Category: Nature

Views of nature and the natural world. Plants, animals, and wildlife from around the world.

Seven-Years Ago (03-November-2006) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey: Trees that Stay Green.

Pine cones in the afternoon sun. Images taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens.

Pine cones in the afternoon sun. Backyard autumn nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 250 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Pine cones in the afternoon sun. Backyard autumn nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 250 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Pine cones in the afternoon sun. Backyard autumn nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 250 mm, f/7, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Pine cones in the afternoon sun. Backyard autumn nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 250 mm, f/7, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (17-October-2012) — New Mexico

Gone to See America 2012 Road Trip. Day 11: Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Roswell, New Mexico.

Waxing Crescent Moon and Pair of Sandhill Cranes in Flight at Sunset. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 125, 50 mm, f/8, 1/100 sec).

Moon and Sandhill Cranes in Flight at Sunset. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 125, 50 mm, f/8, 1/100 sec). Nikonians ANPAT 12. (David J Mathre)
Moon and Sandhill Cranes in Flight at Sunset. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 125, 50 mm, f/8, 1/100 sec). Nikonians ANPAT 12. (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (15-October-2012) — New Mexico

Comparison of RAW Digital Image Processing Programs.

Both Phase One and DxO have released new versions of their RAW digital image processing software (DxO Optics Pro 8, and Capture One Pro 7). The following image of a horse in an open-air horse trailer outside of Taos, New Mexico was taken from within a van during ANPAT 12. The image was processed as follows: 1) The imbedded jpg image extracted using Color Bits “Photo Mechanic”; The RAW image converted to jpg using Nikon View NX2; 3) The RAW image processed with Nikon Capture NX2; 4) The RAW image processed with Adobe Lightroom 4 (using the Adobe RAW engine); 5) The RAW image processed with Phase One Capture One Pro 7; and 6) The RAW image processed with DxO Optics Pro 8. There is a tint in the window of the van, so adjusting the white balance is tricky. Some of the RAW processors do better than others adjusting and correcting the white balance. Most RAW image processors have the ability to correct for lens distortion. DxO Optics Pro 8 has the largest collection of profiles for lens distortion correction. Capture One Pro 7 only has lens correction profiles for a few (high end/Pro) lenses, and did not have the profile for the camera/lens used for this image.

Let me know which version you like or dislike (either reply to the blog post or e-mail).

Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Imbedded JPG extracted with Photo Mechanic. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Imbedded JPG extracted with Photo Mechanic. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). View NX2 JPG image. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). View NX2 JPG image. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Nikon Capture NX2 (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Nikon Capture NX2 (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Adobe Camera Raw - Lightroom 4. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Adobe Camera Raw – Lightroom 4. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 7. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 7. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with DxO Optics Pro 8. (David J Mathre)
Horse in an Open Air Horse Carrier on the Highway into Taos, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 30 mm, f/3.8, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with DxO Optics Pro 8. (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (09-October-2013) — Arizona

Gone to See America 2013. Nikonian Annual Photography Adventure Trip. Day 4: Page, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Canyon.

Since the US Government shut down all the National Parks, Monuments, and other “non-essential” government facilities closed. The organizers of ANPAT 13. We  have been scrambling to find places for the four vans to go out and photograph. The plan was to spend time in Grand Canyon National Park.  Many signed up for the trip specifically to see the north rim of the Grand Canyon.  Our van’s assignment for the day  included  Lower Antelope canyon, on Navajo land, and thus not closed. Horseshoe Bend, the upper vista point is on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land — technically closed, but no one was there to stop folks from  hiking to the upper view vista point. Restrooms being locked at the Horseshoe Canyon vista parking lot was the only sign of the shutdown.  Since Grand Canyon, one of the most visited National Parks closed, many others like us were looking for alternate places to visit. The parking lot for Horseshoe canyon was near full with many folks already at the overlook. Rather than fight for a spot at the favorite viewpoint, I found a different place with a good view. I mounted a camera  with a fisheye lens on a sturdy monopod. I then held the camera over the edge

Horseshoe Bend, Arizona. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 100, 16 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec). Camera mounted on a monopod held out over the cliff. Nikonians ANPAT-13 on a day that the National Parks were closed. (David J Mathre)

Horseshoe Bend, Arizona. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 100, 16 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec). Camera mounted on a monopod held out over the cliff. Nikonians ANPAT-13 on a day that the National Parks were closed. (David J Mathre)

Tuesday (08-October-2013) — Arizona

Gone to See America 2013. Nikonian Annual Photography Adventure Trip. Day 3: Sedona to Williams, Arizona.

Road trip day as the group moved from Sedona to Williams, Arizona.  I drove myself since I had my vehicle. Most of the others traveled in the four rented vans. I set up my Nikon 1 V1 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens on a tripod strapped down on the passenger seat to record a time-lapse video of the drive.