How to Make $500 a Month From Your Photography Hobby with Microstock

By: James Wheeler 

I am an amateur photographer, but I make around $500 in revenue from my photos each month. Photography is a hobby for me, but it can be an expensive hobby at times. This money pays for photography software, computer hardware, and lenses, so the hobby I love doesn’t cost a dime. This article will discuss how I did this with microstock, and provide tips on how you can do the same.

Making your first buck

In 2010, I wanted to improve my photography so I purchased an entry-level DSLR and started to actively study how to become a better photographer, mainly from resources on the internet. As I tried different techniques, compositions, and camera settings, I posted my photos to sites like Flickr, Facebook, and 500px. In the beginning, I didn’t get very many views or likes but still enjoyed posting and learning from other photographer’s photos on those sites.
After shooting, learning, and posting for two and a half years, a design company saw a photo of mine on Flickr and asked if they could purchase a commercial license. I did a couple of quick searches about licensing and pricing on the internet, then sold my first commercial license for $75. This is the first photo I ever licensed.

Pay for your hobby

Before this first sale, I hadn’t considered selling licenses to my photos. However, I had gotten to the point where I wanted to upgrade my entry level DSLR and lenses to a full frame system but couldn’t justify the cost for my hobby. However, I could justify the cost to myself (and my wife) if the money for the upgrade came from licensing my existing photos.

Microstock

So, I started researching photo licensing and learned about microstock sites. These sites are websites that act as an intermediary between buyers of photo licenses and photographers. They are called “micro” because they typically sell photo licenses for less than where professional photographers have historically set their prices.
As a result, there is a lot of negative information about microstock sites on the Internet. Despite this negative information I decided to try posting my photos on Shutterstock, one of the most popular microstock sites. At the time, I had only made one sale ever so I felt that getting a small payment for each sale was better than no payment at all.
The first month I made less than $10 with 55 photos accepted by Shutterstock. However, I kept uploading my photos when I had time. A monthly later I had 100 photos on the site. In my third month, I checked my stats one morning and found I made $56 dollars from selling extended licenses from these two photos.

A work in progress – keep at it

This was a bit of beginner’s luck because after that I didn’t have a day with more than $50 in sales for many more months. But it kept me motivated to continue uploading my photos to Shutterstock and even upload to multiple other microstock sites as well.
I also started uploading my better photos to art-on-demand sites like Fine Art America. These sites allow you to upload your photos, set a price, and create a storefront for anyone to purchase prints of your photos. When someone purchases the art, these sites handle the payment, printing, and shipping of the photo and send you money from the sale.
Lastly, I upgraded my photo blog to sell licenses directly from my website. Despite the fact that my photos are available on all the popular microstock sites, stock photo buyers continue to see my photos on social media and purchase licenses directly from my website.

Realistic numbers – don’t expect to get rich

Two years after my first photo license sale, my monthly revenue from photos was about $500 a month. This $500 is an average, with my biggest month was $1400, while some months have been lower. Now that my photos have been posted, they can continue to get sales indefinitely. In 2016, I did not have much time for photography and only posted eight photos over the course of the year. However, I still averaged $460 a month in revenue from the photos I had posted in previous years.
These revenue numbers are for all the photos I have posted online. I only post my best photos from each day out shooting. My current online portfolio of all my photos is around 700 total. Microstock sites don’t accept all of my images, so on some of the sites, I only have 300 photos accepted and up for sale there. Doing the math, my photos earn less than $1 a month on average (per photo). And in reality, it is even less because I have one photo that has earned over $4000 over the years, while others have gotten no sales.

However, I am fine with this because I take the photos I want to take and then post to stock sites to see if they sell. Photography is still a hobby and the pleasure it gives me comes first, making money is secondary. Often, the photos I like best are not the best sellers on microstock sites. For example, I prefer the photo of me and my shadow below because I really enjoyed making it, but the snapshot I took of a split trail while on a hike, sells much better.

What sites work best

Although I have posted a portion of my collection to over 20 sites over the years, all of these sites can be categorized into one of two types; microstock and art-on-demand. 75% of my photography revenue has come from microstock sites, while only 8% came from art-on-demand sites. The remaining 17% is through direct sales from my photography website.
I have tried a number of art-on-demand sites over the years but currently only post to Fine Art America because it is the only site where my images consistently sell. I have also tried many microstock sites. Typically, if I hear of a new one, I will upload 100 of my best photos to begin. If I start to get sales, then I will upload the rest of my collection. Here are my top five microstock sites based on earnings. I currently only post to these five sites as I have found the other ones aren’t worth the time it takes to post the photos.

