NIKON D300, Nikon 12-24, HDR in Photomatix
For the weekend I wanted to post one more shot from Krause Springs. I’d call this “Fall in Texas”. I was setting up my tripod along the little brook and noticed the sun breaking through the trees as it was setting. I snapped away hoping to get a sun flare effect…and I got lucky! Its great to see that trees in Texas (at least some) do change color in the fall! Enjoy fall where you are…winter is coming soon!
NIKON D300, Nikon 18-200 VR, HDR in Photomatix
We have been enjoying driving around Austin recently seeing the sights. Its amazing how many great little spots there are here in our area! Here is another cute spot called Krause Springs. It is a local natural swimming and camping location. I took this shot with my tripod and cable release – 5 exposures and post processed in Photomatix. It was my first visit and we only spent about an hour there. I need to go back and explore. I bet there are much more beautiful spots to see here! I have a few cool HDR shots from here…so I will post em soon!
Here is a quick note fro the web: Krause Springs is a well-known camping & swimming site located in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas. It is located in Spicewood, Texas approximately 30 miles west of Austin. The 115 acre property is listed on the National Registry of Historical Sites and has been privately owned by the Krause Family for over 50 years.
Krause Springs has many natural sites to explore. There are 32 springs on the property, and several feed the manmade pool and the natural pool which flows into Lake Travis. It’s a refreshing treat to swim in the Springs during the hot summers of Texas! If camping is in your plans, there is primitive tent camping as well as 24 RV sites with water and electricity available. Guests are also welcome to relax and to stroll through the Butterfly Gardens; take time to listen to the music of the wind chimes and the fountains during your visit!
This is definitely a place 2 explore! Enjoy!
NIKON D300, NIkon 12-24, HDR in Photomatix
I had never visited a cavern before and the Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown, TX is located about 20 minutes north of Austin. I decided to take a work break yesterday and head up for a few photos. Nature in amazing! These caves were found by mistake years ago (story is below)! I took the Adventure Tour which lasts about 1 hour. I was there early and beat the crowds – I was the only person on tour and had a great guide named Brad. This shot was 5 exposures, tripod and cable release. If you click on the photo and see it larger on my site…you can see a nice natural water pool in the middle of the shot! 98% pure water…good enough to drink! This pool here is actually 2 feet deep! Amazing!
Tripods are usually not allowed due to time constraints and the concern about people tripping over them…but luckily they got me in early enough before other visitors arrived and I had a chance to use my tripod. I told him they were for my blog and said it free advertising for them, so he allowed me to use it. Thanks Brad! My guide was great and pointed out some great shots and even a few bats a foot or so right above our heads hanging upside down as we walked down the paths. Cute small little guys. He said there are about 100 bats inside the cavern. While walking and taking pics I did see a few cruising around. Very cool!
As it is nearly winter, we are getting rain in Texas and any water in the cavern is 98% pure! Good enough to drink! So there are quite a few little pools and water drippings throughout the cavern. I took quite a few HDR’s here. After post processing them…wow…add caves to a great spot to use HDR!!!! The dynamic range inside is perfect! I’ll post another shot from here next week.
Here is some info from the web on how these caves were found: Inner Space Cavern was discovered by a Texas Highway Department core drilling team in the Spring of 1963. While drilling through 40 feet of solid limestone, the bit broke into what is now known as Inner Space Cavern. An adventurous employee of the highway department was lowered into the hole while standing on the drill bit and holding tightly to the stem. He was the first human being to enter INNER SPACE. What an exciting voyage this must have been!
I’ll post more details about this cool spot next week. Whew I am so glad I didn’t see the Geico Cavemen in here!
