I took this photo in Death Valley one evening. The bush is red and mysterious because of a bit or light-painting with my headlamp. My neck got a bit tired from multiple tries. That glow around it? I don’t really know… maybe a bit of the dust from the desert caught the red light. Either way, I like how everything looks all funky and Zen. Even in the middle of the night, it was still over 95 degrees with a hot wind blasting into my camera and face.

Death Valley, California

The Milky Way over the Burning Bush

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-08-25 03:30:14
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time30
• Aperture2.8
• ISO1600
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

I traveled to Iceland four times and never saw the Aurora. It was not until I moved to New Zealand when the conditions were finally right for the ion storm to hit.

Papatowai, New Zealand
TreyRatcliff.com

Australis

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-07-15 11:46:04
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time30
• Aperture2.8
• ISO1600
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

I had on two layers, which kept out most of the cold. Actually, now that I think about it, the weather was perfect. My body was quite warm and bordering on too-warm, but my face was open to the ice-cold air, which kept everything perfect.

This spot is about a four-hour drive from my home. The edge of New Zealand is filled with fjords and drama, carved by the quirky Slartibartfast. Not only is it surreal here, but it feels like the edge of the earth and that humans are not supposed to be walking along its shore. There is every kind of earth and water here.

Milford Sound, New Zealand
TreyRatcliff.com

Water in Four Forms

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-02-09 22:15:47
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/10
• Aperture11
• ISO160
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1

This is a mysterious place!

This magical place is deep in Death Valley and virtually inaccessible. These massive rocks move across the desert pan, carving trails of time behind them. Countless theories exist about what causes this phenomenon. I stayed here all night, and this was taken just after midnight as the moon rose to make new shadows. I thought the moon might give some clues, but it did not. I lay on the hard pavement near the rock to see if I could sense movement. After half an hour, not only did I see no movement, but I also felt quite redonkulous.

I was completely nude while taking this photo. That has nothing to do with the photo, but I thought you might like to know.

California, USA
TreyRatcliff.com

the rock moved so slowly that I did not notice

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-08-26 01:20:33
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time15
• Aperture4
• ISO1600
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

Here’s one from way back in the archives. Maybe even my first full HDR tutorial… certainly one of the early ones. A shot from the Caribbean.

Looking Back

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-05-10 19:45:57
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1
• Aperture22
• ISO100
• Focal Length20.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

Don’t think I’ve shared this image before… in fact I think photos from Cleveland may be one of my rarest categories. So, either way, it’s worth a (re-)share… this is the stunning Severance Hall.

Rare Cleveland

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-03-29 12:19:27
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time2
• Aperture13
• ISO100
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

Dug this one out of the archives when working on a soon to be announced project… looking forward to sharing. For now, this is Lake Wakatipu in gold…

Liquid Gold

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-06-13 02:39:20
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1
• Aperture5.6
• ISO100
• Focal Length135.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

Down here in the Southern Hemisphere our Aurora is the Australis rather than Borealis. Different name, same awesome. Here’s a little glimpse of it one night down at the tip of the South Island in Invercargill.

The Aurora Australis

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-07-15 11:42:17
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time30
• Aperture2.8
• ISO1600
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

How’s this for a unique reception area? Well done Sydney Customs House, well done!

Underfloor City

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-01-09 16:30:50
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/4
• Aperture8
• ISO200
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1

Sometimes when out exploring in NZ it seems like the landscape might go on forever. Here’s one such scene. Speaking of going on forever, my friend Rene recently walked from the top of the South Island to the bottom. I guess that proves it doesn’t really go on forever… either way, quite an achievement by him!

Endless NZ

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-02-10 11:25:14
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/25
• Aperture16
• ISO200
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+1