How to Find The Perfect Window Lighting

There can be a learning curve to using natural light effectively, especially when shooting indoors where your options may be more limited in regards to finding usable light. It goes without saying you should locate a room in your indoor space that is home to a window.

Just like any light source, the size of the window can vary depending on the mood you are trying to create in your image. A large, bright window will be helpful to create a softer image, whereas a small window can be an effective tool to create a more dramatic, directional look.

“There’s An Angel Near The Window” by Rama V on Flickr.

How to Pose Your Subject to Take Advantage of the Gorgeous Lighting

The angle in which the light falls onto the subject will also dictate the mood and overall feel of the image. When photographing your subject from a front facing angle, if they are posed facing the window, the light will fall evenly across their face, thus softening their features.

On the other side of the spectrum, if the subject is posed at an angle against the light, their facial features will appear more prominent. It really depends on the look you are trying to achieve as to what angle you will want to take advantage of the light.

“Visione” by Daniele Zedda on Flickr.

Ways to Manipulating The Light for Even Better Results

There are a few tricks you can use to manipulate natural light to create different effects and make it just the right intensity. For example, you can use sheer drapes to filter the light and further soften it. You can also add a GOBO (a shaped template which controls the shape of the light coming from the window) to create unique light patterns on your subject.

Another way to control the light, or give it a boost, is to introduce a reflector into the equation. The reflector can be one made specifically for photography or you can also use a large sheet of white cardboard, even a white piece of fabric such as a bedsheet. This will allow you to bounce additional light back onto the subject and help fill in undesirable shadows.

“The Modern Femme Fatale” by Nicki Varkevisser on Flickr.

What Camera Settings Should You Use for Best Results With Window Light?

It’s true that the advancements in DSLR technology allows us to shoot at higher ISOs without much loss to the image quality. There’s also a selection of great software on the market that can drastically reduce the appearance of digital noise caused by high ISOs. That being said, you should always try to shoot on the lowest ISO possible for your specific situation.

Start on a lower ISO and faster shutter speed, slowly reducing the shutter speed until the image is properly exposed. If the shutter speed gets so slow that camera shake or movement is picked up on the exposure, then try increasing your ISO. You can also make adjustments to your aperture to let in more light so long as a shallow depth of field does not compromise the look of the photograph you are trying to achieve.

“All I Want Is To See You Again” by Mackenzie Greer on Flickr.

Camera settings can be tricky, since every situation will be different. It’s often a good idea to experiment with different settings and take multiple test shots until you are happy with the results–one of the perks of shooting digital! The process of experimentation is a great educational process. So try out different settings, pose your subject in different ways, and don’t forget to move yourself around, too!

More Great Photography Tutorials on Window Light Portraiture

• The Awesome Light Hiding in Your Home
• How to Use Window Light When Photographing Newborns
• Tips for Using Window Light in Portrait Photography
• 10 Tips for Natural Light Portraits

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Tiffany Mueller

Tiffany Mueller is a professional music and fine art photographer. She has been published in multiple publications including magazines, art journals, and various photography books. She blogs at Life Is Unabridged.

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The post How To Shoot Amazing Photographs Indoors With Nothing But Window Light appeared first on Light Stalking.

Heather by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

We first met Lauren Gherardi in the summer of 2008. At that time she was nineteen-years-old, and we worked together at a chain camera store. In our time together, we often talked about photography, equipment, techniques, and Lauren shared some of her earliest work with us. We were impressed. In fact, we were so impressed,that we have continued to follow her career over the last four years.

There were two things that made Lauren stand out from the hundreds, if not thousands, of aspiring photographers we’ve met over the years. First of all, she had an unwavering, firmly entrenched, belief in her abilities. Secondly, she had a vision. She wasn’t just snapping away. She was producing images long before she ever had the money, equipment, or experience to do so.

How did she manage that? By not giving up and using whatever resources she could get her hands on.

Happy Halloween 2009 by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

The above photograph, which Lauren has titled “Day of the Dead”, was one of her earliest attempts at high fashion. Years later, it still remains one of her most viral online photographs!

Beware the March Hare by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lauren’s early efforts had a gritty, yet whimsical, style. Her photograph’s were heavily designed with custom built sets, full make-up, and elaborate costumes. She used friends for models, did the styling herself, made the jewelry, and borrowed equipment whenever she could. Over the years, she’s advanced significantly in her technique, equipment, and production personnel.

But one thing was apparent right from the start – She knew her direction.

Fly Me to The Moon by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lauren has graciously agreed to tell us her story.

Lightstalking – “Lauren, tell us about how, and when you discovered photography?”

LG – “I fell in love with photography at the age of nine. My older sister took a photography class in high school, and she came home with some of her work. I was fascinated that she had captured an image and was able to make it into a tangible print all by hand. I used to sneak into her room, take her camera, and pretend to shoot. My grandmother noticed my interest, and bought me a film camera; from that point on I wanted to capture everything.” 

light_by_lmgphotography by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lightstalking – ” Did you know immediately that you wanted to shoot fashion?”

LG – “I always knew that I wanted to shoot something that required more of myself than say weddings or family portraits. Fashion didn’t come to my mind right away. It wasn’t until I began to see other photographers dabble in fashion photography that I took an interest. I love how you can tell a story about a model through the selection of setting, clothing, and accessories.”

Lightstalking – “Your work has a whimsical, almost cinematic, style. Did you discover this part of yourself immediately, or did an outside influence awaken this aspect to your photography?”

LG – “Yes, I always had an interest in creating a world in which my characters (the models) could live. I’m really inspired by fairy tales and movies that have surreal elements. The ability to portray that with my camera is an incredible feeling.”

__Black_Bird___Retro_Glam_by_lmgphotography by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Spoiled Rotten by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lightstalking – “In the production of your photography you work with a team, and you’ve been doing this long before you acquired professional assignments. Tell us about that. Who is your team? How did you find them? Have you worked with the same team all along? How does the team improve your work?”

LG – “I work with some amazing talent, and I’m seriously blessed to have these people in my life. I haven’t always worked with the team that I have now. In the beginning, I mostly worked with friends who wanted to help me. Now, I have a professional team. I work with a hair stylist named Holland Morgan, a wardrobe stylist named Argie Mitra, and two make-up artists named Tracey Upson and Erin Foster.  When I started, it was just my friends and I cutting out paper for backgrounds, doing our own make-up, and creating our own costumes. I met everyone on the team by networking within the industry. Their professionalism brought my photography to a whole new level. When I tell them my ideas, they can conceptualize the hair, make-up, costumes, and set in away that I can’t because that’s not my specialty; and generally I don’t have the time to do every aspect of a project. This was true even when I was starting out. I can’t stress enough – how important the team concept has been to my career.”

Tarina by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Sarah by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lightstalking – “Lauren, you’re still very young. Are you attending college? If so, how does photography work into your future career plans?”

LG – “I am currently attending college for advertising. While I’m in school, I’ve been doing freelance photography to build up my contacts. I believe that my degree will give me that extra edge when approaching clients. They want to sell something, and I’ll have the expertise to do more than just click a camera shutter for them.”

Lightstalking – “Tell us about your first paid assignment. what did it feel like? What were your emotions when the check arrived?”

LG – “My first paid assignment was for a jewelry designer from Brazil. They were mainly product shots. She printed them and hung them in her studio, and at her store. Her customers always complimented her on the photographs. What can I say, getting paid was amazing. But in all honesty, while the money was nice, it was the feeling of self-satisfaction that my photographs improved someone’s sales that I remember most. I received a lot of exposure from that job. 

Fly Me to The Moon by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

The_Weekender_by_lmgphotography by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lightstalking – “In reviewing your work, we noticed that you seem to have a preference for working with female models. Any reason for that?”

LG – “I love working with female models. There is something soft and sensual about women that really helps bring my stories to life. I also feel that my style is feminine in its nature. I would like to work with more male models and plan to do so in the near future.”

Lightstalking – “Where is your professional work coming from: magazines, ad agencies, company direct? How do you acquire assignments: online portfolio, social networking, word-of-mouth?

LG – “I try to network with fashion designers. This often leads to interest from other venues such as magazines. I do have an online presence, but honestly, most of my paid work has come by word-of-mouth.”

Lightstalking – “What advice would you give to a photographer trying to get a foot in the door at modeling agencies?”

LG – “Comp work for models is pretty straight forward. Study what models are showing in their books and produce work that is similar or better.”

The Beginning of The End by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lightstalking – “Who is your favorite photographer?”

LG – “Meisel, Testino, Upton, Munro, but I really love Zhang Jingna. She is close to my age, and she is an incredibly accomplished fashion photographer. Her work is magical!”

Daises by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lightstalking – “What equipment are you using?”

LG – “I use a Nikon D200 and I’m very big on prime lenses; I primarily use a 50mm 1.4 and a 85mm 1.4. I do have several zoom lenses for when they’re necessary.”

Lightstalking – “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

LG – “I will be living in California and splitting my assignments between L.A. and New York City.”

Fly Me to The Moon by Lauren Gherardi, on Flickr

Lightstalking – “Many of our readers dream of turning pro. What advice would you give them, Lauren?”

LG – “For fashion work you need a GREAT wardrobe stylist. The team concept is really important for this type of work. No matter what work you’re going after, my suggestion is to keep your concepts simple in the beginning. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Develop a good simple idea into a great photograph. This will show potential clients that you have the ability to develop their concepts. Finally, networking is essential in today’s environment. There are a lot of photographers. When someone knows you, or someone refers you, that puts you much closer to the top of the pile.”

Lightstalking, would like to thank Lauren Gherardi for her time. We see her as a photographer on the rise, and we hope that our readers will find inspiration from her for their own journey to turning PRO!

You can connect with Lauren on her Facebook page, on Flickr, at her website and on Model Mahem.

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Kent DuFault

is a professional photographer and author. You can visit his website here.

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The post The Dream of Turning Pro – One Woman’s Journey (An Interview With Lauren Gherardi) appeared first on Light Stalking.