NIKON D300, Nikon 12-24, HDR in Photomatix
A few weeks back I attended my first car show. There was one in our local town. I enjoyed seeing all of the old cars and trying my best to get some cool shots. It was a little difficult as the buildings around the cars reflected on them…so many shots were just ok. Cars are perfect matches for HDR…but it surely helps when they are in an open field, cool garage, middle of a road, etc.. Just like a photo shoot! So when dealt with such circumstances….taking close up shots is a main choice. So here is a Camaro Z28 Rim in HDR. I took 5 exposures with a tripod and cable release….post processed in Photomatix. The rim was cool and I put it into Silver Efex Pro and the reflections were stronger in B&W. I flipped the rim upside down to get a more eye pleasing circular effect….and this is what I came out with! Hope your day is not “Tire”-ing! Enjoy!
NIKON D300, Nikon 18-200 VR, HDR in Photomatix
Here is a nice neck bender HDR for you! When in downtown Toronto…look up and you will see the CN Tower. I have posted details on this tall tower…it is fun to take the elevator up to see wonderful views of Toronto. They even have a glass floor on the viewing deck!
Here is some info of the observation area: The main level is seven stories, some of which are open to the public. Below the public areas — at 338 metres (1,108.9 ft) — is a large white donut-shaped radome containing the structure’s microwave receivers. The glass floorand outdoor observation deck are at 342 metres (1,122.0 ft). The glass floor has an area of 24 square metres (258 sq ft) and can withstand a pressure of 4,100 kilopascals (595 psi). The floor’s thermal glass units are 64 millimetres (2.5 in) thick, consisting of a pane of 25-millimetre (1.0 in) laminated glass, 25 millimetres (1.0 in) airspace and a pane of 13-millimetre (0.5 in) laminated glass. Some people experience acrophobia when standing on the glass floor and looking down at the ground 342 metres (1,122.0 ft) below. In 2008, one elevator was upgraded to add a glass floor panel, believed to have the highest vertical rise of any elevator equipped with this feature. The Horizons Cafe and the lookout level are at 346 metres (1,135.2 ft). The 360 Restaurant, a revolving restaurant that completes a full rotation once every 72 minutes, is at 351 metres (1,151.6 ft). When the tower first opened, it also featured a disco named Sparkles, billed as the highest disco and dance floor in the world.
Hope your day is looking up!! Enjoy!
If you are taking photos and plan to ever sell these pictures or are currently selling photos, then you are a business! The Best Business Practices for Photographers – John Harrington. This book can be found here on Amazon.
I purchased this book a few months back. As you may have read on my previous posts, my plan is to continue always taking landscape and travel photos for as long as I am a photographer…but my future is in portrait photography when I retire from my current job. Future plans are to have studio and office for Talke Photography. I am always reading and learning everyday. For anyone that plans to use photography as a business…this book is wonderful!!!!!
This fantastic book (500+ pages) offers such in depth info on all aspects of business for photographers….its is a must buy! Some great chapters; 1) You are a Business! 2) Setting Your Photographer Fees 3) Accounting 4) Contracts 5) Protecting Your Work…etc… It covers it all! To me its a textbook on photography as a business! On Amazon its about $20! A great deal for such fantastic information! I give this book a 10 out of 10! John Harrington has it covered!
NIKON D300, Nikon 18-200 VR, HDR in Photomatix
In London at certain times (check the schedule before your visit) you can catch the “Changing of the Guard”. I was in London in the summer and they were preparing for this change the next day. I had to leave that next day, so I could not witness it, but I imagine it is full of pomp and circumstance! I walked down the parade route from Buckingham’s Palace to Trafalgar’s Square…it was lined with British flags and barriers for the crowds. Near Trafalgar is a seating area for the honored guests and these are the seats in which they sit and enjoy the festivities.
I set up my tripod and took 5 exposures with my cable release. All seats were red, I sometimes enjoy selective coloring and thought stadium style seating is perfect for this! I highlighted a seat and post processed in Silver Efex Pro for the black and white conversion. Not sure how much these seats cost…but I’m sure a pretty pound!
