Day Trip to Hearst Castle

mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
edited December 7, 2006 in Journeys
Hi Everyone,

My lovely wife and I took a day trip up to Hearst Castle in the middle of the California Coast. It's an excellent day trip, if you get a chance to go.

There's a pretty fantastic pool there:
109695574-M-2.jpg


A great view hampered only by lens flare:
109694929-M-2.jpg

Lots of spectacular statues:

109700453-M-2.jpg

and the ultimate indoor pool, as if the outdoor pool wasn't enough:

109699716-M-2.jpg

And when you're done, you can contemplate the sunset on Vista Beach:
109700832-M-2.jpg

Hope you liked!

(also, I'm experimenting with watermarking, so please let me know what you think of how I did that).

Comments

  • arroyosharkarroyoshark Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2006
    Your lovely watermarking sort of spoils the enjoyment of your images. rolleyes1.gif Why not just link to some low-rez images instead.
    Available light is any damn light that's available -W. Eugene Smith
  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2006
    Those are the low-res images; smugmug is applying the watermark to every image.

    The watermarks are an experiment, as I said, so any improvement suggestions are welcome. Would a change in position help? Or a change in the transparency? The 'small' images still have the watermark, which seems to mean that I have to have it if I'm going to use it.

    I wouldn't even bother, except I've gotten wind of people who're downloading my images and using them as their own, which is very annoying.
  • photocatphotocat Registered Users Posts: 1,334 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2006
    Try the right down corner. I put mine there, and they seem less intrusive.
  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2006
    How's that?

    Do you find that edge watermarks are more easily croppable?
  • PhyxiusPhyxius Registered Users Posts: 1,396 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2006
    Oops! I forgot where this was posted in and critiqued. Deleted!!
    Looks like a nice trip and I wouldn't mind having that be my summer house :):)
    Christina Dale
    SmugMug Support Specialist - www.help.smugmug.com

    http://www.phyxiusphotos.com
    Equine Photography in Maryland - Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers
  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2006
    Now I'm curious to see your critique, but I guess it doesn't apply :D

    Yes, this house truly was a monument of what you can do if you have more money than God. It seems to me that Hearst did it right; nowadays, I think you would have to have a converted oil platform with helicopter landing pad and underwater observatory to have the equivalent. And that would be a good use of money when you have billions, as far as I'm concerned.
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2006
    It is a great seriesclap.gifthumbclap.gifthumbclap.gifthumbclap.gifthumb...your water mark is in the standard position just as if you had hand signed it and then scanned the image in....it may be a tad overpowering but nothing like this guys: HERE ......I decided not to post pic just that link...... HERE

    so it seems one must have a gallery of really low rez pics that are not watermarked to beable to eneter into challenges without watermarking to take away from the photogs work.
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited November 13, 2006
    Hi Art,

    Thanks for the kind words :)

    Yeah, I don't think I can do a watermark that, um, severe, yet. But I'll keep it in mind :)

    There's more at http://mmroden.smugmug.com/gallery/2121345, which I suppose I should have said in the first place.
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited November 13, 2006
    These are gorgeous shots. I don't know if you know this but there are
    several different tours that offer some pretty cool looks at other things
    Mr. Hearst owned or had installed.

    Thanks for the look!
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited November 13, 2006
    Nice series and I am amazed at those beautiful pools. :)

    I dont think your watermarks are too bad at all. I haven't yet played with the concept of watermarking but I would think that the lower corner is pretty unobstrusive. However I have no idea if people are that ballsy to just crop it out if they want to use your photo - I suppose if someone was that desperate and obnoxious, they can do anything. rolleyes1.gif
  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited November 13, 2006
    Ian: Glad you liked the shots :) Yes, I know there are other tours, but I was informed that we were done for the day after the first one. Besides, it gives us a reason to go back.

    Schmooo: I think you might have missed my center-placed watermarks, which were what was causing the commentary. I also loved the pools, and their even more fantastic up close. As in, "Ooops, did I fall in totally by accident while wearing a bathing suit? How'd that happen?"
  • Tee WhyTee Why Registered Users Posts: 2,390 Major grins
    edited November 17, 2006
    The watermark doens't bother me.
    As for the place, I heard they only have guided tours, do they allow enough time for photography? or are you shooting and moving to keep up with the tour?
  • Mickey57Mickey57 Registered Users Posts: 48 Big grins
    edited November 17, 2006
    Hi Mark:
    The pictures are very nice. I really like the first one. The watermark is ok but I too feel that it would be less distracting if it were a little smaller. I guess it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. As a signature, it seems a little large and overpowering but as a true watermark to protect the image it isn't really large enough or in the correct position. It's kinda like being caught between a rock and a hard place isn't it. ne_nau.gif

    Great photos though....thanks for sharing.

    Dan
    Dan
    Mickey57
  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited November 17, 2006
    Tee Why: Yes, they only show guided tours, but they're fairly long. They do not allow flash (which is unfortunate, since the inside of the castle has _no_ light) and a tripod would be pretty much out of the question as you do have to keep up with the group. The tour we went on, the 'experience' tour, was an hour and a half long, so it's enough time to try to get at least one decent shot per place where you stop.

    Mickey: Glad you like the photos :) You're right about the watermarking being not quite what it should be. I originally had it in the middle of the image, but that was proving a bit to obtrusive. Now it's where it is, which is out of the way and thus croppable, so I guess you can't always get what you need. I could go with something like Something Awful's watermarks, but then I'd really feel like I'm occluding the image. Do you have a suggestion on how it should be done? Because I'd love to see it done properly, where the image can be enjoyed but the watermark is present enough to connote who did the work.
  • Mickey57Mickey57 Registered Users Posts: 48 Big grins
    edited November 17, 2006
    Hi Mark:
    I wish I had a viable alternative to all this watermark stuff....thus the caught between a rock and a hard place comment.
    I have seen a few watermarks that are in the centre of the picture but have the opacity set very low. Not too bad but still take away from the beauty of the picture.
    I am no expert on the EXIF thing but I have been adding copyright info to the EXIF before downloading any images. Perhaps someone here, with more knowledge, can let us know if this info can be removed/altered or not.
    Take care and enjoy the weekend

    Dan
    Dan
    Mickey57
  • SenecaSeneca Registered Users Posts: 1,661 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2006
    :D Wow that pool is beautiful.
  • mgd_harveymgd_harvey Registered Users Posts: 73 Big grins
    edited December 7, 2006
    Fantastic shots and incredible pools! Is that place lived in?

    Watermarks are a problem. If someone is determined to take your image, you will find it difficult to stop that without obscuring it beyond any use.
    Mark
    --
    So much has changed in our photo-world, and yet basically nothing's changed - It's still the pictures that really matter. David Noton
Sign In or Register to comment.