About Trey Ratcliff
I’m a warm-hearted, old-school gentleman explorer with really cool toys.
About the About Me page
I’m quite a humble person, really, but I have had so many nice people and new internet friends ask About Me that I decided to make a whole page about it. People ask more and more questions… so it grows and grows!
On this site, I lay about 80% of my life out there for everyone to see – friends and business associates, current and future. Although it might not seem like it from this blog, my life is not filled with photography. I’ve started a few businesses and they keep me quite busy with “real life”, which works out well because I need to be constantly overstimulated. After the “real life” gets tiresome, I dip back into photography – I find it keeps me balanced.
Contact Me
I can’t email everyone back I’m afraid — my apologies. I’m at over 20,000 unread emails, and I hereby declare email bankruptcy! However, probably sending me an @ reply tweet below is pretty good idea.
Social Media
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Contact SIC Media
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Speaking EngagementsContact my agent Amie Yavor |
Briefly… a photography-centric bio
I’m best known for, well, I suppose, this site, StuckInCustoms.com, which has become the #1 Travel Photography Blog on the internet with around 350,000 visits per month including one from my mom. I’m also one of those Flickr dudes; my photos recently passed over 45 million views combined on Flickr & SmugMug. My work first became popular after I had the honor of having the first HDR photo ever to hang in the Smithsonian. After that, I was fortunate enough to be represented by Getty, been featured on the BBC and various other shows, and have had numerous showings around the world.
I am known generally for my interpretation of HDR photography, for which I have an HDR Tutorial right here. I grew up blind in one eye and this might have changed the way I view the world. I don’t know. It’s hard to be objective about the way one’s brain was wired. My background is in computer science and math, so I bring an algorithm-like process to capturing the scene in such a way that it evokes memories in a palpable manner.
My promise to you: one photo every day. This is very hard… to produce 365 photos that I think are worthy every year. I will probably break this promise about 10 times during the year, so it’s really not much of a promise.
Speech at Google HQ
If you are EXTRA curious about me and HDR photography, this video is a pretty good summation of the whole shootin’ match. I was invited to come give a talk at Google in California about photography as part of their “Authors@Google” program.
After the hike
This was taken by a Russian friend in southern Argentina after we had backpacked about 40km through the Andes on a photography adventure. This is what I look like after she made me borscht for a solid week. My Russian roomate was a 300-pound beluga of a man who I shared a tent with one night. He smelled of gas and cognac. The next night I slept alone in my sleeping bag outside in the snow.
Media Reel for PR
Here is a collection of various media interviews and stuff if you are into that sorta thing. You can see links to the full interviews and stories on the various media outlets below. Thanks to the PR team for help putting this together!
Licensing, Business, and other Deals
We receive regular emails here from large and small businesses looking to license unique photos for every purpose under the sun. I am quite busy with real life, so we ask that you use the mechanisms below:
- To license rights to use the photos for commercial purposes: licensing at stuckincustoms.com
- To suggest business ventures, partnerships, and the like, contact: business at stuckincustoms.com
- To advertise on the site, contact: adsales at stuckincustoms.com
- To hit us with something unexpected and fun, contact: wildcard at stuckincustoms.com
Tutorials and Reviews
I freely share my photos and many tutorials with everyone. I use the Creative Commons license, so people are free to use this stuff on their own, as long as it is not for commercial purposes.
A lot of people come here the first time for the various tutorials or reviews. The first tutorial is about my style of photography which has a special little twist – the details are in my HDR Tutorial. The second one is my unique take on a texture tutorial. I get so many nice emails from people that want to know how I do my tricks, so I just took a long weekend and put it all together into a few succinct tutorials, since I don’t possibly have time to answer all the emails! Sorry about that…
The Reviews section has also been growing a lot lately with some good stuff. Perhaps you can get the inside scoop on cool things in there.
Awards & Miscellaneous:
- Represented by Getty
- First HDR Photograph to hang in the Smithsonian
- Chris Anderson from TED was kind enough to call me a “Pioneer of HDR photography”
- 2009 Smithsonian Magazine Americana Finalist
- 2008 Blogger’s Choice Awards Nominee – Hottest Daddy Blogger (clearly a mistake)
- 2008 Blogger’s Choice Awards Nominee – Best Photography Blog
- 2008 Blogger’s Choice Awards Nominee – Best Travel Blog
- Smithsonian Magazine Category Winner – Americana/li>
- Smithsonian Magazine Finalist – The Natural World
- Over 43 million+ photo views and winner of 4,132 annoying badges that are meaningless
- 2007+ Weblog Awards Nominee for Photography
Dancing with my Tripod
A big thanks to my friend RC Concepcion who took this photo when we were out in San Diego. It looks like I’m standing outside of a church, doesn’t it? Perhaps I’ve been thrown out. Perhaps I’m about to bust in and throw down the tables of the money changers. Perhaps not.
I watch RC all the time on Layers TV and follow his various activities. If you are looking for some good educational material, I recommend you seek him out as well. He’s a fount of great information, and a very good guy!
Interviews & Stuff:
- Petapixel Interview – a nice interview with hot opinions
- NBC Interview with Jim Swift
- ABC Interview in studio
- FOX Interview with Nik Ciccone
- This Week In Photography Jan 13th, 2010, Interview about Creative Commons, HDR Photography, and Haters.
- NPR Interview on WUKY with Kopana Terry
- This Week in Photography Guest host, talking about HDR and “Stuck In Motion” technique
- New York Times online article by John Tierney.
- Interview on the “Typical Shutterbug” about the upcoming book, HDR, etc. Hosted by Victor Cajiao.
- Podcast on HDR and Photography called “EXIF and Beyond”
- A Podcast interview with Rodney Washington – mostly discussing blogging and marketing more than HDR.
- A Podcast interview for ProPhotoShow
- “Digg’s Favorite Photographer” at Baron.VC
- Master of HDR Photography – Trey Ratcliff
- A fun interview from Blu
- “Fotohacker Interview with Trey Ratcliff” at Fotohacker
- Front page of Austin-American Statesman Art & Lifestyle section
- “Flickr and DIGG Celebrity” – Interview over at WPHJ
- Interview about my creative process Matador
Other peculiar things that may be of interest:
- 25 Random Things about Trey – Some silly Facebook meme…
- Edward S Curtis – A tribute page to my favorite photographer
- Trey’s Reading List – created from friends and given freely to friends
- Things That Inspire Me – My digital antiques & bizarre menagerie of unusual collections
- Testimonials from my fans – Thanks!
- 43 Million+ Views – Thanks!
Monks seem to feel my Zen power
This is me in Cambodia with Sokhoun. He’s a very nice guy that became a friend and helped show me all over the place. He’s the one in the robes. I tried to get him to carry my tripod and help out a little, but he said it was against his religion. I did not hold that against him.
As you can see, I was very sweaty. Siem Reap is extremely hot and muggy, and it doesn’t help when you can’t even convince a nearby monk to help you carry all your stuff.
I can’t keep up with all the social networking sites out there, so I host all that metadata here… People always find these little categorical encapsulations of people’s lives to be interesting (and so do I), so here is mine.
Categorical Breakdown of Me:
The Basics
- Name: Trey Ratcliff
- Gender: Dude
- Primary Language: English
- Place of Residence: Austin, Texas
- Sign, although I’m not into this form of mysticism: Cancer
- High School: Jesuit College Prep Dallas
- University: Southern Methodist University (Computer Science and Math)
My Intertubes Scent Trails:
- Email: business at stuckincustoms dot com — note that it goes to biz team and I don’t have much time to check in – my apologies!
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/TreyRatcliff
- Facebook: facebook.com/treyratcliff
- Facebook Fan Club: For Stuck In Customs – It has 300,000 LESS fans than the Papa John’s Fanclub
- XBox Live: AynRandRules my XBox Gamer Profile – I Am a Nerd – Dig It
- Flickr (my favorite, of course): http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms
- FriendFeed: http://friendfeed.com/stuckincustoms
- MySpace (so ugly my design sense recoils): http://www.myspace.com/treyratcliff
- MyBlogLog: http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/community/stuckincustoms/
Spreading genes and memes
Here I am with Ethan, my oldest of three children. He’s into photography and I’m his hero. I’ve always wanted to be someone’s hero, so I think that’s great. I worry that someday, I’ll no longer be his hero, but I’m trying not think about that.
And here is a photo of all three kids at Christmas!
In a Nutshell:
Most people find me odd, and others have trouble finding me at all. I’m often busy doing something terribly important, but it seems hardly important to the other person once they have found me and asked me what the hell I am doing.
Hobbies
- Photography
- Philosophy
- Genetics
- Swarming
- Computer & video games
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Writing fiction
- Drawing
- Raising kids (little RPG chars)
Sports
- Soccer
- Jogging with iPod on too loud
- Rock climbing
- Snowboarding
- Making up a lot of games if there is another guy and a ball involved.
