HDR

High Dynamic Range photos using multiple exposures to create a unique and stunning effect on photos.

    Bridge Overlook Austin Shop This Print

    360 Bridge Overlook in Austin

    Cliff I was on that Overlooks 360 Bridge

    Cliff I was on that Overlooks 360 Bridge

    I spent another great weekend in Austin and really enjoyed the sunset on my last day at 360 overlook at Pennybacker Bridge. This has to be one of the best spots in Austin to enjoy a sunset.

    My tradition after going to 360 overlook is to stop by Ramen Tatsuya for some of the best ramen I’ve ever had.

    Parking for 360 overlook can be a bit dangerous since it’s on the side of a highway. People park on either side of the highway, but just be careful when parking here.

    Pennybacker Bridge or more commonly “360 Bridge” spans 1150 feet and has a very unique design with it’s central arched span. The design keeps Lake Austin free of support columns due to recreational boaters. When built the bridge was only the second bridge in the world with such a design.

     

    360 Bridge Overlook in Austin Texas

    Sunset Long Exposure of 360 Bridge Overlook

    The flat cliffy overlooking the bridge is especially great for a picnic.

    Bushes at 360 Overlook Cliff

    Bushes at 360 Overlook Cliff

    360 Bridge Austin Path

    Path to 360 Overlook

    360 Bridge Overlook on Google Maps
    National Museum Of The American Indian Shop This Print

    National Museum of the American Indian at Night

    When I’m looking to take new photos I usually just take a walk around downtown DC. I don’t know what I’ll find most of the time, but luckily I spotted the National Museum of the American Indian.

    The colorful wall full of shrubbery and green mold combined with the waviness of the wall. I toned the saturation in the sky up a bit to get unique purples and blues.

    Interest in Photographing Washington DC?
    Check out the best places to take photos in DC.

    If you make it down to the museum be sure to wander around the US Capitol and the Capitol Reflecting Pool.

    National Museum Of The American Indian Washington Dc

    National Museum Of The American Indian

    National Museum Of The American Indian Entrance

    American Indian Museum on Google Maps
    World War Ii Memorial At Night Hdr Shop This Print

    World War II Memorial at Night

    Since we just celebrated Veterans day what better time to capture the WWII Memorial. This is a tough memorial to capture since it’s so large.

    The stunning entrance to the memorial caught my eye, especially the statue in the middle. If you haven’t been to this memorial it’s fun to visit since they have all 50 states engraved (which you can see a few in this photo).

    When editing I increased the orange/blue effect in the corners of the photo. I think that it really added an eerie look to the picture giving it an epic feel.

    Hamilton Pool Preserve Shop This Print

    Stunning Waterfall at Hamilton Pool Preserve

    During my trip to Austin, Texas I got to see some incredibly unique areas.

    Hamilton Pool Preserve was a bacteria filled swimming hole located about an hour from Austin. Since the Hamilton Pool’s bacteria levels can get so high swimming was actually prohibited while I was there. Near the back of this photo I dropped my lens cap where you have to squeeze by in between rocks and the back of the cave. Somehow I was still able to manage walking through with my tripod and backpack on.

    There were many angles to take photos at the Hamilton Pool but I really appreciated this single spout of water hitting a rock. Ironically I was in Austin the one week it rained so the overcast sky is blown out in this shot.

    Hamilton Pool on Google Maps
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    Base of the Washington Monument at Night

    After finishing a delicious prosciutto & black mission Fig at Matchbox with a friend we decided to travel the streets photographing DC at night. We grabbed a quick cappuccino near Dupont and headed to the White House which was unfortunately isn’t lit at night. The monuments were the next best thing at this point so after walking a few miles we were eventually at the Washington Monument. It was nice to be able to walk up to the monument since last year it was fenced off for repairs. Read More →

    Austin, the City of Art, Graffiti and Murals

    iphone 5s graffitiVisiting Austin I clearly saw the city had a huge art influence. From the fonts on menus and the murals covering most building sides I loved every second of it. I only had a weekend to see everything in the city, but I wish I had more time to explore this inspirational city.

    I felt like the town was a cross between Portland and New Orleans, granted I haven’t been to either city so I’m a bad judge. But between the constant feel to keep Austin weird and the 6th street insanity it felt like both combined.

    Austin Texas Random Murals

    Austin’s Graffiti Park

    The Graffiti Park in Austin was probably one of the most unique things I’ve seen in a city. It was thriving with artists working on small and large works. Along with a few people filming a timelapse of their progression. It started out as an abandoned construction site and the company that owned the land created a legal place where people can work on their graffiti skills. It was a lot of fun to climb all over the giant concrete steps.

     I Love You So Much Graffiti

    I love you so much austin mural group shot

    Another popular mural was just simply “i love you so much” on the side of a Jo’s Coffee shop.

    Austin overall was a place full of some unique art and clearly locals and visitors embraced it. Being back in Washington DC makes me miss the artsy quirkiness of Austin.

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    Underneath Treaty Oak in Austin Texas

    Shot this over the weekend when I headed down to Austin, TX to explore & visit a few friends. It was a bit underwhelming from the outside but once you walk into the tree it’s awesome to see it’s unique branch structure. In 1989 someone tried to poison Treaty Oak which is why you can see bricks inside of the tree plus the water pipes going up the side.

    Austin was a blast, I love seeing unique shops and eateries since mostly everything I live near is a chain. There were plenty of food trucks with permanent spots which offered a unique vibe ( I think I spent too much time at Juice Austin). Among other things I checked out Salt Lick BBQ and wasn’t very impressed, I really want to try Franklin Barbecue next time I’m in the area. I also tried using a small camera pack for a couple of lenses instead of my Canon backpack which ended up being way more uncomfortable than my backpack (see all of my photography gear here).

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    The Mall at University of Maryland

    camera setup at umd mallSince I live biking distance from the University of Maryland I took a quick trip to the campus to photograph the iconic mall. Using a 10 stop ND filter (see the rest of my gear) I was able to take a 36 second exposure during the day, giving the water a completely smooth effect for this shot.

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    Franklin Roosevelt Memorial at Night

    During the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC I wandered around the memorials more than I usually do and discovered this awesome waterfall in the Franklin Roosevelt Memorial. I loved the multilayered waterfalls and knew it would look stunning when taken with a long exposure. It was difficult to get the correct angle, but I think the one I went with achieved a great effect. This find reminded me to explore more.

    FDR Memorial on Google Maps