Secret Caverns in Cobleskill, New York

On my recent commercial trip to upstate New York, I came across this funky little joint called The Secret Caverns. They have hand painted all of their billboards in the region, and I just fell in love with the throwback style. It makes me think of what road side attractions used to look like before the interstate system was created. More to come, I think I shot about fifteen or so of these. Sphere: Related Content

Calligraphy Burning

Image copyright 2009 Byron O'Neal Sphere: Related Content

The Evolution of the Stencil

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Birch Tree Abstract

Image copyright 2009 Byron O'Neal

I didn't need any specialized software to create this image, just a bunch of trial and error shaking the camera a little with a longer shutter speed. 

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Otter Point in Acadia National Park at night

Image copyright 2009 Byron O'Neal

This shot was taken at Otter Point in Acadia National Park just after moonrise. The cloud streaks were illuminated by the moon that was just over the horizon. 

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Otter Point HDR Black and White

Image copyright 2009 Byron O'Neal

Flip through any photography magazine about this time of year and you will likely see a version of this classic landscape. I took this shot, or shots as it were, at Otter Point in Acadia National Park. It is an HDR composite of five different images taken at different shutter speeds. I converted it using Photomatrix software after becoming increasingly frustrated trying to use Photoshop's HDR conversion automation. It's an easy piece of software to learn and their site has links to free tutorial pages to get you started. In this case, I took the closest to properly exposed shot from the original five and added it as a layer in Photoshop over the HDR composite. Adding a mask to the top layer, I selected for the HRD version of the sky and fine tuned smaller portions of the rest of the image. The black and white conversion was done in Silver Efex Pro. You might be thinking,"Geez, that is a bunch of different software." You'd be right. Most of them offer free trials so my advice is plan on trying the HDR capture techniques on your next vacation and wait until you have a little time to play with it after getting home. 

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Willard Chapel in Auburn, New York - an HDR conversion

Image copyright 2009 Byron O'Neal

I'm now getting back on my feet and getting the chance to review some of the images from my recent commercial photo trip to upstate New York. One of the highlights of the trip was getting to discover the Willard Chapel. It is the only chapel known to exist that was designed by the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company. The image to the left is an HDR conversion of six images taken inside the chapel. If you are in the Finger Lakes region, take a little time to drop by the chapel and marvel at the hidden gem of the area. 

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The perils of being a photographer on the road

Everyone I meet says that I have the coolest job in the world. I get to travel around and snap pictures while meeting interesting people and checking out cool places. This is true, I do have the best job in the world but there are always bumps in the road. In this case, I bumped into a rather large tractor. This harbinger of utter destruction was driven by a boy not more than ten years old. I was following along behind he and his buddy when they slowed and pulled over to the side of the road in a little town called Locke in Wherethehellami County in New York. Thinking, as most people would, that this was an indication for me to pass them, I looked down the road and seeing nobody coming moved on by. At this point, the tractor swerved across at the rental car prompting me to inwardly scream like a little girl. I stomped on the brakes and tried to swerve out of the way to avoid the rural version of a monster truck rally. Managing to hit only the tractor's tire the front end was smashed up pretty badly. (Shit!) 

I did my best to keep the kids calm while the driver's father showed up (I'd hate to have gotten that call from my son.) It should be mentioned that the rental car was not mine either but my father-in-law's and no I was not on the rental agreement. (Shit, shit!) John, the kid's father, showed up a few minutes later and considering the situation we had a nice little chat about how beautiful upstate New York is. 

John: You from around here?

Me: Nope, from Oklahoma.

John: First time in upstate?

Me: Yes, it's really beautiful actually.

John: We think so....

Me: Sorry to meet you under these circumstances.

John: Me too. Your car?

Me: No, it's a rental.

John: (Shit) Is that a Toyota?

Me: Yep, I think.

John: (Shit) Aren't they expensive?

Me: Expensive enough, I've never owned one. It's my father-in-law's rental car. (Shit)

John: (patting me on the back) Ouch, sorry man. 

It's all part of the adventure of traveling and as nobody got hurt, makes for an interesting story. Unfortunately, it gives my father-in-law endless opportunity to bring the incident up in front of complete strangers and will be his favorite tale about me for quite some time I'm sure. I'm now christened "Crash" for all time. Ah well.

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Aerial Photography of Salt Pond's Around San Francisco

Photo courtesy Flickr Photostream of Jerry Ting 

Wow! This aerial shot is of salt evaporation ponds around San Francisco Bay. I found the article about it Killer Web Directory. The interactive google maps of the site are a bunch of fun. It makes me feel like I'm a kid again playing with a crayon box. 

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How to create a misleading graphic, brought to you by your government

This site has a bunch of graphics that the government designed that illustrate how a picture can be worth a thousand rather confusing words. Take the example to the left. What is this supposed to tell you? There is a whole series looking at signs like this and humorous suggestions of how they can be interpreted.

For instance: If a door is closed, karate chop it down.

I laughed out loud reading these.

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