- * above hobby sounded sketchy
Books (one from each genre…)
- George RR Martin – Song of Ice and Fire Series (Medieval Fantasy)
- Atlas Shrugged (Fiction Novel)
- His Dark Materials (Alternate Fantasy)
- Cryptonomicon (Techno-Thriller)
- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Comedy)
- Ender’s Game (Sci-fi)
- Tale of Two Cities (Classic Fiction)
- Genome (Science)
- Journeyer (Historical Fiction)
- Winesburg, Ohio (Short Stories)
- Free to Choose (Non-fiction)
- I don’t want to list a ton of books… but anything about genetics, patterns, anthropology, history, come visit my library and I’ll have a big pile of books for you to borrow!
Movies
(I hate listing movies because it makes me sound like a My-Spacey 13-year-old-girl, but people seem to like reading this sort of thing because they feel like it gives them a cutting Freudian insight into my psyche, a notion I heartily dismiss.)
- Tombstone
- Fantastical movies like The Fall, Big Fish, and Pan’s Labyrinth
- Amelie
- Crouching Tiger
- Office Space
- Serenity
- Napoleon Dynamite
- Best in Show and that whole line of movies from Christopher Guest
- The Big Labowski
- Ron Fricke movies like Baraka
- Obvious predictable adoration of LOTR, SW, New Batmans
- Anything with Christian Bale
- Anything with Woody Allen
- Nothing that stars both Christian Bale AND Woody Allen
Where the plates split apart
Here I am out in Iceland right at the spot where the Eurasian plate pulls apart from the North American plate. The geography is really wild in this area and the ground is perhaps the slipperiest place on earth. I’m there with my ever-present tripod, which does a pretty effective job of keeping me balanced.
Music
- Ambient and world new age electronica
- Gotan Project
- Bel Canto
- Dave Matthews Band
- Patrick O’Hearn
- David Darling
- Acoustic Guitar… Spanish Guitar
- Listen to almost all genres though, except for Eskimo music, which I despise.
TV
- Lost
- Rome
- Firefly (canceled, sadly)
- Deadwood
- House
- Burn Notice
- The Office (both)
- All the Connections shows with the great James Burke
- Good Eats
- Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Arrested Development
- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- Blackadder
- Simpsons/Family Guy/American Dad
- Favorite Cartoon Voice – Foxxy Love
Food
- Italian
- Chocolate
- Anything with carbs
- Chocolate (did I say that already?)
Languages
- Englsih (barely
- French (enough not to get sneered at by the French themselves)
- Spanish (enough to order Mexican
Quotes I like:
- Homer: (screaming) “Why must I fail at every attempt at masonry?”
- Winston Churchill: ”Success is the ability to move from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm.”
A slide shade of evolution
This was shot near the Batu Caves of Malaysia by my best friend Will Kelly. Now, it might look like me and this Macaque are smiling at one another. Well, I am smiling. That monkey is showing aggression (they do so by baring their teeth). My jugular is a warm, salty half-second away. But, right after this moment, I threw him a piece of fruit and made a hasty egress.
Charity and Miscellaneous
I get countless requests for charitable donations and the like. I am sorry I cannot fulfill most of them. I have chosen to focus most of this activity in the space of investments in small businesses in various parts of the world.
Many charities contact us as well to donate photos for publication materials and the like. We can do this if there is a 501c designation for tax purposes. You may contact business@stuckincustoms.com in this case. Thank you.
Come join Team Stuck In Customs! We do all activity through Kiva and we invite you to do the same! Kiva is a great way to intelligently move money and resources around the world. See below for more!
Charity – Creating Wealth through Entrepreneurship and Kiva
I have lent money to a small potato farm in Peru started by a 25-year-old mom named Elizabeth, a bicycle repair shop in Vietnam managed by a gal named Nguyen Thi Huong, a car mechanic’s shop in Lebanon run by a gentleman named Ali, a small livestock operation in Tajikistan run by a 47 year old gentleman named Tochidin, a small meat market in Ghana run by a 70 year old woman named Ama, a mom named Essi in Togo who sells dried fish, a 24-year-old gal in Ecuador named Cristina who sells rice, sugar, and tuna, and last, a 41-year-old woman in Nicaragua named Gladis who sells cosmetics and jewelry so her children can have a better quality of life.
I do these things because I believe in capitalism and free trade more than government.
As a strong libertarian, I believe the government typically creates more problems than it solves. Their intent is often to help people, but it rarely does a good job of it. What really helps people is other people, freedom, free trade, cooperation and competition.
I believe that a good small business creates wealth. For example, the Elizabeth in Peru buys seeds and small plots of land to produce potatoes. By the time the potatoes have grown, they are worth more than the seeds and the time-cost of the land. Everyone becomes wealthier, happier, and more healthy because of this. So, in this case, money really can buy happiness!
In “Trey’s Book List” you can see I recommend a book called “Free to Choose” by Milton Friedman. If you’d like to find out more about this sort of thing from this Nobel-Prize winning economist in a very easy-to-read book, I highly recommend it.
If you would like to do the same thing, you can put in as little as $25 to Kiva.org. They are a great organization! You can donate easily via PayPal and you get regular updates as you are repaid. So far, I’m getting repaid at a steady click, so I have NO DOUBT about the system they have in place.
Drawing
Oh, also, I also like the to draw and I find it helps me quite a bit with the photography. I started teaching myself in an experiment to see if I could learn in April of 2008. Here is a compilation of some work I did between April and October of that year. I still don’t think I’m very good, but I look forward to improving.
If you would like to see more drawings and sketches, I’ve put them all in the “Drawing” category there on the right.
Painting
I also like to paint. I have done a few of these, but only released one. You can read more about it and see more on the Fire in Yellowstone page.
[...] There is an About Me page if you are curious, which appears to show me stealing some firewood from some Amish children. Also, I get a lot of questions about how I do this sort of photography, so I made a poorly worded and irregularly flowing tutorial here. [...]
[...] Exclusive (for now) Interview with Digg’s Favorite Photographer Trey Ratcliff 26Feb07 Powered by Gregarious (21)Trey Ratcliff is an amazing photographer making a name for himself with a slew of amazing photographs that have populated Digg’s front page so much that he has been dubbed “Digg’s favorite HDR photographer”. [...]
[...] picture is taken by Trey Ratcliff who discusses his adventure exploring Chernobylphoto diaryGreat [...]
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[...] динамичеÑкого диапазона (HDR). HRD фотографии Ñобирает Трей Ратклифф. Он также пиÑал краткий ÐºÑƒÑ€Ñ Ð´Ð»Ñ Ñ‚ÐµÑ… кто хочет [...]
[...] This shot of the groom and his buds was processed from one RAW file in Photomatix. Thanks to Trey Ratcliff over at StuckInCustoms for the great info and tutorials. This image may be a little over done but I [...]
[...] in Customs is the photo blog of Trey Ratcliff, an expert in High Dynamic Range photography. The short version is that HDR photos are extra shiny, [...]
[...] particularly interesting was: Share your photos with the world, or hide them behind virtual walls? Ratcliff believes there’s really no in-between: “Either you live your life in an open way, or [...]
[...] follow my link to Stuck in Customs yesterday, you should definitely check it out. The blogger, Trey Ratcliff, is an amazing photographer who has a goal of sharing one amazing photo per day on his blog. Here [...]
[...] He does some amazing things with HDR photography. You can read a bit about him on his bio Click here: About Trey Ratcliff | Stuck In Customs . He also has a wonderful blog I enjoy at Click here: Stuck in Customs and you can check out his [...]
[...] how to create stunning HDR images with this fantastic tutorial by Trey Ratcliff. This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 at 9:58 pm and is filed under [...]
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Trey, your work is truly inspiring and extremely artistic. You are gifted. Keep it up!
Hi Trey
Season greetings from Singapore! My name is Thain Lin, and I’m a great fan of your work.
Thank you for sharing your images, and your HDRs are simply awesome and truly inspiring. In fact, I visit your blog everyday ever since I came across your name from Ferrell McCollough’s HDR book (I hope you got your complimentary and autographed copy). btw, your recent Christmas family photo is simply stunning!
Your work has spurred me to get serious with HDRs and photography. There is still lots of things to learn, and I’ve not even ventured in the various tools you recommended, such as LucisArt.
I notice that you do not have “Singapore” as your Categories. If you’re ever in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand or Indonesia, please contact me so that we can invite you to meet your fans here for a talk; there’ll be fees payable to you of course.
Cheers, and keep up the great work. Keep ‘em coming!
Rgds
Thain Lin
Trey,
You might check out the homepage of entertainmentbenefits they are using your image I would guess without permission
Because of your HDR photos of Walt Disney World I decided to give HDR a try. It seems as if this is what Ansel Adams and others were always looking for, some means with which to fit the full range of a scene into a print (or display). Now we have it!
Thanks for introducing me to this new world of photography! Here is one of my recent ones, a drawbridge in operation:
http://www.suzieandbob.com/misc/lions_0872_1.jpg
boB
I wanted to ask your permission to use one of your photos on for an global warming non-profit email invitation. Of course we would give you credit with links / etc
Hello from New York. You have some amazing pictures here.
Hi Trey,
I’m a novice when it comes to photography, but I’ve always had an eye for the art. I borrowed my father in law’s D40 and I’m loving it!
Do you have any tips on how to shoot pictures at night? I love your city night shots, but I can’t seem to get it right especially when it comes to HDR. They either come out too noisy, and dark obviously. As far as detail goes, are you shooting at smaller F-stops (12, 16, etc.), slower shutter speed, flash vs. no flash, etc? I don’t have AEB, so I’m saving up for a camera that does.
