Five Years Ago (02-January-2011) — Argentina

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 8: Hosteria El Pilar.

Images from around Hosteria El Pilar near El Chalten in Argentina. When we saw the orange clouds developing at dusk over Mount Fitzroy we all left our deserts and rushed out of the dining room with whatever camera we had nearby. Some said the cloud looked like a shrimp, a dragon, and a Praying Mantis. I may have wished I had a different camera at the time, but didn’t chance missing the show.

The other images include a bee approaching a Pink Lupine flower, a horse and reflection of Mount Fitzroy at dawn, and then several early (02:00 to 03:00) night sky images. This was the first time I saw the Southern Milky Way, and an upside down Orion constellation.

Silhouette of Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia at Dusk with Glowing Orange Clouds from Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19.2 mm, f/5.6, 1100/sec) (David J Mathre)
Silhouette of Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia at Dusk with Glowing Orange Clouds from Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19.2 mm, f/5.6, 1100/sec) (David J Mathre)
Bee Approaching a Pink Lupine in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Bee Approaching a Pink Lupine in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Reflection of Fitzroy in the Morning with a Horse. Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 sec). Patagonia workshop with Thom Hogan, Day 7. (David J Mathre)
Reflection of Fitzroy in the Morning with a Horse. Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 sec). Patagonia workshop with Thom Hogan, Day 7. (David J Mathre)


Friday (01-January-2016) — Florida

Gone to See America. December/January 2015/2016 Florida Road Trip. Day 9: St. Petersburg.

Walkabout on New Year’s Day in St. Petersburg. Multicolored Fire Hydrant, Sunflower, and Fig on a Vine. Images taken with a Leica T camera and 55-135 mm lens.

Multi-colored fire hydrant in the "Old Northeast" section of St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 55-135 mm lens (ISO 200, 55 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Multi-colored fire hydrant in the “Old Northeast” section of St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 55-135 mm lens (ISO 200, 55 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunflower bloom at an urban farm in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 55-135 mm lens (ISO 200, 135 mm, f/4.5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunflower bloom at an urban farm in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 55-135 mm lens (ISO 200, 135 mm, f/4.5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lone fig on a branch at an urban farm in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 55-135 mm lens (ISO 200, 135 mm, f/4.5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lone fig on a branch at an urban farm in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 55-135 mm lens (ISO 200, 135 mm, f/4.5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (01-January-2015) — Antarctica

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage on the MS Fram. Day 17: Antarctic Peninsula.

We woke on New Years day to see more amazing icebergs. The first stop was at Brown Station (Estación Científica Almirante Brown) in Paradise Harbor. I took a panorama of the harbor and research station from the deck of the MS Fram while waiting to go ashore. Then to Bransfield House (location of the southernmost post office) at Port Lockry. The Gentoo Penguin eggs were just beginning to hatch. Later in the day we proceeded to the Lemaire Channel in the Southwest Antarctic Peninsula. The blue colors of the water, glaciers, and sky were unreal. I did my best to accurately record the colors. All of the panorama images need to be viewed in full screen mode.

Iceburg in Antarctica from the Deck of the MS Fram. Composite of three images taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/11, various) Raw image processed with Lightroom, Nik HDR Efex 2, Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Iceberg in Antarctica from the Deck of the MS Fram. Composite of three images taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/11, various) Raw image processed with Lightroom, Nik HDR Efex 2, Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Panorama of Paradise Harbor and Brown Station (Estación Científica Almirante Brown) in Antarctica from the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Composite of 16 image takens with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Zeiss 32 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 200, 32 mm, f/16, 1/500 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Photoshop CC 2015, and AutoPano Giga Pro (David J Mathre)
Panorama of Paradise Harbor and Brown Station (Estación Científica Almirante Brown) in Antarctica from the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Composite of 16 image takens with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Zeiss 32 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 200, 32 mm, f/16, 1/500 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Photoshop CC 2015, and AutoPano Giga Pro (David J Mathre)
Gentoo Penguin on its Rock Nest Built with Pebbles. Underneath are a New Years Chick that Just Hatched, and a Second Egg Where the Beak Just Appeared. Next to Bransfield House, Port Lockry in Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/11.3, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)
Gentoo Penguin on its Rock Nest Built with Pebbles. Underneath are a New Years Chick that Just Hatched, and a Second Egg Where the Beak Just Appeared. Next to Bransfield House, Port Lockry in Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/11.3, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)
Northern Entrance to the Lemaire Channel in the Southwest Antarctic Peninsula. From the deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. In camera panorama taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Zeiss 32 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 32 mm, f/8, 1/180 sec). Jpg image processed with Capture One Pro 8 and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Northern Entrance to the Lemaire Channel in the Southwest Antarctic Peninsula. From the deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. In camera panorama taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Zeiss 32 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 32 mm, f/8, 1/180 sec). Jpg image processed with Capture One Pro 8 and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Zodiac Leading an Antarctic Cruise Ship Through the Lemaire Channel. I had never seen clouds this color blue before, and they were that color blue. I am guessing it is blue light reflecting off the glacier. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 31 mm, f/11, 1/40 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Zodiac Leading an Antarctic Cruise Ship Through the Lemaire Channel. I had never seen clouds this color blue before, and they were that color blue. I am guessing it is blue light reflecting off the glacier. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 31 mm, f/11, 1/40 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (01-January-2015) — Antarctica

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage on the MS Fram. Day 17: Antarctic Peninsula.

Stairway Barely Out of the Snow at Brown Station (Estación Científica Almirante Brown) in Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2015.

Stairway Barely Out of the Snow at Brown Station (Estación Científica Almirante Brown) in Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2015. (David J Mathre)
Stairway Barely Out of the Snow at Brown Station (Estación Científica Almirante Brown) in Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (01-January-2013) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey.

A squirrel on my back porch. As long as it looked away it didn’t think I was taking its picture. Probably one of the squirrels that would later get into the attic and cause all kinds of problems.

Squirrel on a Fence in my Back Yard. Winter Wildlife in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 180 mm f/2.8D lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Squirrel on a Fence in my Back Yard. Winter Wildlife in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 180 mm f/2.8D lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). (David J. Mathre)