Two-Years Ago (20-November-2015) — Cuba

Gone to See Cuba 2011 People to People Cultural Exchange. Day 2 of a Street Photography Workshop led by Steve Simon.

The group went for morning, afternoon, and nighttime photography walkabouts in Old Havana.

Cuban Cigar. Morning Walkabout in Old Havana. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 camera. (David J Mathre)
Cuban Cigar. Morning Walkabout in Old Havana. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 camera. (David J Mathre)




Wednesday (18-October-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey

In addition to the wildflowers, I also planted some seeds for Water Bottle gourds (also known as Calabash, Opo, or Burma Boo Thee). It took nearly a month for the seeds to germinate inside. As such they didn’t get transplanted outdoors as soon as I would have liked. The plants started slow, but the electric fence kept the deer away. Finally, the vines started growing much faster and trying to climb as high as possible. At this point they produced some very big leaves. The first white flowers didn’t produce any fruit. The flowers opened at night, and closed once it got hot the next day. Finally, some of the flowers did develop some green gourds. When they got to be about the size of zucchini, the fruit turned brown and rotted. Finally, I did get a few that didn’t rot. They are not as long as the 40 inch long ones that my parents grew in Florida last year. The vines are still producing white flowers every night, but it is much too late in the season to expect anything larger. Once I turned off the electric fence, the deer came in and started eating the vines. Next year, I will try to germinate the seeds at least a month earlier, and make sure they get transplanted to a warm spot with lots of sunlight.

Fruit from a Water Bottle gourd. Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm zoom lens (ISO 800, 23 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fruit from a Water Bottle gourd. Also known as Calabash, Opo, and in Burma Boo Thee. Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm zoom lens (ISO 800, 23 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)


One-Year Ago (14-October-2016) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey

The doe does like to eat acorns.

Doe hunting for acorns. Autumn Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 235 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Doe hunting for acorns. Autumn Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 235 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Doe hunting for acorns. Autumn Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 224 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Doe hunting for acorns. Autumn Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 224 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (27-July-2014) — Russia

Gone to See Europe 2014. Day 57: Semester at Sea, Summer 2014 Semester Voyage. Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Liquid Nitrogen Dessert Creation – Pop Up Dinner at “Taste and Eat” in St Petersburg, Russia. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC.

Some said it looked like vomit. Very light weight, and it tasted good with some popping as remaining liquid nitrogen evaporated.

Liquid Nitrogen Dessert Creation - Pop Up Dinner at "Taste and Eat" in St Petersburg, Russia. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Liquid Nitrogen Dessert Creation – Pop Up Dinner at “Taste and Eat” in St Petersburg, Russia. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)

Saturday (22-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

The first Sunflower to bloom in my wildflower meadow. Somehow it escaped the deer that have nibbled many of the sunflower plants before they were able to bloom. The deer don’t seem to mind the electric fence. My neighbors tell me that I need to put up an 8-10 foot fence. That won’t keep the ground-hog from digging below the fence.

First Sunflower Bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
First Sunflower Bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)