Thanks for the inspiring pictures you take. I love music and I have my own production studio, but I want to try my hand at something visual now.
You’re probably busy, so reply when you can
Rod Rosete
engineer/producer
SUITE 307 Productions, Blue Magic Studios
San Jose, CA
Thanks! Well my only tips are to try to follow my HDR Tutorial – it basically says the same thing I would here – use a tripod, shoot at the lowest possible ISO, and take multiple exposures. (and you never need a flash for city shots)
Hi Trey,
I just wanted to tell you that you are inspiring. I am in love with your images and live surprisingly through you, just a little. My husband and I love to travel, over the last 2 years we have been crazy busy wedding photographers so our traveling is very much at a stand still.
Don’t get me wrong we love our job but your images for a brief moment allow me to see the world the way God made it. Beautiful in all is splendor.
Thank you for being so open in sharing how you do what you do. We are currently trying to do this with some of our wedding images. And our clients are going nuts over it. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I have been asked to teach a photography class and I would love to post an article about you on my blog and a link, if you don’t mind.
Have a great day and be blessed where ever you are.
-Erin Hernandez-Reisner
Imagine it kc
http://www.imagineitkc.com
Dear Trey,
What an awesome drawing esp the Scarlett one. Hope I got the title right, I saw a sign in the lower right side.
Do you sell it?
I love your pictures as well, the ones of Jogjakarta, the Kali Codet(right?)and the Sujatmi.
I am an Indonesian, live in Northern California. Looking at your pictures bring back thousands of memories.
Have you ever visited the city nearby Jogjakarta named Surakarta? There is a candy close by, near the mountain. Maybe you can capture things other people can’t from that forsaken candi.
Good luck !!
Eny
hello
my name is julia from germany
i have a forum
thats a psp school
we love tagging and all you can do with our Photo Program psp .
your pictures so wonderful that i want ask you
May we please get your permission to use your Art?
- Can we make blends/tags
- Can we animate the art (such as eye blink)
Of course with all your Copyright Info on our Tags on all our works is the copy from artist and a link to his site
I hope this is Ok to write you
That would be so nice
Sincerley
julia
Very random, but I went to the same high school as you, and work in Austin
sorry if this first question sounds rude, more of astonishment
how can you afford to go these places?
I mean you they are beautiful shots of places I can only imagine. I wish I could go there take photos myself (also to acknowledge I’m no good at photography)
Thanks yall
Eny, no I don’t sell my drawings… I am keeping them all in my little sketch pad for now…
Julia, just contact my email and I can hook you up with licensing.
Kat, I travel half the time on my own and the other half for work. I usually try to find time at night or the weekends to go shoot. I plan ahead and usually go cheap… like I have an upcoming trip to Patagonia that is not that much at all.
You are an insanely traveled and talented individual who is getting the maximum play out of life. Is all of this true?
Dear Trey:
I am media editor with ABC-Clio, a history reference publisher near Denver, CO. I found a photo of yours on Flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/189321498), and wonder if we might use it in a web story we’re doing on Julius Caesar. Thank you for considering my request!
Best,
Ellen Rasmussen
Senior Media Editor
ABC-Clio
2655 W. Midway Blvd.
Suite 320
Broomfield, CO 80020
Tel: (303) 385-1607
Fax: (303) 385-1640
Hi,
Amazing Pics.
Srihari S
India
Hello:
Just dropped in. You have some interesting photographs!
Best wishes,
Tom
Hi Trey, saw your lovely shots of Jogjakarta. Planning to go there in June and the photos were excellent, very sharp, captivating and mesmerizing (esp the temple at Borobodur). Wish I could take photos like that. Any other places you could share coz by just looking at your photos I feel like I’m transported there. I like photography but I’m still new and have got lots to learn. Might look up your HDR tutorial someday. Keep doing what you’re doing man, all the best.
I got a new 21″ flat panel (monitor) to replace my old 17″ tube. I was looking for just the right wallpaper to show it off.
I found “Times Square at Dusk” via Google. I just had to see more.
Trey, your work is AMAZING. Deviant Art has lost a fan for a while. I’ve got lots of viewing to do on your site.
Thank you so very much.
I love your work and your website. Is this WordPress theme one you designed yourself?
Hey Tray,
while I was surfing through the www i found your site and the article:
bad Art at Austin Airport …
It would be great if you could send me your pictures you took.
they are not linked anymore
I am very much interested in Art Exhibits at Airports – that´s why
Greetings from Germany
Carina
carinakuempel@gmail.com
Thanks!
Yes, this is a modified 3-column theme that I widened myself… I am getting a new theme done by the great Fabien in France as we speak… so it should improve soon!
Hello from a fellow Austinite (but now residing in NYC). I stumbled across your site this morning and was as awe at the amazing hdr pictures you have taken from all over the world, and then I saw the picture of the fireworks at the Austin Country Club and thought to myself “hey I know that bend in the river”. The pictures on your site are amazing, I’m beginning to experiment with hdr imaging with my newly aquired nikon d60 and think that your tutorials will help a lot with this.
Thanks for the great pictures, and for the good half-hour distraction from my design homework haha.
-Clark
Clark – good to have you around – also glad you noticed my photo at the Country Club!
Hello,
A few months ago, we announced you a photo competition organized by PIKEO and LONELY PLANET.
This competition was very succesful so we decided to organize a photo exhibition: the winners and the jury’s choice will have their photos exhibited at the HOST Gallery in London from March 9th to March 15th 2009. The exhibition is free, so don’t hesitate to tell your readers!
We would like to invite you to an exclusive preview of the exhibition on March 10th! Do you have any email address we can reach you at and send you the invitation?
Kind regards,
Hi Trey,
I would like to use some of your photos on a free website for healers and the art of healing that I and my web master are in the process of building but I am unsure as to how I can give you credit and all in a manner that you would approve of. I would appericate your feed back on this.
This is my first adventure in web site construction and I don’t want any one yelling at me for stepping on their toes over what I put on the site.
I have added a Flickr API for the site. I just need to get it set up for use.
Come visit my site which is still under construction. It will be free to the public. All information and healing will be free also or I’ll kick off the member who trys to charge for their gifts. I sure have never ever asked for any money for helping another person to get well again. It is my gift to humanity.
I am sorry to use up so much of your space…
Peter Shupe@ http://whitelight023.nin.com
“It was nice to make it there after dodging all the modern art that just takes up a lot of space. I’m sure that’s sort of a heretical thing to say, for someone so deep into the digital mediums, but I find most modern art to be inane. Any piece of modern art that requires a douche in a black turtleneck to describe what I am seeing is something that probably simply represents two minutes of my life I will never get back. Anyway, I’m sure some people like it… that’s fine… just not for me.”
Trey…based on this subjective observation I would guess there is no need for art history. If it’s representational one can understand it? All art was modern at the time it was made, it becomes art because it stands the test of time.
I love the triangle of the Kemper, Amon Carter and Modern in Fort Worth. In a days time one can find the roots or witness the evolution of visual art without bias.
Otherwise I’m good with your work. I just thought this a bit of an inane comment.
You’re much appreciated.
Thanks,
Don Lee
Hi, I did not see anywhere here to send an e-mail to the company, so I hope I’m not intruding on you, I purchased a dvd that is not operable, please help me out, I just received it today it was billed to News Stand in Flint, Mi. maybe I we can exchange the bad one for a good one, the one I received freezes after one minute of playing I tried it on different play things such as quick time and window player, no luck, please help me with this situation. Thank you.
Rod
Rod – that is strange – are you saying you ordered a Textures DVD that broke? Of course it will be replaced for free. Contact ratcliffphotos at gmail.com – and the team will take care of you!
Maybe it’s not vista compatible, it worked on windows xp computer, but it will not work properly on my laptop.
thank you for inspiring me in this time
I, too, am a computer science graduate, been working for three years now and have had no interest but in art and photography and writing
Perhaps it is not too late to pursue such desires
thank you
[...] la lecture du tutoriel de Trey Ratcliff pour faire des images HDR dans lequel il parle de la possibilité d’en faire à partir [...]
Trey,
While out and about surfing the “GIG” (Global Interface Grid) this evening, I came across your site and was ABSOLUTELY amazed! You are truely an artist and a great one at that! I have always been interested in photography, but didn’t really pick it up until I was in Iraq and bought my first DSLR (Nikon D40x) and some lenses… I have been slacking as of late, I need to push my own motivation to get out and take more… I must say, thankyou for your site, it has helped me to understand the world of photography much more and has inspired me to get out and do more with my camera… Hopefully in the near future, as my creativity grows and I take more pictures, I’ll have something to show you and can ask for you opinion… Thankyou again for your very imformative and helpful page…
v/r
IT2(SW) Jeff Davis
USS Hopper (DDG-70)
USN
Hi Trey, I would like you to have a quick chat about possibly using some of your pics on a brochure I’m designing, what’s the best contact method to discuss this?
You are a man with unusual mental ability, a creative thinker and an exceptional lensman. Keep it up.