• Shutterstock
• 500px
• Fotolia / Adobe Stock
• 123RF
• Big Stock Photo (Owned by Shutterstock)

Last tips for you

If you are an amateur photographer who wants to make additional revenue from photo licenses, here are the steps you can take:

• Post your photos to social sites. My favorite is 500px, but I have also started posting to Instagram, and I still post to Flickr, which was my favorite a couple of years ago.
• Setup your own photography blog. My blog does not get as many photo views as my social sites, but all my social sites link back to my photo blog. It makes it easy for potential buyers to purchase licences if they see them on social media. I used Squarespace for my blog because it was easy to set up in one day.
• Upload photos to Shutterstock. Most microstock photographers who post their revenue on the web list Shutterstock as a top earner. So it is likely that if your photos will sell, they will sell on Shutterstock more than other sites, making it a good place to start.
• Upload photos to other stock sites. Once you see some success on Shutterstock then go ahead and post your top photos to other microstock sites.

It has been seven years since I decided to take photography seriously and I have improved a lot over the years. However, I still have a lot to learn, but these days the software, courses, and gear that help me make photos are all paid for by revenue from the sale of photo licenses, rather than out of the family budget from my day job.

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Tools for Doing In-Person Photography Sales to Boost Your Income Stream

by: Jackie Lamas  

It seems now many clients only want digital files, however, there are still photographers doing in-person photography sales and making more from their art than the shoot and burn photographer. You don’t need a lot to get started with in-person photography sales. You can add products, samples, and such as your sales increase. Learn the tips you need to get started by reading below!

Photo: John Schnobrich

What are in-person photography sales?

In-person photography sales are where you set an appointment with your clients to give them a personalized viewing of their photos and conduct a sales meeting with them at the same time.
You can set the date for the in-person photography sales appointment before the actual session or when the photos are ready to view. It all depends on how you handle and schedule your calendar.

Photo: Annie Spratt

An in-person photography sales appointment is for photographers who wish to sell products like prints, frames, and other specialty items. These have a set profit margin so you can make the most out of a portrait session or wedding.

Why have in-person photography sales to begin with?

When a photographer gives away their photos in digital format, the client is allowed to print outside of the photographer’s studio, resulting in a loss in money for the photographer. With in-person sales, you are able to offer your clients their most valuable photos of their family, or event, and get top-quality products in return.

You can use a gallery mock-up like this to sell wall galleries, frames, or other products during the 

in-person photography sales appointment. It helps your clients visualize the final product.

In-person photography sales give your clients more personalized attention. It also allows them to get their photos off digital format and onto their walls.
Giving your clients this personalized attention will also make your clients feel taken care of in the most intimate way. This rounds out the whole portrait photography experience. You’ll have them come to you next time they need that personal experience again.

What do you need to get started with in-person photography sales?

To begin with, you need an action plan. You’ll need to determine how you’ll be conducting the sales appointment. Choose a location with minimal distraction and noise, so that you can tailor your sales appointment to have the atmosphere you want. It can be a shared space, a rented location, or even in your home or the client’s home.

Photo: Brooke Cagle

You’ll also need some sort of device to showcase the photos from the session. This can be a laptop, iPad/tablet, or even a screen projector to showcase the photos large. If you have a studio space, you can choose a room or location inside that has a TV or computer to show their images.

Sign up with a professional lab

Next, you’ll need to make a catalog of the products you’ll be offering. Make sure to use a top photographic lab and not your friendly neighborhood Costco. While there’s nothing wrong with Costco for personal printing, they are not a professional lab with professional printers and top quality control.

WHCC offers a program you can use on your iPad called Studio to create mockups of products your 

clients want to buy.

White House Custom Color, Bay Photo Lab, Black River Imaging are a few of the leading professional photography labs, among many, many more. Find one that you like best and give them a try. All of them offer a variety of products ranging from loose prints to specialty items like tree ornaments, bookmarks, and even mugs with photos on them.
After you figure out what products you want to sell to your clients, figure out the pricing. Factor in shipping and the cost of the product. Only then can you determine how much of a profit margin you want. Depending on your market, you might be at a 40% profit margin or perhaps more.

