Digital Thought: Implying Content Outside the Frame – industry leader Joe Baraban shares some gems of wisdom in this post that discusses a compositional technique that for many breaks the rules. Joe includes a set of shots he has taken over the course of his career to show you how powerful this approach can be to photography.

matthew watkins

Getting creative with speedlights – 5 simple DIY setups – speedlights are a dynamic and powerful tool for your kit when it comes to lighting, and there are many different ways to apply them to your photography. This article covers a few terrific concepts, all done with almost no money beyond the speedlight itself, that will show you how to capture contemporary and compelling shots.

Three Variations on Long Exposure Landscape Photos – long exposure photography is a very popular method these days for capturing stunning landscape shots. Several great techniques are discussed here as we follow along, and stunning sample shots show you what to expect if you try this for yourself.

Kevin Gill
Kevin Gill

How to Add a Colour Background to a Plain Grey Background in PS – this simple tutorial will get you started with using the selection tools in Photoshop and then changing the background color of the picture. This is an easy to follow tutorial that includes screenshots to make it straightforward for those trying to understand how to apply these techniques.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

The Rookery Spiral, Chicago – warm tones and strong geometrical designs highlight this terrific shot from John S. An historically significant spiral staircase is the prime subject in this composition creating a great abstract finished off with a strong vanishing point.

Kees Guequierre
Kees Guequierre

Turbulent Water – Jasper National Park, Alberta – the Canadian Rocky Mountains are full of natural wonder with endless forests, mountains that reach for the heavens, and rivers that flow quickly cutting a ribbon through the rugged landscape. In this shot, Len Saltiel brings all these elements together with a long exposure shot that reveals the beauty of the surroundings juxtaposed against the raging river waters.

GOOD EVENING LIEGE – sweeping architectural lines are highlighted by blue lighting accents in this stunning wide-format shot from Michael Kendziorra. The dark night sky creates a perfect backdrop to highlight the contemporary lines and details in this modern structure.

Dornenwolf
Dornenwolf

Painting The Weber House – just after sunset while a blue hue lingers in the sky Michael Criswell and his group of roving photography adventurers put this piece together and come away with something epic. This shot features an old, weathered and nearly falling down farmhouse illuminated with some delicate light painting to really get it to pop out of the surrounding landscape.

Morning dream I – a dreamy and moody photograph awaits you in this post from Peter Zajfrid that features a small church in Slovenia captured in amazing early morning light. A thin veil of fog covers the scene as gorgeous colors stream in from the morning sunrise.

Official U.S. Navy Page
Official U.S. Navy Page

encountering the crossing – Frank King shares a terrific architectural study photograph that features a great new contemporary pedestrian bridge and it’s leading lines at the entranceway. Frank includes himself in the frame in a bright red coat, and by using selective color he removes all other colors from the shot creating a composition that is abstract in nature at the same time it compels with a dash of vibrant color in a spot.

~ In the eye of the storm ~ – it would seem that this picture is a composite work that emphasizes the raw power and fury of mother nature during a nasty storm. Jasna Matz combines a lighthouse with intense waves to create a strong sense of awe in a picture that is sure to elicit a sense of respect in nature.

Joseba Mercader
Joseba Mercader

Abundant Snow – Andy Hooker (LensScaper) creates a piece that has enormous impact as a monochromatic black-and-white shot, taken high up in the Swiss Alps right in the heart of winter where the snow is deep and the winds whip it around. This shot reveals the bleak nature of the mountain tops during this time of year and the composition takes on a highly abstract look as a result.

Fissures – captured in the heart of the blue hour one cold morning, this photograph by Dylan Toh & Marianne Lim reveals rugged mountains in the middle of an unforgiving landscape. The finishing touch is seen here in the form of an incredible reflection of the mountains in the frozen body of water that sits in the foreground.

Andrea Belvedere
Andrea Belvedere

The Red Dory – I just love this shot from Bob Lussier that showcases a lonely red boat in the middle of a frozen harbor with a thick ice mist in the air for visual ambience. This is definitely one of those shots you want to put a thick winter parka on before viewing as the cold air is very palpable in the confines of this frame.

Above and Beyond the Icelandic Highlands – Iceland remains on my top 10 places to see on my personal bucket list, and when you see photographs like this it is easy to understand why. Iurie Belegurschi takes to the air in this shot with a DJI drone and captures the ethereal landscapes only found in this region just perfectly.

Frank Vassen
Frank Vassen

Bacons Castle – let’s head over to Virginia for this great shot from Mark Summerfield that reveals looks at what is widely believed to be the first brick residence in the United States, built and completed by 1665. Today it stands tall and regal in its surroundings, as we see it here perfectly captured in a pair of photographs by Mark.

Loneliness – stunning colors and tones create a strong feeling of loneliness in this aptly titled photograph from Roman Hudzik. A silhouette of a stark tree stands in soft waters that capture a silky reflection of the scene and mirror it back, making a picture that is sure to evoke a sense of artistic tension.

Tim Vrtiska
Tim Vrtiska

Rainbow Over Budd Inlet – rainbows are fleeting and errant in nature, and can be hard to capture unless you are ready with your camera at the right time and place. Scott Wood finds serendipity with this practice as he photographs a beautiful version of a rainbow hanging over an inlet in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.

Stunning Moraine Lake – the scenes found in the Canadian Rocky Mountains rival any other location in the world for their epic and dramatic beauty. This photograph is an iconic scene of one of the most famous lakes in the area, perfectly captured and shared here by ツ Jesse Sacdalan ツ.

Snow Day in Central Park – Edith Levy takes full advantage of great framing to capture and deliver this shot taken in Central Park in New York during a beautiful snow event. Edith finds herself covered by a brick archway looking outward into the park where the pristine white snows fall at just the right moment to find a lone soul walking through the frame for a touch of great artistic tension.

House of Cards V – a delightful mix of contemporary and historic architecture converge in this golden hour shot taken by Herman van den Berge. Crisp details in the buildings draw you into this picture where the varied aspects of all the buildings are syncopated with the terrific water fountain that sits in the waters in the foreground.

Guillermoluis21 .....................
Guillermoluis21 …………………

Blue hour at the National Gallery – Jim Nix visits the iconic Trafalgar Square in London during the blue hour late in the day and comes away with this great shot of the National Gallery. A beautiful fountain dazzles with a water feature to the right of this frame, adding a terrific element to this compelling composition.

Goðafoss Iceland Wasserfall der Götter – Urs Schmidli uses a long exposure to photograph these world-famous waterfalls, adding a feel of wonder to the sharp details of the rugged landscape that hosts them. A perfect finishing feature is found in the beautiful colors that linger in the sky beyond the falls.

Clearing Skies at Pemaquid – Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Maine – jagged rocks on the shores lead you up into this scene where a terrific lighthouse stands guard. Len Saltiel’s composition also includes a gentle cloud covered sky for an added touch of drama to a captivating shot.

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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.

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