You wouldn’t happen to have amblyopia in that eye would you??? If so, we have something in common that only 1%-5% of the world has.
Hey Trey,
Astounding photos !!! Simply remarkable !!!
I would like to pick you brain about the Christmas photo. Would it be possible for you to break down the process involved in that photo? I am a keen amateur photographer and I aspire to take some photos that are as good as yours. Naturally there will be some post production involved and therein lies the rub. I have the tools, just not the know how on how to use them as well as you have. I use a Canon 40D with a 28-135 IS Ring Type USM lens and other accs. such as tripod, hood, wireless remotes, etc. I also have PS, Lightroom, Photomatix, etc. I particularly like the Christmas photo as its something I believe I could use to make my own personal Christmas greeting cards.
Thanks for your time and keep up the brilliant work.
-Philip D.
I have to say this and I am sure you have heard it before, but WOW! You do some seriously amazing work, I noticed though that you don’t have any Michigan or Alaska pictures on your blog…
It makes me sad as Michigan and Alaska are very beautiful states. (ok I am predjeduce, I have lived in both states, I have pictures, but nothing like yours!) I hope someday that you have time to visit these beautiful states and make them memorable in your amazing photos. Again I love your photos they make me want to visit so many places, or like the glacier photos, they make me want to go back to AK for a visit!
Peace!
Deana
Hi, I love the patagonia’s photos. I was born very close from the Glaciar. In Rio Gallegos, the main city of Santa Cruz.
Thanks for the good shoots, I hope you have a good time at Argentina.
Best,
Adrián.
i just wanted to say i love your stuff. im a former art major and i just am obsessed with travel and art. i love that you get to do both . im a waitress in los angeles and i bet i mention your website to at least 5 people a day if not more. i think its inspiring and for a few moments you can look at your pictures and forget that your sitting at a desk!! Thanks!
Hey yall- thank you so much – I appreciate you taking the time to write such nice things — very nice of you!
Hi Trey
just came across your blog! Your work is wonderful, congratulations. I have always wished to start in HDR and never got the time so far…
Anyway just to tell you that me and my family (partner & 2 years old daughter) are living in Kuala Lumpur as Belgian expats since almost 4 years. You are more than welcome to come and visit us – as you state you find this city great right?! Let me know!
Please also feel free to check out our web site (in French, shouldn’t be a problem as you know a bit ?) made for our friends and family. No HDR but some good shots from the various places we went to!
Cheers
Pascal
Hey Trey, I’m obsessed with your stuff and i’m trying to get in to a bit more sophisticated digital enhancement of photos, AKA HDR shots. Here’s my situation, i have a very basic Nikon D60, but it doesn’t Auto Bracket… is there a way to bypass this or some way to imitate this function? Email me please! Cheers!
Thanks all — Joey – you can still shoot a single RAW and make an HDR from that – it is covered in my tutorial if you like!
in the pic in d.c. with the cabbies..I don’t understand what you mean when you say the men starting laughing egregiously (I know the meaning of egregious). So these were not nice guys? I’m from D.C. by the way..very nice pics
Is there any chance that you could (or already do) provide a link to your latest photo that is generic? ie, http://www.stuckincustoms.com/daily.jpg or some such link? I’d like to write myself a script to grab it and use it for my display background. It would be a nice surprise each morning.
Just a thought.
[...] where we get back to that link Scott Kelby mentioned on Monday morning. Austin, TX-based shooter Trey Ratcliff got a mention on Scott’s blog. Trey is a very good travel shooter. Trey shoots almost [...]
[...] photo from Trey Ratcliff. Post a comment — Trackback URI RSS 2.0 feed for these comments This entry (permalink) was [...]
…. very nice blog Trey, glad to ‘make your acquaintance’ and yes, I’m gonna follow you for a bit … keep at it … there ain’t NOTHING like an ENGAGED life … best to you
A non-related question: what plugin did you use that allows Facebook users posting comments on your blog? Thanks.
K
I would like to start by saying, i think your doing a great job at showing a viewing audience a fantastic new visual world on creative innovation and by using a form of technology that is out of this world very hip, very fresh, very futuristic.
But!!!
Im terribly disappointed with your lack of respect to all that strived to use a viewing medium of rise, tilt, shift, fall. do you understand how much more your images would be received by the architectural world of truth over computer programing tech if your lines were simply straight.
Please show me that you understand the truth in structure, try using a tilt lens, or buy into a medium format camera system that will allow your images to justify there means of futuristic creativity.
I realize you have a great eye and don’t want to sound snobbish but real is real and we need that now more than ever, especially at this time.
Have a more accurate voice, Art is getting a bad rap.
sincerely
G
One of _the_ best ‘About Me’ pages I’ve ever read.
Um…I’m pretty sure you have a typo in your About Me page: “Bad Pictures of Me from non-MySpace Angles”. Did you mean “Angels” as in heavenly creatures and not “Angles” like triangles?
Oops. Nevermind. I get it now…”Angles” as in “Non-MySpace” perspectives.
Hey there.
I was just recently directed to your blog from wattsbw2004 over on flickr, since I’m HDR retarded atm haha. You’ve been really helpful in that aspect.
Anywho, you said you don’t think your drawings are very good… Perhaps I should send you some pictures of my stick figures lol.
<3 *thumbs up*
Hi Trey,
I would like to discuss permission to use the photo “Metallic Clouds” on a booklet cover. I work for a medium-sized Christian publisher. We have a donor who wants to fund the free distribution of a booklet for Christian motorcycle clubs and bikers across the U.S.A. We saw your shots on flikr and thought it would be perfect for “The Ride of Your Life”. We’d like to keep the cost reasonable enough for us to be able to give the booklets away for free. Please let me know what you can do.
Thanks for your prompt response.
Ron J. Pride, graphic designer
Review & Herald Pub. Assn.
Hagerstown, MD
301-791-7000
Hey Trey,
I’m just commenting to say that your site has been a great source of knowledge and inspiration for my own personal photography. I’ve been doing HDR since July of last year and it’s been quite a fun learning experience. I might go to Japan later this year and if I do go, I’ll pick up your textures package to spice up some of the photos. Anyway, thanks again for making such a great website!
Hey Trey,
You may have done it on purpose, but if not, the Smithsonian links above in the “Awards & Miscellaneous” section don’t link to your images, but others in that group instead (shot by other ppl). Keep up the great work.
(If you’re going to be in the DC area, drop me a note on flickr or gmail.)
Hi Trey,
I am using a D300 and I have read your review of the Nikon 24-70mm. I currently have the 70-200mm VR and love it. I am thinking about purchasing the 24-70 for taking pictures of buildings and landscapes. Would I be better off purchasing the 14-24mm 2.8 or will this lens do the job? You had commented on your site that you have used the 24-70mm at one time for almost 80% of all your shots.
Thanks for you help and your site rocks!!!!
hi!!!!
We are Efraín Eliú López Serrano and Juan Sebastián Henríquez Henríquez “Lobo”, from Guayaquil – Ecuador.
This year, at Copenhagen – Denmark, will be taking place the United Nations Summit to take actions on the climate changes, so we decided to help this Summit by doing the best we do, Creativity.
We have entered The YouTube 48 Hour Cannes Lions Ad Contest with a video that we know it should be viewed by as many people as can to put some pressure on the leaders that will assist to sign the agreements that will benefit us all (and future generations).
We are sure that the importance of this Summit will inspire you to get involved in this cause by feeding this news (see: message) to your Blog so more people around the world could join us too.
We really appreciate your interest on this subject.
Sincerely,
Efraín López and Lobo.
MESSAGE:
Subject: The world needs your help.
Body: Put pressure on your leaders to focus their efforts on climate change, sign to get them sign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQTg_wAU50U leave your comment and rate the video.
Tags: YouTube Cannes Young Lions 48 Hour Ad Contest viral advertising video brief rain dance oxfam summit copenhagen mysteryguitarman paint light lighting PiKAPiKA mystery guitar man susan boyle rihana evolution terrorist fox cnn msnbc bgt britain got talent republican democrat obama clinton what the buck black eyed peas boom gripe porcina swine influenza
[...] got the idea from a post entitled “Twitter and Human evolution” by Trey Ratcliff. Trey compares the communication between tweeple (people who tweet) with communications between the [...]
Trey,
Your work is awesome. FYI, you need to get your credits and links added to the following site, http://listphobia.com/2009/05/06/10-most-brightest-cities-of-the-world/. I think some of your work is on there. Anyway, I look forward to your future posts.
Richard
You haven’t completed your travels until you have visited Sisters, Oregon.
[...] of the day, I would like to introduce you to a really great blog about photography by a guy called Trey Ratcliff. His blog, stuck in customs, is the #1 blog on the web on travel photography with about 350 [...]
[...] In Customs – Trey Ratcliff is a great photographer but most of all he is a lovely and kind human. I never actually met Trey, [...]
Trey, your work is an inspiration to me! I love how you photograph the places you visit and the post production. And then, your photography itself….WOW!
Just a note to say that I think you should put your NAME AND HOW want credit given at the bottom of your new newsletter (and elsewhere on your site). Your name is not there anywhere that I could find on my first cup of coffee this morning. Make it easier for people to highlight and copy the info you want them to put next to your photos to give you credit and share your fabulous work with others. Keep up the incredible and breathtaking work!