A digital catalog can help you showcase your products and pricing to clients without having to order 

samples. Some labs offer free product guides without branding or prices.

If you have capital, get samples of the products that you think will be top sells, and loose prints in various sizes. If you’ll be offering to frame, get the sample corners.
Each photographer has their own set of top sellers. With time, you can accumulate samples of those products. However, if you don’t have money to invest in samples, create a sales catalog in Illustrator or Photoshop. That way, your clients can see the products.

Having sample albums in smaller sizes can help your clients visualize the final product.

WHCC has a site without any branding that you can use to get your clients excited about products. Many professional labs also offer samples at a discount so that you can afford some of the products to help you sell.

Payments

Sign up with a merchant account of some sort so that you can take credit card and debit card payments. You can get a card reader with some services like Square and PayPal to make processing credit cards and debit cards much easier. These also allow you to email receipts to your client.

Photo: Thomas Drouault

Some gallery services like Instaproofs offer merchant services and invoicing to photographers right from the gallery. They can also provide direct printing straight from the gallery.
Figure out what works for you and which service offers a better plan for you. It’s really helpful when more and more people use these types of services.

To recap, you’ll need the following:

1. Figure out your plan. Where will you have the in-person photography sales appointments?
2. Sign up with a professional photography lab.
3. Figure out the products and pricing you’ll be selling.
4. Invest in samples or create a catalog of products to show clients.
5. Get a merchant account, Square, or PayPal for payments with cards.
6. Stick to your plan!

What are the benefits of having in-person photography sales?

The benefits are many in that you are giving your clients something that they won’t get anywhere else – your personalized attention throughout the whole photographic experience.

By having an in-person photography sales appointment with your clients, you are showing them their beautiful portraits via slideshow or even just in the gallery one by one. You are helping them choose their favorites, and setting them up with products that they’ll treasure for many years to come.
When you hand over digitals via an online gallery, you are missing out on the emotion behind the whole experience. They download, print, and buy somewhere else – leaving you with a loss.

Showing your clients what their photos can look like in their home is also a good way to sell products.

Even if you offer digital products, having an in-person photography sales appointment with clients is the best way to show them that you not only take great photographs but care about your clients. It shows then that you are there with your knowledge and expertise to find the right product, photo, and gift to make their photos stand out.
In-person sales appointments are a great way to end the whole experience and create a deeper bond with your clients that an online gallery or digital photos never will.

What if my clients can’t meet or live out of town?

Although it’s better to be physically face-to-face with your clients, sometimes you can’t, and that’s okay. Luckily, there are other ways to hold an in-person photography sales appointment.

Even digital mockups of products can help you sell more to your clients. Show them on your laptop 

or tablet after you show your clients their gallery.

If they can’t meet with you in person, offer a video chat style of sales appointment that best fits into their busy schedule. It’s understandable that clients can get busy with their families, life, work, and travel, however, make it a point to have some type of face-to-face appointment with them.
Use Skype so that you can share your screen with them and show them the slideshow of photos you’ve prepared. You’ll see their reactions and emotions to the beautiful photos and can then begin the process of selling your products.

On the left is a catalog unbranded from a professional lab. On the right is a digital mockup of various 

products using my own photos.

Make sure to send your product guide/catalog to them before the meeting so that they are aware of what type of products you offer and at what price points they begin.

Make the most out of in-person photography sales appointments

If you offer digitals with your packages, don’t make them readily available to your clients before your sales appointment. Chances are, they’ll walk away with the digitals and forget to make or go to the appointment since they’ve gotten their digitals.
It’s best to schedule the sales appointment before you have the actual session. That way, you can set a time and day that works best for everyone ahead of time. Families especially need careful planning so that they can attend the sales meeting.

Photo: S O C I A L . C U T

Set the tone for the in-person photography sales appointment. Even if you don’t have physical products yet, bring copies of your catalog. Perhaps offer drinks or snacks during the appointment and have the slide show and gallery ready to view. Make sure there is no need for an internet connection in all of your prep, just in case you meet at a place that doesn’t have wifi.
Give your clients an incentive for purchasing their photos. You could offer a gift print with purchases over a certain amount. Or if it’s part of your business plan, include a digital print of the photos that they get in prints or products so that they can keep that as well.

