Printing 101 eBook

Printing 101! If you are printing-curious, and I know many of you are, here is a great eBook from Ron Martinsen.  From emails and other communications, I know many of you are interested in learning more about how to make your own prints at home.  This eBook is incredibly approachable and thorough.  Enjoy!

Daily Photo – Brian Rose in the Holodeck

When I was in Venice, I visited the beautiful new Google offices there.  It’s where most of the photos team is based.

We had a fun little giveaway where I invited a winner to join me for the day at Google.  The winner was Cam Meadows, so he joined me and Tom Anderson on a grand tour around the offices.  Along the way, our host, Brian Rose, led us to the Google Holodeck.

It’s fully integrated into the latest version of Google Earth, and you can zoom and fly around anywhere in the world.  I grabbed the controls to zoom into San Francisco then asked him to smile while I grabbed a quick photo!

Filed under the categories: California, LA, Nikon D3X, Travel

Newsletter – See what it looks like!

Sign up here for free.  That page also has a nice sample so you can check it out

Fabien’s 2012 Calendars

My good friend (and designer of our Website) Fabien Barral has made some unique letterpress calenders for 2012.  He only has a few left and has put them on sale.  He asked me to pass this along to you!

I create a special coupon for you, if readers enter the stuckincustoms code, they will have a reduction of 7€… If you need pictures, you can found some at http://www.letterpress-calendar.com/presse/

Daily Photo – Orange Queenstown Sunset

I had a late night of decadent chocolate at a great local haunt there in Queenstown.  I ended up staying later than I expected because of said decadence.  This meant I arrived back over to my rental house in Kelvin Heights as the sun was finishing its descent.  I ran down to the beach just in time to see this light.  There was a mild panic, but it was pre-soothed by the chocolate.

Filed under the categories: New Zealand, Nikon D3X, Queenstown, Travel

Trey’s Variety Hour #23:  Wearable Cameras of the Future

Daniel Suarez (author of Daemon) joins me, Leo Laporte, Kevin Kelly, and Gordon Laing to talk about Augmented Reality, Drone Swarms, Cameras and Art in the Future, and much much more.

Facebook Subscribe and the New Timeline

My Facebook page has been getting more and more subscribers lately, so if I was unable to friend you because I hit the 5K limit, this Subscribe option will work out well for you.  I also activated the new Timeline, but I notice not everyone has yet.  Have you done it?  I think it is kinda cool, even though I know there are a few FB-haters out there.

Daily Photo – The Old Market

I have another Disneyworld trip coming up, and I was reminded of this place.  This is Epcot, one of the best spots for photography at sunset and into the evening.

This area makes me long to go to some of these places for real.  It’s all so wonderfully fake around Disney, but that is nice in its own way.  I have several more places in the Middle East to visit, and I hope to make that happen over the next few years.  Before I actually decide on a place and land on the shores of Tripoli, I’ll be sure to blog about it!

Filed under the categories: Disney World, Florida, Nikon D3X, Orlando, Travel

Patrick Rothfuss Blogpost

We had a fun hangout last week… here’s a blurb from Pat’s Blog about the experience, which you might enjoy.

Weekly Live Show!

Here’s a little reminder…  and info on how to get the Podcast…

• Time:  7 PM PT
• Location:  Live.TWIT.tv

Daily Photo - Sailing Away to Akaroa

Thanks again for all the recommendations!  So many of you recommended that we visit Akaroa on our visit to New Zealand, and it was a great suggestion.

You can walk along and see most of the commercial part and the harbor in less than an hour.  One end is a long dock where they launch a few ships per day.  Just as I got out to the end, this sailboat was pulling away from the dock.

This photo came from a single RAW file.  There was way too much movement to let me do a multiple exposure in this one.

Filed under the categories: Akaroa, New Zealand, Nikon D3X, Travel

Los Angeles PhotoWalk soon with me and Tom Anderson!

• Time/Date: Sunday Feb 26th starting at 4:30PM – Arrive early to shake hands!
• Location: We’ll meet in Santa Monica at the base of the pier. You can’t miss the mob-o-photographers!
• RSVP here on Google Schemer
• Not yet on Google Schemer and want a free invite?  Just click this invite link: goo.gl/RoxQg

The event is open to all skill levels.  Even bring your mobile phone camera!  And it’s also a family-friendly event, so feel free to bring your kids.  See you soon!

Daily Photo – The River Wild

This is one of the rivers in Argentina that was uncrossable.

I really wanted to get to the other side because I knew there were some angles.  I hiked up and down both sides trying to see if there was some way to make it happen, but it was just impossible.  Oh well!  It was a pretty walk if nothing else…

Filed under the categories: Argentina, Nikon D3X, Patagonia, Travel

New eBook!  10 Photoshop Skills Everyone Should Know

Get it here now.  A new one!  I wrote this one for “Beginners and Beyond” because I know how intimidating Photoshop can be to people.   It’s full of all kinds of useful stuff to make you more successful (and have more fun!) in Photoshop.  Enjoy!

Daily Photo – Colorful Cambodia

Many of my Cambodia photos ended up going in more of the monochromatic direction.  I like the black & white look + sepia treatments.  They make it all seem sort of timeless and nice.  But when I was processing this one, I decided to have the sunrise colors shine through.

I remember at this point in the morning, my lens was finally fog-free.  This was a hard lesson to learn, but now I no longer go from AC environments to muggy outdoors in the same way.  If I have to go through this situation, I normally keep my camera inside a big ziplock baggie, which ends up getting most of the condensation when I go back outside.