Thanks all – very nice of you to take time to write!
Kim – you are right! Maybe I will fix that for the next newsletter
Do you visit Portugal? If not, you must. You will not regret
Hello Trey,
Needless to say your work is beautiful. I would really like to speak to you about your work in detail. I run several stock agencies and would like just a minute of your time to present a collection in Macro RM represented by the largest agencies in the business that I think you would find great interest in. Please take a moment to contact me.
Best,
Jonathan Ross
Hi Trey,
I forgot to add my web site correctly it is http://www.andersenross.com. My e-mail is jonathan@andersenross.com I look forward to having a moment of your time.
Best,
Jonathan
Do you sell your photographs for personal use? I would be interested in having one hanging on a wall in my house. They are amazing.
Thanks…Carrie Jordan
Thanks all – Carrie – you can buy from the store there (Buy Prints on the right). They do a very professional job of printing and framing. Or, I actually don’t have a prob if people want to print out small copies for themselves… sometimes it’s hard to get good high-quality personal prints made, so people go with the professional option.
Intemporelles salutations,
mes yeux n’ont jamais été autant flatté de voir… Je suis parti avec vous, grâce à vous, et toujours pas revenu de chacun de vos tableaux… Tous les adjectifs superlatifs ne suffiraient à décrire ce que me suggère vos photos.
Je suis un de vos fans !
Bonne continuation. Fred.
Hi Trey. Mind if I send you a PNG from a Raw from this weekend? It’s just a cricket ball in mid air shot at 1/4000 on a D300 with a 70-200 + a 2.0 tele at ISO 800 at 400MM.
Bokeh of the gods.
Cheers,
- Alex
[...] Source : Stuckincustoms.com [...]
Good day, Trey! I happen to see some of your HDR pictures before, but I did not know they were taken by you. I’m a Filipino, currently living in Singapore, and work in a multinational IT company for a bank. A fellow Singaporean colleague in the office referred me to your site (actually, first in your Flickr account before this website). I was already awed and hooked at looking at your great shots. Truly inspiring! More power and more great pictures! As we say in our language: “astig ka talaga” (so cool!) ^_^!
Hi Trey,
Thanks for the great work you do.
I put a reference to your tutorial on my blog. Hope you don’t mind.
http://www.giannib.com/archives/131#respond
g.
i almost go on ur site and see ur hdr photos everyday cause they r just so awesome. Great work.
By the way, i hv a question about hdr.
if there is a limitation in the env that i can’t set a tripod to take a few photos for hdr but only one photo can be taken. in this situation how can i make a hdr image w/ only one photo that i took.
Like the hdr image that u made showing the texture of chairs and couch in China.
Thanks for reading my message. ^_^
Thanks all !
Alex – I’m afraid I’m too busy to do it justice – my apologies
Gio – Thanks! Glad you are having fun… I love Singapore!
Gianni – thanks!
Steve – yes you can make an HDR from a single RAW — see my tutorial for info on that… think it’s on Page 3 currently
Hi Trey,
First of all congrats on the fantastic work, beautiful and inspiring.
Also I have manipulated and traced some of your Amsterdam Photography for a University (non-commercial) Project. Hope you don’t mind. It is on the web here: http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Hydrophonica/273772
I have credited you and linked to your site.
Thanks for your time.
Thanks Jonny for the mention and the link… yes I keep my work Creative Commons – I am fine with people re-using my art and combining it to make new things (as long as it is not for commercial purposes).
Link to your Facebook page points to wrong location since it don’t have “http://” in the beginning.
thx aha – fixed it
I can’t help but ask; is “Englsih” spelled that way intentionally?
Trey, thank you for this website.
I guess it’s not original to say this, but your amazing pictures made me want to try out HDR and your tutorial was really helpful!
Hurray!
[...] } Na het beluisteren van een podcast van Pro Photography met een interview met Trey Ratckiff van Stuck in Customs, kreeg ik weer wat zin om een paar HDR foto’s te maken. [...]
[...] Trey Ratcliff of Stuck in Customs was harassed recently in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park trying to take photos of the World of Coca-Cola museum and told that he was not allowed to take photos of the building. [...]
I just stumbled on this website….I’m just speechless at some of this photo art. I have a camera and I love taking pictures but I would in no way say I’m a photographer. I have resigned myself to the fact that I may never ever get to travel. I usually do all my traveling via PBS. When I look at these pictures I feel like I am actually standing there and looking at the scenery. It is so surreal. I’m awed. I was so awed that I looked at the equipment you use. Sorry not gonna happen…..i’ll just look at your website every other day from now on.
Its cheaper. I can’t wait till the book comes out. I’ve never bought a photography book but yours I will buy. Have you ever been to South Lake Tahoe? I went last month and was just amazed by it’s beauty. My camera could never capture the beauty of actually being there. Like I said, this is my first time on your site so I have a lot to peruse. I’ll look for Tahoe and see if you have photos. THANK YOU
Just wanted to say thanks. You introduced me to HDR Photography and I have fallen in love with making pictures all over again. Your tutorial is the best around and I cant wait for your book to come out. You should also know I started my own Photo blog and I have mentioned you profusely throughout.
Hello,
I’m writing just to inform you that we’ve mentionned your widget on our communication’s blog : http://blog.netvibes.com/
Kind regards,
Diane
Oh.My.Gosh! I have never seen such amazing photography work – ever! I stumbled on to it quite by accident (?) while searching for some images to use in some video segments our non-profit is producing. I would really like to use the one of the two gents sleeping in front of the IRS building and possibly the columns in the DC arbor if I could get your permission. This is for educational use only and you are welcome to check out what we’ve done so far at our website under the video section. LOL, I love your “in a nutshell”…that’s how I feel most of the time!
oops! The website should be .org, not .com!
Trey:
Thanks so much for your work. Its very inspiring. I have a good friend in Austin, Flint Sparks…an amazing guy…Zen teacher. You may have heard of him. Have a sense you two would hit it off.
Question about Lucis Pro – Is it really an amazing program. I’m thinking about it. Do you find you do more there than Photomatix? I do mostly portrait and landscape.
thanks for your time,
R
Thanks all!
Richard – I use Lucis and Photomatix both quite a bit! Probably Photomaix a bit more….
[...] other news, I’ve cleaned up and updated the “About Me” page here on the site. That thing gets longer and longer… I’m sure it looks like [...]
[...] other news, I’ve cleaned up and updated the “About Me” page here on the site. That thing gets longer and longer… I’m sure it looks like [...]
Well, no wonder you are one of my favorite people, Trey. I see we have some things in common, like CHODOLATE, lol. Your drawings are quite good, considering you taught yourself, I am impressed!!! Have to save this page from your site in my favorites so I can take the time to read it all. Thanks for sharing on Stuckincustoms!!!!
Your updates are really good Trey – interesting page – Like all the photos too!! Whichever one you choose for the book will be good!
Hi Trey!
I don’t really have much to say except that I think you are one of the most talented person I have had the luck to encounter in the blog world. It was your drawings that put the whole thing into perspective, surprisingly. Your photos are truly amazing, but the drawings prove to me that you are a visual artist, not “only” a photographer. I should have known that immediately, but insights come to me only sporadically.
Thanks for the inspiration and tutorials!
/Kristina Blom
Thanks Stina – I went to your blog – nice work there… I was gonna comment, but could not find the german comment button!
Ah, the disadvantage of “innovative” blog design!
It’s the thought that counts, and thank you very much!
Isn’t this your photo on Kodak “Picture of the Day” for Sep-08-2009?
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=10419&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=6355
Stolen?
Hi there. I would like to ask your permission if I could use this specific picture for my assignment.
http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2009/07/16/arriving-home-in-vegas/#comments
Ive seen your message “Feel free to use photos with credits and links.”
But we were asked to provide evidence of the owner replying with approval.
I really hope you will reply really soon.
Thanks!!
Excellent work posted here, I was wondering if you were on Flickr?
here is my Flickr sets page, let me know what you think about my work. Stay well
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quiet_storm_422/sets/
Oscar
[...] a Trey Ratcliff hace poco y me he quedado impresionado. Los mejeros fotos HDR que he visto a nadie hasta el momento [...]
Hey, discovered your website this morning and was pouring through your HDR tutorial until I came to the part where you have the link to the NYC picture before modifications. I live in the Middle East – UAE – and Flickr is one of the sites that is totally banned here in the UAE and probably much of the middle east. Is there another way to see the before and after pictures? Help!
Thanks!
Hey, my oldest is named Ethan too but that is neither here nor there.
Have a great day! Christie Eckardt
Hi Trey,
We met in 2007 at the JW Marriott Gym in Hong Kong. I was working in Hong Kong doing securities lending and had just finished going to school at HKUST. If I remember correctly you were doing something with software, maybe video games. I left the gym and you ran after me to give me the name of this website.
I cannot tell you how many people since then I have given your website too. It is often my favorite thing to give out as a talking piece to people I have just met. Your hong kong photo from TST is on my computer background and the peak one is on phone.
So here comes my questions 1. do you remember me at all? 2. Is it possible to get either of your Hong Kong pictures in black & white? I just moved to San Francisco and I want your photo for my room, but color just won’t work. I know this is a crazy request… but for some reason, just had to ask.