Photo: Brooke Cagle

Offer a payment plan to your clients. Put their credit card on file with a payment date so that you can automatically charge their cards when the payment is due. This allows them to have the products that they want most. Sometimes, payment plans can increase your sales because they offer more flexibility to your clients.
Set about two minutes worth of favorite images to music and create a slideshow. After, have your order form, catalog or samples, and begin showing the rest of the gallery to your clients. This creates excitement around seeing the rest of the images.

Having an in-person photography sales appointment doesn’t mean you have to have a studio or even samples.  You can get started right away with a catalog of products and prices. You can use a rented or shared space, or even have the in-person sales appointment in your clients’ home or via video chat.

Photo: John Schnobrich

Either way, giving your clients this personal and handheld experience to get the most out of their photos will mean more income for you and wall portraits for them. This makes the whole photographic experience more meaningful!
Do you make in-person photography sales? What tips can you offer other photographers? Share in the comments!

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Beginners Tips for Night Sky and Star Photography

A Post By: Phillip Van Nostrand

Star Photography

My favorite type of personal photography is taking night shots of the stars (long exposure pictures). I am often busy shooting pictures of people at weddings, or apartments, or models, and it’s important for me to make sure I take pictures for fun regularly. Taking pictures for no one other than myself is highly rewarding, soul filling, and fun! I also love taking travel photos and HDR photos, in this article we will take a close look at exactly how you can take your own epic star photographs.

30 seconds at f/2.8, ISO 1250

What you need to take jaw-dropping pictures of stars

To take your star pictures, you only need three things:

1. a full-frame camera (for better ISO capabilities)
2. a fisheye lens (for the widest view of the sky)
3. a tripod (for stability during 15 second photos)

(Note: You can do this with a cropped sensor camera, without a tripod, and without a fisheye lens. It will just be a little harder and slightly less jaw-dropping)

25 seconds at f/2.8, ISO 1600

Camera settings

You can nail this shot almost every time with these settings:  25 second exposure, f/2.8, ISO 1600
If your lens doesn’t open up to f/2.8 you can try 30 seconds at f/4 with ISO 1600.
Note: this kind of photography won’t work if there is a full moon out (or even a half moon). Don’t compete with large light sources, the stars will be over powered. The best location for star photography is way out in nature, away from city lights that cause “light pollution.”

13.0 seconds at f/2.8, ISO 1600

Why to use these settings

The most important component of these settings is the 25 second exposure. An exposure longer than about 25 seconds will start to show star trails. Photographing star trails is a legitimate type of photographyon its own, but not the type of photography you are trying to do here. Since you are limited to about 15-25 seconds max shutter speed, you still need to let in more light. The largest aperture you can find on a fisheye lens is f/2.8, and still your picture might not be quite bright enough to look stunning. So this is where the ISO comes into play. On a full-frame camera like the 5D Mark III or the Nikon D800 you can bump the ISO up to around 2000 without seeing much noise. You’ll learn how to reduce noise in Lightroom in the next section for a super clean photo.

Editing in Lightroom

I do extensive retouching in Lightroom after I take my photos. I’ll usually boost the exposure up by a stop or more and I’ll use Noise Reduction under the Detail section to reduce any unwanted “noise” (those pesky extra white, red or blue pixels that show up when you push the ISO too high). Here is a standard star photo of mine and the Lightroom settings I used to create it:

25 seconds at f/2.8, ISO 1600

Here are the Lightroom settings I used to edit the above photo:

1) You can see in the first panel that I bumped the whites up to +46 and brought the blacks down to -52. I really wanted to emphasize the stars against the dark sky and this is a good way to do that. Pushing the clarity up to +55 also helps define the stars against the sky, making them nice and crispy. I boosted the saturation to bring out any colors that are in the sky.
2) In the second panel you can see that I sharpened up the image a bit, also to emphasize the stars. At the same time, I brought up the noise reduction to 33 to smooth out some of the noise that might show up, and I brought up the color to 25 for the same reasons.