Filed under the categories: Nikon D3X, Travel

Podcast Update!

Our show this coming Monday night will have Daniel Suarez (author of Daemon), Leo Laporte, Gordon Laing, and maybe Kevin Kelly will join us too.  We’re talking about “Wearable Cameras of the Distant Future.”

I hope you enjoy the show!  Don’t forget to tell your friends

• Option 1: Subscribe in for free in iTunes: http://goo.gl/ZAKd8.
• Option 2:  It’s not in “podcast” form, but you can subscribe to My YouTube channel.
• Option 3:  There are other subscription options avail on the TWIT page at http://twit.tv/tvh

And thanks very much… every time you download, we go up in the rankings.  Here’s a screenshot of the visual arts category — so thanks again!

Daily Photo – Old Car in Argentina

On one of the final nights in Argentina, I went out to an older area near the town which had recently been flooded.  There were many abandoned cars, homes, and other lost things falling apart here and there.  It made for a fun series of short hiked from one little abandoned thing to the next.

Filed under the categories: Argentina, El Chalten, Nikon D3X, Travel

Renting a House in the Caribbean

I’m looking to rent a house for my family for a few weeks in April.   Any suggestions?

Daily Photo – Boat in Feng Huang

It was a cool and calm afternoon in the ancient and impossible town of Feng Huang. It’s an old town, wreathed in many legends.

On the old river, you can occasionally see a boat passing here and there. The boatmen come in all shapes and sizes, but many wear the same hat and style. It is absolutely like a warp of time…

Filed under the categories: China, Feng Huang, Nikon D3X, Travel

G+ PhotoWalk in Austin during SXSW! Join me!

It’s that time again!  This year is going to be huge… mega huge!

All skill levels are invited – bring your whole family… it’s great fun for all.

• RSVP on Google Schemer: http://goo.gl/LkaKO
• Secret Google Schemer Invite link: goo.gl/RoxQg <– shhhhhh!
• Date: Saturday, March 10 at 2 PM.
• Location: The hidden G+ lot (TBA!) Note: SXSW badge NOT required
• No SXSW badge required!

We’ll have great prizes and more… stay tuned!

Daily Photo – The Endless Night Streets of Tokyo

The streets are like this all night long.  So, how can you possibly go back to the hotel room?  There’s never a good breaking point.  It is very very hard on my body here, actually, because I usually go back at the point of sheer exhaustion or hunger-breakdown.  The last thing I am thinking about is eating or sleeping… but then, once I give in to my body, that’s ALL I can think about.

Filed under the categories: Austin, Nikon D3X, Texas, Travel

Trey’s Variety Hour #22: Patrick Rothfuss – The Name of the Hangout

Don’t forget you can subscribe for free in iTunes: http://goo.gl/ZAKd8 (or other options at http://twit.tv/tvh) if you want to get these first, or have them available later on your computer, iPhone, or iPad.

This show was a very special one for me (sounds like a very special episode of Blossom, when she gets a visit from Aunt Flo), but you’ll probably detect this while watching. During the first bit, we talked about art, sharing, the human condition, and unexpected benefits of creating art in a vacuum. In the second bit when Veronica Belmont joined, we started going off on all sorts of fantasy tangents. This may or may not have included dipping our wicks into Vaginal Fantasies.

Want to know what book of his to get first? Just get “The Name of the Wind” (Amazon or Audible) and thank me later!

Daily Photo – The Gentle Rays

On my first evening in Yosemite, the sun did some amazing things. There as a big group of Google+ people converging on Yosemite, but I arrived a day early for a little “me” time. Nature must have felt my mojo because it all conspired to create some interesting results as the rays tumbled across the valley floor.

Filed under the categories: California, Nikon D3X, Travel, Yosemite

New Show – Subscribe Now

The podcast of the latest show should come out today.  You’ll get it first if you are subscribed at http://twit.tv/tvh or iTunes Link: goo.gl/ZAKd8.  And tell your friends!

This most recent show was a little bit different…  a conversation with another artist outside of the realm of photography that is very influential to me.

Daily Photo - Old London From Above

It’s a long walk to the top of St. Paul’s.  And by long walk, I should throw in that there are a lot of stairs.  But, after you finally arrive, you’re greeted by a wonderful view of the city.  As long as you don’t have too much of an issue with heights, you’ll be in for a treat.

Even though I saw all sorts of stuff while I was up there, I enjoyed working on this photo too.  I was able to zoom into 100% and look at all the details and little buildings/bridges/shops once again.  It reminded me of walking around many of them at ground level.

Filed under the categories: London, Nikon D3X, Travel, UK

Featured on Google TV and Android Market!

Our Android App (Photo Voyages of Trey Ratcliff) is now featured — very exciting.  And, even better if you don’t want to pay, there is a Free version that with a nice collection of about 50 photos or so.   It works great on your Android and your Google TV!  And yes, it even works on the new color Kindle, once you enable it to run other apps.

Daily Photo – Home in the Hillside

Is it okay if I do two Iceland photos in a row?  I hope so, because I’m very excited about this one too.

Some of these places you can’t see from the road.  If you walk over one hill and down another, you can find these wonderful little places tucked away in hillsides.  Even though it’s all fallen apart, it’s still charming… sort of a fixer-upper!

Filed under the categories: Iceland, Isafjordur, Nikon D3X, Travel