Bokeh originates from the Japanese word meaning “blur” or “haze.” As it relates to photography, bokeh refers to the aesthetic quality of a photograph’s out of focus areas, including the specular highlights that most easily reveal a lens’ aperture shape (often rendered as the bright circles that people so love); it does not refer to the blur caused by subject or camera movement.

Bokeh is not a quantitative concept; unlike lens aperture or shutter speed, bokeh has no associated system of measurement. What matters is the quality of the blur, not the amount. Accordingly, bokeh is a rather subjective idea; one person’s opinion of “good” bokeh may not fall in line with another person’s opinion.

♥ The Drongo Love ♥ Happy Valentine’s Day ♥ by VinothChandar, on Flickr

As you may have gathered from the brief definition above, bokeh is a feature of a photograph, not necessarily a feature of a lens. Lenses do, however, possess certain design characteristics that affect how the bokeh is rendered in photo. There are scenes that just sort of lend themselves to producing smooth, creamy bokeh even with not-so-great lenses, while other scenes — such as those with harsh lighting or lots of specular highlights — present a much greater challenge. It is in situations like these where the quality of the lens will have a more noticeable impact on the quality of the bokeh, but there is no such thing as a perfect bokeh lens.

Which brings us back to the point of subjectivity. You probably have your own ideas of what constitutes good bokeh, so it is important to understand how the lens you are using renders blur. It’s no different than knowing at which apertures or focal lengths your lens vignettes; some photographers like vignetting and use it to great artistic effect. Others hate it. There’s no right or wrong here; lenses are tools that you have to learn and master in order to make the most of them.

Hu Jieqiong by Jonathan Kos-Read, on Flickr

The lens, of course, isn’t the only thing that plays a role in creating bokeh. What follows are some tips on how to bring together a number of factors that will help you achieve the “best” possible bokeh in your shots.

1. Use a large aperture. To be more specific, use the largest aperture (smallest f-number) available on your lens. A large aperture decreases depth of field, dramatically isolating focus on a narrow part of your subject. Everything surrounding this focal point will be blurred, thus creating bokeh.
2. Use a fast lens. Lens speed refers to the maximum aperture (smallest f-number) of a lens; the larger the maximum aperture, the faster the lens is considered to be (f/1.8 is faster than f/4), the more light you can let in, the more you can decrease depth of field, the more likely your image is to exhibit smooth, pleasing to the eye out of focus areas.
3. Go long. Zoom lenses are often criticized for not being up to par with the image quality of prime lenses (though there are some notable exceptions), but if you have a zoom lens, use it to your advantage. Zooming in on your subject will separate it from the rest of the scene and, depending on your lens, should leave you with beautiful bokeh.
4. Move in. The closer you get to your subject, the blurrier the background will be. Every lens has a minimum focusing distance (MFD); this is simply a measure of how close you can be to your subject and still lock focus. The concept of getting in close to your subject while blurring the background is maximized in macro lenses. Any lens can be used this way, however, though to considerably less dramatic effect. And it’s probably not advisable for most portrait work.
5. Blades of glory. This tip is in and of itself subject to quite a lot of disagreement, but I’ll mention it for the sake of awareness. Some will insist that a lens with a greater number of rounded aperture blades will produce better bokeh. Whether this is true depends on how narrowly one defines bokeh. Aperture blades mainly impact the shape of out of focus specular highlights. The general quality of bokeh, as far as the lens is concerned, rests much more upon optical design.
6. Don’t overcompensate. Trying to use bokeh to mask poor technique or uninspired composition simply isn’t a good idea. Bokeh should be third or fourth in your thought  process — after you’ve chosen an interesting subject and established an effective composition, then you can give some consideration to bokeh. 

A Little Luck by JD Hancock, on Flickr

The lesson in all of this: emphasizing bokeh can be a great asset to an image, but it can’t magically turn a bad image good.

Author information

Jason D. Little

Jason Little is a photographer (shooting macros, portraits, candids, and the occasional landscape), part time writer, and full time lover of music. You can see Jason’s photography on his photography blog or on Flickr.

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The post 6 Tips for Mastering Bokeh appeared first on Light Stalking.

Alien Onions – Explore #1 6/13/13 by goingslo, on Flickr

TUTORIALS

Using One Light in the Studio or On Location – sometimes the best solutions are the most straightforward, as is evidenced by this lighting setup discussed by Joe Farace.  This simple setup produces striking results, as shown by the photograph Joe shares in the post to illustrate his key concept.

REVIEWS

Gear Review: LOWEPRO TRANSIT BACKPACK 350 AW – this is a great review, written by Ren Bostelaar, discussing the latest bag offerings from LOWEPRO.  Ren’s great write-up includes a couple of images to show you how great the bag is full of gear, and he talks about how reliable and multi-faceted these items truly are.

County Courthouse – Ehpem takes us to the County Courthouse in the San Juan Islands where he showcases the great architectural statement made by the building itself.  He also shares a few shots showing different aspects of his processing on this image, including the use of the latest Topaz Labs offering Clarity.  This presentation makes it easy to see the subtle differences and adjustments the varying algorithms make in the post-processing phase.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Video: Photographer Joe McNally Shoots From the Tallest Building in the World – what’s better than getting a chance to see one of your favorite photographers in the world behind the scenes at a shoot?  How about a chance to see an amazing image unfold right in front of your eyes!  This captivating video presentation takes us along as Joe McNally climbs to the tippy top of the highest building in the world to capture an iconic shot.

Timelapse of a supercell near Booker, Texas – an epic natural event occurs as Mike Olbinski and his friend chase the perfect perspective to capture a time-lapse video of the unfolding phenomenon.  The results of this forward thinking and hard work is a once in a lifetime time-lapse that strongly resembles a highly dramatic scene unfolding on another planet entirely.

Simply Forgotten: Jon Crispin – this special feature documents the effects of people institutionalized earlier in the century.  This project undertaken by Jon Crispin delivers a profound and poignant look into the fabric of the person these items once belonged to, leaving the visitor with a deep sense of sorrow for the lives spent and forgotten in these facilities.

Kinsol Trestle – this refurbished wooden trestle is widely considered to be one of the largest of its kind in the world, and it happens to live just a few miles away from us.  Local photographer Keith takes us along on a detailed exploration of this incredible piece of engineering, showcasing it from all angles.  It’s absolutely amazing to see, and it happens to be one of our favorite subjects to visit.  For comparison, here is a link to our gallery of Kinsol Trestle photographs.

Power Plant Mega – Germany, May 2013 – a massive power plant facility, now long unused, forms the prime subject for Urbex explorers to visit and come away with an incredible set of photographs.  The incredible scale of this place becomes evident as you spend time with each image posted, taking in the great details carefully composed to showcase the awesome size and scale.

Massive landslide stops production at Bingham Canyon Mine – this is not just an amazing story, it’s also an amazing compendium of photographs documenting what is believed to be one of the largest recorded landslides in the US in history.  Reading the article leaves the visitor absolutely gobsmacked in terms of trying to understand the sheer scale of the event, but the real star of this show is the 37 photo slideshow that accompanies the article.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Mirror Mirror – Scott Frederick delivers a new image for his portfolio, this one featuring a washroom in a long-forgotten facility.  The incredible natural light streaming in plays with the textures and details left behind by years of decay to create a captivating shot that reveals all sorts of wonderful secrets as you spend time seeking them out and taking them in.

Camels in Broome, Australia – what I would consider to be an unlikely find in Australia of all places makes for the perfect subject for Shahar Keren.  A line of camels is led along the shore of the ocean as the sun sets, creating really compelling and striking silhouettes against the backdrop of the beautiful colors in the sky.  A strong reflection from the waters and wonderful cloud formations in the sky add the finishing touches to this piece.

Monumental – in a vista the seems to have no end, Mike Criswell comes away with this terrific landscape shot full of details.  The scene presented features the Colorado National Monument in all of it’s glory, perfectly processed to highlight all the natural beauty and intricate details of the surroundings.

Postcard from Maple Bay – a lovely image taken from my own backyard, Maple Bay, by local photographer Joseph de Lange.  Joseph frames this great photograph with some of our famous local Arbutus trees, revealing a breathtaking vista beyond of the ocean and mountains that Vancouver Island is so famous for.

The Barn Door Was Open – Jim Denham finds his way into the inside of an old barn, coming away with this rustic shot that really showcases the character of the place.  Terrific textures and details are explored in this photo, making for a real must-see shot in this week’s list.

Pitchfork Forgotten by GollyGforce, on Flickr

Synergy – a terrific compendium of photographs delicately processed to align with the age and type of car featured, as posted and shared here by Chris Maskell.  A classic and historic Rolls-Royce motorcar is the primary subject in this set, and Chris does a terrific job of creating a presentation sure to be enjoyed by old car fans from all walks of life.

Beware of the Fremont Bridge Troll – a huge statue under a bridge forms a cornerstone in the community of Fremont.  Spencer McDonald does a terrific job of composing and processing a shot that reveals all the fabulous character of the statue, and he includes some background information on the piece to add a great dimension of interest to his post.

Awestruck By Beauty – a barren landscape sits under the epic beauty of the Milky Way in this breathtaking piece by Michael Shainblum.  Terrific colors in the sky work together with the rugged and uninviting features below to paint a picture with a strong and dramatic feel.

A supercell near Booker, Texas – the raw fury and drama revealed in a supercell storm is explored in this photograph from Mike Olbinski.  This true must-see shot details an almost once in a lifetime event for a photographer to fully capture, and Mike’s picture certainly does this all justice.

Time Is Golden – this strong image features what I believe to be a city skyline in Singapore with really compelling architecture exposed beneath the warm and golden tones of the lights from the buildings and the rich blue hues from the waning light of day.  A great photograph captured and shared here by Manita Goh.

Open? – Steven Perlmutter finds and shares a picture of an old artifact at the mills he shoots.  This piece seems to denote that something is open, but we’re not sure what.  Terrific textures and details in the old, worn metal makes for a compelling shot to see.

The Scream – a powerful and dramatic shot featuring a raptor making it’s feeling known by eliciting a scream.  This great photograph by Pedro Jarque Krebs is composed with the bird looking off frame, adding a terrific touch of dramatic tension to the photo.

