News: 2011 Calendar Giveaway & For Sale!

Nov29

2011 is almost here! It is time for the 2011 Talke Photography Calendar giveaway!!! Just type “Yes” in the comments below and you are entered! I will pick the winner out of a hat on Dec 24th!! Good luck and happy upcoming holidays!!

The calendar is now available for sale!! $34.99 includes shipping and handling (sorry only US customers only). They are made by Apple and the quality is fantastic, thick quality paper and wire binding! Click here to check the entire calendar out and order your copy today! 2011 Calendar

Places 2 Explore News:

Nov27

Hello everyone! I took this past week off for the first time since starting my blog in March of 2009…after 602 posts and now over 600,000 visitors, I have decided to keep Places 2 Explore running..but with one BIG change. Instead of my 6 days a week posting…unfortunately, I am going to switch it to a Saturday (only) post…1 day a week. I have been shooting many portraits recently and even shot a banquet! This has kept me very very busy. My original goal was to start my portrait business one day and one area must suffer…that will be my landscape shots. So I will begin my portrait learning process immediately. After a few shoots, I see I have lots to learn! Please come back and read P2E on every Saturday! Have fun! Thanks for all your visits and comments! Cheers, Pete

Clinton, NJ – Red Mill (HDR)

Nov27

From the lovely little town of Clinton, NJ this shot is of the Red Mill. A famous location to be photographed in New Jersey. You can find this shot in many photos, painting, calendars…all over! I grew up only 20 minutes from here and actually never visited until recently! There is a cute little bridge that overlooks the mill and is great for setting up your shot. Just over the bridge is a little shopping are with restaurants that overlook the river. I was lucky to catch it in fall, but I would enjoy seeing this shot with some snowfall! I bet it would be wonderful! Its cold in Texas these days..hope its not too bad for you in your neck of the woods! Enjoy!

Talke Photography Settings:

Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikon 12-24 F/4
Setting: Aperture Mode
Focal Length: 20.0mm
ISO: 200
Exposure: HDR 5 exposures (+2 to -2)
Aperture: f/22
Gear: Tripod
Post Process: Adobe CS4, HDR Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Viveza

Places 2 Explore on holiday this week!!!

Nov22

I will take my first ever posting vacation this week…be back online on Saturday!!! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Caldwell, Texas – Train Tracks to Nowhere (HDR)

Nov20

A few weeks ago we drove about 5 hours in the middle of Texas to buy a little puppy for my little one. On the way there we took the standard route through Houston following the main roads. On the way back we decided to see a little more of our great state and took an alternate route! It was a pretty drive. Lots of farms and small little Texas towns. As the puppy was young we had to stop in the middle of the drive for a bathroom break. While looking for a location, I saw this bridge next to the road. I put the title above as Caldwell, Texas….but I am not really sure if that is correct. If anyone knows different, please let me know! We were driving on Route 21 back to Austin.

I have always wanted a train track shot…and finally it has arrived! This rusty bridge was perfect for HDR! I always enjoy the low point of view on train track shots…so I set the tripod up only about 1 foot off the ground and snapped away. I have a few more shots from here I will post again one day! Ya gotta love shots that occur just from pulling of the road! Thanks Caldwell, Texas or wherever this may be! I guess if I had geo-tagging on my camera I would know exactly where this was. Oh well! Another gadget to put on the list! Have a great weekend!

Talke Photography Settings:

Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikon 12-24 F/4
Setting: Aperture Mode
Focal Length: 13.0mm
ISO: 200
Exposure: HDR 5 exposures (+2 to -2)
Aperture: f/16
Gear: Tripod
Post Process: Adobe CS4, HDR Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Viveza

Paris, France – Eiffel Tower (HDR)

Nov19

One of the world’s most beautiful places…..overlooking the Eiffel Tower. This shot is a fisheye with a Sepia Tone added to the HDR. I tried to make this shot a bit different. Happy Friday!!

Talke Photography Settings:

Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikon 10.5 Fisheye f/2.8
Setting: Aperture Mode
Focal Length: 10.5 mm
ISO: 200
Exposure: HDR 5 exposures (+2 to -2)
Aperture: f/11
Gear: Tripod
Post Process: Adobe CS4, HDR Efex Pro, Viveza, Silver Efex Pro

Lakeway, Texas – Lake Travis Football – Ready to Rumble!

Nov18

While photographing our local team….the Lake Travis Cavaliers a few weeks back…I grabbed this shot and my thoughts were that LT was ready to rumble this evening! #32 is a guy called Turney Maurer…gotta love his preparation look. He is ready to play! Kudos Turney! This shot was incorporated into the recent cover of our local magazine called the Lakeway Voice….published by Peel, Inc. Thanks for another cover shot Kelly! Great choice! LT has another playoff game tonite! Good luck LT!!

Austin, Texas – Postcard

Nov17

I had a little Photoshop fun over the weekend and always wanted to try this. I took a few of my fav Austin shots and created an Austin Postcard. The background is a texture. Inside the Austin name are a few of my shots. Come visit Austin one day and as they say here…Hook Em Horns!

Boulder, Colorado – Flatirons (Infrared)

Nov16

From one of my favorite states to visit in the US…Colorado….this photo above is from Boulder of the famous Flatirons. Just located a few minutes away from downtown, you can see the Flatirons from many places as they sit a little above the city. I have yet to walk up the trails next to them…one day! But I’d have to have a half day for hiking. It would be amazing to see snow on the cool rocks! I bet they might have snow in CO right now? Tis the season!

Talke Photography Settings:

Camera: Nikon D70S (Converted to Infrared)
Infrared Conversion: D70S modified by LifePixel
Lens: Nikon 18-200 f/3.5-5.6
Setting: Aperture Mode
Focal Length: 36.0mm
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/13 sec
Aperture: f/22
Gear: Tripod
Post Process: Adobe CS4, Viveza, Silver Efex Pro

Cleveland, Ohio – Fountain of Eternal Life (HDR)

Nov15

Cleveland Rocks! I travel to Cleveland a few times a year. Unfortunately, sometimes in winter….it can get cold and snowy!! But in the summer there are a few great places to take photos. I stay downtown at a Marriott and right out in front of the hotel is this cool fountain. I have posted a few photos from my night sessions, but this is the first day time shot. If you are ever in Cleveland it is a five minute walk from the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame from this location. I feel for the Clevelander’s…as a sports fan…LeBron James left this city behind in a bad way. I was shooting this day only a few days after he made the announcement. I talked to a few people while walking around and they were worried about their jobs as the Cavs brought in a lot of business to the downtown area. With Lebron gone, it will affect the whole city. Keep your chin up Cleveland!!