Thursday (24-December-2009) — New Jersey

Troll Family Portrait: Christmas Eve.

The troll family on Christmas Eve. Composite focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/3, 1/1.6 sec). Camera controled and images processed with Helicon Focus. (David J Mathre)
The troll family on Christmas Eve. Composite focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/3, 1/1.6 sec). Camera controlled and images processed with Helicon Focus. (David J Mathre)

Sunday (20-December-2009) — Hawaii

Gone to See Hawaii, Maui Day 5: Rainbow then Moon from the Beach.

This was my last day in Maui. Not much time for photography while I attended talks and a poster session at the meeting. I definitely want to return to Hawaii. I saw a great rainbow from the balcony in my room at the Maui Westin Hotel. The rooms with a view inland didn’t cost as much as the rooms with a view of the ocean. My final image is a post sunset view of the moon from the beach. Did I say I want to return to Hawaii.

Rainbow over Maui. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 100, 45 mm, f/16, 1/40 sec). (David J Mathre)
Rainbow over Maui. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 100, 45 mm, f/16, 1/40 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hawaii Day 5 (David J Mathre)
Hawaii Day 5 (David J Mathre)

Saturday (19-December-2009) — Hawaii

Gone to See Hawaii, Maui Day 4: Hookipa Beach and Iao State Park.

I drove back in the afternoon to Hookipa beach to see if there would be any surfing. Unfortunately, the waves were not good and there were red flags at the beach warning surfers and swimmers to stay out of the water. The only one in the water was a parasurfer — way out. Took some images of the waves going over the volcanic rocks below the overlook, and another photographer taking pictures of the rough waves. Since conditions were not good here, I drove to Iao Valley state park. By the time I got there the rain was starting to get heavy so didn’t go for a hike up the valley, but did get a picture of the Iao needle in the clouds. The next day I heard that there was hail with this rain storm (unusual for Hawaii).

Lone parasurfer at Hookipa Beach. Image taken from the overlook. On the North Shore of Maui. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec) (David J Mathre)
Lone parasurfer at Hookipa Beach. Image taken from the overlook. On the North Shore of Maui. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec) (David J Mathre)
Tourists watching waves crashing over volcanic rocks at Hookipa Beach Park. From the beach overlook on the North Shore of Maui. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 220 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec) (David J Mathre)
Tourists watching waves crashing over volcanic rocks at Hookipa Beach Park. From the beach overlook on the North Shore of Maui. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 220 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec) (David J Mathre)
Photographer at Hookipa Beach Park overlook. On the North Shore of Maui. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Photographer at Hookipa Beach Park overlook. On the North Shore of Maui. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)

Friday (18-December-2009) — Hawaii

Gone to See Hawaii, Maui Day 3: Haleakala National Park.

I left the meeting early to get to the Pu’U’Ula’Ula peak in Haleakala National Park for sunset. When I got to the parking lot I saw this bird, which I later identified as a Chukar. The elevation  is about 10,000 feet, and as the sun went down it got windy and cold fast. The thermometer on my GPS indicated 30°F, and I only had a light windbreaker. I didn’t think to carry cold weather gear for the trip to Hawaii. I did get several great images of the sunset over the nearby Haleakala Air Force Satellite tracking station and observatories.

Chukar, Haleakalua National Park, Maui Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Chukar, Haleakalua National Park, Maui Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunset over Haleakala Satellite Tracking Station from Pu'U'Ula'Ula peak in Haleakala National Park, Maui Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E lens (ISO 100, f/16, 1/10 sec). Photomatix HDR (5 images) (David J Mathre)
Sunset over Haleakala Satellite Tracking Station from Pu’U’Ula’Ula peak in Haleakala National Park, Maui Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E lens (ISO 100, f/16, 1/10 sec). Photomatix HDR (5 images) (David J Mathre)
Sunset Panorama over Haleakala Satellite Tracking Station from Pu'U'Ula'Ula peak in Haleakala National Park, Maui Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E lens (ISO 100, f/16, 1/10 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunset Panorama over Haleakala Satellite Tracking Station from Pu’U’Ula’Ula peak in Haleakala National Park, Maui Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E lens (ISO 100, f/16, 1/10 sec). (David J Mathre)