Nordic walking – Jacek Gadomski casts a haunting feel in this monochromatic image that showcases a path in the forest with light streaming in.  The processing and the way the light streams in from outside the field of view work in perfect harmony to create a picture that defines artistic tension.

Manhattan at night – strong wooden piers form a great leading element to guide the viewer across the waters to rest upon the intricate beauty of the city’s skyline in the distance.  Krzysiek Rabiej captures a dramatic shot full of details, sure to keep the viewer engaged as you spend some time finding all the treasures held within.

Mount Fuji(B＆W） – this very dramatic black-and-white image features the landmark Mount Fuji.  Motony Anitha’s use of a monochrome processing style really adds a strong element to the inherent drama found in the landscape.

Morning Glory – inherent romance is found in old lighthouses, a favorite photography subject of mine.  Steven Perlmutter delivers a terrific shot of Annisquam Light in Gloucester, MA, composing it perfectly to really accent the character of the setting.

Iris Buds – a fabulous series of black-and-whites featuring the delicate beauty and drama found in Iris’.  Local friend and photographer Ehpem delivers a great set here, really focusing on the intricate details that comprise the beauty of these flowers.

Shack, Cisco, Utah – a shot that defies straight lines everywhere, as captured and shared here by Mark Garbowski.  A rundown old shack stands in the middle of nowhere, well underway in the process of decay, and Mark captures a great shot of the scene that features textures, and light and shadow.

walk the gang plank! – I get nervous just looking at this shot by david stoddart.  A completely burnt out factory is presented in this shot, with a look across the factory and into the floor below from where once a boundary existed.  Terrific details and haunting textures leave the visitor with many questions unanswered.

Taylor Barn Rolls In – Jerry Denham captures a truly American rustic scene in this landscape photograph.  An old wooden barn, full of terrific character, sits in the frame surrounded by hay bales and the diffused morning light of a sky filled with a veil of fog.

Mississauga Skyline, Ontario, 2013 – Ren Bostelaar shares a view of the Mississauga city skyline through the mist of fog.  As we look across a body of water at the city in the distance, the diffused details of the city’s architecture is exposed in the silhouettes of the buildings.

Running Over – this gorgeous shot of a waterfall in Oak Creek Parkway in South Milwaukee is presented by CJ Schmit.  CJ uses black-and-white in creating this shot to really accent the strong and dramatic natural elements of the park setting that surrounds the beautiful falls being captured.

Night-o-rama – Light Stalking’s own @astaroth shares a trio of night shots in this great post.  These super-long exposures deliver scenes filled with star trails, delicate night light, great architectural details and light trails from passing vehicles.  A must see set in this week’s list.

Sylvan Lake – Robert Berry creates and delivers a lovely landscape scene showcasing the natural beauty of a lake in South Dakota and it’s surroundings.  This beautiful scene takes the viewer immediately to a peaceful place to take in the compelling details that comprise this stunning setting.

Grills – you just can’t beat the great character found in old vehicles, especially ones that have been long forgotten and are well underway in their journey to return to the earth.  Rob Nopola finds one such old truck and captures and shares an image processed in black-and-white to really accent the drama.

Inner Harbor At Baltimore – epic blues, subtle reflections and captivating architectural elements work together in this photograph from Metro DC Photography.  The beautiful city skyline is gently reflected back in the still waters in the foreground in this wonderful photograph.

Lines. by Jonathan Combe, on Flickr

The Long Beach – Barry Turner shares a fabulous landscape scene showcasing a beautiful oceanside beach as the sun sets.  Barry’s careful composition does a great job of highlighting the beauty of the place, all brought together in the perfect vanishing point that the viewer finds by following the shore into the distance.

Soportales – this is a fabulous example of a photographic study of lines and shapes, light and shadow, featuring a row of grand pillars that leads the viewer right through the frame naturally.  Mariló Irimia captures a terrific shot here and carefully processes it to accent the key elements found in the composition.

Pyramid Mountain – this lovely landscape scene features a rippled lake in the foreground and a majestic mountain trying to peek above the clouds in the backdrop.  Brenda Widdess does a stellar job in capturing and creating this piece, making for a landscape photo sure to be enjoyed by all who visit.

Sunflower – this close-up macro shot of a sunflower by Anita Megyesi provides the definition for the term “colorful”.  Anita’s careful composition with this piece showcases a segment of the center and the petals of the flower, producing a colorful splash with some really fascinating details to take in.

On Guard – this fabulous shot features a group of stags standing in a field in the early morning, surrounded by a thick fog and warm tones from the rising sun.  This ethereal piece by Peter reveals the true drama and tension in the scene created by the silhouettes of the stags.

Old Mill – a rustic and colorful scene is presented to the visitor in this shot, showcasing the raw beauty of a river deep in the forest with an old wooden mill.  Rodney Lange’s shot features absolutely fabulous details in both the natural elements and the inherent character found in the old mill itself.

A Dark Grey Cloud – for those who love incredible reflections, this is a must-see shot in this week’s list.  Jim Denham finds a fabulous scene with a very still body of water in the foreground and some terrific natural elements around it.  The still waters create an almost perfect mirrored reflective surface with just enough movement to introduce a bit of dimension to the scene.

Hummingbird photography – trying to capture a Hummingbird in flight is like trying to catch air; they flit around so quickly that composition is only the beginning of the challenge.  Scott Wood captures a fabulous shot here and discusses a little of the technicalities behind it, making for a really great post to visit.

Grand Vista – Len Saltiel takes us along on an exploration of the Grand Canyon.  Len’s stunning and dramatic image features great light from the golden hour, and as a result of the time this shot was taken it also delivers really captivating shadows that showcase depth and scale.

Silver Bullet – the Chevrolet Corvette means business both on the track and parked.  This fabulous shot by Michael Lewis Glover features a 2014 Corvette Stingray on display, and Michael’s terrific shot does a great job of exploring the lines and curves that make this car the icon it is.

The Civil War – Rachel Cohen brings us along as she explores a re-enactment of the Civil War.  Rachel’s set of photographs in this post focus on the people in the event, and her shots are all processed using sepia to further the nostalgic feel.

Bay Bridge blues – Jim Nix shares a colorful and detailed shot of the Bay Bridge, showcasing the beautiful landscape it sits within and a set of really fabulous wooden piers in the foreground.  This is most definitely an image the delivers more for the viewer as you spend time taking in some of the terrific details.

Preikestolen, Norway – if we didn’t have the added context of a person in this shot it would still be utterly amazing, but when included, the person standing on the edge of a precipice adds great context and scale.  Europe Trotter captures a dramatic and stunning shot here, creating an image the expresses the true scale and expanse of this natural formation.

Early Morning Solitude – Len Saltiel brings us inside to enjoy the rustic feel of a wood lodge in the Alaska countryside.  The warm tones from the natural wood bathes the scene in welcoming tones, almost beckoning the viewer to step into the frame and enjoy a moment of peace.

Staring into Space #12 – a great visual and thought-provoking study into the state of being is shot and shared in this post from our own Tom Dinning (@tomdinning) here on Light Stalking.  This simple photograph delivers much more to the viewer as you read Tom’s words that accompany it, painting an entire scene in the mind’s-eye of the visitor.

Craigdarroch Castle – a truly iconic spot here in my hometown, Craigdarroch Castle was designed and built by one of our local families that has deep roots in the colonial settling of Vancouver Island.  The castle has a distinctly European feel to it and makes for great photography.  For comparison, see the gallery of HDR photographs we’ve taken of this site.

Low Clouds – Jeff Clow takes us deep into Grand Teton National Park where we get to enjoy a lovely shot of the incredible landscape that makes this place so famous.  A terrific mirrored reflection adds a great element of interest to this scene that finds the incredible mountains in the distance looking out over the expanse of the park.

A New Day Begins – Len Saltiel takes us along to a spot I’ve visited often growing up.  The incredible beauty of Lake Louise creates a terrific reflective surface for the surroundings, creating a striking image sure to take your breath away.

Lake Ashby – Marks and Joey Culver explore a great park in this set, coming away with a terrific series of monochrome images showcasing the landscape and some of it’s finer details.  The rich contrast expressed in this set does a fabulous job of defining depth in these shots, making for a compelling series of images to view in this week’s list.

Fisgard: A Guiding Light – this is a fabulous shot of one of our area’s prized icons, the Fisgard Lighthouse.  Today it stands as a national heritage site and a must-see destination in our city.  Laurie MacBride’s great photograph showcases the inherent romance and intrigue of the facility, with an incredible mountain range looming in the backdrop.

Kirk Fell & Great Gable – an absolutely gorgeous landscape scene is presented to the viewer in this photograph by Tom.  A lovely old stone fence gently guides the viewer into the frame by creating a leading line, taking you out into the vastness of the green rolling hills and all they have to offer.

The Hajar Mountains – incredible layers of mountains and rolling hills are explored in this great shot from David A Lockwood.  Great shadows streaming in from frame left create a sense of scale and depth to the gorgeous scene, making for a shot that a viewer can certainly get lost within.

The Church on the Hill – a wonderful and old stone church sits on a bluff in France, looking out over an endless sea in this epic photograph by wim denijs.  The warm tones exposed in this image create a strong sense of drama and tension, as if we all await a stream of medieval visitors to make their way here.

Turret Arch Nightly View – Turret Arch cuts a striking silhouette against the night sky, highlighting the grand beauty and colors coming from the Milky Way far overhead.  This is a very powerful and dramatic image, as shot and shared here by Scott Ackerman.

The Terraplane Hood Ornament – cars and their details can make for fabulous photography subjects, displaying lines, colors and details that have broad appeal.  This great shot by Tim Stanley features an old hood ornament, sharing a little of the character of the car and the times it represents.

The worst things in life come free to us by Hybie, on Flickr

Daybreak – Nags Head Pier – this is a fabulous sunrise shot, as shared here by Curt Fleenor.  Beautiful colors from the rising sun bask the scene in great blue tones, and a wooden pier serves as a natural leading line to take the viewer through the frame and eventually out to sea where you are greeted with a colorful day break.