Talk to you soon,
Megan
I am numbed by your creativity and talent. Your pictures are so good it suffocated me and creates a loss of words. Even now I half believe they are computer generated images.
WOW!
[...] För er som vill läsa mer om Trey Ratcliff kan göra det via hans blogg och sida – About Trey Ratcliff och det är en väldigt fascinerande biografi. Här är 25 helt underbara bilder av Trey [...]
Just curious as to what plugin you use for the photos that enable the drag to share option. While on the subject of plugins, the comment one seems kind of cool too…
Hey Trey,
I don’t know where to email you a jpeg of the Read poster I created with your awesome HDR of the tomb in India.
Thanks again for the help! Awesome site!
-Matt
Since you’re line of work involves dealing with hundreds of photos, on a daily basis, I wander if you would need a solution to eliminate the repetitive and mundane tasks (like watermarking, resizing, converting, and so on)? I humbly suggest our own solution, BatchPhoto (www.batchphoto.com). If interested please contact us from our site.
[...] While you’re waiting for the coming posts, check out the first instalment of the awesome bullet-time-esque results of a very cool experiment undertaken by the one and only Trey Ratcliff. [...]
Trey, you are a person that uses his God-given talents to their fullest extent, even though sight-challenged; an example for all people. You are an inspiration to all.
(As an aside, I share your attitude(s) re: government.)
JN
Trey, I just LOVE the new look and design of your website and twitter page.. AWESOME.. I adore your customs seals all over the page.. Very charming, and really gives a travel feel.. Always been a fan of you and your work, and now i love the blog and twitter page as well. Here is wishing you all the best. Hope to see you achieve so much more..
Trey,
I look with interest at your travel list, but do my eyes deceive me??
You don’t seem to have visited the best yet!!?
Come down to Oz, my friend, and see paradise all around you!
Oh, by the way, I love your work…
[...] in Customs is a travel photography site (and email newsletter) by Trey Ratcliff with some really impressive, eye-catching work on it. According to the about page, it’s [...]
[...] in Customs is a travel photography site (and email newsletter) by Trey Ratcliff with some really impressive, eye-catching work on it. According to the about page, it’s visited [...]
Heyo. Love many of your scenic/tweaked shots. Their awesome!
Any chance I could use them for my personal blog?
I do host an ad (it’s a social contextual ad I’m helping build) but the site is http://www.victusspiritus.com and it’s focus is inspiration, tech, and ideas.
Will most certainly link back, would prefer something awesome looking I could host in banner on the sidebar that would point to your HDR how to page?
Hey Trey,
Still loving your site, I am a frequent visitor.
I have a question, I remember you having a page on how to prepare your images for the internet so they do not come out with a red tint, and I am having no luck in finding it.
Could you please point me in the right direction please, Thank you
Keep up the good work!!
Hi there,
I really enjoyed your website! Great Stuff! I love the HDR! I take lots of HDR myself, but yours are really mind-blowing! Great stuff! Keep up the good work!
Cheer from New Zealand
Oliver Eitel
Hi Trey!
Have bookmarked your site… Would enjoy a discussion with some photographers about two “down-sides” of HDR photography… I started a forum topic here:
http://flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/198735994/
Kind regards,
Jonas
hi, im studying your work for my a level.
i was just wondering if you could mail me anything that i could add to my work like what inspired you to do HDR and anything else that you make think that will be relevant. any help would be amazingly helpful thanks =]
[...] spent a soft afternoon in the virtual company of a great Austin photographer, Trey Ratcliff. This man can take some seriously good pictures, which he generously shares with a wide audience [...]
[...] traveler, a writer and man of other numerous talents, more of which you can learn on his detailed “About me” [...]
[...] original stream image in this post was created by Trey Ratcliff [↩] This entry was posted in Featured, Web. Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave [...]
[...] in the spirit of celebration, I leave you with two links to awesome HDR shots of fireworks taken by Trey Ratcliff, who runs one of my favourite travel photography blogs, the very excellent Stuck in [...]
I’d like an invitation code to HDR Spotting.
Please check out some of my work to assess if I am worthy.
Love your work by the way.
Best,
Brian Przypek
Cinematographer.
thx — I don’t hand out codes – best to contact the HDR group on Facebook or Flickr and see if there are codes out there!
[...] feel free to get creative with the page. Here are some of my favorite about pages and some guidelines to writing a great About [...]
I can’t afford the Nikon D3x but I want the higher megapix. What do you think of
the Canon 7D at 18 megpix ? It sells for around $1700. or the Canon 5D mark 2 @ 21 mgpxls.
Would these cameras allow me to achieve HDR images? Also I would want to blow images up to put
into frames. Ron
Trey, just signed up to the newsletter and want to say thanks. You are an amazing artist and craftsman. If you ever get the chance come to the Lowcountry of South Carolina please let us know, you won’t be disappointed.
Mike
[...] Trey Ratcliff is best known for, well, I suppose, this site, StuckInCustoms.com, which has become the #1 Travel Photography Blog on the internet with around 350,000 visits per month including one from my mom. I’m also one of those Flickr dudes; my photos recently passed over 19 million views. My work first became popular after I had the honor of having the first HDR photo ever to hang in the Smithsonian. After that, I was fortunate enough to be represented by Getty, been featured on the BBC and various other shows, and have had numerous showings around the world. [...]
Holy Moly. Where do you find the time and energy to accomplish so much? And you don’t gain weight after sucking down all that coffee and chocolate. I’m envious and jealous! I love your photography. HDR is something I’m interested in, but haven’t had the time to really check out. My favorite pictures are of my dog Ozzy in my Flickr site. I love to photograph dogs.
“… I think they say that a photo will steal their soul. That might be true; I just don’t know…”
Actually, Trey, I don’t think they’re that kind of superstitious. The Amish folks in my community (and the ones you visited, I’m pretty sure) get the “no pictures” thing from the second of the Ten Commandments, in Exodus 20:4.
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”
According to their understanding of that, a “likeness of any thing” includes a photo of one’s self. Different interpretation than I would give it, but then isn’t most religious difference based on interpretation?
[...] Trey Ratcliff runs Stuck in Customs which is the #1 travel photography blog on the web. I’m sure there are a ton of photography blogs, so how does someone get to be #1? Because he provides a gorgeous photograph every day — including weekends and holidays. Here’s what he has to say about this: My promise to you: one photo every day. This is very hard… to produce 365 photos that I think are worthy every year. I will probably break this promise about 10 times during the year, so it’s really not much of a promise. [...]
[...] but since the time it came en vogue, i’ve never actually attempted one. done well, such as by trey ratcliff (aka stuck in customs), the results are pretty amazing. done poorly, well, poor HDR’s are [...]
Any chance you will put more of the Angkor Wat photos into print?
Like these two:
Meditating monk (fabulous shot!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/3511572575/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/4121688976/
Rec’d your book for my birthday and recently retired I have ventured into Digital Photography. I have focused on HDR, mainly vintage or rare vehicles.
To try something different, I got up before dawn recently and went to a location where I could shot the sun coming up over Lake Ontario, Canada.
Nikon D300, set for 5 bracketed photos, A 5.6.
However, when processed in HDR they were all under exposed with the sun overexposed.
I will try your suggestion about setting the camera for 7 exposures, but do you have anyother suggestions for sunrise and sunset shots?
thank you
Trey. You are brilliant! I represent artists/photographers here in the states. If you don’t currently have representation here, I’d love to discuss!
You wanted to be advised of great museums. That is you isn’t it?
Best kept secret in Napa Valley, The DiRosa. One man’s collection , some 2000 pieces of Northern California Art form 1950 to Now.
The De Young in San Francisco.
Lani
You wanted to know about other Museums.. That was u N’est Pas?
Napa Valley The Di Rosa, one mans collection of 200 pieces from 1950 to Now
San Francisco
TheDeYoung
I tried to submit this but got message that no such address???
Hope this works
Lani
Hi Tray! I just enjoyed your “tour de bags” on video. I found out that my laptop-passport-and-selected-camera-gear-bag is not really monsoon proof and I fear the consequences while my next trip to S/E asia starting April. Your bag looks like it’s quite ok with a few (or more, that is..) raindrops and of quite good size. Could you tell me the name of the bag? I will try to get my hands on one of those and put it to the snow-test, here in Switzerland, for a start.
Thanks a lot! I enjoy your website very much.
Oli
[...] to Trey Ratcliff the talented photographer and writer behind Stuck In Customs, I have been able to learn more about [...]
[...] to Trey Ratcliff the talented photographer and writer behind Stuck In Customs, I have been able to learn more about [...]
Your drawings are fantastic. Do you post your drawings anywhere? Or have I forgotten and seen them on your Flickr pages?
Thanks!
They are somewhere on Flickr — I have not posted them in a while! I should do that!
Hi Trey,
I’m hoping you read these comments because I have a question. You mention that a HDR file can be made from one RAW file. My Photomatrix Pro 3.0 won’t make it from one image. The “ok” button won’t even highlight until I put another image in, so it is asking for more than one image file. I’m also not getting that nice detail from any of my images. I have a Nikon D5000 and am doing exposure bracketing with nice various exposures, but still not getting that nice definition. Help!!!