Pro tips

Here is where you can have fun with the editing. Play around with the split toning sliders to make the colors in your sky appear magical. In the photo above you can see a little bit of turquoise in the lower part of the sky, and that comes from boosting that color in the Shadows of the Split Toning slider here:

You can also affect the color of the sky by playing around with the temperature and hue sliders to get some pretty magnificent looking star photos. Take a look at this one photo rendered three different ways:

Another pro tip that you may have noticed in all of the photo examples I gave here is this – shoot your stars in context. It really tells a great story to see a silhouette of a pine tree or a house in the background, and it shows the magnitude of the scene when you have an object in the foreground to compare to the stars.

Lastly, make sure you know which direction the Milky Way is. You can use an app like Sky Map to see exactly what stars are in the sky above you.
Have fun shooting, and please share your pictures below!


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Hands-on: Tamron's new 24mm and 35mm Di III OSD M1:2 are featherweight options for Sony shooters

Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2

Tamron just announced a trio of featherweight full-frame lenses for Sony E-mount, each of which weighs less than eight ounces and offers a 1:2 macro capability. The new Di III OSD M1:2 range of F2.8 primes are highly portable options for Sony shooters, which sacrifice lens brightness for impressive compactness and light weight.
We're still waiting to see results from these new lenses, but we had the chance to check them out in person at last week's Photo Plus Expo in New York.

Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2

The 20mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 will be coming in the new year, and a working sample wasn't available to use at the show but it's physically and cosmetically extremely similar to the 24mm, shown here. The 24mm F2.8 Di OSD M1:2 weighs in at 7.6 oz (215g) and measures 2.5in in length. That's compared to 7.8 oz for the 20mm, and in fact all three of these new lenses are essentially the same size, not including their hoods.

Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2

All three of the new primes feature 'front element focusing' which basically means that when the lenses rack from their nearest to furthest points, the front element moves within the lens, and the size of the lens does not change.
The 'OSD' (Optimized Motor Smart Drive) focus motors provide silent automatic focus, although on the a7III which we used, there is some noticeable 'wobble' as the lens finds its mark. This could be a pre-production issue (and it could be related to the horrible tradeshow light) but we'll reserve judgement until we receive final shipping samples.
This photo shows off the shallow petal-style hood of the 24mm F2.8, and the 67mm filter thread, which is common to all three lenses.

Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2

If you didn't get the message yet, these are tiny lenses, and so light that when mounted onto an a7R II, they feel like they're hardly even there. Some photographers will always lust after brighter, more 'professional' options but for everyday shooting, assuming the image quality holds up, we anticipate these primes being very appealing to casual Sony a7-series shooters.

Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2

The 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 looks almost identical to the 24mm, and in fact shares a similar optical design, of nine elements in eight groups (compared to ten elements in nine groups, for the 20mm and 24mm). These contain LD (Low Dispersion) and GM (glass-molded aspherical) lens elements and BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection) Coating, to reduce flare and ghosting.

Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2

The 35mm doesn't need such a wide hood, and ships with a rather attractive 'snoot' style hood which serves to protect the front element not only from stray light, but also from accidental scratches and scuffs.

Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2

The hood is removable, at which point the 35mm F2.8 is near-impossible to distinguish from the 20mm and 24mm. The fact that all three lenses weigh almost the same, measure almost the same in length, and use the same 67mm filter thread could lead to confusion when groping around in a dark camera bag, but we suspect that their combined weight of less than 1.5 lb (about 680g) will more than make up for the inconvenience, for a lot of photographers.
All three of Tamron's new Di III OSD M1:2 lenses will ship for $349, with the 24mm and 35mm (featured in this article) shipping next month, and the 20mm coming in early 2020.

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30 Fantastic Links From The World Of Photography

By Toad Hollow Photography 

Join us as we explore some of the latest news and photographs being produced and shared online by the global photography community with this weeks list of links from Toad Hollow Photography. In this post, we find a hand-selected list of tutorials, special features and great photography with features and images here for enthusiasts of all genres. We really hope you enjoy checking out these links as much as the Toad did in bringing them to you.

Tutorials

5 Tips That Will Take Your Fall Photography To A New Level – fall is definitely upon us here in the northern hemisphere, so this article that talks about how to get the most out of the time-of-year with photography is quite timely. Each of the points covered in this great article is accompanied by great examples, showing you how to take full advantage of the season in the short time it presents itself.

