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.

Six-Years Ago (14-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 19: Puerto Natales, Chile. Hostage Day 3.

The southern Chile protesters drove around in vehicles with black flags or southern Chile flags. This was our third day where we were not allowed to leave Puerto Natales. Basically, we were being held hostage until the central government and President restored the gas subsidy to the region.

Strikers on Patrol in Sports Car, Driving Through Puerto Natales. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 125, 5.3 mm, f/5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Strikers on Patrol in Sports Car, Driving Through Puerto Natales. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 125, 5.3 mm, f/5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Refuges Living Rough on the Street of Puerto Natales Cooking Lunch. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 49.2 mm, f/4.9, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Refuges Living Rough on the Street of Puerto Natales Cooking Lunch. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 49.2 mm, f/4.9, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hotel and Rainbow. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 5.1 mm, f/5.4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hotel and Rainbow. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 5.1 mm, f/5.4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Ten-Years Ago (14-January-2007) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter (Loss of Nature) in New Jersey.

Some Cat’s (and a John Deere) parked in the mud on a misty winter day. There used to be trees here, soon to become a housing tract. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and a new 12-24 mm f/4 DX lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec).

Some Cat's (and a John Deere) parked in the mud on a misty winter day. There used to be trees here, soon to become a housing tract. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and a new 12-24 mm f/4 DX lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Some Cat’s (and a John Deere) parked in the mud on a misty winter day. There used to be trees here, soon to become a housing tract. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and a new 12-24 mm f/4 DX lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (12-January-2016) — Hawaii

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 8: Honolulu and O’ahu Hawaii.

The first port on our Spring 2016 Semester at Sea voyage was Hilo in Hawaii. The real reason for the stop was to bunker to take on additional fuel before continuing the voyage the rest of the way across the Pacific Ocean to Japan. The MV World Odyssey was only going to be in Hawaii for 14 hours so we were not allowed off the ship unless  with a Semester at Sea organized Field Trip. I originally signed up for the Pearl Harbor Memorial tour, but that trip was canceled. (The last time I was in Honolulu to give a talk at the Pacific Chemistry meeting, the US Government was shut down and the Pearl Harbor Memorial was closed). I switched to the North Shore bus tour. In the 14 hours we had I managed to take over 3000 pictures. First stop was at the Byodo-In Temple. Then stops at some regional parks and beaches. Lunch was at a roadside shrimp shack. The final stop was at the Dole Pineapple Plantation.

Panorama of the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe on the island of Oahu. Composite of six images taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 10 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, and the composite panorama created using Kolor AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Panorama of the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe on the island of Oahu. Composite of six images taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 10 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, and the composite panorama created using Kolor AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)


Litterbugs in paradise -- were they locals or tourists??? Malaekahana State Recreation Area on the north shore of Oahu. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 23 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/6.4, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Litterbugs in paradise — were they locals or tourists??? Malaekahana State Recreation Area on the north shore of Oahu. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 23 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/6.4, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)


Student being photographed with Mokoli?i (Chinaman's Hat) in the background. Kualoa Regional Park on the north shore of Oahu. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 23 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Student being photographed with Mokoli’i (Chinaman’s Hat) in the background. Kualoa Regional Park on the north shore of Oahu. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 23 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)


Green Turtle viewing the Sun at Sunset Beach. Image taken with a Nikon N1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 90 mm, f/4.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Green Turtle viewing the Sun at Sunset Beach. Image taken with a Nikon N1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 90 mm, f/4.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)


Six-Years Ago (11-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 16: Torres del Paine National Park, Los Torres Hotel, Chile.

We spent the day on the back of a horse (equitrekking) and hiking from the hotel to Mrador Las Torres in Torres del Paine National Park. Small White Orchid. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/4, 1/125 sec.)

White Orchid. Hike and Equitreckking from Hotel Las Torres to Mrador Las Torres in Torres del Paine National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/4, 1/125 sec.). (David J Mathre)
White Orchid. Hike and Equitreckking from Hotel Las Torres to Mrador Las Torres in Torres del Paine National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/4, 1/125 sec.). (David J Mathre)



Individual images from the slide show can be viewed here.