Category: Food

Views of food from around the world

Sunday (03-July-2011) — New Jersey

Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

I got up early this morning to drive to the High Point monument in northern New Jersey. It was raining when I left, but I hoped that it would clear up by the time I got there. Just the opposite — heavy rain when I got there. Furthermore, the front gate was still locked. I gave up and drove back the long route along the Delaware River. Because of the rain there was very little traffic. I’ve used up most of my vacation this year between the Patagonia workshop with Thom Hogan and the Central America & Panama Canal Enrichment Voyage – Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. As such, I know that I am not going to be able to do a cross-country road trip this year so it was good to get a long drive in this holiday weekend.

When I got home there was a lull in the rain and I saw that the wild raspberries were starting to ripen. In order to get an image of a cluster of the berries in focus with everything else out of focus I took a series of images using a focus rail to adjust the camera to subject distance over a 3 cm distance with a macro lens. I then used Helicon Focus to make a composite image from the 20 images. The first image is the result. The next three images are the first (front focus), mid (middle focus), and last (back focus) images. Even though there was some (not much) movement due to wind, Helicon Focus did a great job adjusting the images so all of the composite images were correctly registered.

Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. Helicon Focus composite of 20 images. (David J Mathre)
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. Helicon Focus composite of 20 images.
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5.
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5.
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5.

Tuesday (28-June-2011) — New Jersey

Ann DeCamp Retirement Celebration.

We had a retirement party for Ann DeCamp today in Rahway. Ann has been a colleague for over 25 years. She will now be able to sepend more time with her family and her photography (Ann De Camp Photography). Best Wishes.

Ann DeCamp Slicing Her Retirement Party Cake. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 800, 14.9 mm, f/3, 1/80 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Topaz DeNoise 5, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Ann DeCamp Slicing Her Retirement Party Cake. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 800, 14.9 mm, f/3, 1/80 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Topaz DeNoise 5, and Photoshop CS5.
Ann DeCamp Retirement Party Cake. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Topaz DeNoise 5, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Ann DeCamp Retirement Party Cake. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Topaz DeNoise 5, and Photoshop CS5.

Tuesday (03-May-2011) — Guatemala

Gone to See Central America and the Panama Canal. Semester at Sea Spring 2011 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. Day 7: Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.

We had to get up early in order to depart for the Tarrales Bird Watching field trip at 05:30 AM. On the bus ride to Tarrales I got a grab shot of some school girls waiting for the bus to school. A good fraction of the folks on this tour were part of the Road Scholar contingent attending the Enrichment Voyage. As such the average age was higher, and we knew that we would not be hiking as far as we did yesterday to the volcano. Even though we left early, it wasn’t early enough for best bird viewing. Also, my 70-300 mm lens did not have the reach to get good images of the birds we did see. Our guide was good at finding the birds in the canopy. I only have one image of a midget owl, and it is a crop zoomed to 100%. It would have been a bit better if I took my D3x body with double the sensor size vs. the D3s body. I took the D3s because of the better low light capabilities coupled with the 70-300 f/5.6 limits. Jon got some better images with his 400 mm f/4 + TC.

After the Owl, I then switched to my 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens and focused on closer objects. In addition to close-up images of insects and flowers, the 105 mm lens is also great for people. The remainder of the following images are of a small girl in Tarrales, a local jail, a close up of a China Berry, and of a flower with a bee. Then images from the bus ride back to the M/V Explorer. A school girl, Guatemalla mass transit, a coconut vendor with his machete, limes at a produce stand, woman walking past a produce vendor, a cross-eyed guy next to a “Prohibido Estanciona” sign, woman vendor cutting coconut, her son, and several images from an open market produce vendor.


Individual images in the slide show can be viewed and/or purchased here.

Monday (02-May-2011) — Guatemala

Gone to See Central America and the Panama Canal. Semester at Sea Spring 2011 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. Day 6: Guatemala.

We arrived at San Francisco de Sales, a small hamlet in Pacaya Volcano National Park. As soon as we got off the bus we were mobbed by children selling (or renting) wood walking sticks. The price started at $1 US per stick, and quickly dropped to 2/$1. Before starting the hike we had lunch (chicken or beef with rice and vegetables). We were also given the option to ride a horse for $10 US. I decided to take this option since I had a good experience riding horses earlier this year in Patagonia. Unlike the ride in Patagonia, each horse had guide lead the horse up the trail. My guide was Antonio, and the horse I rode was named “Champion”. Much of the trail was in the clouds. Each time the group stopped to rest, the horse guides without riders yelled “taxi taxi”. Rob soon decided that he needed a taxi. At one point it started to rain, and I got to wear an authentic poncho. Near the end of the trail, we got off the horses and did the remainder of the trail on foot. We went past some hot vents — warm enough for some of the folks to roast marshmallows. There was another large tunnel that the more adventurous entered. When we got back to San Francisco de Sales, the kids that had earlier sold the walking stick looked to get them back. There was a real pecking order, with the larger boys retrieving more of the sticks. Some of the passengers did take the walking sticks back to the ship. There was a concern that the kids guiding the horses and selling the walking sticks should have been in school.
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Guarding the Pepsi. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 (ISO 200, 49.2 mm, f/4.9, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Guarding the Pepsi. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 (ISO 200, 49.2 mm, f/4.9, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. .
Little Girl Watching the Volcano Hikers Arrive San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. . (David J Mathre)
Little Girl Watching the Volcano Hikers Arrive San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. .
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales.. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 (ISO 800, 4 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. . (David J Mathre)
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales.. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 (ISO 800, 4 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. .
Antonio Getting Champion Ready for the Trail to the Volcano in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. . (David J Mathre)
Antonio Getting Champion Ready for the Trail to the Volcano in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. .
Rob Documenting his Lunch in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. . (David J Mathre)
Rob Documenting his Lunch in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. .
View of the Trail in the Mist from on top of Champion. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.2, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
View of the Trail in the Mist from on top of Champion. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.2, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Trees in the Mist on the Trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Trees in the Mist on the Trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Jenny on her Horse on the Trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. . (David J Mathre)
Jenny on her Horse on the Trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. .
Hiker taking an image of the lava in the mist. On the trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 320, 24 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Hiker taking an image of the lava in the mist. On the trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 320, 24 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Jenny entering a tunnel in the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 450, 24 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Jenny entering a tunnel in the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 450, 24 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Not really Glowing Lava. Wood Burning in Heated Lava Vent. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 125, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Not really Glowing Lava. Wood Burning in Heated Lava Vent. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 125, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Solar Starburst with Silhouette of Hikers on the Trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 1/1250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Solar Starburst with Silhouette of Hikers on the Trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 1/1250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Silhouette of Jenny on the trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 1/800 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Silhouette of Jenny on the trail to the Volcano. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 1/800 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Champion After Completing the Trail to the Volcano back in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 1600, 24 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. . (David J Mathre)
Champion After Completing the Trail to the Volcano back in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 1600, 24 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. .
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Guardabosque (Park Ranger) in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 720, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Guardabosque (Park Ranger) in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 720, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 560, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 560, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 280, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Waking Stick Vendor in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 280, 24 mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Outdoor Stairway in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 500, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Outdoor Stairway in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 500, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Girl with Yellow Pants Running into Building with UNE Party Sign in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 280, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Nik Viveza 2, Nik Define 2 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Girl with Yellow Pants Running into Building with UNE Party Sign in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 280, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Nik Viveza 2, Nik Define 2 and Photoshop CS5.