Roanoke Island Lighthouse I’m visiting family for Thanksgiving here on Roanoke Island, and I went out last night after a storm to take some photos. This area is known for beautiful lighthouses, so I put myself on a little mission.I didn’t initially plan on going out to take photos. It started with a jog on the beach a bit before sunset. I was jogging north, listening to good music, and the sun was on me. But, ahead of me, the clouds were dark and scary, like the ones circling Mordor. One of those surreal scenes unfolded in front of me… maybe you know the kind. The sun lit everything perfectly below the horizon, and above the horizon was heavy and foreboding. It was then that I decided that it would be an interesting night for photos!So I jogged back to the house, got my rig, and headed out. All this while, I was still in shorts and a t-shirt, which were now wet with rain since the clouds had come to cover me up on the way home. I drove to this nearby lighthouse, but there was no good way to get this angle. The trees in front were about eight feet high, and there was no break in them… the only thing I could do is pull my car over (a rented minivan), and climb up on top with my tripod. There are not many things more slippery than the top of a wet minivan! So, I’m sure I looked like quite a fool clambering my way up there… but up there I got.- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
The Carrier
I've been wanting to process this photo forever -- I love carriers.

This one is open to the public, but I arrived too late to get up on the deck...  So I was stuck on the ground level -- but then a sweet fog rolled in to cover part of the carrier.  

- Trey Ratcliff

Read more here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Superquad
It was an amazing turnout!  After the Google talk (which is being editing now), we all went over to Stanford for a mega-photowalk.   Towards the end of the PhotoWalk, we ended up in this amazing area... here is my photo that I took... I think it was one of my last of the evening.  Thanks again to everyone that came along :)

- Trey Ratcliff

Read more here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Almost Burning Man Time: Happy Tassels

Nobody is really shy there, and that's nice. Or, maybe if people are shy, they get over it pretty quick. After a few days, everyone is very relaxed and everything seems okay and natural.

- Trey Ratcliff

Read the rest (and see all of the Burning Man images in the same spot) here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Almost Burning Man Time: Painting

Center camp is a mecca for all kinds of artistic activities. Artists set up canvases, jugglers toss knives, and dancers gyrate around the court. It's really a feast for the eyes... and there was never a dull moment for my camera!

- Trey Ratcliff

Read the rest (and see all of the Burning Man images in the same spot) here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Almost Burning Man Time: Dancing in the Sun

On one of my first mornings, I walked away from my camp towards the middle of the playa. This gypsy was dancing around in the sun and having fun... I smiled and squatted down low to grab a photo.

- Trey Ratcliff

Read the rest (and see all of the Burning Man images in the same spot) here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Big Sur Sunset
Last week I promised I would reveal the photo today that I took during the video above, and here it is.

I guess you can get the sense from that video how windy it was!  What a crazy day... I spent all afternoon and evening getting ready for this.  There was a decent amount of hiking, preparation, and walking-around to figure out the best place to stand.

Maybe the bad thing about that video is showing how easy it all appears to be...  in future videos, you may see some more of the problems that I face and how I deal with them.  In some ways, I think that is more real than something that appears to fairy-book perfect!

- Trey Ratcliff

Read more and see a behind-the-scenes video of this shot here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Dinner at the Post Ranch Inn
This is the second photo I have released from the Post Ranch Inn (first one here).  It's such a beautiful place, and, while not exploring the property, we were busy looking forward to a great dinner.  Just outside the restaurant is this earthy sculpture and waterfall.  It was very nice the way the evening light came and refracted through the water...  I don't think I've ever been able to watch the sunset through a sheet of water, so it was quite nice.  

- Trey Ratcliff

Read more here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Dining at Hearst
"You wanna see a secret passage?" the old security guard asked me.

"Are you kidding?" I asked.

And with that, he showed me how to get up into this area.  It wasn't super-duper-secret, since this is how singers used to get up high to entertain the guests below.

I'm glad I'm not one of those people that has to choose who sits where in these big banquet events.  I think people in these situations really get their nose out of joint if they don't get to sit next to so-and-so.  But, if you're hanging out and dining in Hearst Castle, you have to look pretty hard to find something to complain about! :)

Read more here at the Stuck in Customs blog.

Almost Burning Man Time: Happy Tassels



Nobody is really shy there, and that's nice. Or, maybe if people are shy, they get over it pretty quick. After a few days, everyone is very relaxed and everything seems okay and natural.

- Trey Ratcliff

Read the rest (and see all of the Burning Man images in the same spot) here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
here at the Stuck in Customs blog." href="javascript:openLB(1414250151,'',XLarge,'',511,768);">Almost Burning Man Time: Happy Tassels

Nobody is really shy there, and that's nice. Or, maybe if people are shy, they get over it pretty quick. After a few days, everyone is very relaxed and everything seems okay and natural.

- Trey Ratcliff

Read the rest (and see all of the Burning Man images in the same spot) here at the Stuck in Customs blog.

Almost Burning Man Time: Happy Tassels



Nobody is really shy there, and that's nice. Or, maybe if people are shy, they get over it pretty quick. After a few days, everyone is very relaxed and everything seems okay and natural.

- Trey Ratcliff

Read the rest (and see all of the Burning Man images in the same spot) here at the Stuck in Customs blog.
See photo in original gallery.