Category Archives: Black & White

Orlando, FL – Epcot (HDR)

Epcot HDR 06SW_Talke
From the lovely Epcot in Orlando, Florida…here is Spaceship Earth in HDR. If you ever wanted to learn more about this structure…here are some details from the web…

Geometrically, Spaceship Earth is a derivative of a pentakis dodecahedron. It is a Class 2 Frequency 16 Icosahedron, with each of the 60 isosceles triangle faces divided into 16 smaller triangles (with a bit of fudging to make it rounder). Each of those 960 flat panels is sub-divided into four triangles, each of which is divided into three isosceles triangles to form each point. In theory, there are 11,520 total isosceles triangles forming 3840 points. In reality, some of those triangles are partially or fully nonexistent due to supports and doors; there are actually only 11,324 silvered facets, with 954 partial or full flat triangular panels.

The appearance of being a monolithic sphere is an architectural goal that was achieved through a structural trick. Spaceship Earth is in fact two structural domes. Six legs are supported on pile groups that are driven up to 160 feet into Central Florida’s soft earth. Those legs support a steel box-shaped ring at the sphere’s perimeter, at about 30 degrees south latitude in earth-terms. The upper structural dome sits on this ring. A grid of trusses inside the ring supports two helical structures of the ride and show system. Below the ring, a second dome is hung from the bottom, completing the spherical shape. The ring and trusses form a table-like structure which separates the upper dome from the lower. Supported by and about three feet off of the structural domes is a cladding sphere to which the shiny Alucobond panels and drainage system are mounted.

The cladding was designed so that when it rains, no water pours off the sides onto the ground. All water is collected through one-inch gaps in the facets into a gutter system, and finally channeled into the World Showcase Lagoon.

Santa Fe, NM – Infrared (High Key)

Sante-Fe-NM-IR--Talke
As a photographer…we take lots o pics! I enjoy creating art with my photos….I am sure most of you do as well. I had this shot which I processed before, but we all know that if you process a shot one day and do it the next…it can be completely different. That is the fun of post processing!

I always love high key fashion shots…to me they look cool. I have yet to pull one off…one day! So second best would be to try a high key landscape shot! Thought this one might work? Here is my first high key Infrared photo! Kinda cool? Added a frame to keep the different processing flow going!

HDR-U:
Now I want to try something I have yet to do…I will take an HDR I processed years ago…2009-2010 range and re-process it now with all the new software/technology…then compare the 2!! I’m just thinking of this idea as I type! So lets call it HDR-U (High Dynamic Range – Update)?

Look for it later this week! Maybe we can get other photogs to try an HDR-U themselves? Go for it and let me know how it goes!!

Albuquerque, NM – Rio Grande Botanic Garden (IR)

Albuquerque Infrared 01
Just on the outskirts of Albuquerque you can find the Rio Grande Botanic Garden. It is a wonderful place to visit while in Albuquerque. Here you can find and Aquarium, the botanical garden, and a zoo. They now call it a BioPark. It brings back memories of a movie I liked called Bio Dome! Yes, I admit to enjoying that flick! Have fun!

Innsbruck, Austria – Infrared


From the picturesque city of Innsbruck, Austria. I woke up early this day and took a few pictures from my hotel room before leaving for the day. Innsbruck is a lovely city surrounded by beautiful mountains. Flying in is like a dream and walking around the city is amazing. Best time of the year is spring when there still remains snow on the mountain tops while it is lovely down below.

Talke Photography Settings:

Camera: Nikon D70S (Converted to Infrared)
Infrared Conversion: D70S modified by LifePixel
Lens: Nikon 18-200 f/3.6-5.6
Setting: Aperture Mode
Focal Length: 70.0 mm
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/180 second
Aperture: f/11
Gear: Tripod
Post Process: Adobe CS5, onOne Software Photo Tools 2.6, Nik Silver Efex pro

Yosemite National Park


One of my favorite places in the US…Yosemite. I would enjoy taking a vacation there for a week in the future just to explore the whole park! The day before a 10 inch snowfall arrived at the park. There is a lodge in the middle of the park…expensive, but how awesome would that be to stay there and wake up everyday knowing that this amazing place is right at your footsteps! Anyone ever stayed in the park? I’d love to hear your stories!

Austin, Texas – Frost Tower


We were downtown eating dinner this past Friday nite and while walking I had my handy and light Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 lens attached to my camera and for some reason my eyes are always drawn to this great building while downtown. The shape, color, lights = all good! I was about 3 blocks away and looking up…hand held…I grabbed this shot…zoomed in! We have been in Austin for 4 years now and I am really enjoying the many super cool photo locations it has to offer. I find new places all the time or the more I see an old spot, I try to photograph it differently. Enjoy!

Talke Photography Settings:
Lens: Nikon 70-200 f/2.8
Setting: Aperture Mode
Focal Length: 140.0 mm
ISO: 1600
Exposure: 1/125 second
Aperture: f/3.2
Gear: Tripod
Post Process: Adobe CS5, Silver Efex Pro, OnOne Software Photo Tools 2.6

Vienna, Austria – Opera House (HDR)


One of the best places 2 explore in Vienna is the Ringstrasse…here you can find some fantastic architecture and amazing sights! The cool thing about Vienna is that it is a small city and you can walk the Ringstrasse in a few hours! I had a free Saturday here and went out a few times to see as much as possible. When it was getting dark, my goal was the opera. Luckily this night there was a big concert at the city hall and they had a major section of the strasse (street) closed down. There was no traffic in front of the Opera House! Sweet! I set up my tripod, dodged a few people and snapped away.

So the battle of black and white vs color rages on…tough to decide when such cool tones arrive when converted to B&W. Today’s post is B&W, Monday will be the color version. I might give the nudge to B&W.

Branchburg, New Jersey – North Branch Train Bridge (HDR)

My hometown is Branchburg, New Jersey.  I was there for 25 years.  It is a very small town and used to be made up mostly of farms.  These days its developed with housing and corporations.  That is the world today!   The one steady constant was that you can catch a train into New York City at the North Branch Station on the NJT (New jersey Transit) via the Raritan Valley Line.  As I grew up here…there were not  a bunch of great spots for photography.  After my morning shoot at the abandoned Diner (post this past week)…I drove over the one lane bridge near the station to see if there were any possible good shots.

Once over the bridge I looked over the the left and saw this cool bridge! Had seen it before? I am sure I have, but it never registered as a photo op!  As the trees surrounding it were still bare from winter…it was a clear view!  I looped back around and parked. Walked about 1/4 mile down the embankment and here was the bridge! A nice calm quiet morning.  It was just me and the geese honking.  Sweet spot for an HDR!   Sometimes taking a drive can lead to treasures!

Talke Photography Settings:

  • Camera:  Nikon D300
  • Lens: Nikon 12-24 f/4.0
  • Setting: Aperture Mode
  • Focal Length: 14.0 mm
  • ISO: 800
  • Exposure:  HDR 7 exposures (+3 to -3)
  • Aperture:  f/18.0
  • Gear:  Tripod
  • Post Process: Adobe CS5, Color Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro,  Photo Tools 2.6, Silver Efex Pro 2