New Topaz Adjust

The new Topaz Adjust is out. It’s pretty good and I’ve been using it since the beta. There’s more effects and more flexibility. If you’re not familiar with Topaz, you cans see my Topaz Adjust Review here on the site… it’s still the old version in the review, but the meat of how it works is still the exact same.

Daily Photo – Alone at the Harbor

These mornings in Iceland — I’ll never get used to them. It’s fully bright even though it’s only 4 AM — but the streets are dead. You expect to see at least one other soul out and about… but there are none. Maybe I play too many zombie games… or no, that can’t be it… no such thing as too many zombie games!

Filed under the categories: Iceland, Isafjordur, Travel

Speech at Facebook HQ

Do you work at Facebook? Come see me on Thursday morning for a photography talk! We’ll have great fun together… I know there are a lot of people there at FB that are interested in photography, so it should be a good time. Sadly, it’s not open to the public, but the event will be filmed and I can share it later.

So, my FB friends are still pretty full, but you can still use this new “Subscribe” feature on my profile. It’s kind of like friends, without the benefits.

Deep Water and Phobias

So, I’m a pretty rational guy, really, I’d like to think. I don’t really have any phobias… just one big one – swimming in deep water. There is something about it that freaks me out… I don’t think it was movies that did it to me or anything. I see plenty of scary stuff in movies that doesn’t bother me in real life… but the idea of jumping into this mile-deep fjord and swimming across is almost more than I can bear!

Do you have any phobias (that you don’t mind talking about)?

Daily Photo – Boat in Isafjordur

This area is in the far northwest of Iceland up where there fjords layer into one another like fractals. I don’t normally like taking photos in the middle of the day, but when the sky is the towering, glacier-carved edge of the fjord, there is practically no sky at all.

Filed under the categories: Iceland, Isafjordur, Travel

New Facebook… Do you like it?

I notice my Facebook Page has about 25,000 Subscribers. I don’t know what to do over there… This blog is always the mother-lode of everything… kind of like the main diary of sorts. Anyway, frankly, I’m flummoxed by Facebook… any suggestions?

An Icy Morning, Searching for Hot Coffee

Driving across the frozen bits of Iceland in the summer is always scary. I drive across a lot of ice, and I’m never terribly excited about it. I’ve been with people that drive across the stuff all the time, and they pay it no mind.

For a short bit in Iceland, I got to ride for a while with a guy that’s driven to the south pole a few times. Man, that guy can really drive on ice. I remember one time he turned to me very seriously and said, “When driving across a glacier, it is important that you not fall into a crevasse and die.” I told him that I agreed wholeheartedly with that statement.

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

The real elf-stat?

I’ve heard all different percentages of how many Icelanders believe in elves. It’s always high. But I wonder what the most correct percentage is? Has there ever really been a scientific study and wide-spread poll? I’d love to know the exact stats… you guys are all so smart – it seems like the perfect task for you to figure out so we can know the answer once and for all!

Daily Photo – Little Elves, Little Waterfall

Going into one of the valleys by Isafjordur takes you to many little homes near waterfalls. I thought this one was quite lovely.

And if you look to the left there, you’ll see the tiny homes they also built for the elves.

I was editing this photo at dinner one evening in Isafjordur. One of the waitresses saw this house, recognized it, and said, “Oh that’s jklasdj(jkasdj^dhsaj”. Of course, I am doing my best to approximate the Icelandic language there…

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

全新视频！

我用iPad拍了一个冰岛的小视频，讲述照片背后的故事。希望大家喜欢！

维京海滨

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

Updated Google+ Invite System

See the new steps below… this has gotten a lot of people in, so it should work for now. I had 3 great video hangout sessions last night will all sorts of people… very interesting to meet and talk with people from all over the world. The video hangout may be the coolest thing!

1) Come to StuckInCustoms Facebook Page and see if you can find a thread that has remaining invitations. Put your email in that thread (not on the wall).

2) Accept your invite when it arrives, then return to the StuckInCustoms Facebook Page and pay it forward by saying, “I have 10-15 (whatever) invites for Google+ so leave your email below and I’ll get you in!”

3) To invite people in, create a new circle and fill it with email addresses that need access.

4) Share a post or photo with that circle, and it will ask you if you want to email people not in Google+. Say yes, and they will get an email invite!

And, if you are looking for me in Google+, here is My Google Profile.

“See More Photos…”

You may notice a slight change to the bottom of every post.  I took away the emphasis on “categories,” and say in more plain English:  See more photos from Iceland, Isafjordur, Nikon D3X, Travel.  This should help you explore more from this area if you find them interesting!

