Landscape - David Mathre Photography

Monday (10-October-2011) — New Jersey

Autumn in New Jersey.

Mistakes in Photography. This is what happens when you don’t reset a cameras settings when done for the day. I often leave a camera in my car for quick grab images. It is set to program mode, auto ISO, auto white-balance so I do not have to think about settings. Once I get an image I can go back and fine tune the settings for a better image based on conditions. I forgot to reset the camera to the default settings when I took this image. Oh well — lesson learned AGAIN! The camera was set for a 30 second exposure from some night sky images the night before. When I took the image, I couldn’t understand why the shutter didn’t close. Then remembered that the camera was probably still set up mirror-up/shutter delay mode. There was a car coming up behind me, so I set the camera down — and then the shutter closed. What you see is what should have been an interesting pre-dawn sky + all of the internal car instrument lights and center console GPS.

New Jersey Sunrise. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 28 mm, f/22, 30 sec) (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (10-October-2008) — California

Gone to See America October 2008 Road Trip. Eighth Annual Nikonian Photography Adventure Trip. Day 6: Yosemite National Park.

Time-Lapsed Video: Morning at Taft Point.

On the last day of ANPAT 8, we got up before sunrise to get to Taft Point for a different view of Yosemite Valley. After a short drive to the parking area, then a hike to Taft Point I set up a camera with a wide-angle (24 mm) lens to record the photographer working Taft Point as the sun lit up the other side of Yosemite Valley. Later, I put on the tripod head-cam with a fisheye (16 mm) lens to record the hike from Taft Point back to the van. This was the same tripod head-cam set up that I used during Winston Hall’s workshop in Arches National Park record a time-lapse video of that hike 19-September-2008.

Sunday (09-October-2011) — New Jersey

Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

I saw this flock of Turkey Vultures warming themselves in the early morning sun. The local Turkey Vulture population has increased over the past several years. I think their major food source is deer killed by automobiles.

Turkey Vultures Morning Sun Perch. Autumn in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/13, 1/640). (David J Mathre) — Turkey Vultures Morning Sun Perch.Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/13, 1/640). (David J Mathre)

Turkey Vulture Morning Sun Perch. Autumn in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/4.5, 1/320). (David J Mathre) — Turkey Vulture Morning Sun Perch. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/4.5, 1/320). (David J Mathre)

Turkey Vulture Soaring. Autumn in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/4.5, 1/320). (David J Mathre) — Turkey Vulture Soaring. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/4.5, 1/320). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (09-October-2008) — California

Gone to See America October 2008 Road Trip. Eighth Annual Nikonian Photography Adventure Trip. Day 5: Yosemite National Park.

The Park Service recovered all of our belongings from the tent-cabins in Curry Village. We then checked into various Yosemite hotels and lodges (gratis). Much higher end lodging than the sparse tent-cabins. Before dinner, Michael Mariant as a special treat after all the weeks commotion took us for a walk along a quiet and peaceful section of the Merced river. The diffuse and sublime lighting made for some great images.

Saturday (08-October-2011) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

I saw this Praying Mantis climbing a weed off my back deck. I initially tried to get some images with the camera & telephoto lens at hand, but the minimum focus distance for the 600 mm f/4 VR lens is ~ 17 feet. I switched to a 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens, with a minimum focus distance of 7 feet. When viewed close up, the Praying Mantis looks deadly. There was a black fly that kept landing on the back of the Praying Mantis. I guess the fly knew where the safe zone is. Ultimately, I think the Praying Mantis got tired of me, and moved further into the shrubs.

Brown Praying Mantis. Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre) — Brown Praying Mantis. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Brown Praying Mantis. Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre) — Brown Praying Mantis. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)