Santa Fe, NM – Infrared (High Key)

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)

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!

Albuquerque, NM – Infrared

I haven’t posted an infrared shot in a bit and realized today when looking for a pics to process, that I have only shot IR 3 times in 2012! I live in SoCal…now time to get out more often in IR! Always interesting how your ebs and flows go in photography!

Socorro, NM – VLA (Very Large Arrays)

If anyone has ever seen the movie “Contact” you can remember seeing these VLA’s! Some info from the VLA web site…

The Very Large Array, one of the world’s premier astronomical radio observatories, consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin fifty miles west of Socorro, New Mexico. Each antenna is 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter. The data from the antennas is combined electronically to give the resolution of an antenna 36km (22 miles) across, with the sensitivity of a dish 130 meters (422 feet) in diameter.

It was one cool location I always wanted to see. The drive is about 126 miles from Albuquerque – one way! A very dry looking drive and you go thru some small & poor towns. When you arrive to the VLA’s…they are easy to spot in the distance as you drive in. There is a welcome center where you can watch some videos and a shop to buy some collectibles. Here you can buy a pass for the guided tour. I was solo this day and went it alone. They have walkways to follow and one takes you directly right below a VLA! Quite a sight to see!! Workers in trucks were very friendly and always asked if I had any questions. So very nice! I stayed for about an hour taking lots of shots. Unfortunately, you are not able to walk all over…just certain locations…but enough to get great photos!

Albuquerque, NM – Japanese Garden

From the Albuquerque, NM near downtown you can find the Botanic Garden right near the Rio Grande. It is ok..but has a few nice spots. Perfect for IR. This is a shot from the Japanese Garden. The shot above is from my new upgraded Photoshop CS6. CS6 now includes a filter called “Oil Paint”. In previous versions you had to download this as a plug in and it was called “Pixel Bender”. It is one cool filter! Great for trees and flowers! This is the standard shot…

White Sands, NM – Infrared

One of the coolest spots in the US is White Sands in New Mexico. For those that have been there…it is other worldly. White dunes in the middle of nowhere. Kinda cool and kinda strange! With this in mind I add a planet and made the IR shot outta this world! Enjoy!

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: 20.0mm
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/500 sec
Aperture: f/13
Gear: Hand Held
Post Process: Adobe CS5, onOne Software Photo Tools 2.6, Nik Color Efex pro

Roswell, New Mexico – Street Lamp

We recently drove through the famous Roswell, New Mexico…on our way back from SoCal to Austin. We stopped in just to grab a bite to eat at McDonalds and walked the Main Street just to grab a few shots, then we were on our way. I had seen these street lamps in a pic before and had to take one. Now do I believe we are not alone in this universe…yes. Do I believe aliens are visiting us and fly over our skies…hmmm, not sure. Did a UFO crash in 1947 in Roswell? Looks like a job for Mulder and Scully to prove or disprove. But this small town is cute and I must admit to loving the alien stuff all over. It gives Roswell character. I stopped and even bought a few knick knacks. I have 3 small bendable aliens on my desk right now! And in our fridge…a 4-pack of Alien Amber Ale! I’ll take a pic of it soon. Here are a few pics for now….will put up a few more in the future. Just streets shots for fun! I heard Aliens love Arby’s!!

White Sands, New Mexico

One super cool place 2 explore is White Sands in New Mexico.  This past December we took a drive to Taos from Austin and on the way back I wanted to stop by and check this place out. I am glad we did!  It is about 45 minutes from Route 25. A boring drive, but out of the blue you start to see this white sand appear.  Enter in the park and you can see lots of small pull off areas to explore the dunes!    Start climbing and cool views are all around!!  Get back in your car and throughout the park you can see people riding plastic sleds down the dunes.  I saw a couple people take a digger…its not snow..but takes a little experience to get it just right.   The only downfall of this visit was that as soon as we got home from the trip…I had to spend about an hour vacuuming the tons of sand in the car!!  =))  If you ever get a chance…a must visit!!

Taos, New Mexio – Marriott Hotel (HDR)

On our little getaway weekend in December…we visited Taos to go skiing. My first time ever to ski…I was excited and did well!!  We stayed 2 nights and decided to stay at the lovely El Monte Sagrado (Marriott) in downtown Taos.  What a beautiful place to stay!!    We had booked a standard room…which was excellent!  But as I walked around the hotel..I can see some people checking into their rooms…I gazed inside and was amazed!!!  If you have the extra cash..I saw some super cool rooms!!  I checked the site and they call them Casita’s.  Wow!  Decorated in Southwest style and designed perfectly!  There are only 84 rooms..so check online if visiting.

It had snowed the day before and we built some snowmen out in this courtyard.  The view above was taken the next day from the courtyard.  I loved the little stream traveling through the hotel grounds.  Gotta love hotels like this.  I don’t make hotel HDR’s often…but this Marriott was deserving!  I would surely stay here again anytime!   We caught a shuttle to the mountains for skiing and had a blast!

Talke Photography Settings:

• amera:  Nikon D300
• Lens: Nikon 12-24 f/4.0
• Setting: Aperture  Mode
• Focal Length: 24.0 mm
• ISO: 200
• Exposure:  HDR 5 exposures (+2 to -2)
• Aperture:  f/11
• Gear:  Tripod
• Post Process: Adobe CS5, HDR Efex Pro, Viveza, Photo Tools 2.6

Taos, New Mexico – Pixel Bender Infrared

From the plains of Taos, New Mexico…here is an Infrared photo with the Pixel Bender effect put on it!  Hope you can try this cool free plug-in from Adobe!  CS5 is needed.  Not sure if you can use CS4.  You may have to be a techie to figure that one out.  It creates this neat painterly look.  Can’t beat a free plug in!!!   Check it out here….Pixel Bender

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: 35.0mm
• ISO: 200
• Exposure:  1/180 sec
• Aperture:  f/13
• Gear:  Tripod
• Post Process: Adobe CS5, Silver Efex Pro, onOne Software Photo Tools 2.6, Viveza, Pixel Bender