Slipping into the Pool This vast indoor pool at Hearst Castle is just about perfect.  The only thing that would have been more perfect is if I was actually inside of it!  If I wasn't such an honorable guy, I would have stripped down and jumped in for a bit.  It would have taken at least 15 minutes for security to get me out of there.  But it would have been a sweet sweet 15 minutes.  I could just say that I lost my mind for a bit...  - Trey Ratcliff Read more here.
The Mysterious Stone Sphere I used a 14-24 lens for this shot, and I am still amazed how close I have to get to a subject to get it to fill up the frame.  Usually, I have to get uncomfortably close to the subject.  I suppose it's not uncomfortable with an inanimate object, but, still.... you know what I mean if you have done this.  - Trey Ratcliff Read more here at stuckincustoms.com
The Mighty Castle The beautiful castle shifts and changes its color every few minutes.  The way the light cycles and changes on it is mysterious ... - Trey Ratcliff Read the rest of this entry here.
The RAW Fireworks (and yes, that is a handheld single shot) So, I have in my hot little hands an Advance Copy of Photomatix Pro 4.0 (BTW, the STUCKINCUSTOMS Coupon Code will still save you the most money).  Wow this thing is cool!  I'm in the middle of a full review/preview.  This isn't really it... just a preview of a preview.  I know... how lame of me, but I am so excited that I want to leak out a few details.Today's fireworks photo below from Disney World a few nights ago was just processed with Photomatix 4.  This is from a single RAW photo.  This was a handheld shot as I was walking along a pathway near the Crystal Palace.  Amazing, eh?- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Sunset at Hearst Castle Maybe people in California get spoiled by good sunsets.  Not living there, I don't know!  But, when you are sitting up high on a mountain, in a castle-mansion, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, how could you not get spoiled?And this isn't even the main castle.  This is just one of the guest-houses.  Hearst had several guest houses there, each one as stunning as the next.If you are enjoying these Hearst photos, I've now published six so far.  You can see all the Hearst Castle Photos.  Note:  These are also accessible via the "Categories" down on the right side of the page.- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Hearst Castle in San Simeon Did you know that Hearst Castle is only a few hours north of LA?  If you ever end up in LA for a trip, be sure to set aside a few hours for a trip up to see this place.  After you get out of the LA city-scape-area, the terrain totally changes - so does the "feeling".Towards the end of the day, all the tourists had left.  I had an escort with me for most of the day.  This gentleman was a retired LAPD officer who spends a few days per week working up at Hearst Castle.  There are several of these guys and gals that help keep the place secure.  They take the job pretty seriously, as you would expect from any LAPD-type.  After a few hours, I was able to wear them down with humor.  I found they responded very well to anti-lawyer humor, btw.  So keep that one in mind in case you ever get in a pinch.Everyone there was extremely nice, and I loved the opportunity to capture Hearst as it is meant to be captured.  I kept returning to this fountain time and time again -- until the skies and light was just right...- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
The Azure Blue Indoor Pool at Hearst Castle I was able to get a private tour throughout Hearst - so that made for an amazing and long day!Thank goodness I had a mass of memory cards... I got so much footage it was crazy!I could have picked a bunch of shots to be the "first", but I thought this one was particularly wonderful.  There are two enormous pools at Hearst Castle, and this is the indoor one.  This is a nice vantage point because this spot is actually quite difficult to reach!  There is no door behind me... so I had to "shimmy" along that edge you see... It was NARROW... the shimmy was like a video game, except while holding a $10,000 camera!  Sketchy!  But I just had to get over here because I could visualize the shot before it happened...Here's a cool fact about this pool.  Nearby, there is a huge room that was intended for a gymnasium that Hearst never constructed.  The State then made it usable for IT and Archive area, so the water cools the computers...  wild, eh?- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Lunch at Chateau Rodin I had been hiking around Paris with way too much equipment for several hours.  Whenever, I'm in photo-gatherin' mode, I am fairly tireless.  I go from spot to spot like a Navy SEAL...  but this day, I actually planned to have lunch at Chateau Rodin, the famous estate of the great French sculptor.- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
The Magic of Disney's Main Street at Night Disney after dark is very cool...  All the lights change and it comes alive even more, if possible.  One trick that I have picked up is the essential nap while at Disneyworld for the entire family.  We head back to the room after a busy morning and a carbo-bloat lunch for a family nap.  It keeps everyone sane.  And then, we can all stay up late with minimal chance of breakdown.  Seeing kids breakdown at Disneyworld is just not right... it's not so Disney...- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.

The Azure Blue Indoor Pool at Hearst Castle


I was able to get a private tour throughout Hearst - so that made for an amazing and long day!Thank goodness I had a mass of memory cards... I got so much footage it was crazy!

I could have picked a bunch of shots to be the "first", but I thought this one was particularly wonderful. There are two enormous pools at Hearst Castle, and this is the indoor one. This is a nice vantage point because this spot is actually quite difficult to reach! There is no door behind me... so I had to "shimmy" along that edge you see... It was NARROW... the shimmy was like a video game, except while holding a $10,000 camera! Sketchy! But I just had to get over here because I could visualize the shot before it happened...

Here's a cool fact about this pool. Nearby, there is a huge room that was intended for a gymnasium that Hearst never constructed. The State then made it usable for IT and Archive area, so the water cools the computers... wild, eh?

- Trey Ratcliff

Click here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.

The Azure Blue Indoor Pool at Hearst Castle


I was able to get a private tour throughout Hearst - so that made for an amazing and long day!Thank goodness I had a mass of memory cards... I got so much footage it was crazy!

I could have picked a bunch of shots to be the "first", but I thought this one was particularly wonderful. There are two enormous pools at Hearst Castle, and this is the indoor one. This is a nice vantage point because this spot is actually quite difficult to reach! There is no door behind me... so I had to "shimmy" along that edge you see... It was NARROW... the shimmy was like a video game, except while holding a $10,000 camera! Sketchy! But I just had to get over here because I could visualize the shot before it happened...

Here's a cool fact about this pool. Nearby, there is a huge room that was intended for a gymnasium that Hearst never constructed. The State then made it usable for IT and Archive area, so the water cools the computers... wild, eh?

- Trey Ratcliff

Click here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
See photo in original gallery.