The waterfall at The Grand Wailea – a really lovely waterfall in front of the Grand Wailea creates a perfect subject for the photography of Jim Nix.  The dramatic lighting that envelopes the scene helps create strong areas of contrast, accented perfectly by vibrantly colored flowers and the strong sense of motion from the falls themselves.

Night Vision – this is a great study of light, shadow and color, as shot and shared here by Bob Lussier.  As the light makes its way into the stairway vestibule of the old mills Bob is famous for photographing, it changes tone and hue as it plays with edges and shadows making for a really dramatic shot.

Snoqualmie Falls – Bobby Joshi pretty much travels to the very ends of the earth to capture this stunning photograph of one of the Pacific Northwest’s best known landmark.  Bobby encounters the Snoqualmie Falls in December just as the clouds make way to let in some fabulous tones that gently light up the area, producing a breathtaking scene of this incredible natural formation.

Kupapa‘u – a place where lava meets the ocean, a place unlike that of any other place.  Bruce Omori captures a stellar photograph of a lava flow cascading down the side of a rock face into the ocean where a huge plume of steam comes alive from the outflow.  A colorful and detailed photograph sure to be enjoyed by everyone.

P-51 Mustang, Manassas Airport Open House 2013 – Perry Bailey delivers a striking portrait of a very famous aircraft.  Perry’s subtle processing on this HDR image allows the full dynamic range to be explored, as well as the great details that go into this aircraft design.  This plane looks as beautiful parked as it does gracing the air.

Fly – Stefano Ronchi captures a fabulous shot of a owl in flight, capturing the finest details in the bird as it concentrates on the task at hand.  The composition that Stefano used to create this image does a perfect job of sharing the natural artistic tension in the scene.

Jenne Farm – if this is an example of Wayne Beauregard’s acceptable work, I cannot wait to see what else he has in store for us!  Wayne visits a rustic and picturesque farm in Vermont, coming away with this terrific landscape photograph that exhibits all the character and beauty of the area.

“Sports” Rain Delay – there’s something profound about this shot from Howard Jackman, featuring a ball and glove lying on the field during a rainy day.  Howard’s careful composition with this piece delivers a strong sense of tension with it as we await the brighter skies and the ump’s call of “Play Ball!”

Demoiselle Crane – this close-up shot of a Demoiselle Crane is a striking portrait of a really wonderful bird.  Bev captures and delivers a shot using a very narrow depth-of-focus, completely isolating this terrific bird from it’s backdrop.

A Different View – this lovely and colorful photograph features a yellow flower in bloom, as shot and shared here by Kerri Farley.  Kerri accompanies the photograph with some profound words that add further dimension to the image, making for a must-see destination in this week’s list.

Manuel Labour Coffee – what a terrific scene captured and shared here by Edith Levy.  A teardrop trailer serves as a food truck, dispensing apparently the most delicious coffee out there.  Edith’s great shot shows off the great character going on at the event, and specifically the character found in this cool like trailer.

Reflections of Jackson Lake – a lovely landscape scene is presented here by Rick Louie.  The Grand Teton National Park is home to some of the most stunning landscapes you will ever see and this fabulous shot by Rick showcases some of this with a perfect mirrored reflection in the waters in the foreground reflecting back a striking natural scene culminated with a really powerful mountain-range in the distance.

Architecture and Lines – this is a fabulous study in architecture, shapes and lines, as shared here by Jimi Jones.  Jimi’s recent trip to Annapolis finds him discovering this great building, and with the discovery he shoots a great shot that features the architecture, but also some really compelling tones and colors in the overall composition.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science – this is a very dramatic architectural study from the studio of Mike Criswell.  The Denver Museum of Nature and Science casts a striking pose for Mike under a dramatic sky in the fading light of day… the results?…  a truly amazing image.

INTERESTING LINKS

This Zoomable Composite Aerial Photo of San Francisco is Like a 1938 Google Earth – what a great exhibit, showcasing the city of San Francisco from high above in the year 1938.  This presentation allows the viewer to totally interact with the piece, creating a site sure to engage the viewer for some time as you take in some of the finer details in the city.

Anecdotes: Asics Tennis Shoes – the only thing better than the great photograph posted by Joe Baraban is the anecdotal story he shares.  Spend the first few moments of this post taking in the beautiful photograph and it’s scenery, then read his post to uncover a truly humorous moment.

Video Of A Pair Of Barred Owls – Steve Creek steps outside his normal posting of still images to share this brief video featuring a pair of Barred Owls doing what they do best…  hanging out and enjoying things!  This short video presentation is a real joy to watch, giving the viewer a little glimpse into the terrific personalities these birds have.

Just Add Water: Amazing Houses – this compendium of images all feature homes that sit next to or feature water elements.  Whether it’s the shore of the ocean or an incredible swimming pool, there’s no question that the water features of these abodes make for a place that would be enjoyed by each of us if given a chance to visit.

Snipe Fly by Dann.H, on Flickr

10 Ways Photography Can Change Your Life (It Changed Mine) – what a perfect way to wrap-up this week’s list.  This terrific and inspiring article discusses the reasons and merits behind photography as a practice, whether you perform it professionally or on an amateur basis.  This profound article will take a few moments to read, taking in some great photographs as you follow along, and in the end you’ll be left with an impression that can last a lifetime.

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Toad Hollow Photography

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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The post This Many Incredible Photography Links Might Throw the Earth Out of Orbit appeared first on Light Stalking.

Photo of the Week

Congratulations to lgal for this powerful photo of the week, “alone against the rising sun”!  lgal can also be found on Flickr. You can comment on this photo here.

The Most Popular Stories from the Last 7 Days

•8 Common Landscape Photography Mistakes Beginners Make – When we survey a real scene with our eyes, our brains take everything in using all of our senses.  Also, the human brain is attracted to beautiful things and will filter out anything that it doesn’t like.  However, how we view a photograph is entirely different.  Since a photo only captures a small part of a scene, and doesn’t include input from our other senses such as smell and touch, capturing a compelling composition is imperative.  A good landscape photo effectively conveys the beauty and emotion of the original scene as witnessed by the photographer.  If you are a beginner to landscape photography, the tips in this article will surely improve your shots.

•The 5 Basic Ways to Publicize Your Photography Business Online – Novice photographers who are interested in taking photos for a living often have an unrealistic and romanticized view of what being a professional photographer is really like.  Visions of having loads of fun taking photos all day dance through their heads, but the reality of the situation is very different.  The truth is, a large portion of your time will be devoted to marketing, networking, writing emails and performing other bureaucratic activities.  Don’t let this discourage you though.  To help you get started, follow the practical advice in this article, which covers the various ways you can represent yourself and build your brand online.  

•85 Photographs and Stories That You Will Love – Every week, terrific stuff happens in world of photography online, and Toad Hollow Photography hunts it all down for you.  This week’s tutorials include how to read a histogram and us it for perfectly exposed photos, how to watermark your photos, long exposure photography ideas, how to attract and photograph birds and several more.  ’There Goes the Neighborhood’ is one of this week’s special features, which documents the moving of a house to a new location with time-lapse video.  Another, and much more emotionally charged special feature this week shows the grief of mothers who lost their children in a school bus fire in Pakistan.  Also, be sure to check out the review of camera bags just for men, this week’s interesting photography blogs and a great list of photographs from all over the internet collected by Toad Hollow Photography.

•How to Get Great Prints from Your Digital Darkroom – In this digital day and age, we have the wonderful convenience of making prints in the comfort of our own home with our printers.  We no longer need to have use of a darkroom and all the accompanying chemicals.  However, there is still something of an art to getting a good print.  Often, prints from a home printer can have unwanted aspects such as color casts and lack of contrast and sharpness.  Putting the information in this article to use will give you the ability to avoid these issues and make beautiful prints from home.

What You Missed in the Light Stalking Community

Submit your photo to this week’s photography challenge – It’s a Small World!  Last week we covered the largeness of the world and this week we are focusing on the smallness of the world.  This subject is wide open to interpretation.  Do you have any photos of smallness to share with us in the forum?

We have had some great responses to our last few photography challenges on the forum.  Last week’s photography challenge was Wide Angle or Panoramic!  You can achieve this with a wide angle lens, cropping to panoramic dimensions or with photo-stitching software.  We would love to see your wide angle or panoramic shots.

Also, check out the Fine Feathered Friends! challenge from the week before.  Show us your birds!  Birds in the yard, at the zoo or wherever you can find them.  Do you have any photos of birds to show us?

We’d love to chat with you! Add your opinions here:

•Do You Plan Your Shots?

•Landscapes of Another Planet – Dead Sea

•Are There Guidelines for Weekly Challenges?

•Back Beach, New Plymouth, New Zealand

•What Macro Lens Should I Buy?

What Are Our Members Up To?

We have some amazing members here at Light Stalking that run the gamut from career professional photographers through to beginner enthusiast. Here’s what a few of them are up to in photography.

Great Shots Uploaded to the Light Stalking Community

Photo by Ed Aldridge.  Ed can also be found on his website, blog and Flickr.

Photo by Trevor Barre.

Photo by Hugues Hardy.  Hugues can also be found on his website and Facebook.

Photo by Dave Cooper.

If you’re not already part of the Light Stalking community then come and join the fun. We promise not to bite!

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Rachael Towne

Editor at Photoluminary

is a professional photographer and editor of Photoluminary. Also check out her newest site Presets Galore.

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The post Alone Against the Rising Son and What You May Have Missed This Week on Light Stalking appeared first on Light Stalking.

Founded by Evgeny Tchebotarev in 2003, 500px has grown rapidly since it’s relaunch in 2009 to become one of the premier sites for enthusiasts and professionals to showcase their images. As with many things in life, its effectiveness stems from its simplicity. From the opening page, you can see that the site is simple to navigate and visually attractive. The name comes from the fact that the founders originally decided that the best resolution to display images on a webpage is 500 pixels. From  2009 the images size was increased to 900 pixels to reflect the increased resolution of websites and increased internet bandwidth.

