Category: Landscape

Views of the land around the world

Friday (01-July-2011) — New Jersey

Early Summer Nature in New Jersey. Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Morning walkabout at the local Sourland Mountain Preserve. Insects: Dragonfly, Butterflies, and Grasshopper.

Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly on Milkweed Flowers in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6.3, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly on Milkweed Flowers in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6.3, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Dragonfly in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Dragonfly in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Butterfly in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Butterfly in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Green Grasshopper in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6.3, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Green Grasshopper in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6.3, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Butterfly in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Butterfly in Sourland Mountain Reserve. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Thursday (30-June-2011) — New Jersey

Summer in New Jersey: Independence Day Fireworks.

Montgomery Township in New Jersey typically has their Independence Day Fireworks celebration a few days before the 4th of July. This year it will be tonight. I have a great location to view the fireworks just down the road from my house. It is on a hill that looks down on the high school where the main event occurs.

Winston Hall  has published an online guide for Photographing Fireworks with a DSLR camera.

I set up one camera set to do time-lapsed images (D3x with 180 mm f/2.8 lens), and a second camera do DSLR Video (D3x with 85 mm f/1.4 lens). The following 12 images were from the D3x and 180 mm lens. I haven’t used the 180 mm f/2.8 prime lens for some time and forgot how sharp this lens can be.

Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6. (David J Mathre)
Montgomery Township Independence Day Fireworks 2011. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/11, 4 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6.

Four Years Ago (30-June-2007) — Colorado

Summer in Colorado: Rocky Mountain National Park.

Four years ago I drove the recently opened Trail Ridge Road to the pass. At that time I took 5 vertical images with a Nikon D200 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens to be combined into a panorama. At that time the software to combine images for a composite panorama image were just starting to be available (including manually moving layers in Photoshop CS3), and don’t have the capabilities of the programs available today. The first panorama is the composite of 5 raw images using Auto Pano Giga 2.5. The second panorama used Auto Pano Giga with the Neutralhazer plugin (to reduce the effect of long distance haze). The folks from Kolor that created the dehazer claim that the program reduces the effect of light traveling through long distances of air. The third panorama adds the Topaz Detail (Color Jump) filter to the above. Let me know what you think about the three versions.

Rocky Mountain National Park Panorama on Trail Ridge Road. Images taken with a Nikon D200 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/160 sec). Composite of five images using Auto Pano Giga 2.5. Additional processing with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Rocky Mountain National Park Panorama on Trail Ridge Road. Images taken with a Nikon D200 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/160 sec). Composite of five images using Auto Pano Giga 2.5. Additional processing with Photoshop CS5.
Rocky Mountain National Park Panorama on Trail Ridge Road. Images taken with a Nikon D200 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/160 sec). Composite of five images using Auto Pano Giga 2.5 and the DeHaze Plugin. Additional processing with Focus Magic, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Rocky Mountain National Park Panorama on Trail Ridge Road. Images taken with a Nikon D200 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/160 sec). Composite of five images using Auto Pano Giga 2.5 and the DeHaze Plugin. Additional processing with Focus Magic, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5.
Rocky Mountain National Park Panorama on Trail Ridge Road. Images taken with a Nikon D200 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/160 sec). Composite of five images using Auto Pano Giga 2.5 and the DeHaze Plugin. Additional processing with Focus Magic, Nik Define, Topaz Detail (Color Jump), and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Rocky Mountain National Park Panorama on Trail Ridge Road. Images taken with a Nikon D200 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/160 sec). Composite of five images using Auto Pano Giga 2.5 and the DeHaze Plugin. Additional processing with Focus Magic, Nik Define, Topaz Detail (Color Jump), and Photoshop CS5.

Thursday (30-June-2011) — New Jersey

Summer in New Jersey. Independence Day Fireworks Video.

I finally had a chance to process the DSLR video of the 30-June-2011 Montgomery Township Fireworks display. The Nikon D3s camera is limited to 5 minute HD (720P) video segments. I ended up with three 5 minute segments. I left the in-camera sound recording on to get the sound effects of the fireworks. I also got commentary about the fireworks from a family sitting in front of my tripod. At one point you can hear a train whistle. The other clicking sound is the shutter of my other cameras. I used Adobe Premiere Pro to combine the first and third segments, zoomed in a bit so the firework display takes up more of the image, and increased the volume. I also used Premiere Pro to add a title page to the video.

 

Saturday (25-June-2011) — New Jersey

Early Summer Nature in New Jersey.

Two views of a local farmer’s wheat field this morning. The sun was just coming out from behind some low clouds and there was still a bit of mist.

Wheat Field at Morning in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wheat Field at Morning in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Wheat Field at Morning in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wheat Field at Morning in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.