Trey Ratcliff

Photographer  

Trey Ratcliff is a photographer, artist, writer and adventurer. Each day, Trey posts a new photo to his website StuckInCustoms.com, which receives over half a million monthly page views. Trey has over 9.5 million social media followers via Google+, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. His photos and stories capture the beauty of exotic travel destinations and the humor of bizarre situations he often finds himself in. There is always something new, unexpected and beautiful to see.

Trey is best known as a pioneer in HDR photography. Chris Anderson from TED called Trey a "pioneer of HDR photography." HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, a technique whereby multiple levels of light are captured for a particular scene and then combined into a single photograph. The resulting images are richly detailed and more closely resemble what you recall of the scene in your mind.

Trey's photo, Fourth on Lake Austin, was the first HDR photograph to hang in the Smithsonian. He has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOXand the BBC, and his photos have accumulated about 1 billion views. His best-selling book, "A World in HDR" sold out on Amazon in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Using a unique teaching style based on curiosity and discovery, Trey has taught hundreds of thousands of people the secrets to his photography techniques.

Trey grew up blind in one eye, which changed the way he has come to experience and visually map the world. This, combined with his degree in computer science and math, has shaped his unique, algorithm-like, approach to capturing a scene that evokes more palpable memories.

Trey is also a successful entrepreneur. His endeavors include popular iOS and Android apps such as 100CamerasIn1, Stuck On Earth and Photo Voyages. In addition he launched Flatbooks.com, which is a rapidly growing eBook publisher.

Speech Topics:

The Artist and The Internet

What is the current state of the Art on the Internet? How do photographers live, share, and thrive in this ever-changing digital world? What can schools and universities do to help prepare the next great generation of artists for a world they don't completely understand? What can the lessons of The Salon and The Impressionists teach us about the nature of art, critics, gatekeepers, and the public? All of these topics and more are described in detail in a visually stimulating environment.

HDR Photography and the Creative Process

How is HDR Photography evolving? What does it mean for traditional photography in the spheres of advertising, print, sales, stock, and more? How does the eye and brain really work together, and how does this relate to the final image and the viewer? Where does the photography end and the art begin? How do various industries and consumers react to HDR photography? What is the science behind HDR? Were the great Impressionists into HDR? These and other topics are analyzed and discussed in an image-rich presentation that is engaging and unexpected.