Diana Parkhouse

Shooting Professional Ink-in-Water Product Photos on a Budget – compositing watches and ink that naturally flows in a water environment can create stunning product photos that are totally unique. This tutorial takes you through every step of the process, and once you realize how simple the setup, shoot and post-production is, you’ll be heading out to collect the required items to try this yourself.
5 Tips for Composing Landscape Photos with Depth, Scale & Unity for More Powerful Images – the team at Shutterbug delivers a great article and video tutorial that shows us how to apply 5 easy to follow tips that help to create stunning landscape shots. Sample shots are included to wonderfully illustrate the points discussed, making for a must-read article for those who love to shoot this genre.

Janko Ferlic

High Key Photography: What Is It and How to Get Started – the concept of high or low key photography is a broad topic that actually covers quite a bit of ground from an image perspective. This terrific article talks about high key photography and its origins and goes into great depth on how to achieve this specific look through careful planning and execution.
Photography Cheat Sheet: The Right Shutter Speed for Every Situation – the exposure triangle is something key all photographers really need to understand to ensure that you are getting great exposures every time. This brief article shares a pictograph that gives you some basic insight into how to control shutter speed to achieve a desired photographic outcome. Small sample shots are included to help you visualize the concept.

Celine Martin

The Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Wacom Tablet for Photo Editing – many photographers are embracing tablets as a powerful tool for post-processing photos. This video takes you through the entire process of setting up and configuring the Wacom tablet for maximum benefit and reveals a few tips and tricks from the video host that are sure to help you get the most from this gear.
6 Effective Tips for Gorgeous Flower Photography – many of us love to shoot close-up and macro, focusing on some of the finer things that can be found in nature. This post covers flowers specifically and includes some beautiful sample shots.

LHC Coutinho

A 10-Minute Guide to Getting Started in Astrophotography – the entire spectrum of night photography of stars is covered in this brief 10-minute video tutorial from one of the leaders in the field today. This video is full of tips that go far beyond the typical gear list, taking you deep into the night skies as you capture stunning images of the universe we find ourselves in.
Photography Cheat Sheet: Shooting Long Exposures of Night City Scenes – this great article includes a sheet that you can print and bring with you as you are out in the city shooting long exposure shots. The various tips included in this post are all sure-fire methods that will always deliver the very best long exposure shots in a thriving city possible.

Special Features

Seven Photographers Who Are Rewriting Street Photography's Rigid Rules – there are countless ways to express yourself as a street photographer, and in many ways, this particular genre has been one of the types of photography that has lived under stringent rules. Check out this article that highlights the work of several photographers who are breaking the typical boundaries, with terrific work to show for it.

Alain Audet

Nikon Small World contest reveals unseen microscopic world all around us – sometimes a deeper understanding of how our world works can be found by taking a very close look at the microscopic building blocks of everything around us. Photography is a fantastic medium for this, allowing anyone with an interest to see things that are usually only witnessed by scientists and technicians working actively in a specific field. This post features a stunning collection of microscopic creatures and elements in terrific detail.
9 Ways You Can Create Better Black and White Photography– the very best black-and-white shots are not typically color shots that have been converted with a filter in post-production, rather they are preconceived outcomes of careful planning and consideration. This video tutorial takes us through some key steps that you can utilize in your work to start seeing in this particular medium, allowing you to take full control of what is captured and exhibited.

Mordilla Net

Photographer Turns Symphony Hall into the World’s Largest Darkroom – talk about creative! Check out this story that covers how a photographer turned an entire hall into a huge darkroom where he developed a terrific tintype portrait in front of a live audience. The resulting image is great and well worth the time to read this short article.
IET photo competition winners show the diversity of the engineering and tech industries – this is a very interesting collection of photographs coming from all corners of the world and expressing all sorts of types and themes of photography. Some of the shots included in this set are absolutely stunning, making it well worth the time to spend a few moments perusing the featured images here.

Great Photography

Bannack State Park Montana ~ A Real Wild West Story – this is really a great photo-story that depicts a ghost town in the United States that holds a very interesting history. A.D.Wheeler Photography brings us this feature story and accompanies it with wonderful shots of the wooden buildings and some vignettes of the location, showcasing rich textures and years of weather and wear that bring out a deep sense of questioning and artistic tension.

