The Gothic Study

The Gothic Study, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

W.R. Hearst held private meetings and oversaw the operations of his vast business empire from this room. This photo is somewhat monochromatic. This is due to the low light levels used in the castle to preserve the ancient artwork. Tripods are not allowed in the castle so I had to shoot at ISO 3,200 and only bracket 3 shots. This image required quite a bit of noise reduction and post processing to make it look this good. Those of you with Nikon's D3 or D700 are fortunate to have such low noise cameras. Maybe someday...

Heavens on Fire

Heavens on Fire, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Ariel's Grotto, a good place to eat and watch the sun set over Disney California Adventure.

Neptune Pool - Early Morning

Neptune Pool - Early Morning, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Hearst Castle's Neptune Pool - WR Hearst had this pool rebuilt 3 times until it matched his vision of what it should be. This makes it the most expensive pool in any private residence in the world. With a 345,000 gallon capacity it is also one of the largest. It features 2 curved collonnades, an ancient roman temple and beautiful mythological figures carved by French sculptor Charles Cassou.

Neptune Pool at Sunset

Neptune Pool at Sunset, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Hearst Castle's Neptune Pool - WR Hearst had this pool rebuilt 3 times until it matched his vision of what it should be. This makes it the most expensive pool in any private residence in the world. With a 345,000 gallon capacity it is also one of the largest. It features 2 curved collonnades, an ancient roman temple and beautiful mythological figures carved by French sculptor Charles Cassou.

Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Hearst Castle's Neptune Pool - WR Hearst had this pool rebuilt 3 times until it matched his vision of what it should be. This makes it the most expensive pool in any private residence in the world. With a 345,000 gallon capacity it is also one of the largest. It features 2 curved collonnades, an ancient roman temple and beautiful mythological figures carved by French sculptor Charles Cassou.

The Wrestlers

The Wrestlers, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

This sculpture was located between two guest houses at Hearst Castle

RA-5C Vigilante

RA-5C Vigilante, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Vietnam era reconnaissance aircraft photographed on the flight deck of the USS Midway in San Diego, California. It was a beautiful, cool and sunny day. The clouds were particularly dramatic and made a perfect background in addtion to the skyline.

Inside the Pyramid

Inside the Pyramid, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

This is a 12 shot HDR Pano/Vertorama of the Luxor hotel in Las Vegas. A total of 36 exposures make up this combined image. I was thinking that a security guard would tell me I couldn't use my tripod inside the hotel but they never said a word.

F-86 Sabre

F-86 Sabre, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

This spit polish F-86 was spectacular and quite difficult to photograph without becoming part of the image. I've visited the Chino Planes of Fame museum many times but have never seen this aircraft before. I think it may have been on a short term loan. It would be amazing to see it fly!

Big Pixel Pushing!

Big Pixel Pushing!, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

I took the photo on the left using my camera's program mode. The photo on the right is the result of 3 bracketed shots processed in Lightroom, Photomatix, Photoshop, Noiseware and Topaz Adjust in various proportions. As I stood in the exhibit hall I was struck by the beautiful quality of the light raining down from the wall of glass and skylights above me. But as I expected, my camera was unable to handle this wide range of light. The answer? HDR of course! The look I can achieve pushes beyond the reality of the actual scene and to my taste, makes for a much more engaging experience for the viewer. This is what I call "Big Pixel Pushing!"

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