Daily Photo – Oceanscream

Early one morning while weaving through the fjords, a cell of dark clouds roiled across the sky. The low sun kept them in impossible colors and the air vibrated with a coming storm.

This is up on the edge of the arctic circle where one fjord may be covered in clouds while the next is wide open and clear. There are hundreds of little microclimates that change from one hour to the next, so if things don’t look good in one fjord, just spend 30 minutes driving over to the next one, and maybe something different will present itself. Surely by now, you see why I like Iceland so much in the summer…

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

Google Plus

Here is my Google Profile, so feel free to add me if you are using Google+. It’s pretty cool, and I find it’s super easy and fun to make groups with circles.

Be Careful!

So, today’s shot reminds me of good man David duChemin, who recently took a serious tumble while getting a photo. He was laid up in the hospital for a long time and things looked pretty grim. He’s on the mend… and a nice way to show support is to pop over and check out some of David’s new eBooks! He has an amazing selection over there, and it’ll be something that benefits you too.

Anyway, today’s photo looks pretty scary yes? Do you think I would actually walk out on that ice to get this shot? Heck no… there are lots of ways to get interesting looking shots without pushing the limits… so, just because a shot LOOKS like it was dangerous does not mean it was… don’t let my shots or other shots make you feel inclined to take “risky” shots yourself.

Daily Photo – Delicate Ice in Spring

After dinner one evening in Ísafjörður, I drove through a nearby town and up into the mountains. Along the road, I noticed an iced-over river that was beginning to thaw in a few areas. I pulled over, and scrambled down the hill to set up for a shot.

I tried this both with and without an ND filter. The ND filter didn’t add anything to the shot except for a lot of pain! The light was low enough were a small aperture could get the feeling of the river through the hole in the ice…

Filed under the categories: Iceland, Isafjordur, Nikon D3X

Daily Photo – Sleeping In

I usually am too swamped in the middle of photo-adventures to process and post immediately, but this one is an exception I made just a few hours ago.

I have a favorite fish restaurant here in Isafjordur called Tjöruhúsið. They bring out a huge skillet of three pieces of fresh fish cooked in a mushroom cream butter sauce. Also in the pan are potatoes, tomatoes, and even a salad tucked into the corner. I took my time eating my Viking meal while processing this photo.

I took it just yesterday while driving from Reykjavik to Isafjordur, which is just about one of the longest possible drives you can make in Iceland in a day if you have a reasonable level of sanity. There comes a point when you feel like you’re getting close, when you start weaving in and out of fjords. They are huge and each one seems to take over half an hour to drive around. (here is part of my driving path)

In the midst of one of these, I espied an old house up the side of one of the valleys. It was partially obscured by a hand-built stone wall. I stopped the car and started hiking up the side of the valley to investigate. Once I got up there, I began to think that maybe this place was actually occupied! There were new lace curtains hanging in the windows and everything seemed to be in pretty good repair.

So then, I felt like I was intruding, and not just exploring an old ruin. But, it was 3 AM in the morning, and I figured if anyone was indeed inside, they must be fast asleep. So I set up for a shot and then made a hasty elf-like egress.

I just found out this place is called Litli-Bær and it was originally built in 1894.

Filed under the categories: Iceland, Isafjordur, Nikon D3X

New HDR Video Tutorial in 24 Hours!

The old video tutorial has been taken down, and will never be available again – but don’t lament! The new one will officially launch tomorrow and I think you’ll love it… If you already had the DVD and wondered about the new thing, here’s a nice quote for you:

“I was initially uncertain as to whether to ‘attend’ this webinar. I had purchased Treys’ DVD and wondered why I should spend more money on this. I must say that I enjoyed the webinars even more than the DVD’s & was surprised in how much I learned. Thanks again for an excellent presentation. I did & will continue to enjoy and learn. It was money well spent!!!’ - Jon Barney, Virginia

Daily Photo – The Long Curvy Road Around Iceland

I’m packing now for another summer solstice at 66 degrees north. It’ll be a great one!

