Wow – 4 million followers on Google+!

I still find this hard to believe, but I don’t take it for granted. I know most of you here are also on Google+ — so maybe you saw the TWO special messages and videos I put over there.

Special Message #1 – Christmas Photo How To

If you like the photo below, you can a behind-the-scenes video on Google+.

Special Message #2 – Ethan plays a song from Lord of the Rings

I asked my son to play a special song, and I put it on video… you can see the latest from the little hobbits!

Daily Photo – Christmas Tree in Paris

I visited this place about four times two weeks ago! If you saw the review yesterday, then you will note that I tried out a few lenses on this tree too. I think this one is my favorite of the shots…

This amazing Christmas display is in the Galaries Lafayette. Also, on the first floor, you should go have lunch at Angelina… they have amazing hot chocolate. The roof also has another cafe with amazing views of the city.

Christmas Tree in Paris

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-11-05 18:15:36
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/8
• Aperture8
• ISO100
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

Nikon Fisheye Lens Review

I’ve started putting the framework around a new Nikon Fisheye 16mm Lens Review. I’ve added many sample photos over there so you can take a look at the results of my experimentation and thoughts thus far…

Daily Photo – The Mysterious Places of Paris

Isn’t this room amazing? It’s not in the main part of the Paris Opera House, but it had the most ornate and Inception-esque room I’ve seen in a while. I took this photo while in the middle of experimenting with the Nikon fisheye lens. It seemed to fit the bill for these ornate grand locations that are still in a relatively confined space.

The Mysterious Places of Paris

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-03-18 15:24:46
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time2
• Aperture5.6
• ISO100
• Focal Length16.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1

9.7 Million Minutes Watched on Video! Well this one is kind of crazy. I checked my YouTube stats for the first time ever. I don’t add a lot of videos, but the ones I add are quite long. Anyway, this stat shows almost 10 million minutes of my videos have been watched – that is crazy! I don’t think I’m THAT entertaining on video… honestly… I’m not like, say, Flavor Flav or anything…

What Prints Hang in My Home?

I got this question the other day, so I thought I’d list them out here. I’m always changing them out… but here are some of my favorites, including the new one from Paris below, which I just had printed here in Queenstown at WePrint.

Our Prints page has more details. But you can order the Artist Proof series on metal. Each of those is in a limited quantity of 50, and each one is individually signed by me.

Anyway, here are a few of the prints that I have chosen to hang in my home:

Daily Photo – The Amazing Eiffel Tower in Romantic Paris

I shot this just recently with Tom Anderson. We almost didn’t leave the hotel because it was so stormy, but we had been watching the clouds all day. We started out with Miss Aniela at the Paris Opera before exploring the rest of the city. Sunset comes early here around this time of the year (about 5 PM or so), and it always sneaks up on us.

Some of the best sunsets come right after storms… so it’s always worth a little adventure if you don’t mind getting a little wet…

The Amazing Eiffel Tower in Romantic Paris

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-03-18 00:00:00
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera Make
• Exposure Time1
• Aperture4.5
• ISO200
• Focal Length55.0 mm
• Flash
• Exposure Program
• Exposure Bias

New SmugMug Pricing

There is a new pricing situation at SmugMug! The STUCKINCUSTOMS code still works for it to — and will save you 20% even off the new pricing. Here is the new pricing option lets you print and sell your work!

Here’s a video I did with SmugMug… they sent their video team down to join me in Big Sur…

Daily Photo – The Chateau in Paris

We are all having the most wonderful time exploring the French countryside. I wish everyone could be here with us!

I’m sitting in the class right now, showing people how I make blog entries. They now see it is not as exciting as they may have envisioned.

The Chateau in Paris

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-03-16 18:12:18
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/500
• Aperture8
• ISO100
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1

Ben Willmore’s Amazing Book

Ben is a great teacher, and I highly recommend his eBook, The Fine Art of Painting with Light, over at Flatbooks.com! Here are the bullet points we have listed out over there:

• Over 90 pages of lightpainting info
• 28 real world examples
• Easy-to-understand how-to guide
• Tips on flashlights & other tools
• Guide to image processing
• Photoshop compositing walk-through

Daily Photo – Inside the Conciergerie

The French know how to build a beautiful prison! On the downside, it held up to 1,200 prisoners at a time, which sounds more like a French subway.

