David's Images of the Day Photoblog
Views of the land around the world
Jousting Bison in the Campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I was glad that I was sleeping in my RV, and not in a tent like the folks across from my campsite. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm lens (ISO 900, 105 mm, f/5.3, 1/60 sec).
Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). One of the very first images that that I took with a DSLR camera. Not a very good image, but it does show that the vibration reduction (VR) helps since this was hand-held with a relatively long (1/10 sec) exposure.
Today is my ten-year anniversary of using a DSLR camera. I have made many mistakes, and learned a lot since then. In ten years I have taken ~ 1.7 MM images. I save everything, and continually review the bad images and failed compositions to become a better photographer. Part of the reason I go back and review images taken on each day of the year. Initially, I only used Nikon DSLR cameras (D200, D300 (2x), D700, D800, D810a, D2xs (2x), D3 (2x), D3s, D3x, D4, and Df). More recently I have been using smaller mirrorless cameras Nikon (N1-V1, N1-V2, and N1-V3 (2x)), Leica (X1, X2, T (2x)), and Fuji (X-T1 (2x)). Of these, all still work except for the Nikon Df (shutter sleeves buckled while in Antarctica), and one of the Fuji X-T1 (water damage while visiting Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe). Some of the cameras my brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces are using. I have also used a large collection of lenses (macro, prime, zoom, telephoto, perspective control, fish-eye).
For the initial trip across the US with the D200 camera I had the kit 18-70 mm lens and the 80-400 mm telephoto zoom lens. I didn’t know how to use the camera, and the manual wasn’t much help. Somehow, I got some great images during the trip and became hooked on photography as my new passion. I have always been the type of person that has to learn and become an expert of something new every few years. I’ve had many great mentors to guide me, and have been on many photo related trips. I’ve had cameras with me on every one of my Semester at Sea voyages, visiting over 50 countries. Now that I am retired from corporate America, I can spend my time with photography and travel. I probably am not going to buy new cameras and lenses as often – and believe that “the best camera is the one that is with you”.
Sailboat and Lighthouse on Georges Island in the Halifax Harbor. From the deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 93.5 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). Watercolor effect applied using a Topaz Simplify/Painterly filter.
Star and Jet Trails Looking South. It rained Sunday night, and after the front came through we had very clear skies last night. Composite of 240 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/5.6, 60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, and the composite generated using Photoshop CC (statistics, maximum).
Walkabout in Halifax while waiting to board the Semester at Sea MV Explorer for the Fall 2012 Voyage. The MV Explorer was arriving from Boston with the Faculty and Staff for the Fall Voyage. There were lots of undergraduate students and their parents walking around downtown Halifax. Theodore Too and Lighthouse in the Halifax Harbor. The Theodore Too is an old tugboat that has been converted into a harbor tour boat. It looks like a cartoon character. We saw it go past the ship several times during the day. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 42.2 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec).