Here is some info from the web: The Changing of the Guard takes place in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at around 11am. The St. James’ Palace detachment of the Queen’s Guard, led usually by the Corps of Drums, and bearing the Colour (if the Queen is in residence, then this will be the Queen’s Colour; if she is not, then it is the Regimental Colour), marches along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, where the Buckingham Palace detachment has formed up to await their arrival. These two detachments are the Old Guard. Meanwhile the New Guard is forming up and are awaiting inspection by the Adjutant on the parade square at Wellington Barracks. The Band, having been inspected by the Adjutant, forms a circle to play music whilst the New Guard is inspected. The Guard provides a full Military Band consisting of no fewer than 35 musicians (usually, though not always, from one of the Guards regiments) accompanied by their Director of Music. When the New Guard is formed up, led by the Band, it marches across into the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. Once there, the New Guard advances towards the Old Guard in slow time and halts. The Old Guard presents arms, followed by the New Guard presenting arms. The Captains of the Guards march towards each other for the handing over of the Palace keys. The new reliefs are marched to the guardrooms of Buckingham Palace and St James’ Palace where new sentries are posted.
During any given month, as many as five different units can be assigned to the Queen’s Guard. The guard is changed daily at both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle from April to July. From August to March, the guard is changed at both sites on alternate days. Further information on up to date schedules and much more on the ceremony is available from www.changing-the-guard.com
Have a royal day!
NIKON D300, Nikon 12-24, HDR in Photomatix
Here is an HDR of Hamilton Pool with a nice view of the water fall. With a tripod and a cable release, I took 5 exposures of the waterfall. Set at f/22 – the certain exposures were longer due to the smaller aperature and this caused the nice fluid water motion effect. No filters or special settings were used. If you are ever in Austin, please stop by for an hour to see this spot….as you can tell it is beautiful!!! $8 per car to enter the park….and just a 5 minute hike to the pool. Bring some hiking shoes as it is very rocky!
Here is some info from the web: A unique natural area surrounds this pool, collapsed grotto and canyon, formed by thousands of years of water erosion. Lush plant communities, a variety of wildlife species and natural shelter attracted the area’s first inhabitants. Cultural remains date back over 8,000 years.
Prior to the 1800s, Tonkawa and Lipan Apaches lived in the area. In the mid 1860s, Morgan C. Hamilton owned the property now known as Hamilton Pool Preserve. His brother, Andrew Jake Hamilton (the 10th governor of Texas), evidently visited this beautiful grotto while he was governor. In the 1880s, the Reimers, an immigrant family from Germany, bought the property to raise sheep and cattle. Legend has it that their eight-year-old son discovered the collapsed grotto.
Although ranchers might have considered the grotto a safety hazard for their livestock, the Reimers soon realized its value as a recreational area and opened the property for public use. Around the turn of the century, only a handful of people had the transportation to come out and enjoy the cool, serene surroundings. By the 1960s, and on into the 1980s, Hamilton Pool’s popularity had soared, as visitors packed the legendary swimming hole. The land suffered from sheer numbers and few restrictions.
In addition to impact from the visiting public, cattle, sheep and goats grazed the delicate ecosystem for several decades, resulting in changes to the native vegetation. In 1980, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department cited Hamilton Pool as the most significant natural area in rural Travis County. In 1985, Travis County purchased 232 acres from the Reimers family and implemented an aggressive land management plan to restore Hamilton Pool. Now, as Hamilton Pool Preserve, the lush fern-canopied cliffs are making a comeback, as are the rolling hills and meadows of the uplands.
NIKON D70S (Modified by LifePixel), Nikon 12-24, Silver Efex Pro
About 25 minutes from our house in Austin is a wonderful place called Hamilton Pool Preserve. Here you can hike, picnic and during the summer swim right here by this waterfall! I have never been swimming here, but my little one wants to try it this upcoming year! This was taken a few weeks ago and the water might be a bit too chilly for an afternoon swim! I had both my IR camera and D300 with me. I’ll post more details on Hamilton Pool tomorrow…I have a nice waterfall shot in HDR! Enjoy!
We are planning an Austin Holiday Photowalk on Dec 13th! Roughly 4-7 PM. We will meet downtown. There should be some great X-Mas lights to photograph. Email me if interested. We will set up a firm time and meeting place in the next few weeks! ptalke@talkephotography.com See you then! Pete
