September, 2019 - David Mathre Photography

Sunday (15-September-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily walkabout with a Fuji X-H1 camera, 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens, and 1.4x teleconverter or a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 VR lens. It is late summer an a lot of the wildflowers are fading so I took a series of images of the wildflowers that remain. There is a red flower that I originally thought was an Indian Paintbrush. The deer and/or rabbits really like it since most of the flowers are consumed soon after blooming. The stem and leaves are also red, so I really don’t know its identity. The deer left the Marigold and Lemon Mint flowers that the Bumblebees like. One type of Bumblebee is nearly twice the size of the other ones. After going nearly a week without seeing any butterflies, I was pleased to see a Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail, Painted Lady, Skipper, and the new one for this year a Pipevine Swallowtail. The Goldfinch and other birds are busy feasting on the Sunflowers. Even though the pond in nearly empty, a few Bullfrogs remain.

Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery that contains the individual images in the following slideshow.

Goldfinch feeding on Sunflowers. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Kermit the Bullfrog. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (50.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (57.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun but warmer again. The Geothermal HVAC used 10.7 kWh. Overall a net surplus of 6.8 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (311 kWh) and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (277 kWh) for a net deficit of 34 kWh. Several cloudy days last week.

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Saturday (14-September-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I harvested the carrots and scallions from the top level of GrowTower #1. I was surprised how big some of the carrots were as the seed packet said miniature carrots. I had also planted some garlic cloves that started to sprout in the kitchen. A few developed into heads of garlic. An opossum managed eat my remaining Tomatillos so I ended up buying a bunch from Clifford Family Farm at the Montgomery Farmers market. I use the Tomatillos along with the hot peppers from my GrowTowers to make Salsa Verde. With too many carrots, I may try incorporating carrots into the Salsa. So far the air dancer scarecrow seems to be keeping the deer out of the wildflower meadows. As soon as the deer hear or see the air dancer they start running.

Carrots, Scallions, Garlic, Hot Peppers from Grow Tower #1. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 125, 23 mm, f/2, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Tomatillos from the Farmers Market. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/2.2, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Fawn with spots eating grass. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 94 mm, f/4.8, 1/100 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Fawn and Doe leaving after hearing the Air Dancer Scarecrow. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 144 mm, f/5.3, 1/100 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (41.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (24.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Clouds most of the day and starting to get warmer again. The Geothermal HVAC was only on for a short time. Overall a net deficit of 17.4 kWh.

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Seven-Years Ago (14-September-2012) — Belgium

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 22: Field Trip to Brugge, Belgium.

Street Photograph of Bicycles in Motion in Bruges. There are lots of bicycle riders in Belgium. My goal was to photograph them with the bicycle and rider in focus with the background in motion to give the viewer the impression that the bicycle was moving. You need to focus on the rider and keep moving the camera to keep the subject centered for a long exposure (~ 1/15 sec). In normal daylight even at f/16 the image is overexposed. You can use a filter. On this day the sky was cloudy, and I could just get away with a 1/15 second exposure. I think I had a 1 in 10 success rate for the day to get these 5 images.

Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.

Eleven-Years Ago (14-September-2008) — Utah

Gone to See America 2008. Moab Utah Photography Workshop with Winston Hall. Day 0: Classic Cars in Moab.

I arrived in Moab a day early for a Photo Safari with Winston Hall. The parking lot at the motel where I was staying was filled with Vintage Chevrolet Club of America Classic Cars on tour across Utah and Arizona.

Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery containing the individual images in the slideshow.

(note – the last image in the slideshow has Silver Rhino II hiding in the background)

Thirteen-Years Ago (14-September-2006) — Nevada

Gone to See America 2006 Driving Tour. Day 16: Extraterrestrial Highway, Nevada.

Sometimes you just have to stop and take the picture. No idea where the guys with the hard hats went, but it is close to Area 51. The area is desolate. Just outside Rachel (population 54), Nevada there is an old mine site. Afterwards more desert. For those planning to attend the Area 51 stampede later this month bring plenty of water, otherwise you will end up dazed and confused — easy pickings for the aliens.

Extraterrestrial Highway Sign. Somewhere near Area 51 in Nevada. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-70 mm kit lens (ISO 400, 62 mm, f/7.1, 1/180 sec). (David J Mathre)

Extraterrestrial highway somewhere near Area 51 in Nevada. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-70 mm kit lens (ISO 400, 27 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Extraterrestrial highway somewhere near Area 51 in Nevada. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-70 mm kit lens (ISO 100, 38 mm, f/7.1, 1/180 sec). (David J Mathre)

Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery containing the individual images in the following slideshow.

Nevada desert somewhere near Area 51. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-70 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)

Dazed and confused after running out of water in the Nevada desert somewhere near Area 51. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-70 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)