Enrique Lopez Garre

Coastline sunset – David Dai delivers a picture-perfect shot of the Portland Lighthouse as dusk approaches with incredible colors in the sky highlighting the overall romance of the location. The red colors found in the lighthouse itself find great harmony with the widely captured landscape around it and the dynamic sky that lingers overhead.
Coquille Point – Bandon, Oregon – Len Saltiel shares a great shot of the Oregon coast that includes a wood viewing structure that looks out over the grasses that line the shore out to the ocean where incredible natural rock formations stand for countless centuries as silent sentinels. A thin mist from the rolling ocean covers the landscape, adding a terrific ethereal feel to this amazing spot.

congerdesign

Sunset above the lake – it really is hard to beat the joy a great sunburst can add to a strong landscape composition. Peter Zajfrid shares a great rendition of this classic by sharing a vista that overlooks a beautiful lake and rolling hills in the distance.
Old Town Malaga – Edith Levy takes us into the heart of what is described as one of the oldest city on earth where she shares a stunning night shot that features the city’s architecture along with people milling about and enjoying the evening. Edith finishes off this great shot by highlighting incredible clarity in the details which does a great job of drawing your eye into the frame.

Capri23auto

A dream come true – the incredible vantages offered by drones is truly second to none as we see here in this stunning elevated shot of Le Mont-Saint-Michel in France. Luca Micheli captures this scene as the tides are out, revealing the amazing structure and it’s scale against a backdrop that has incredible depth.
Southern Elephant Seal – Ron Niebrugge delivers a pair of terrific portraits of the Southern Elephant Seal in their natural habitat. The first shot is a great one that showcases the hilarious personality of this creature who really appears to be hamming it up for the camera, and the second shot is a great portrait.

Alexas Fotos

Staircase… – perfect lines frame an amazing architectural design that is full of ornate details and beautiful finishing touches in this photograph by Herbert A. Franke. A slightly cinematic approach was used to process this shot, giving a bit of a vintage look that is highly sympathetic to the subject.
La Última Estancia – this shot comes to us from O. R.G. who captures this picture in a crypt with incredible natural light streaming in through architecturally fascinating window openings into a cold, lifeless place. The photographer includes some prolific prose with this shot that adds texture to the image with a strong sense of the darkness the image portrays.

Peggy Choucair

Silhouette – Necdet Yasar shares a powerful shot from Turkey that is processed as a black-and-white to bring out the silhouettes and industrial details of the scene. The sharp contrasts explored in this shot shows us how engaging silhouettes can be in terms of creating an emotional response when viewing great images.
i’m fine, how are you? – I love how Diane Schuller intertwines some rather poignant thoughts with her terrific photography. This post makes us all think a little about how we respond to the question posed in the article’s title, peppered with some really terrific knitting-themed vignette shots that are great in their expression through a shallow depth-of-focus.

Peter H

~Dubai Moments ~ – David Gomes captures this cityscape shot in the wee hours of the morning, just as the sky is emerging from the night adding great color to the overall scene. The shot is processed to bring out the neon colors of the contemporary architecture of the city, and the lines created by the bridge in the right part of the frame add a strong leading line.
Downy Woodpecker – Wayne Beauregard shares a delightful close-up portrait of this woodpecker as it sits on the side of its tree awaiting another turn at the seed feeder. Wayne’s shot features some great details in the bird's plumage, creating a well-defined portrait of these rather beautiful little birds.

Thomas B

Cruise Ship in front of Iceberg in Antarctica – the incredible icebergs found in Antarctica are juxtaposed by a cruise ship that sits in front of them, adding a perfect element of scale to the shot. This shot from Jason Row was shot and processed with perfect exposure, ensuring all the texture and detail in this largely white environment is visible.
Double Orange on Orange, Minnesota – a pair of beautiful butterflies play with a vibrant orange colored flower in this great shot from Mark Paulson. Mark uses a very shallow depth-of-focus with this shot to really help these tiny insects pop right out of the frame and come to life on our screens.

Enrique Lopez Garre

Kiso valley – Daniel Kordan takes our eye down a cobblestone path in Japan that is flanked by the beautiful homes and buildings that are distinctly architected for the region. In the distance we see a valley lead out, with layers of rolling hills that create a great sense of depth to the landscape beyond the inhabited area.

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