Yo. Just been scanning through in the middle of trying to research HDR photographers, I really like your work man, really cool approach to life too bru.
Keep it foolish and keep it well rural yeah.
Believe
[...] watching a video recently where he spoke to the folks at Google about HDR photography, I realized that what he was [...]
Hey Trey,
Did you know one of your Chernobyl/Pripyat pictures was used in a recent episode of that new show on FX “Archer.” In Ep. 5 about 11:30 seconds in, the Russian spy holds a picture of his “house:”
http://www.hulu.com/watch/129296/archer-honeypot#s-p1-so-i0
I’m pretty sure that’s a copy your photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/377707099
It looks like the cropped it, darkened it a bit, and added a flaming trash can in the foreground to make it look more run down. It’s not obvious if its your photo or not, but I think if you look closely the tire tracks in the snow match.
Please don’t sue them, that show is freaking awesome
. Just thought you should know you’re the go to guy for awesome shots of Chernobyl.
Love your website and thanks for the resources. I was looking at your review on Topaz as I use it. Just a couple of questions.
1. On the photo “The River runs through the Andes” is that HDR plus Topaz Adjust? If it is “Adjust” do you typically use the “photo pop” preset and tweak or what? It’s a great shot. Many times I’ll see a shot like that and someone will over kill it with Adjust. I tend to under state it and I’m trying to learn how to get it “up there”.
I know my next step is HDR. Just trying to master Topaz right now.
Same question with your shot of “The Andes”.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings,
Tom
Thanks all for the comments!
Tom – Yes – it is Topaz Adjust + HDR -I mostly use Topaz for sharpening after the fact.
trey,
i am building a website for my service project, working with clients using a mind-body psycho-structural approach to counseling. i would like to use one of your photos for my main image. can i have your permission?
Absolutely mind-blowing photography, obviously. It makes me simultaneously jealous of your vision and regretful that I’m not as gifted. Alas, I shall persevere.
I think you may be the only other person I know that has seen Amelie, enjoys Blackadder (second and third are personal faves of mine), and has even heard of Bel Canto! For comedy-heavy light fantasy, might I suggest the complete genius of Terry Pratchet’s Discworld novels. The man is an amazingly effortless author. Pure joy to read.
Keep up the excellent work!
Hi!
We just opened a new photography studio in Miami, FL. We’re actually part studio and part school. Starting in July we will be holding 5-day and 2-day intensive workshops in photography and videography. We’ve been looking for an HDR teacher – would you be interested in working with us?
I’d love to discuss this with you further. Please e-mail or call (305.318.5816) at your convenience.
Tina
Awesome photos Trey. We’ve got a few things in common: I’m blind in one eye too, and I actually think it makes me a better photographer. Who knows, maybe that’s just rationalization. I also list Dave Matthews Band among my favorites. But then again, I have to — I worked for their manager while I lived in Charlottesville, VA. Great place for photography by the way. Autumn in Virginia is more subtle than in New England, but quite beautiful in places like the Highlands, Skyline Drive and Shenandoah NP.
Looking forward to learning more about HDR photography and going through your tutorials (and new book). I’m always looking for something new to help me get up for sunrise. I’ll be here daily. Thanks for the site!
From Peter K. Burian, Contributing Editor, Here’s How magazine
Trey: I am writing an article about HDR and will test Photomatix etc. using my own images.
On your site, you say anyone can use YOUR HDR images free of charge. Is this correct? Please drop me a note to discuss.
Thanks, Peter
Trey-
A mutual friend showed me this blog- Simply put- AMAZING! If you make it to San Francisco, let’s organize a photowalk. I am Robert Scoble’s producer and (very) amateur photog but pro videog. Are you kind to Canon users ???
Anyway, Peace out! love the Japan HDR.
Rocky- @rocmanusa = twitter
[...] you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed or by email for updates on this site. Trey Ratcliff, perhaps the best known proponent of HDR photography, took this wonderful photo of the New York [...]
sooooo… When are we gonna see a photoshoot from an African safari? That would be swell.
I accidentally ran into your site and now I’m hooked into it. Your work is absolutely amazing. I dont have the patience to spend so much time and energy in creating something as beautiful as your photographs but I can certainly take a minute or two to appreciate something which is worth it.
Hi Trey,
Just purchased your “A World in HDR” book. So many photography, photoshop, HDR book I have, but this is the one and only book that can be “finished” in one night. Soooo….interesting and prevent me from sleep. And when I jump to this site, absolutely amazing !!! Kind Regard Karyat Anggaswara
sorry, but your photos look way to clarified and contrasted that it completely defeats the purpose of SLR photography. . . . . .
If i wanted wanted a shot that has every thing sharp in it, i’d use a point and shoot.
Where is the shallow depth of field, its like you’ve maxed out the clarity levels in every photo and crushed the blacks in every photo. . . . .
You photos look crap.
[...] noticed a sour grape over on the About Me page. I always leave up negative and critical comments (unless they are outright offensive). We run [...]
Hey Trey,
I have been looking at your site for years now and always find something beautiful and provoking, Thanks. Check out Salon’s slide show pic#26 of the northern lights and the volcano erupting in Iceland, wow what a picture. cheers,hm
T
Trey, I just read the sour grape comment and I wanted to respnd in kind. I personally think your pictures are beautiful! I could look through them for hours. I guess this person knows nothing about photography for art purposes. Just wanted to send a kind word. I look forward to your blog every day.
Hi Trey,
I think, your HDR photos look amazing, they have your personal touch in texturing and detailing, so it only point of view of photographer, who likes them or not. I like them.
Keep up your good work!
With regards,
Boris Mitendorfer
I really enjoy your photos. Yours is one of 3 or 4 sites I check faithfully every day. I was wondering if you had any thoughts on the new and improved HDR in Photoshop CS5? From what I have heard it is supposed to do a pretty good job. Anyway, thanks again for the art.
Thanks!
Lee – I am not sure – still evaluating. It is a lot better than CS4 though. In the meantime, I am still doing all my processing with Photomatix (which I mention in the http://www.stuckincustoms.com/hdr-tutorial )
I’m a travel writer for City-Discovery.com and Viakeo.com and I just want you to know that we have launched our first photo contest called “I Love My City.” I was reading some of your posts and was amazed at the photos you have on your site. Anyway, if you have time, do check out:
http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/30831. Maybe you or your readers will be one of the fifty lucky winners of travel activities worth US$3000 on our site.
Thanks and more power to your blog!
Trey, I just wanted to thank you for being such a great inspiration to me, as well as the many other photographers and artists that follow your site. Your work is truly amazing, and I enjoy your philosophy even more.
Thanks for sharing your art (life) with all of us!
Hi,
I just purchased the texture tutorial, I chose the basic with dvd but I assumed I would be able to download immediately and then have the dvd for backup. I was anxious to check it out right away but I am away from my home working and will not be back for weeks. Is the anyway for me to also download?
Thank you
Cheri Kaye
“I’m quite a humble person, really…” but then I decided to make a huge About Me page with lots of pictures of me and unimportant stuff about me. LOL.
Hello Trey Ratcliff,
Congratulations one of your amazing photos was feature on http://www.photobuzz.org
Thank you
Trey:
I’ve been told that you recently talked about having a picture used on an iPad, or licensing rights for use of a picture on an iPad. If that is true, I would like to learn a little more about how the picture was use and what you charged. I’m working on a story on pricing for iPad use as a few photographers are starting to get request. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Jim Pickerell
hey there – well we do sell ipad wallpapers – they are on http://www.stuckincustoms.com/ipad-wallpaper
I guessI was very lucky that I foundyour blog here.
Indeed you are a GREAT artist with FANTASTIC art works.
http://www.flickr.com/people/kombizz/
Hi Trey, I enjoy browsing your site weekly. I am a photography student in my 1st year of school and I have been dabbling in HDR imaging since I bought my first camera thanks to your blog. Feel free to check out my online portfolio http://www.wavelengthimagery.com
Cheers,
Steven
Hi Trey, I would like to ask where can i ask for permission to use your pictures on my website. I have a small bike company and I loved some of your pictures. I want to use it as a background for my website. Its a small company and our consumers are just mostly our friends. Please get back to me.
Thanks all.
Tomar – it’s best to contact licensing@stuckincustoms.com – they can get you a deal – thx
Hi Trey, I follow you on Twitter on my iPhone and love getting my daily dose of art. The problem with that is when you link back to your sight it takes FOREVER to load because your sight is graphics rich. Would it be possible to make a mobile version of your sight (m.stuckincustoms.com)? It sure would make it easier to see all the great stuff you post. As of now sometimes I just don’t have the extra time to wait for the pages to load.
Thanks.
Trey,
Hello. I emailed you once before requesting permission to use a photo of yours on my husband’s website. (He’s a lawyer.) Well, I never got around to getting the website done until now and I see that you have other photos I am interested in. There are three. How much would you charge to use them. (He’s out on his own–not with a big firm, so budgets are small!)