So lets have a little look at what 500px can do for you. Firstly, when you sign up, there are three levels of membership. The basic membership is free and allows you to upload 10 photos a week. Unlike some other sites, the free membership does not restrict things such as social media marketing or your ability to sell. The paid accounts introduce extra levels of marketability such as personal sub domain names and advanced analytics to monitor your success.

The clean attractive front page of 500px

Once you have signed up, you can start uploading your images. Your images are uploaded and stored at the size you send them, but a new version is made for viewing that is automatically sized to 900 pixels. Once uploaded you can add a description and keywords as well as a location. If you have already key worded images that information is uploaded in the exif data. Similar to Flickr you can organise your images into sets and also create a portfolio.

The real power of 500px lies in what happens after your images are uploaded and tagged. You images will initially be seen in a stream of newly uploaded photos where viewers on the site will be able to add the image to their favorites and more importantly  vote on it. This is called the Fresh section and shows all the most recently uploaded shots.

The website has a powerful built in algorithm that combines the number of views of an image with its average ratings to raise or lower the image’s status within its own internal search engine. The higher the rating, the more people will see your image, increasing its visibility further. A further factor in this rating is the ability to look for items in subcategories such as Travel and Still life. As well as this, the editors of the site display their selected images of the day, in the Editor’s Choice section. Getting one of images picked by the editors is a sure fire way to increase your visibility.

A set on 500px

To give your images a little push, 500px allows you to integrate your social media accounts, enabling your to publicise your images on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Stumbleupon as well as emailing the link directly to your contacts. This is a powerful tool as the rating and liking tools are open to non-site members meaning that you can help elevate your photos on the site by marketing them to your friends and colleagues on other social media sites.

Single image view with social media tools

Lastly, 500px has integrated a shop into the site. You can opt in or out of selling your images, but by opting in, you can allow people to purchase canvas wraps or digital downloads of your shots. The site does take a hefty commission on the canvas wrap service though, with you receiving around $60 of the $199 price.

500px has become a very powerful marketing tool for professionals and enthusiasts alike. The internet is awash with images these days, much of it bland, uninspired or heavily photoshopped. The beauty of the 500px site is allows the best images to rise to the top and by doing this, it also shows what the current trends are in photography. That alone is one very good reason for signing up.

If you are interested in taking a look at my 500px account, you can find it here http://500px.com/Odessafiles

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Jason Row

Jason Row is a British born travel photographer now living in Ukraine. You can follow him on The Odessa Files. He also maintains a blog chronicling his exploits as an Expat in the former Soviet Union.

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The post A Look at 500px for Showcasing your Images appeared first on Light Stalking.

Here are 5 ways to find a new topic for a photography project:

1. Revisit the Past

In the age of digital, one way you can stand out is by bringing back something a lot of photographers nowadays know nothing about: film. Dig out those old film scans and figure out what you can do with them.

Not far from studio Moldova-film (1970). by Ion Chibzii, on Flickr

Do you scan them and share as is, or would it be interesting to recreate your past work but with a modern twist? How would your SOOC film shots look when processed in today’s digital darkrooms? Better yet, dig out some photos from your ‘reject’ pile and try to salvage them in Photoshop. The result could turn out to be something useful after all.

Young Mother Carrying A Child On Her Back In The Market, Hong Kong Island [c1946] Hedda Morrison [RESTORED] by ralphrepo, on Flickr

Photo restoration is a time-consuming process, but it could be a way for you to practice your editing skills. Even if you end up scrapping the photos altogether, going through the process of restoring a photo can be a relaxing activity to help pass the time.

2. Consult the Hat/s

Some people work well under pressure, while others simply like to follow directions. This technique is a simple but effective way to give yourself something to do without having to bend over backwards trying to come up with a new and exciting concept.

For a totally random combination to shoot, prepare 3 hats.

In hat #1, drop slips of paper with general photography terms written on them. Things like portrait, still-life, landscape, nature, macro and long exposure are just a few you can start out with.

In hat #2, drop slips of paper with different colors written on them. The usual red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet are good enough, but you can also include an “any color” option to give yourself a treat.

In hat #3, drop slips of paper with different textures or shapes written on them. You can include terms like bubbles, water droplets, out of focus lights, shiny and rough.

So let’s say you picked out macro, blue and water droplets, you’ve got yourself a photo assignment!

3. Do something For Someone Else

Charity Santa fun run at Manchester United’s Old Trafford by HowardLake, on Flickr

Ask someone what you can photograph for them. It could be your neighbor, your mom, your mailman or your nanny. Choose someone, anyone you’d like to do something for. Your own mind could be so filled with ideas that you could have a difficult time narrowing it down to a few, so by having someone else give you your assignment, it cancels out having to choose a theme for yourself, not to mention it’s also a golden opportunity to use your craft as an act of kindness to others.

4. What Are Your Interests?

Are you a fitness buff? Do you spend a lot of time experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen? Are you a workaholic who barely leaves the office? Are you obsessed with breakfast food? Your interests could easily dictate your next photography project.

Look into my eyes…. by Johan J.Ingles-Le Nobel, on Flickr

It doesn’t have to be an elaborate setup that takes days and thousands of dollars to arrange. If you love going to the gym, why not document the wear and tear of the weights over time. Or if you’re willing to be a bit of a creeper, you can always document the different “grr” faces people make as they struggle to lift the weight. Photograph every single post-it that goes on your wall, or the stacks and stacks of paperwork in the storage room.

Begin with something that you love doing so that your photography won’t feel like work. Make it so that you’re simply documenting something you enjoy.

5. What Do You Do or Have in Abundance?

Do you cook pancakes everyday? How many times do you go to the post office to send or pick up a package?

Hoarders, you are in luck! Do you have a collection of pens? Do you secretly have an extensive collection of herbs in your backyard? Do you keep receipts of everything you purchase? Do you have a drawer full of old coins?

Baguio CHRISTmas Vacation 57 by Daniel Y. Go, on Flickr

Photography projects do not always have to be uber creative. If you’re interested in selling stock photos, anything you have in abundance is an excellent place to start. This way, you don’t have to purchase or borrow anything before shooting.

BONUS: Spin the Wheel!

Make a simple spin-the-wheel project with all 5 of those ideas and spin every once in a while to add even more controlled spontaneity in your photo projects. It’s unpredictable enough that you’ll be challenged, but at the same time straddles the line between your comfort zone and beyond it because you still cannot predict where the dice will fall.

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littlemisspatricia

Patricia is a photographer from Brisbane, Australia.

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The post 5 Ways to Find a New Topic for a Photography Project and Beat “Photographer’s Block” appeared first on Light Stalking.

It is important to remember that how the brain interprets a scene when you are actually there is very different from how the brain interprets a photograph. When you are actually there all your senses are feeding your brain information to keep the interest level up. Your brain won’t care that there is nothing in the foreground because it chooses to focus on the beautiful mountains in the distance as well as taking in the smells and sounds to create a moment full of emotions.

Chances are that you also only look at those mountains for a few seconds before your brain puts the image into its memory banks and turns its attention to something else around you that may be equally as beautiful. You remember the whole scene as the sum of the most beautiful parts.

This is in stark contrast to looking at a photograph which can only capture one small part of the whole experience. As a result photographers must work extra hard to capture the elements that their brain wanted to capture and, more importantly, filter out those elements which the brain automatically filters but the camera does not.

Remember, the human brain is attracted to beautiful things and will filter out anything it finds unattractive to concentrate on the parts it likes. Your camera will not do this and one of your main jobs as a photographer is to override this filter when you look through your viewfinder and compose your shot accordingly.

Forgetting to Include Foreground Interest

This is probably the most common mistake that beginners make when shooting landscapes. It’s easy to get caught up in the beauty of a distant mountain range and think that it will make for a beautiful image. But for the reasons stated above it generally will not on its own. The viewers eye will generally look at the foreground first and if there is nothing there to spark an interest then you’ll probably lose them at that point. Remember, in a photograph there are no sounds, no smells, no gentle breeze caressing your cheeks – it’s all about what the viewer sees with their eyes and for that reason you need to make the whole image scream “look at me.”

If there is no natural foreground interest you can try adding a little as I did in this shot – (Photo by Richard Walker Photography)

Rushing a Shoot

If you want to achieve great landscape photographs be prepared to spend plenty of time at your chosen location and keep shooting and moving around throughout. If your wife / kids are going to get bored waiting for you, leave them at home. Unless you get lucky you need to give yourself at least an hour at a location to get a great shot. You need to take your time to survey the area and pick a spot, set up your equipment and wait for the light / clouds / whatever to be just right. These things just cannot be rushed. You should also allow yourself plenty of time to move around and shoot from different angles.

Forgetting About Shooting Portrait

When shooting landscapes the overwhelming urge is to shoot in landscape mode, i.e.. have your camera horizontal. The fact is that most of the time this will be the best option, after all it’s landscape mode and you are shooting a landscape, the clue is kind of in the name. However, it won’t always be the case. Sometimes a scene is crying out to be taken portrait style and sometimes it’s almost impossible to tell which is going to turn out best, especially if you are a beginner. So, what do you do, shoot landscape or portrait? That’s easy, do both. Set up, shoot landscape and then rotate your camera through 90 degrees and do some portrait shots. Worry about which is best when you are sitting at your computer.

Sometimes shooting portrait style is better than shooting landscape – (Photo by Richard Walker Photography)

Getting a Crooked Horizon

This is probably the easiest on in this list to fix. There really is no excuse for the horizon being anything other than straight but don’t trust your judgement, use a tripod and a spirit level to ensure that your camera is absolutely straight. If you don’t already have one, you can get a level which fits into your hotshoe on your camera for the price of a beer. If your camera has a built in level it may be best not to trust it, they are not always the most accurate things.

Whatever you do, don’t try to judge it by eye, the contours of the land can be far more disorientating than you realise and although you can straighten in post you will inevitably lose some of the image.

Only Shooting Wide

Many people think that landscape photography is all about throwing on your widest lens and capturing as much of a scene as you can. It isn’t.

