This photograph of the iconic Manhattan skyline comes from a rocking ferry returning from the Statue of Liberty. 3-shot bracketed HDR at -2, 0, 2 processed in Photomatix Pro. Slightly overblown highlights but the sky was dull and overcast and I had to increase brightness and luminance to get anything useful out of the picture.
Rhossili beach is possibly one of the best beaches in Britain. Rhossili lies in the Gower peninsula in Wales in an area designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. The beach itself is about 3 miles long and is accessed by a steep descent from the Rhossili village at the top of the hill. As with most of Gower, this property is owned and operated by the National Trust.
A panoramic view of Rhossili beach from the path leading downRhossili beach at low tide.Remains of an old wreckView of Rhossili beach from one of the many coves on the cliff face.
All pictures from an iPhone 4S. Post-processed in Adobe Lightroom.
Barry Island in South Wales is on the Bristol Channel. It is an extensive beach and has the second largest tidal range in the world (15 metres). These pictures are from a recent trip to the Welsh seaside. At low tide the beach extends for almost a kilometer from the promenade.
Boats at low tide on barry habourBarry beach at low tide.
The Chowmahalla Palace or literally “4 palace” was the residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad. This palace complex served a ceremonial role including coronations and state banquets. The palace is said to be modeled after the palace of the Shah of Iran. This particular palace was built in 1750.
Khilawat Mubarak or Grand HallThe grand hall, adorned with crystal chandeliersThe long red carpet corridors above the grand hallA Belgian crystal glass chandelier in the grand hall (Khilawat Mubarak)A chandelier against a beautifully decorated doorDetails of the ceiling in the grand hall of Chowmahalla Palace
As a first time visitor to Chowmahalla, I was impressed by the grandeur of this palace, immaculately maintained grounds and buildings, and tremendous opportunities for photography. Needless to say I shall be visiting there again on my next trip to Hyderabad.
A front view of the Khilawat Mubarak
Technical Details
All pictures from a Nikon D80 camera fitted with a Tamron 18-250mm f3.5/5.6 zoom lens. Photographs processed in Adobe Lightroom and NIK software suite. Larger versions of the photographs are available from my flickr page.
The term verandah has made its way to English via India and refers to an open roofed courtyard around a bungalow or terrace. According to Wikipedia, a verandah “commonly refers to balconies on cruise ships and some hotel properties. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure.”. The following verandah is from the Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad, India. Photographed as a single bracketed frame, this image was converted to black-and-white in Silver Efex Pro to add texture and tonal contrast.
Pillared and beautifully decorated verandah at the Chowmahalla Palace, Hyderabad, India