Pins and Needles by RyanDyar

It took me a few minutes to figure out exactly what the hell kept falling on my head while I was shooting this day. Turned out to be nesting birds on the cliff behind me dropping rocks on me in protest to my presence... sounds a lot like my lovelife prior to meeting the gal I was lucky enough to marry a couple weeks ago. Anyways, I'm gearing up for some more arctic travel here in a few weeks with my good friend Arild Heitmann. We also have another trip next March that is filling fast! I'm willing to bet these trips to the Arctic will be even more productive than our last. I can't wait! Also, I just released a new post-processing instructional video a few days back. It's packed with some unique techniques and theories about processing you may not find anywhere else. People seem to really be enjoying the videos and have had nothing but great things to say, so I *think* they are helping people... it's been awesome to see the many before/after shots people have been emailing me. Be sure to check the videos out if you are into that sort of thing. It's all on my website, as well as more photos, photo tour info, processing instruction via Skype like everyone else is doing, etc, etc. 2015 Tour Schedule Lofoten Autumn Aurora - With Arild Heitmann Northern Lights Finale - With Arild Heitmann Processing Tutorial Videos Processing Instruction via Skype via 500px http://bit.ly/1UGGIcw

Whirlpools of the dreamy sea by anballs

Beautiful seascape on Phuket island, Thailand via 500px http://bit.ly/1NcK8TJ

Huge Waves (little people) by stewartwatsonnz

If you like this photo I’d love for you to check out more of my photos here: http://bit.ly/1Fs5Blh I have several different pages on my site including landscapes, night photography, Black and whites…..  via 500px http://bit.ly/1Fs5Cpn

For Jeff by fzaidi

If landscape photography has taught us anything it is the ephemeral nature of the fleeting beauty that we all try to capture in our own unique way. Catching the right moment is considered to be one of the primary objectives of any passionate photographer. The moment passes but its essence always burns a footprint in the memory of the observer and with some skill and creative expression the photographer can share that memory with the rest of the community in the form of a photograph. The analogy of life and people you meet is similar. Lives eventually end and people eventually leave but the lasting impression some of them make in your memory and in your life is what survives everything else. Jeff Swanson was one such fleeting moment in the life of many photographers as nature took him away from all of us at such an early age. I was not lucky enough to meet him in person but hearing about him from my photographer friends and viewing his work, I realize how special and talented he was in his skill to capture those transient moments. We as a photographic community are at a loss today because we do not have him around us but he must have felt proud had he known how he was able to bring together a community of photographers from different places and backgrounds for a cause. We can all play our part in paying tribute to his work by visiting jeffitandbethere.com. All funds raised by the sale of Jeff's prints will contribute to the donation in his name to the Melanoma Research Foundation. via 500px http://bit.ly/1JtR9uE

FOR JEFF by LukeAustin

For those that knew Jeff Swanson either personally or online knows he always brought joy and laughter to all of us. He was unfortunately taken too soon by Melanoma about a year ago, but his images live on and if you happen to enjoy his images please do purchase one of his prints. All proceeds from his website will go to the Melanoma Research Foundation. PLEASE SUPPORT: http://bit.ly/1hqNtlP http://bit.ly/1Esn55O via 500px http://bit.ly/1JIyYVH

For Jeff by frank_delargy

FOR JEFF In memory of Jeff Swanson. I never met him or conversed with him. Never actually knew of him but what others here are doing makes a lot of sense to me. Raising awareness of artists and of good causes will always matter. You can view Jeff's images at jeffitandbethere.com - the profit from any print sales goes toward the Melanoma Research Foundation. They also accept straight donations. ....... Beach house - redo. 2 sec exposure.. just enough to catch the trails of the surf as it leaves the beach. An almost full moon and a solitary light by the beach house provided the illumination. As turtle nesting season in Florida has just started, all (or most) of the street lights along the coast roads are turned off or should be dimmed or sheltered from the beach.This one may have belonged to the private residence. f/2.8 ISO 1600, 16mm . Sony a7r with Canon 16-35mm lens. It's a night image so it really looks best in black (click on image or press H) . Thanks! Frank via 500px http://bit.ly/1JtR9ej

FOR JEFF by Arild_Heitmann

In memory of fellow photographer, Jeff Swanson. To honor Jeff, consider making a donation to the Melanoma Research Foundation via 500px http://bit.ly/1MZbdcZ

Zephyr by TedGore

One of the experiences I desired to have while in Patagonia was the hurricane force winds of Torre Del Paine, and they obliged in full force while I was there. On this particular morning, it was third day of high winds that I had experienced, and I spent the prior two days just trying to figure out how to manage shooting a photograph in them. I woke to unfavorable skies at the front end of several days of rain that was coming into the area, and despite it not looking great, I went anyway because I knew this was probably my last chance as the winds where forecast to die down that day. I have no way of telling how hard the wind was actually blowing, but forecasts were suggesting that the gusts were somewhere in the vicinity of 80mph! It is unreal, and easily the most exciting time I’ve spent shooting photography so far… on par with shooting the lava ocean entry on the Hawaiian islands. I have no way to describe the feeling, so I found a video on youtube that demonstrates the experience pretty well. WATCH THIS, and then imagine being in the water, behind a camera, trying to take pictures. Yeah. Just insanity. So despite the seemingly unfavorable skies, there was just enough of a break that allowed the rising sun to power through a bit as the clouds of lake mist, picked up off the surface of the lake and rocketed across the landscape from the high winds. There were points where all I could do was brace myself, and my tripod, lean into the gust and wait for it pass, hopefully getting a few shots off in the meantime. I have another image from the same morning that focuses more on the chaos of wind and waves. I liked the leading lines formed by the wind blown, ocean like waves on the turquoise waters of Lago Nordenskjold. On my hike back, while cresting over a small hill where the winds where particularly strong, a gust began to pick up small pebbles and pelt my backside with them. All I could do was lay down and use my pack as a shield until the gust passed. Just craziness, and such an awesome experience. via 500px http://bit.ly/1VUzvsD