Landscape photography is about selecting the right elements and incorporating them into the shot to produce the best work you possibly can. Don’t get me wrong, wide is good, but it’s not the be all and end all. Sometimes you can capture too much of a scene and this can detract from what you are trying to achieve.

If you can move yourself to a better vantage point then fine but this all takes time and with conditions inevitably changing fast it’s often too much of a risk. Don’t be afraid to zoom in, wither a little or a lot, there are plenty of fantastic landscapes around taken at 200mm or more. One interesting side effect of shooting zoomed in is that it flattens out the depth bringing all the elements closer together, this can create a very pleasing effect even with landscapes.

This image was shot at 97mm using a 24-105mm lens – (Photo by Richard Walker Photography)

Getting Incorrect Exposure

Landscape photography often requires photographing both the land and the sky and these 2 elements are normally very different in terms of how they need to be exposed. The problem is that if you expose for the sky, the land can be too dark and if you expose for the land, the sky can be blown out and detail will be lost.

Your job as a landscape photographer is to make sure all the elements in the shot are exposed correctly so that maximum detail is revealed to the viewer. There are 2 main ways to control your exposure in this situation, HDR and use of graduated filters.

HDR involves taking multiple exposures, generally at least 3, and merging them together using software. One exposure will be for the bright parts of the image (sky), one for the dark areas (land) and then one somewhere in between. You can find more on HDR here.

Graduated Neutral Density filters are a means of controlling the exposure at the time of shooting to try and get an even exposure in camera rather than in post. Using a graduated filter is a bit like putting a pair of sunglasses on your camera but only on the bright part (sky). Graduated filters work best when there is a well defined horizontal separation between the land and the sky. You can find more on this technique here.

Including Too Much Clutter

In day to day life the human brain is great at removing the unwanted from a scene and focusing on what it wants you to notice, which tends to be the more attractive elements. When you are stood on the beach surveying a beautiful seascape with the sun setting in the distance you don’t even notice that pile of rubbish underneath the jetty. But translate that scene into a photograph and it will stick out like a sore thumb. You have to condition yourself to spot these issues otherwise they will ruin your end product.

Always take the time to either compose the scene so that the unwanted elements are not there, or if possible remove these elements before you shoot, or if all else fails, remove them in post.

Try to remove any unwanted items from a scene by adjusting the position from which you shoot and your angle. You can read more about how I shot this here – (Photo by Richard Walker Photography)

Failure to Post Process

Some people have a hang up about manipulating their photographs after they have been taken. They see it as somehow cheating. I personally say that anything goes depending on what you are trying to achieve.

If you are a journalist then it stands to reason that you shouldn’t manipulate your image beyond getting the brightness and contrast correct, but as a landscape photographer I think there are no rules. What are you trying to do? Are you trying to portray the scene exactly as it was when you were there? Or are you trying to create a piece of art that people will want to look at again and again?

I don’t think many people would disagree that it is ok to change the brightness and contrast to make the shot a little more vivid, but what about removing unwanted elements? Is that acceptable? I say it is. After all, if you think about the above point (too much clutter), that is what you are doing. What’s the difference between doing it when you are there and doing it in post? At the end of the day if you zoom in you are removing lots of elements.

But what about adding elements? This one really is controversial. If your shot is great but your sky is boring is it acceptable to add in a better sky? Well, I say yes. It’s not something I do very often but it’s certainly not something I am adverse to.

To enable yourself to post process properly you need to shoot RAW rather than JPEG. RAW images allow far greater control in post processing and often make the difference between a good and a great photograph.

Remember, these are not hard and fast rules but simply ideas that you can choose to ignore if you wish but hopefully one or two of them may help you see the wood for the trees.

Author information

Richard Walker

Richard Walker is a landscape photographer based in Oxfordshire. See more of his photography on his website and follow him on social media with the tabs above.

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The post 8 Common Landscape Photography Mistakes Beginners Make appeared first on Light Stalking.

Computer madness. Levitate! by 2XWORKS, on Flickr

Build a Creative Website- This one is a no brainer, since you are trying to build up your web presence you need a little place of your own to send all your potential clients to. Put a lot of thought into the design of your website and don’t be afraid to seek the help of a professional if web design isn’t your strong point.  Make sure the design is complimentary to the style of your photography and is not distracting. Remember, people are visiting your website to learn about you and your photography, make that easy for them to find. You would be surprised at how quickly you can lose a client because your website was difficult to navigate or the music you set to automatically play when your homepage is viewed is more annoying than relaxing. Take the time to do this one right and test it out on your friends and family before making it public.

There are several photography website platforms that are worth checking out:

• PhotoMerchant
• SmugMug
• PhotoShelter

Blogging – When clients are choosing a photographer, they want to be able to feel confident in not just the photographer’s work, but also in the way she conducts herself, so think of blogging as a way to let your audience get to know you. What says more about yourself than your own actions and words? You can help shape those first impressions into a working business relationship by updating your blog as often as possible, ideally on a daily basis with content that would be useful to your prospective clients. It gives clients a behind-the-scenes look at your photographic life and, more importantly, conveys your dedication and passion.

The granddaddy of blogging platforms is WordPress. If you want to have your own blog on your own .com then check out WordPress.org. When you have set up your blog, you will want to get a great design. Here are some places that design WordPress templates specifically for photographers:

NOTE: It is quite possible to have both your portfolio website and your blog running through WordPress.

• Photocrati
• Graph Paper Press
• Theme Foundry

Bonus Tip: Familiarize yourself with search engine optimization (SEO) to make your website work for itself. Google’s Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide, available as a pdf, is a great jumping off point. by Web Tutorials / T. Mueller, on Flickr

Get Onto Google – As we all know, Google offers up a whole variety of handy little tools which make our lives a little more convenient, but one that can especially be utilized by photography businesses are their wide range of webmaster tools.

Building up your web content enough to be included in the coveted Google search top 10 results can take a lot of work (which we cover in our “SEO for Photographers” short guide), but if you’re willing to fork out a little cash you can pay to have your link appear as an sponsored link right at the top of the page.

For example, a wedding photographer based on Maui can pay to appear at the top of the page every time someone searches “Maui Wedding Photography.” I’ve spoken with many photographers who advertise this way with great success. Check out AdWords to learn more about the bid process and how you can set up daily spending limits so you won’t go over your advertising budget.

Let Google’s widespread reach send traffic to you. by Web Tutorials / T. Mueller, on Flickr

Barter Your Photography – Offer to give a few of your photographs to other business that you’ve worked with on projects in the past in lieu of a free link back to your website. Event photographers could contact caterers or venues they’ve worked with on previous shoots. For example, wedding photographers can build up a relationship with florists and wedding planners, travel photographers have tourism boards, travel agencies, and so on. It’s the most cost effective way to reach your target audience—-all it costs you is a little time and it’s great for SEO too.

Get Active on Social Media – There is a really long–infinite, seemingly–list of social media sites where you can advertise your photography business. So many in fact, I could dedicate an entire article to that subject alone. But, assuming you probably already use Facebook, Twitter, Google +, 500px, or one of the others, lets talk instead about how you can utilize them.

Social media is sometimes referred to as micro-blogging and it can give you all the same benefits as it’s big brother with the added benefit of having a built in platform for opening a conversation. Dedicate time from your schedule, just 5-minutes a few times a day will do, to create original updates and interact with your followers. There are apps which allow you to streamline multiple social network platforms into one, easy to update, task that can be really helpful, but don’t rely on them solely. They tend to really take the personal connection out of the experience and socializing, after all, is the point. Engage and comment on other users posts and respond to comments on your own posts. Think of social media as a place to sell yourself as a person and photography sales will follow.

If you are time poor, then we highly recommend using BufferApp to schedule some of your updates (though you will still need to log in manually to reply to people).

Easily build a fan base by utilizing social media. by Web Tutorials / T. Mueller, on Flickr

Don’t lose sight of the fact that you are trying to build your brand as a photographer, aside from an occasional vignette try to keep your content relevant to taking photos. Building up your fan base this way is sort of a means to filter out the riff-raff by attracting others who have some kind of interest in photography, whether it be hiring one or networking with one, either of which can be used to your advantage.

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Tiffany Mueller

Tiffany Mueller is a professional music and fine art photographer. She has been published in multiple publications including magazines, art journals, and various photography books. She blogs at Life Is Unabridged.

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The post The 5 Basic Ways To Publicize Your Photography Business Online appeared first on Light Stalking.

Doin’ it Right by zeitfaenger.at, on Flickr

TUTORIALS

How to Read Histogram and Use it to Expose Perfect Photos – this brief article discusses the application and meaning behind the histogram feature found in most DSLR cameras and post-processing software.  The concepts discussed here are at a high level, shedding a little light onto the topic.  The article shares tips and tricks that are useful both in the field and in the digital darkroom during the post-processing phase.

How To Watermark Your Photos – Blake Rudis delivers a video tutorial showing the viewer how to add a delicate watermark to their images.  Blake’s article also discusses various applications and the reasons behind those decisions, adding a further element to the article.

Long Exposure Photography Ideas – Alex Wise writes a detailed post here outlining some terrific ideas for how to apply long exposure photography for amazing results.  Alex’s in-depth piece is illustrated with great photography examples showcasing the core techniques and concepts being discussed in the article.

Send Dear Old Dad a Photo Puzzle in the Mail This Father’s Day – this crafty post takes the reader through the entire process of creating a truly personal and thoughtful gift for dad with Father’s Day coming up.  Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Keep Your Lighting Tools Simple – sometimes the best advice is the simplest.  Joe Farace discusses using a minimalistic set of tools for artificial lighting when shooting portraits, particularly outdoors, with a couple of example shots to illustrate the points he is making.

Creating a Photo of a Light Bulb Powered by the Mind – this particular technique yields a really interesting image, one that transcends physics.  This video tutorial takes the viewer through the detailed process of creating an image with a lit light-bulb held in a model’s hands, looking as if it’s powered by the model themselves.

