Category: Landscape

Views of the land around the world

Five-Years Ago (10-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island and Ponce de Leone Inlet Lighthouse.

Before starting my drive back to New Jersey, I spent the morning on Merritt Island. First for sunrise at Playalinda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore, then for a drive through Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge — both along Biolab Road and Black Point Wildlife Drive. The previous day there was heavy fog in the morning so I didn’t go to Playalinda beach. This beach is favored by surf fishermen. While driving north I also stopped at the Ponce de Leone Inlet Lighthouse near Daytona, Florida.

Rather that using the big telephoto lenses, all of the images on this day were taken with a Nikon D700 with a 28-300 mm VR lens, a Leica X2, or a Nikon 1 V2 and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens. All hand-held, no tripod.


Ponce de Leone Inlet Lighthouse near Daytona, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 40 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Ponce de Leone Inlet Lighthouse near Daytona, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 40 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lighthouse Replica at the Hidden Treasure Rum Bar and Grill. It is right across the street from the real Ponce de Leone Inlet Lighthouse near Daytona, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/13, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lighthouse Replica at the Hidden Treasure Rum Bar and Grill. It is right across the street from the real Ponce de Leone Inlet Lighthouse near Daytona, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/13, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (09-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 6: Merritt Island.

Flock of White Pelicans Feeding along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2500 sec).

Flock of White Pelicans Feeding along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Flock of White Pelicans Feeding along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (09-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island.

Osprey with a fish for breakfast — scanning the sky for competition between bites. Images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens.

Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/8, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/8, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey Finishing a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 500 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec) (David J Mathre)
Osprey Finishing a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 500 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec) (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (08-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2013 Road Trip. Day 5: St. Petersburg and Merritt Island.

I started the day at Fort De Soto park for sunrise. There is a small beach at the end of the road where you can watch the sun rise under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. I then drove across the state to Merritt Island to spend a couple of days at the National Wildlife Refuge.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Sunrise from the East Beach at Fort DeSoto Park. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/11, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Sunrise from the East Beach at Fort DeSoto Park. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/11, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dawn from the East Beach at Fort DeSoto Park in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 160, 18.5 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dawn from the East Beach at Fort DeSoto Park in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 160, 18.5 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hawk on a Palm Tree in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 and 180 mm f/2.8D lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/640 sec). FOV = 486 mm. (David J Mathre)
Hawk on a Palm Tree in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 and 180 mm f/2.8D lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/640 sec). FOV = 486 mm. (David J Mathre)
Wood Stork in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 1600, 300 mm, f/2.8. 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Wood Stork in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 1600, 300 mm, f/2.8. 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)

Seven-Years Ago (08-January-2011) — Patagonia

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 13: Estancia Lazo to Hosteria Lago Grey.

We stopped for a few minutes at the entrance to Torres del Paines National Park while our guide paid the entrance fee. There were a number of Guanaco (South American Camels) milling around. All of a sudden two males started chasing each other. I caught this one as it ran right through our group.

Guanaco Running at the Entrance to Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
Guanaco Running at the Entrance to Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)