Off your flikr account, these are the photo numbers:
140485475_5085d232f4 (photo of capitol behind green trees)
140486285_ae15e5e0a6 (photo of statue of Texas Ranger in front of capitol)
3587528275_e0d2136a63 (photo of rotunda at ground level)
Thanks,
Allison
[...] fotógrafo pro do Flickr, que também é um aventureiro e tem um blog com o nome sugestivo de Stuck in Customs. Autor: Adília Belotti – Categoria(s): Boas idéias Tags: partidas, pascal mercier, suzanne [...]
Trey,
GREAT site. Amazing.
I’m buying Photomatix TONIGHT… but
I’m torn between the standalone for Mac or the Aperture plug-in.
Just got Aperture this weekend.
Any place to read up on the differences between the two choices?
Thanks.
Bohdan
Thanks all!
I use the standalone – it works perfectly with my workflow!
Trey – I love your work and if I weren’t needing to make some money I would offer to be your sherpa just so I could learn and travel. However, I can’t since I am opening a Coworking space here in Austin. I wanted to contact you for a couple of reasons.
1) I want to see the art installation of the edge to edge monitors and I can’t find it via google search. Can you please tell me where you saw that? I want to do a very tiny version in my conference room
2) I would like to talk to you about offering you a one year “Austin Celebrity” membership to Link. The only thing we ask in return is that you use the space when you can and that you try to attend our Grand Opening on October 15th (the space will actually soft launch in September).
That’s it!
Your fan – Liz
What a fantastic website this is and what an amazing life you must have. Such wonderful pictures here and the stories behind them must be equally as wonderful. I am fairly new to photography and I have to say out of all the things I am interested in and try it is my favourite hobby.
Websites like this keep giving me the inspiration to continue to improve my photogaphy and to explore.
Hey,
Why don’t you come to Malta and take some beautiful photos of our temples, our silent Imdina and Valletta? Would like to find some of my country’s photos on your site!
Hey Trey, your work is amazing and love every one of them. Was wondering whether you have taken any photos of Niagara Falls? If not, you should.
Cheers.
Thanks very much! I have not gotten to Niagara yet – it is most certainly on the list though!
Thanks Trey. Looking forward to them. Was there a week ago and immediately came across my mind that you’ll do a fantastic shoot both at night and day. Best wishes.
[...] convinced that the photographer Trey Ratcliff has got to be undoubtedly one of (if not the) greatest photographer in HDR business … style [...]
You are my inspirator…
(my site still in Dutch, but English version soon!)
Dear Trey,
I am really inspired by your works of art. I am starting my journey as a resident physician (pediatrics) this month and moving into a dreary crappy apartment (too many student loans to pay!!).
I wanted to print some of your pictures and stick them up in my room just so I can be reminded of beautiful things, and to elicit some positive emotions…
I will be starting residency at a brand new childrens hospital and I feel that they could benefit from your inspiring works of art — both for the patients and the parents (especially in the “quiet” room for parents)
Is it possible for you to kindly email some “high resolution” photo files so I can print them out?
Thank you so much,
naomi
Excuse me sir but I must tell you something about your website…my god man your images have given me back faith in this world. This truly is life as seen by the human soul. Many have used a lens to capture life, but so far you are the only person to have used the Human soul as your looking glass into this life.
Smart, exquisite, fantastical, captivating, enthralling, enticing, grab-you-by-the-___lls, choose a word or a phrase but can’t describe it still. Only way I can sum up how I feel now that I found your website…blessed.
Thank You.
How does it feel to be good at everything
?
I am looking at setting up a website which ultimately will offer some of the same things you do (ebook, dvd, printed book) would you be open to a discussion of how you got started with your site? Just looking for some feedback. Let me know if you have time or inclination to talk. Our site is focused on empowering parents.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Tracy Crowley
Hi Trey,
I am a great fan of your work and I read your blog every morning! I just returned from my “Vaction with Vanelli” in St. Augustine, Florida (June 16-19) and I want to thank you for your e-book offer to all who attended. I got a lot out of that workshop and as a result, took my first step in HDR processing with Randy Van Duinen. I look forward to working through your HDR tutorial in the near futue. Again, thanks for the e-book offer and I look forward to receiving it soon.
Best,
Sharon
[...] it is very well done it feels VERY cliche. Then I came across the work of fellow photographer Trey Ratcliff, and it made me stop and take another look at HDR photography. His images are incredible… and [...]
[...] you really want to know more, I keep one of those “About Me” pages with enough info to satisfy 90% of stalkers. PP: How did you first get into [...]
Hey Trey, Really love your HDR stuff. One of my favorites is the fireworks shot from Disney World. I was wondering, are you aware of any efforts to produce an HD videocamera with automatic HDR processing? That would be totally cool. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think I recall you mentioning a plugin that can do HDR with a single RAW shot. If that is possible then it seems like it should be theoretically possible to create a camera that can do that in real time. What are your thoughts on that?
thx for the comments everyone!
Carl – no – nothing like that exists… yet!
Hey Trey, I got into HDR photography because of your work. Great stuff! I’ve gone my own route with it and have tried to set myself a part from the usual HDR photographers out there. How hard is it to carve out a niche for yourself from your experience? I would love to do this full-time, but as of now, my increasingly boring “career” will have to do. My kit: D90 w/ Nikkor 24-70mm and 10.5mm fisheye lenses and looking at the 80-400mm VR2. Thanks again for the inspiration Trey
.
Thanks all!
Carl – we will see !
Dan – that is a good question… not sure I have a good silver-bullet answer though!
simple Super my friend, I’m glad to follow you on twitter
My best regards…
Oscar
Hi Trey, love your work man, I am fairly new to HDR and would appreciate some comments about my work if possible ? Keep up the good work ! Oh, have forgiven you for the typo …Englsih lol
Hey Trey! I admire pretty much everything you do!
Your photography is fun, breathtaking, and AMAZING.
Please keep up the good work and thank you for sharing your HD tutorials with us!:)
Thank god I found one website where I can find everything about HDR. Finally after 4 hours or searching.
Thanks so much.
Trey, Wonderful pictures and tutorials, info, etc.
However, I cannot figure out how to navigate your site. I added the 2 pack of IPAD photos to my cart and then could not find out how to actually purchase anything. Also, there is no HOME to go to when the reader gets confused.
Thanks all!
Steve – well, I bet it opened that cart in a new tab — it usually behaves like that.
Hey Trey, gal from The Venetian, Las Vegas – okay – I hated HDR. Thought the only way was film despite many years of using digital for work (staff photographer). Well, you won me over. I love HDR and appreciate it from all photographers. Is it something for every photo – I would say no, but I see it from a different eye now. I’m a big fan, follow your work and signed up with SmugMug. I’ve have put several of my photos on it, and I have found it to be easy, affordable and, well, I love it. Thank you Trey for your hard work and research!
Dear Trey
I can not afford the Nikon 14-24. Could you recommend a good alernative. I am not a pro but photography is my hobby.
Thank You,
Randall
Thanks all — Randall – go ahead and look at the Sigma 10-20mm – it’s a great one!
Hi Trey,
I have been one of your HDR followers for years. I love your images and all your web interaction. Last year my wife and I went to Burning Man for the first time. I did go to the trouble to get a media pass but in the end just used the images for friends and family. BM has a lot of hoops to jump through if you want to publish your images. I promise you BM will be an experience you will never forget. From the time you enter the gate you will have visual experinces that you have never had in your life. The dust is a challenge. It is fine like talcum powder and gets on everything including your cameras. Baby wipes are a good way to get it off your body- not your camera body! I ended up taking my two older Nikon D200s instead of my D700. I put a 16-85 on one body and 70-300 on the other one and never took the lens off. I did have UV filters on both lens. I started out with zip lock bags taped on the bodies and lens which worked pretty well but made it difficult to manually focus the lens when I needed to- especially at night. Speaking of night- the place comes alive at night. Go out at night, even if you are tired. It is a spectacle. I wish I would have taken a tripod more often but we either had to walk or ride bikes. If you can hook up with a mutant vehicle that is the ideal way to get around. Here is the link to our blog with our Burning Man pictures if you want to a get a feel of what we experienced. Have a great time. We hope to go next year but are going to Peru and Patagonia this year- http://johnandsarastanford.blogspot.com
Thanks so much ! This is valuable info!
I’m ready to buy the Nikon D90 and all the accessories but I hear rumors that a new D95 might come out soon. Have you heard anything ? I would hate to spend all that money if they are gonna release something new on the D90 level.
Thanks and I love your photo’s.
[...] Trey Ratcliff, an Austin photographer has a tutorial and other neat stuff at http://www.stuckincustoms.com/trey-ratcliff/ [...]
Suddenly I can’t find the list of newsletters, used to show up when I logged onto the site. Anyone?
Trey, you are a wonderful piece of creation, so humanely art life. Its good to know someone like you (via internet).
I have only been doing HDR photography for about 3 months now. I LOVE IT! I really did not like it before I read through your website and tutorial. I hadn’t seen anything much that I REALLY LOVED. It all just looked too fake. Also I live in Knoxville, TN and am 25 years old. I don’t know of any photographers here who specialize, excel, or even really practice HDR photography. I’ve been working on some HDR and trying to get it completely down. I’m glad for all your advice.
Thank you,
Johny Hoffman