How to Attract and Photograph Birds in Your Own Backyard – this really neat half hour video tutorial takes the visitor through the act of setting up for and capturing stunning bird photographs in the wild.  All the major aspects of this type of photography are covered in this tutorial, sure to leave everyone who sees it with a deeper sense of how to capture that next great shot.

REVIEWS

Camera Bags Made Just for a Man | Stylish and Cute Camera Bags for Women! – this pair of concise reviews showcases a bevy of options for the photographer on the go.  The bags showcased and discussed in these articles are all very stylish with many flexible options for storage and convenience.  If you’re looking for a new camera bag, you will definitely want to check out these posts before ordering.

SPECIAL FEATURES

There Goes the Neighbourhood – local photographer Ehpem captures a time lapse video showcasing one of our locally famous companies doing what they do best… moving houses to new locations.  This daunting undertaking has to be stressful for those performing the move and being responsible for what comes of it, but for the bystander it makes for compelling imagery.

Storm clouds over Steptoe Butte – this time lapse production by Scott Wood features the Steptoe Butte as really interesting clouds whisk overhead.  The dynamic nature of the setting really comes to life in this short video presentation.

Pierced by a mother’s grief – Faisal Mahmood posts a riveting article documenting the grief and pain experienced in Pakistan as a bus full of school children catches fire and needlessly ends the life of seventeen children.  These are real photos of real people, augmented by the article written by Faisal that gives the reader a very strong sense of the horror found there.

Der Weg ins Ungewisse KW 22/52 by Gruenewiese86, on Flickr

Photographer Captures Rare Photograph of a Sprite with an Aurora – an extremely rare event is captured in this shot that may be only the second of its kind ever photographed.  A sprite is a high altitude lightning strike, basically, and to find one at the same time the Aurora Borealis is lighting up the sky in terrific colors and tones is something only known to have been photographed once before.

Eureka Springs and North Arkansas Railway – Syd Weedon takes us on a wonderful journey to the past in this post, featuring a large collection of train-themed photographs.  Syd’s careful processing brings all the nostalgia out of the pictures, creating imagery that is highly sympathetic to the subject on display as well as instantly taking the viewer back to a time long ago.

COLLECTIONS

Mind Blowing Wild Nature Photographs – you just can’t beat nature when it comes to encountering a breathtaking scene.  This fabulous collection of photographs features landscapes and natural features, collected from places and photographers from all over the world.

The 30 Best Animal Photos Of 2012 – this collection is sure to tug at your heartstrings, make you jump out of your chair or leave you speechless as you take in something truly extraordinary.  This fabulous compendium of animal photographs features some of the finest shots presented in 2012.

30 Colorful Shots Of High Speed Bullet Photography – this amazing collection of images features various things at the precise moment that a bullet hits them.  The incredible effects from the bullet is captured at the split-second of impact, creating imagery that outside the realm of photography happens quicker than the human eye can see.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

And Then There Was Light – my blood runs ice cold when I think of the circumstances Beno Saradzic went through in the name of fine art to capture this mesmerizing and truly breathtaking photograph.  Beno perches himself on a wooden ledge some 1,250 feet above the ground as the sun breaks over the horizon, illuminating a magical scene of the city of Abu Dhabi below.  Beno’s amazing image paints a scene of indescribable beauty.

Mesa Arch Sunburst – the money shot, indeed!  Mark Garbowski visits this world-famous location with a few of his photography friends, and after getting up at the literal crack of dawn they all head to this location where Mark captures a shot that is truly breathtaking.  The wonderful colors in the early morning sky do a terrific job of gently and warmly illuminating the vista, making for an incredible photograph.

Without Warning – a breathtaking shot is captured and shared in this post by Goldpaint Photography.  As the Aurora Borealis dances on the horizon in the far distance, the moon illuminates the gorgeous landscape in gentle light creating a mesmerizing piece that is sure to leave a permanent mark on everyone who visits to see.

Staring into space #10 – Light Stalking’s own Tom Dinning (@tomdinning) delivers another terrific piece in this post.  The shot that Tom shares here features a very old looking stone pathway with two avenues for the adventurer to follow.  Tom accents his great photo in this post with an insightful look into the comings and goings of mankind.

Manufactory – no straight lines are to be found anywhere in this shot, and I have to say I just love it.  Steven Perlmutter captures and shared a muted shot featuring an old paint manufacturing building, constructed in 1863.  Today it is in very poor condition, making for a terrific photography subject.

The Norman Bates Retirement Home For Happy But Old Motel Owners With A Penchant for dressing up (Part 1 | Part 2) – a haunting house sitting overlooking the sea now sits abandoned.  Barry Turner’s great shot of this old house does a fabulous job of revealing all the tension and drama in the setting with his careful and sympathetic processing of the scene.

Three Amigos – talk about raw character in a photograph!  This wonderful shot by Christina Evans features a trio of turkeys making their way down a road together.  This back-view of the birds as they travel really delivers a strong and entertaining piece, sure to be enjoyed by everyone.

Future City – a monochromatic piece expressed purely in blue tones is shared in this great shot posted by John Monster.  The architectural details and lines created by the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain casts a striking and highly dramatic subject for John to capture and share.

Coliseum, past and future ! – a terrific shot featuring the ruins of the ancient Coliseum in Rome finds artistic juxtaposition with the colorful light trails created by the moving cars around the site.  This is a captivating shot by Beboy Photographies connecting the far past with today.

The Natural Networks – an almost surreal scene is captured and shared in this great shot by José Ramos showcases a breathtaking sunset draping over the scenery of a beach.  The natural zones created by delineated rock outcroppings in the beach scene creates a visual and colorful representation of an interconnected network.

sweeties – a Cheetah and it’s cub look upward, off-frame, creating a shot full of beauty, intrigue and a touch of natural artistic tension.  This heartwarming piece by Marion Vollborn is guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone’s face who pops by to view it.

“Street Photography” Waiting on Main Street – Howard Jackman delivers a new post featuring a collection of photographs taken candidly on the streets.  His use of his new fisheye lens creates a cohesive series showcasing the inherent interest of his city in a really unique presentation.

Old Barn and Silo on I 25 – a subject dear to my own heart, a barn that is literally falling down.  And I don’t mean it’s got a slight lean to it, I mean I have no idea how with the forces of gravity at work on this, how can it possibly be standing?  This is a terrific photograph by Keith Cuddeback.

Chelsea, Polaroids, Impossible Project Black and White – Mark Garbowski has been working on a project recently featuring images captured using a Polaroid camera.  This post features a pair of shots from this project, showcasing interesting details that take on a truly nostalgic feel due to the way the pictures are captured.  Well worth the time for a visit.

Hill in light – as advertised, we get to view and enjoy a rolling vista featuring a hillside draped in wonderful light.  Peter Zajfrid captures and shares a wonderful shot of the Slovenia landscape in this post.

Morning Fog – Jimi Jones brings us along as he heads out into a foggy morning to capture a terrific photograph.  The fog that drapes the setting creates a slightly eerie feel to the scene, producing an image sure to entrance everyone.

Un ange m’a laissé un souvenir – a fabulous shot featured by Mathias Lucas shares a vision of a single feather trapped in a twig.  Mathias’ use of black-and-white in this shot serves it very well, accenting the intrigue and impression of this find.

Dakota Spring Fling 2013 Car Show – a classic and colorful car is displayed and photographed here by Dakota Visions Photography.  The rich colors, gorgeous flowing lines and terrific lighting all work together to showcase the true character of this great car.

Signs – a great shot, full of rich comedy, as shot and shared here by Sherry Galey.  Sherry photographs a cute little dog as it uses a sign to piddle upon, and the terrific irony of the whole scene brings it truly to life.

See the forgotten city ghosts among us all – Spencer McDonald shares a really poignant HDR photograph that at first glance seems to study some of the architecture and details of the city.  Closer scrutiny, however, reveals the dark underbelly of modern civilization which Spencer does a terrific job of highlighting with his profound insights.

Lightning storm over the tree by Nick-K (Nikos Koutoulas), on Flickr

Bar-BQ Neon – the vibrant neon lights of a city at night form the primary element in this terrific photograph from Tim Stanley.  The restaurant at the heart of the sign exhibits some really great character features, and Tim’s spot-on composition does the entire scene justice.

Smooth as Grey – a dark and moody piece as produced and presented here by CJ Schmit.  CJ takes us to the Atwater Beach where he creates a super-long exposure shot that completely turns the active waters into a silky covering, all the while maintaining the integrity and details of the surrounding landscape.

Roi DaSaraiba Photography​ – this site is the main gallery and portfolio site for Roi DaSaraiba, showcasing some really captivating pieces from several genres of photography.  A little digging will lead the visitor into the galleries hosted on the site, sure to engage everyone who visits.

Sommaroy’s bridge – how do you accent the splendor and tones found in the Aurora Borealis?  The answer lies within a great reflection.  Joris Kiredjian captures a compelling shot of this natural light formation in the sky as it delicately adds a terrific tone to the overall scene and resulting photograph.

Torre en Perales – ancient ruins are carefully highlighted under the night’s sky, producing a striking subject for Eduardo Menendez.  Really terrific details and textures in the old stones are explored in this picture, producing a compelling piece sure to be enjoyed by all.

Liberty Belle – I love the power of a strong reflection, as is evidenced in this spellbinding photograph from the studio of Michael Lewis Glover.  Michael finds himself at Disney’s Magic Kingdom on a special night where they remain open all night.  He then scoped out this shot featuring the beautiful boat moored to shore, and waited until the waters were so still the reflection cast back to the viewer becomes a mirror.

Genoa Rooftops – a rainy day in Genoa, Italy produces a perfect scene for Len Saltiel to capture.  Len’s great shot is taken from an elevated perch, showcasing the old and wonderful architecture of this fabulous city below.  This shot reveals a ton of details, delivering treasures to the viewer who spends some time taking it all in.

^*^ – a cute, cute pair of little owls peers back at the camera in this fabulous shot from the studio of Itamar Campos.  This close-up shot taken with a long lens reveals all the spirit and personality found in these two companions, creating a piece sure to tug at the heartstrings of everyone who visits.

