May, 2011 - David Mathre Photography

Tuesday (31-May-2011) — New Jersey

I am resisting NAS (Nikon Acquisition Syndrome) Today.

While reading the commentary on Thom Hogon’s site today, I saw that B&H (and other vendors) had received new Nikon 500 mm and 600 mm f/4 VRII Super Telephoto lenses and still have some available for sale. These have been in short supply for a long time, and may be in even shorter supply for an even longer time since the earthquake in Japan. I held out and did not place an order (and thus didn’t help the economy by spending nearly $20K). This was hard, since I missed many great photo opportunities while on the Semester at Sea, Spring Enrichment Voyage — Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop (UTPW-II) earlier this month. Several of the folks attending the workshop had the larger 500 mm and 600 mm lenses and were able to get some great images that made those of us with lighter kits (70-300 or 80-400) jealous.

Monday (30-May-2011) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

I noticed these big white flowers across the street. They were identified as Clematis. It has been a great spring for flowers this year in New Jersey. After taking some images of the flowers, Lauren gave me some of his excess tomato plants to grow on my deck. Because of travel over the last several years, I haven’t had much time to keep up with a garden. This summer could be different. I have a couple of big pots and bags of planting soil to set up on the back deck.

White Clematis Bloom. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre) — White Clematis Bloom. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5

Sunday (29-May-2011) — New Jersey

Indoor Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Thanks to the Internet, I was finally able to identify this bug crawling up the wall. It is a Scutigera Coleoptrata, aka house centipede — and not a Silverfish. Apparently these eat other bugs including Silverfish in the house. This one is missing part of its right front antenna, and three of its right front legs. They still are creepy — no pun intended.

Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Four-Years Ago (28-May-2007) — Colorado

Early Springtime in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Images of Colorado wildflowers taken at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. In Colorado this is still early spring with the snow only recently melting. I think that these are Prairie Crocus flowers (Pulsatilla Patens). Let me know if the identification is correct.

Prarie Crocus Flower. Early Spring in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Prarie Crocus Flower. Early Spring in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Prarie Crocus Flower. Early Spring in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 400, 105 mm, f/11, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, NIK Define 2, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Prarie Crocus Flower. Early Spring in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 400, 105 mm, f/11, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, NIK Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.

Prarie Crocus Flower. Early Spring in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 125, 105 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Prarie Crocus Flower. Early Spring in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 125, 105 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Thursday (26-May-2011) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey: I DON’T LIKE TICKS!!!

Ever since I got home and came in after taking the bee images, I kept feeling something crawling on me. I didn’t find anything and thought it was the ants that have invaded the house while I was on the Enrichment Voyage. Finally, I found a tick crawling on my shoulder. I think that it is a female dog tick and not a deer tick. I don’t like any type of ticks. I don’t know if this was the only one, but to make sure all of my cloths and bedding are now in the washing machine.

Dog Tick? Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/22, 1/600 sec). Ring Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Dog Tick? Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/22, 1/600 sec). Ring Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.