They don’t like you using tripods in here. I asked if the punishment was to just leave me in the prison while I take the photos. And then, when I stopped using the tripod, they would let me out of prison. This seemed like a pretty good compromise to me, but they did not find it amusing.

Inside the Conciergerie

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2010-09-17 00:00:00
• CameraNIKON D3X
• Camera Make
• Exposure Time1/10
• Aperture4.8
• ISO800
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• Flash
• Exposure Program
• Exposure Bias

Paris PhotoWalk Approaches!

I look forward to meeting you all at the PhotoWalk in Paris soon! See all the Event Details here. That event is also a great place to share your photos afterwards.

Photomatix Light

We still get new people coming to the website all the time! Many people ask how I get this kind of light in the photos. It’s all thanks to HDR processing. If you use a Mac to edit your photos, you can pick up my Aurora HDR Pro to help get this effect. I worked with Macphun for over a year to build the ultimate HDR software! Check out the full free HDR Tutorial here on the site and have fun! It’s easy…and you’ll have a great time trying it out!

Daily Photo – Windows in Paris – The Saint Chapelle

I wish I could find a good wide-angle lens like this Nikon 14-24 for my Sony NEX-7. I think one is coming out in a month or so… and I’m thinking of trying out the Olympus 7-14mm (Adorama link). The NEX-7 has served me as a good camera while my D800 is getting repaired!

(Edit, I’ve changed my mind and decided to wait on this new lens from Sony)

Windows in Paris – The Saint Chapelle

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2011-07-21 06:28:39
• CameraNIKON D3X
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time0.7
• Aperture4
• ISO250
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+3

This will be a great a event in Paris — join Miss Aniela and me at a French chateau for two amazing days of learning and art! Registration opens soon.

Check the Midnight in Paris page now for all the details, and keep hitting Refresh at the registration time to grab one of the limited spots!

Here’s a little bit of info below. 🙂

Miss Aniela is a fine-art and commercial photographer based in London. Her work has been exhibited internationally in Europe and the US.

“Photography is always my ‘living’ whether I am working on personal or commercial work, because it is creating that keeps me feeling alive. I pour my mind into everything I create, and always aim to push the envelope with consistently compelling imagery with the highest production value I can make possible. In my personal work I want to stir people to question and to think, intelligibly – about the problems, the beauty, and the conflict between them, in the world around us today.” – Miss Aniela

And, well, you guys know me… but here are a few of my Paris photos 🙂

Going Back to Versailles

I’ve been here twice, and I haven’t really had enough time to shoot. I think a few more trips are in order… one problem with Versailles is that it is so big! It takes quite a while to get from one bit of it to another bit.

Daily Photo – Drama at Versailles

This is one of the smaller “guest houses” at Versailles. It was filled with all kinds of art and the sort of ornate furnishings one would expect of French Royalty. Outside, there was a tremendous courtyard and the clouds were quite dramatic, so away I shot 🙂

Drama at Versailles

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2011-07-20 10:45:26
• CameraNIKON D3X
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/125
• Aperture8
• ISO200
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+2

The New Commenting System

Now the new comment system has been there for about a week. What do you think?

I really like it. I think it is cool how you can see other discussions and trail off to read what people are writing on other posts. It’s also been more convenient for me, personally, because i can put in embedded replies on occasion. Anyway, thanks again for all the comments – I read them all! 🙂

Daily Photo – A Night at the Museum

This is one of the final photos I was able to squeeze off before the security guards nabbed me. Arg! I wanted to get so many more… but you know, you know… it’s the same old story.

Anyway, if you ever visit Paris, you absolutely need to make it over here to the museum of natural history. It’s known to the locals, but not to visitors. All the other sites in Paris are great, of course… but if you have a penchant for science and a love of crazy interior design, this is the place for you!

A Night at the Museum

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2011-07-21 10:10:06
• CameraNIKON D3X
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time2
• Aperture4
• ISO200
• Focal Length20.0 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+2