Road to the Clouds – a stunning landscape photograph featuring a compelling ribbon of highway that leads the viewer straight into the majestic Rocky Mountains.  Jeff Clow’s great shot here showcases the grandeur and amazing vistas found in these mountains, creating a piece sure to take your breath away in an instant.

Mars Is Burning – a lovely sunset covers the lake in a gentle glowing light, perfect for the photography of Andy Gimino.  Andy’s extremely careful processing on this shot brings the natural beauty of the area out for everyone who visits to enjoy.

A Twisted Reach – in a great example of how composition at times can be everything, Mike Criswell captures a shot of a dead tree that appears to be reaching for the sky.  The absolutely stunning landscape that the remains of the tree call home serves as a perfect backdrop with complimentary tones and colors to the overall scene, adding a terrific layer of interest.

Grizzly Bear 610 – Rick Louie takes us as close as is safe to a terrific mother Grizzly bear showing her cubs how to hunt.  The setting that Rick found this bear in really adds a great layer of interest to the shot with a truly sympathetic vista, yet still revealing the strong character and spirit of these ferocious creatures.

ila arborea by Marco Petrotta, on Flickr

White angel – a lovely shot featuring a mother heron and her baby in the nest together.  The gentle backlighting captured in this shot by Jaewoon u delicately outlines the birds together, instantly drawing the viewer into the heart of the frame.

Yellow Warbler – a detailed shot that showcases the fabulous colors and details of this tiny bird.  The shallow depth-of-focus that Brenda Widdess used to create this image does a terrific job of isolating the little feather-friend from it’s background, really making it pop right out.

Tower of London – Bob Lussier shares a great study in light, shadow and contrast in this blog post featuring two black-and-white images shot in the iconic Tower of London.  Bob’s mastery of manipulating the light and shadows in these two images creates a pair of highly dramatic pictures full of intrigue and mystery, leaving the viewer with many unanswered questions.

Reflected sunset at Nyhavn – strong reflections have the ability to captivate the soul, and this fabulous shot from Jim Nix reallys shows just why.  Jim shares a vantage looking down a canal in Denmark as the night begins to encroach on the day’s light, coming away with a shot featuring incredible architecture and really beautiful colors in both the natural and manmade elements.

Waterfalls, Minnesota – Mark Paulson takes us into the wilderness where we get to enjoy the tranquil beauty of a waterfall.  The terrific details in the landscape that frames the falls brings a great element of interest to the picture.

Waterline – a simple shot featuring the pilings from what appears to be an old pier, leading the viewer out to the ocean in the backdrop.  The natural leading line from the pier works in perfect harmony with the subtle tones in the ocean and the rippled reflections from the standing posts to create a truly compelling photograph, captured and shared here by Beverly Everson.

Antlers at Last – and Fast! – this wonderful presentation from Laurie MacBride shows off a young male deer as he begins to grow in his first set of antlers.  Laurie shares a terrific photograph of him as his antlers begin to form the familiar shape we all expect and then adds in a slideshow presentation at the bottom of her post that shows the transition over a short period of time.  Wonderful work, well worth the time for a visit.

What Happened to Spring – lovely details in a beautiful little Tufted Titmouse bird deliver a sense of wonder for the viewer in this great photograph by Wayne Beauregard.  The really wonderful character in this little bird is truly brought out in Wayne’s great shot here, sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face.

1930 Willys Knight Great Six Plaidside Roadster – a terrific car is lovingly photographed and shared in this post from the studio of Mark Summerfield.  The great details in this antique classic are all brought out in Marks great shot here, which also features some great background information to add a layer of interest to the post.

Thun – Switzerland – a lovely European castle sitting on the shores of a lake is presented to the viewer in this photograph by Paulo Carvalho.  The stereotypical architectural details of this area work perfectly together with the natural elements in the scene to paint a distinct picture for the visitor to take in and enjoy.

Thunder! – a pair of dramatic lightning tendrils strike the buildings in New York as Frank Hazebroek finds himself ready to capture the scene.  Frank’s processing focuses on subtle tones, adding further to the inherent drama of the scene, finished off perfectly with a vignette to guide the viewer into the frame.

Holme Fell summit – this wonderful picture leaves the visitor with a distinct feeling of being the only living being on the planet.  Tom captures a shot of a rolling vista that seems to go on forever, punctuated by lovely warm tones from the natural light coming in from frame right.

The Diamond Ring – this long exposure shot features the incredible Burj Khalifa lit up and standing tall and proud in this amazing city.  The lights emanating from all the buildings in the city work in harmony with the strong architecture to create a highly compelling piece to view and enjoy.

Valley Of Fire – the fading light of the day plays with shadows and color in this shot by Barry Blanchard.  A great ribbon of highway leads the viewer into the picture naturally, where we find all sorts of colors and hues from the different natural elements and the way that certain parts of the scene are lit from the last vestiges of the day’s sun.

back down to hell – a staircase from a derelict factory forms perfectly crusty textures for the lens of david stoddart to explore.  The careful processing David uses to create this shot does a terrific job of bringing all the details and textures of a scene like this out for all to enjoy, just don’t head down here without your tetanus shot first.

Melissodes dentiventris, F, face, Maryland, Anne Arundel County_2013-04-11-14.19.55 ZS PMax by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring, on Flickr

I Am A Fan – an absolutely amazing photograph of a Northern Red Shafted Flicker bird in flight is captured and shared here by ROY HANCLIFF.  Stellar lighting delicately accents the key features and colors in this bird, making for a breathtaking shot of this beautiful creature in the wild.

Temple Building – an iconic heritage building in Victoria is explored in this great photograph from Lotus Johnson.  Lotus does a great job of really showcasing the intricate brickwork, stonework and architectural features that have gone into this timeless design.

Cityscape – the old port of Montreal comes alive at night in this fabulous cityscape photograph from Alex Rykov.  The lovely city sits on the famous port, lighting up the night sky in a soft glow that finds further interest in the amazingly clear reflection from the waters in the foreground.

A Striped Skunk Had Me Rolling In The Ditch – the things that photographers go through to get the “shot”!  In this case we find Steve Creek in a ditch taking a great shot of a skunk looking back at him, and as he is in process of capturing the shot another skunk sneaks up behind him and gives him quite the startle.

Mountain Wadi – a great landscape scene with mountains in the distance and a really captivating foreground is presented in this strong image from the studio of David A Lockwood.  The clear waters gently lead the viewer into the frame, where the discovery of the surroundings takes on a dramatic presence.

It’s that kind of town – some discoveries are so amazing that if not for photography, it would be hard to picture.  This great shot by Melinda Green Harvey finds a sign for a yard sale held by the local church on display in the middle of the road in town.  It’s easy to imagine that sign being left there all day, with nary a disturbance, given the town itself and the surroundings presented in this shot.

The University of Greenwich – terrific architectural details greet the viewer in this shot featuring the University of Greenwich in the UK.  A fabulous blue dome is framed by the columns in this great shot by Jim Nix, accenting the amazing features that make up iconic places like this.

Waiting For A Fare – Edith Levy captures a great shot of a horse and carriage and the caleche driver as he stands waiting for a fare.  Edith processes the image in two ways, one in color and the other in a vintage monochrome look to add to the nostalgia, making for a fabulous presentation to visit.  I prefer the color version, personally, but it’s only a slight choice over the black-and-white rendition which is totally fabulous, too.

Spirit of Ecstasy – Chris Maskell delivers a dramatic black-and-white photograph, featuring this well-known statue by shooting it with the sky as the backdrop to add to the feeling of flight.  The monochrome processing Chris used to create this shot adds a great element of drama and tension to the scene, making for a must-see image in this week’s list.

Apocaliptic Sky | Approaching storm – these two shots from the studio of Stefano Pedroni were both taken at Lake Maggiore, Arona, Italy.  One is created in color, highlighting the encroaching storm and the lovely surroundings, and the other is processed in black-and-white to really highlight the incredible drama building from the looming storm in the distance.

Upper Antelope Canyon – the Antelope Canyon creates incredible photography opportunities, at times making for abstract scenes that are surreal in feel.  Ron Niebrugge’s shot here showcases some incredible light streaming in from high above playing off the canyon walls creating different tones and colors.

Windows and Doors in Washington NC – if you love textures and details, we’ve got a shot for you.  Mark Neal captures a great shot of an old wooden door in a brick building, and with his careful processing he creates a stunning black-and-white image full of textures to view and enjoy.  Mark also posts a color version for the sake of comparison.

Pacific Waves – this lovely seaside photograph by Jim Denham takes us shore-side where we get to enjoy the power and majesty of the waves breaking on the rocks on shore.  Jim’s great composition does a fabulous job of sharing a little of the west coast feeling from standing on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Broken Shell by ‘Ajnagraphy’, on Flickr

Just chilling…watching the game – a delicate little kitten plunks herself down for a rest after a busy day of being a model at a photoshoot.  There is no way that words can do this little fur-friend justice, you’ve just got to pop by to see this great photograph from Zoran Milutinovic for yourself.

Rainy Day Photo Walk – a fabulous set of black-and-white shots featuring people out and about on a really rainy day.  Jay & Jacy Photography processes these shots exclusively in black-and-white, creating imagery that is truly sympathetic to the day and subject being shot.

raindrops on a rose – a lovely and delicate rose is captured in this shot, covered in raindrops and completely isolated from the dark background.  This presentation does a terrific job of really exploring the intricate beauty of the flower.

INTERESTING BLOGS

New Camera Sensor 1000x More Sensitive Than Current Sensors – a new material being worked on is creating astounding results, revealing it’s application for photography by being so much more sensitive to light than previous technologies.  This interesting article provides a glimpse into a possible avenue for photography related technology in the future.

Tornado Chasers Getting “Too Close” In Their Hunt for Dramatic Imagery – in an effort to capture dramatic storm footage, these storm chasers find themselves in a situation where Mother Nature herself literally tosses a barn at them.  This amazing footage documents an event where the videographers are lucky to even be here to share the story today.

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Toad Hollow Photography

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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The post 89 Photographs and Stories That You Will Love appeared first on Light Stalking.