Four-Years Ago (10-February-2013) — Norway

Gone to See Norway 2013. Chasing the Northern Lights. Day 13: Tromsø.

Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. A random selection of images taken during the day. After dinner we did see a glimmer of Northern Lights peek through the bright city lights.

"Respect" Stencil on a billboard recently cleared of posts. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 200, 18.5 mm, f/2.5, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
“Respect” Stencil on a billboard recently cleared of posts. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 200, 18.5 mm, f/2.5, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
"Hot Pants" Sunday outdoor market/festival . Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 180, 18.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
“Hot Pants” Sunday outdoor market/festival . Winter walkabout in Tromsø Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 180, 18.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
"Locked Out". Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 400, 18.5 mm, f/1.8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
“Locked Out”. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 400, 18.5 mm, f/1.8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Graffiti on a wall. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 200, 18.5 mm, f/2.5, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Graffiti on a wall. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 200, 18.5 mm, f/2.5, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Locked winter door. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 180, 18.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Locked winter door. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 180, 18.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dead grass and rock along the harbor walkway. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 180, 18.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dead grass and rock along the harbor walkway. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 180, 18.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Billboard. My Norwegian is rusty. As best I can translate -- "Momma has been too long at the conference, with dad and too much popcorn and ice cream". Initially, I thought the kid was upset about his haircut... Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 220, 18.5 mm, f/2, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Billboard. My Norwegian is rusty. As best I can translate — “Momma has been too long at the conference, with dad and too much popcorn and ice cream”. Initially, I thought the kid was upset about his haircut… Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 220, 18.5 mm, f/2, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Toy store??? Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 320, 18.5 mm, f/2, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Toy store??? Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 320, 18.5 mm, f/2, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Using a very long hockey stick to clear the icicles above a storefront. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 180, 18.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Using a very long hockey stick to clear the icicles above a storefront. Winter walkabout in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 180, 18.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Glimmer of Northern Lights peeking past the night lights in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 800, 10 mm, f/2.8, 1 sec). (David J Mathre)
Glimmer of Northern Lights peeking past the night lights in Tromsø, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 800, 10 mm, f/2.8, 1 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (24-January-2016) — Japan

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 19: Arrival in Yokohama, Japan.

Once we cleared immigration control, we had to remain off the ship until everyone was cleared. It was cold. I’m glad I was wearing a sweater, coat, wool hat, and had a pair of “hunting gloves” from Norway for using a camera in the cold. In addition to a camera, I brought a tripod with a Mindarin Astro 360° rotating head for the tripod. This rotating head controls the camera for doing rotating panoramas or rotating time-lapse videos. I did several sets of images while on the Osanbashi Pier, which were then processed with AutoPano Giga Pro to create Little Planet, Mirror Ball, and Panorama views of the MV World Odyssey and the Yokohama skyline. Click on the images for a wider view.

Little Planet View of the Yokohama, Japan Skyline from the Osanbashi Pier. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec) using a 360° Mindarin Astro rotating tripod head. Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the Little Planet view created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Little Planet View of the Yokohama, Japan Skyline from the Osanbashi Pier. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec) using a 360° Mindarin Astro rotating tripod head. Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the Little Planet view created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Little Planet view of the MV World Odyssey Docked at the Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama, Japan. Composite of 9 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) using a 360° Mindarin Astro rotating tripod head. Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the Little Planet view created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Little Planet view of the MV World Odyssey Docked at the Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama, Japan. Composite of 9 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) using a 360° Mindarin Astro rotating tripod head. Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the Little Planet view created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Mirror Ball view of the MV World Odyssey docked at the Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama, Japan. Composite of 9 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) using a 360° Mindarin Astro rotating tripod head. Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the Mirror Ball view created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Mirror Ball view of the MV World Odyssey docked at the Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama, Japan. Composite of 9 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) using a 360° Mindarin Astro rotating tripod head. Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the Mirror Ball view created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)

Later in the afternoon I made two 360° time-lapse videos. The first of people enjoying the day at the Yamashita Park along the Yokohama harbor, and the second from a park with a view of view of the Osanbashi Pier and the MV World Odyssey. The images were taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera that was controlled by a Mindarin Astro 360° rotating head on a tripod. The time-lapse video was then created using Photoshop CC and Premiere Pro CC.

Yamashita Park Time-Lapse Video

Osanbashi Pier Time-Lapse Video

Ten-Years Ago (24-January-2007) — Norway

Gone to See Norway 2007 Family Vacation. Day 4: Hurtigruten Coastal Voyage Traveling North.

Ålesund winter panorama from the Aksla viewpoint. It was a bright clear day so several of us climbed the 418 steps to get to the top. The restaurant Fjellstua at the top was closed for the winter. You can see the MS Kong Harald docked below.

Ålesund Winter Panorama. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 12-24 mm f/4 lens (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). Composite of 3 images combined with Kolor AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Ålesund Winter Panorama. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 12-24 mm f/4 lens (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). Composite of 3 images combined with Kolor AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)

Thursday (19-January-2017) — New Jersey

Home Renovation Project: Bedroom Three.

Little Planet view of my third bedroom after renovation. Prior to this the room was only used for storage. The first view was created using 25 images taken in 15 degree intervals using a Nikon D810a camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/8, 1/50 sec) with a flash pointing backwards. The second view was created using 70 images taken in 5 degree intervals using a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 800, 16 mm, f/11, 1/15 sec) no flash. The raw images were processed with Capture One Pro, and the Little Planet view created using AutoPano Giga Pro. If you look closely, the second one includes a selfie.

Little Planet view of my third bedroom after renovation. Prior to this the room was only used for storage. The Little Planet view was created using 25 images taken in 15 degree intervals using a Nikon D810a camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/8, 1/50 sec) with a flash pointing backwards. The raw images were processed with Capture One Pro, and AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Little Planet view of my third bedroom after renovation. (David J Mathre)
Little Planet view of my third bedroom after renovation. Prior to this the room was only used for storage. The Little Planet view was created using 70 images taken in 5 degree intervals using a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 800, 16 mm, f/11, 1/15 sec). The raw images were processed with Capture One Pro, and AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Little Planet view of my third bedroom after renovation.(David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (15-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 20: Puerto Natales, Chile. Hostage Day 4.

Day four in Puerto Natales. The Chilean Red Cross and Military organized safe passage out of Puerto Natales for the departure for all of the tourists being held against their will in southern Chile. We first had to get to the Red Cross refuge center that was set up in the E3 elementary school to register. Then it was a lot of waiting as the Red Cross tried to organize lists and priorities to depart. There were nearly 1000 folks in the refuge center. A doctor gave me some antibiotics for my upper respiratory infection (that was turning into walking pneumonia. This also moved me up the list so I was with the 2nd group to depart. While at the refuge center, we got a certificate from the Gubernator of Southern Chile stating that we had been detained against our will. This is a series of snapshots taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera documenting the day. Freedom at last. I ended up sleeping in the Punta Arenas airport lobby before getting the first commercial plane to Santiago the next morning. The road between Santiago, and the Santiago International Airport were still being blocked by the protesters. I have to thank Thom Hogan, Rob Noonan, Wilderness Travel, the Chilean Red Cross, and the Chilean Air Force for getting us out safely.



Individual images from the slide-show can be viewed here.