Window in Time by MAPhoto

Eleven years ago I made an image in Seal Rocks State Park, Oregon, which in many ways ended up shaping my future transition from purely a wilderness photography enthusiast to a full-time global landscape photography professional, and that image was of this place you see here. I exposed one and a half rolls of Velvia 50 film with my Canon EOS 3 at ¼ second apiece using a polarizing filter and 2-step soft grad. One of those fifty shots, without Photoshop, went on to win the highest honor in the Environmental Photo Invitational, one of the day’s biggest contests, and through that avenue I was able to meet Art Wolfe and later exhibit a dozen prints at his gallery in Seattle. More than the exposure though, this 26 year-old decided that maybe this pursuit of photography could lead to more than just winning a contest. And eleven years later here we are. So it is interesting, the relationship with the art of photography this place has for me. I have been back here many times over many years and through those years the art has changed so much! How we capture images has changed, the way we process and blend now, even the look and feel that is most desirable or popular has changed. My own style has evolved with it because I am always embracing new ways of seeing, I am always trying new things. What would that 2004 image look like if it were taken today? Well, today I made one that looks like this. For one thing, time and repeated visits to the location have resulted in a lot of variations in the light and skies that I have photographed. More than that, the finite control over every tiny speck of color, contrast, exposure, etc. is more than any photographer in any past era could have dreamed and to suggest otherwise is nonsense. The addition of blending, shaping, perspective control, etc. has opened the door to fully customizable renderings of the action, with the artist in the driver’s seat and their imagination and artistic ability the only limitations. The addition of painting, literally painting, the atmosphere, diffusion, glow, light, mist, whatever….. sometimes it feels like there are no boundaries now if you have a good eye in the filed and a knowledge for how to use the tools later. But somehow, in all of this seemingly limitless freedom we enjoy in this age of photography, I feel the art is harder in many ways as well. Any of us at the highest level know it is not about relying on software to do anything for you, and that the fundamentals of good composition and exposure always remain truly integral to success. But our final composition may be about visualizing many shots or perspectives or techniques in the field and knowing, while we are on the scene, how we might blend and create and fulfill our vision in post-production. In a way, that is the ‘performance’ in this age. Today there are more photographers than ever before in history and more sharing of photography. From a technical aspect, everyone has tools these days to take the type of good photos that used to require professionals who were intimately in tune with their cameras. But to stand out from a crowd artistically often takes a special ability to visualize the many steps of a far more complex artistic process. All this is not to diminish great photographs of the past, but rather say simply that I view this age as one filled with more possibilities than ever before. There have always been great images that will stand the test of time, but we now have more control than ever in the direction we take the art. On the rare occasion I return to a location to photograph it many times over many years it gets me thinking about this transition I have made, and we have all made. I never re-process my old photos anymore. I like that I have been doing this long enough at a time that has seen more change than any in the history of the art, and that my pictures will be representative of that. I like that I still have film shots on my website and images that could of course be brought up to a more modern vision, but why? Isn’t art about capturing a moment in history, a feeling or a place in time as well? So right now, this is what we have. I caught a great moment of light at Seal Rocks, made a blend of 3 shots for wave action (albeit 80% of it was 1 exposure) and I spent about 2 hours in post production on the rest, fulfilling the vision that I had in the field. via 500px http://bit.ly/1gOipwz

Display by timchadwickphotography

West Coast, South Africa via 500px http://bit.ly/1IBoHu8

Sugar-coated by DylanFox

Sugarloaf Rock is a very often photographed location in Australia's south-west corner. I have been many times before, however went on this particular evening with the intent of capturing something truly unique... You can see that result in a previous upload. This was still a new composition for me but I made this photograph after the previous just to take full advantage of the awesome skies! The light didn't last long but it went off! These clouds drifted over from behind me with perfect timing! Made for a very fun evening and made the 3 hour drive home a little more bearable... via 500px http://bit.ly/1IFuIXy

Arctic Shooting by Arild_Heitmann

Winter photography in Lofoten, Norway. If you want the chance to explore Arctic Norway and Lofoten in particular please check out www.lofotentours.com for phototours/workshops + additional information, itineraries and more pictures. Tourguides are Arild Heitmann and yours truly. Sign up to our Mailing list - Facebook - Google+ - Instagram via 500px http://bit.ly/1Jcrgk3

Angry Ocean by jasminez66

via 500px http://bit.ly/1ObjhYq

The Event Horizon by jaychong

** view on black please ** Another masterful burn prediction from legendary weatherman Jeff Lewis. Actually what he said was, "it's going to be a very short burn". Short it was, as it lasted only a few minutes but did it every blow up the sky for me. It was difficult to get a steady shot as it was high tide and I had no rock foreground so I had to stand in stand and get pounded by waist high waves. I had to time to click the shutter with the least amount of vibration caused by the tide flowing out. I usually like the lines produced by outgoing tide water than incoming. Personal taste is all. Since its high tide, the volume of water pulling out and flowing in was tremendous and I had to make sure I was well planted or i'd topple over. I went for a darker style processing to really accentuate the color. Techy Stuff: 3 exposure blend. 1 for the sky, 2 for the water. 1 Blended 2 tide shots mins apart. #escaype #sunsetforecasting #sunset #bayarea #burn via 500px http://bit.ly/1yMGrZK