Category: Fine Art

Views of art from around the world

Five-Years Ago (02-February-2013) — Norway

Gone to See Norway 2013 Chasing the Northern Lights. Day 5: Hurtigruten MS Nordkapp Norwegian Coastal Voyage Northbound (Trondheim and Rørvik).

On the second full day of the northbound Hurtigruten voyage, the ship only stops in two ports: Trondheim (06:00-12:00) and Rørvik (20:30-21:15). Having six hours in Trondheim allowed us to spend some time to see the city. Our first stop was at Nidaros Cathedral. The exterior of the cathedral is a target rich environment for religious statues and gargoyles. But it was cold outside. The last time I was here in 2007 I said I would love to go back with a perspective control lens to record all sides of the exterior of the cathedral. Well, I didn’t bring that lens along, so had to do with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and an older 180 mm f/2.8 lens. It was cloudy and still relatively dark in the morning, so the images are noisy. The statues can be identified here. After leaving Trondheim, we passed the Kjeungskjær Lighthouse.

Lonely bench in the snow. Trondheim overlook. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 800, 10 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lonely bench in the snow. Trondheim overlook. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 800, 10 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)



Individual images from the slide show can be viewed here.

Kjeungskjær Lighthouse in Norway on a Cold Windy Rainy Winter Day from the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Nordkapp. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 180 mm f/2.8D lens (ISO 400, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec).Kjeungskjær Lighthouse (David J Mathre)
Kjeungskjær Lighthouse in Norway on a Cold Windy Rainy Winter Day from the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Nordkapp. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 180 mm f/2.8D lens (ISO 400, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec).Kjeungskjær Lighthouse (David J Mathre)

Eleven-Years Ago (02-February-2007) — Norway

Gone to See Norway 2007 Family Winter Vacation. Day 13: Hurtigruten MS Kong Harald Norwegian Coastal Voyage Southbound (Trondheim to Molde).

On the fifth day of the southbound Hurtigruten voyage the ship only made three stops: Trondheim (06:30-10:00); Kristiansund (16:30-17:00); and Molde (21:00-21:30). We were able to spend a couple of early morning hours in Trondheim. I wanted to get more images of the statues and gargoyles at the Nidaros Cathedral.



Individual images in the slide show can be viewed here.

Eleven-Years Ago (31-January-2007) — Norway

Gone to See Norway 2007 Family Winter Vacation. Day 11: Hurtigruten MS Kong Harald Norwegian Coastal Voyage Southbound (Tromsø to Stamsund).

On the third day of the southbound Hurtigruten voyage, the ship departed Tromsø (01:30) and made seven stops: Finnsnes (04:15-04:45); Harstad (07:45-08:30); Risøyhamm (10:45-11:00); Sortland (12:30-13:00); Stokmarkenes (14:15-15:15); Svolvær (18:30-20:30); and Stamsund (22:00-22:30).

We got off the ship in Harstad and took a bus tour stopping at the Trondenes Church (northernmost medieval stone church in Norway) and the Trondenes Museum & Historical center. We then drove to Sortland where we rejoined the ship after passing over it while we crossed the Sortland bridge.

Painting at the Trondenes Museum & Historical center in Harstad. Composite of two images taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/1.4, 1/100 sec) (David J Mathre)
Painting at the Trondenes Museum & Historical center in Harstad. Composite of two images taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/1.4, 1/100 sec) (David J Mathre)



Individual images in this slide-show can be viewed here.



Individual images in this slide-show can be viewed here.



Individual images in this slide-show can be viewed here.



Individual images in this slide-show can be viewed here.

Svolvær Church at night. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 35 mm f/2 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/2, 1/15 sec) (David J Mathre)
Svolvær Church at night. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 35 mm f/2 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/2, 1/15 sec) (David J Mathre)
Trollfjord docked in Svolvær. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 12-24 mm f/4 lens (ISO 200, 12 mm, f/4, 1/45 sec) (David J Mathre)
Trollfjord docked in Svolvær. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 12-24 mm f/4 lens (ISO 200, 12 mm, f/4, 1/45 sec) (David J Mathre)

Eleven-Years Ago (26-January-2007) — Norway

Gone to See Norway 2007 Family Winter Vacation. Day 6: Northbound Hurtigruten MS Kong Harald Norwegian Coastal Voyage (Brønnøysund to Svolvær).

On the third full day of the northbound Hurtigruten voyage, the ship stopped in seven ports: Brønnøysund (00:30-01:00); Sandnessjøen (03:45-04:15); Nesna (05:25-05:30); Ørnes (09:00-09:30); Bodø (12:30-15:00); Stamsund (19:00-19:30); and Svolvær (21:00-22:00). We were in Bodø long enough to visit the Norwegian Aviation Museum. Later in the evening, we stopped in Svolvær and went to the world-famous Magic Ice bar. We entered what looked like a warehouse and were provided with warm coats. Inside the building are ice sculptures reflecting the life of the region and fishermen. Before leaving we were provided a drink in a shot glass made of ice.

Picasso Frykt For Bombing. Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodø Norway. Image taken on Day 3 of the Northbound Hurtigruten Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 50 mm f/1.4D lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Picasso Frykt For Bombing. Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodø Norway. Image taken on Day 3 of the Northbound Hurtigruten Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 50 mm f/1.4D lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). (David J Mathre)




Two-Years Ago (25-January-2016) — Japan

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 20: Hakone.

Our group departed Yokohama for an overland bus and high-speed train tour of Hakone, Hiroshima, and Kobe. The first stop on the bus was at Fuji Hakone Izu National Park where we rode a gondola up Mount Komagatake. A short hike on an icy trail brought us to the peak (1327m). I could have used crampons on my boots, and was glad I had a walking stick. It was very, very cold, but we had a perfectly clear view of Mount Fuji covered with snow and Lake Ashi below.



Individual images in this slide show can be viewed here.

We then visited a Shinto Temple in Hakone. I focused on the “water purification” process before entering the temple. One or two other tour buses with students from the ship happened to be there at the same time so we had to be careful which bus we got back on.



Individual images in this slide show can be viewed here.

We were dropped off on in Hakone on the shore of Lake Ashi with free time to get lunch. Several of us stopped at a local noodle restaurant for lunch. We were given menus with pictures of the different meals. I selected the  “Smelts and Buckwheat Noodle Soup”. The waitress kept asking if I knew what “smelts” were. They looked like the fresh water smelts my grandfather would bring home from Lake Superior.



Individual images in this slide show can be viewed here.

After lunch we waited at the Pier for our “Pirate Ship” ride on Lake Ashi. That was hokey. The tourist pirate ship looked exactly like the one I rode in Gdansk, Poland — except with Japanese pirates.



Individual images in this slide show can be viewed here.

The tour bus picked us up at the other end of the lake and brought us to the Hakone Open-Air Museum.



Individual images in this slide show can be viewed here.

The final stop for the day was at Tenseien Yumoto Spring, a traditional Japanese hotel/spa in Hakone. When we checked in, we were given traditional Japanese Kimo’s that we were to wear during our stay. The room I was in was traditional Japanese style — minimal with a low table and pot of green tea. Later on the room was rearranged with a futon on the floor. Our group had its own room to sit for dinner, but we selected our food in a traditional Japanese buffet along with the other hotel guests.



Individual images in this slide show can be viewed here.
Color versions of the images can be viewed here.