I’m also trying out some new photo bags… people send me stuff to try out all the time. Hehe… I make it clear to all of them that I only review and recommend stuff that I actually use… if I don’t like it, I won’t rip on it, I just won’t mention it. If it turns out to be good, I’ll give it a big thumbs up and tell you all about it… so I am about to go through the big ceremonial process of moving all my stuff from one bag to another… you know that process. It’s actually kind of fun, to tell you the truth… Also, it’s down there in my ethics statement. I only review and recommend stuff I actually use rather than giving you 20 reviews a week. I think that keeps it simple, and also, you aren’t forced to read a bunch of reviews that hem and haw about this and that…

And when I get to Iceland, I’ll be up on this wonderful road again… this gentle curving road that circumnavigates the island… sleeping days and staying up through the white nights… I can’t wait!

Filed under the categories: Iceland, Isafjordur, Nikon D3X

The First Camera App to Integrate with Instagram

I’m happy (and honored) to announce that we are the first camera app to use the amazing Send-to-Instagram feature! 100 Cameras in 1 (iPhone link and iPad link) is now ready for download with the new feature.

Now our hundreds of thousands of users can make use of the amazing Instagram network. I’ve been using it for a long time, and I’m a big fan. It’s free, so why not grab it? My name on there is @TreyRatcliff. What’s yours?

The Very Serious Press Release

What Makes a Good Photo Great? The Morning Smell of Waffles and the Power of Instagram

On April 29, 2011, the world paused to watch Prince William and Kate Middleton walk down the aisle in a stunning, fairytale wedding. Indeed, it was a veritable union of brawn and beauty, royalty and humble beginnings, tradition and reckless love. On May 30, 2011, the world will again witness a marriage of epic proportion as the photo-sharing juggernaut, Instagram, merges with the elegant and poetic camera app, 100 Cameras in 1. Combined, these apps represent almost 5 million users, a hundred million pictures, memories, and stories, and infinite possibility. Even the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge couldn’t pull off a feat so massive.

Read the rest of the press release…

Daily Photo – Red Boat in Fjord Before Storm

As soon as I drove into Isafjordur in the very remote area of NW Iceland, I went right to the docks. The water was so calm and perfect that it was beyond belief. I was super-tired, and I thought that the still water MUST be a unique phenomenon, so I toughened up to go take a bunch of photos.

It was extra-hard because I knew I was ready to go to sleep… and I knew it was about to rain… and it’s one of my favorite things to sleep in the rain. So this worked out nicely since I also like to take a bunch of photos right before it rains. So I took photos till I almost collapsed, found my hotel room, jammed a lot of chocolate, and then fell asleep in that endorphin-laden serum to the gentle rainstorm.

Filed under the categories: Iceland, Isafjordur, Nikon D3X

You guys are insane – Thanks!

Wow I didn’t think yesterday’s post about the Photoshop Giveaway to announce the Webinar would generate so much traffic. It shows how many “lurkers” there are on here. You know, guys, you don’t have to wait until I give something away to leave a comment! hehe… no problemo… I already know from the stats that less than 1% ever comment. That’s cool… if you’re quiet, I’ll just assume that everything is a-ok. I’m kind of a quiet person too, really…

A great bootleg video from EG

Daily Photo – The Best Fish Evar

I have a restaurant suggestion!

The best fish I have ever had is in that little viking-house there to the right. You have to duck to get through the door. Once inside, you emerge into a darkened viking-style dining hall (imagine the great hall where Gríma Wormtongue held powah over King Théoden of Rohan).

This spot is pretty well-known restaurant called Tjöruhúsið in the little town of Isafjordur. There is a little window in the back where the fishermen come every morning to deliver the fresh fish in exchange for getting to eat there for free. They bring you the food inside giant iron-clad pans… it was so awesome. I’m going back in a few months and I’m going to gorge myself here with giant dinners before heading out for all-night shooting.

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

Daily Photo – Icelandic Docks in the Afternoon

I arrived in Isafjorder in the middle of one afternoon, and my schedule was all askew. I had driven all night, taking photos along the way.  I usually tried to arrive at the hotel by 11 AM or so, because that was my bedtime.  If I didn’t hit the sack each day at 11 AM and wake up at 6 PM, then it threw everything off for the next cycle!

The skies were so interesting when I arrived, I decided to spend a few extra hours visiting the docks to explore.  This is a famous fishing town in the far northwest part of Iceland, so the docks had a nice sense about them.  I was so dog-tired that I was just kinda going through the motions.  But it did keep me in that sleepy dream-state that helped everything flow easily.

After this, I went to check into another Hotel Edda.  Many of these locations are converted high-schools that are hotels in the summer months. It’s so strange sleeping in a school in the middle of the day.  I happened to arrive at each one on opening day, so I was often the only guest there.  It’s even more eerie, being in a huge school all by myself, sleeping away.

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