Category: Nature

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

Thursday (14-July-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Fawns and Does. When I got home tonight, I found several deer in my backyard and shot this sequence from my deck.

Two Fawns. Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Two Fawns. Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5.
Doe -- Why Are You Pointing That Big Black Lens At My Fawns. Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1100, 500 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Doe — Why Are You Pointing That Big Black Lens At My Fawns. Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1100, 500 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec).
Doe -- I'm Out Of Here. Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1250, 500 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Doe — I’m Out Of Here.
Doe Telling Fawn, Time To Get Out Of Here. Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1250, 500 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Doe Telling Fawn, Time To Get Out Of Here. Image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5.
Doe Moving Fawns. Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 500 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Doe Moving Fawns.

Thursday (14-July-2011) — New Jersey

Indoor Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I keep finding these crawling Scutigera coleoptrata “house centipedes” around the house. Like spiders, I know they are supposed to be a good thing eating other insects and silverfish, but ….

Creepy Crawly. Scutigera coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 30 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Creepy Crawly. Scutigera coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 30 sec) with SB-900 Flash. (David J Mathre)
Creepy Crawly. Scutigera coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 30 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Creepy Crawly. Scutigera coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 30 sec) with SB-900 Flash. 

Tuesday (12-July-2011) — New Jersey

Indoor Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Moth Attracted by Moonlight. After I was done shooting the moon and deer by moonlight, I saw this Moth. I assume that it was attracted by the moonlight.

Moth Attracted by Moonlight. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 105 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Moth Attracted by Moonlight. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 105 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5.

Tuesday (12-July-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Night Sky over New Jersey.

Jet Transiting the Waxing Gibbous Moon. I am still having issues with the video mode automatic gain “feature” with the Nikon D3s. In doors with normal light levels it doesn’t seem to be that much of a problem. However, when trying to take video images of the moon through a telephoto lens, the moon is over-exposed. During the testing, I managed to catch a jet transiting in front of the moon. I happened very quickly (less than one second). The video below shows the transit  across the lower part of the moon 1) as is; 2) zoomed in from 100% to 250%; and 3) zoomed in at 250% and slowed down to 33% speed. There was also some cloud cover moving during the sequence.

[Insert Video Here]

I also took some still images of the moon with the same camera and lens, but with a TC-E III 20 teleconverter. The goal was to see how sharp an image of the moon I could get with a 1200 mm lens. Focusing was through “Live View”, and to minimize camera shake used the “mirror up” mode to allow the system to stabilize. The D3s allows the use of “Live View” and “mirror up” because “Live View” is now selected via a button on the back of the camera. You don’t have the ability to use “Live View” and “mirror up”. The first still image of the waxing gibbous moon at 92% illumination was taken at ISO 200, f/8, and 1/200 second. The second at ISO 200, f/16, and 1/50 second. If I did my calculations right for a 1200 mm lens on a FX sized sensor, the moon should only move ~0.2 pixels for a 1/50 second exposure.

Waxing Gibbous Moon (92%). Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 1200 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon (92%). Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 1200 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5
Waxing Gibbous Moon (85%). Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 1200 mm, f/16, 1/50 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon (85%). Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 1200 mm, f/16, 1/50 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5

Tuesday (12-July-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Nighttime Nature in New Jersey.

Young Buck by Moonlight. While out shooting the moon, I noticed a dark shadow about 50 feet out from my deck. I pointed my LED headlamp a saw a couple of yellow eyes reflecting back — probably a deer. I put my 200 mm f/2 lens on the D3s to see if this camera really can “see in the dark”. The following images may look like they were taken during the day, it was actually after 10 PM. The only light source was moonlight. The images are shown without and then with noise reduction (Topaz DeNoise 5).

Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 200 mm, f/2.8, 8 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. No Noise Reduction (David J Mathre)
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 200 mm, f/2.8, 8 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. No Noise Reduction
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 200 mm, f/2.8, 8 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5, Topaz DeNoise 5. (David J Mathre)
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 200 mm, f/2.8, 8 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5, Topaz DeNoise 5.
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 3200, 200 mm, f/2.8, 2 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. No Noise Reduction (David J Mathre)
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 3200, 200 mm, f/2.8, 2 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. No Noise Reduction
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 3200, 200 mm, f/2.8, 2 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. Topaz DeNoise 5 (David J Mathre)
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 3200, 200 mm, f/2.8, 2 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. Topaz DeNoise 5
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 25600, 200 mm, f/2, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. No Noise Reduction (David J Mathre)
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 25600, 200 mm, f/2, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. No Noise Reduction
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 25600, 200 mm, f/2, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5, Topaz DeNoise 5. (David J Mathre)
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 25600, 200 mm, f/2, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5, Topaz DeNoise 5.
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 102400, 200 mm, f/4, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. No Noise Reduction (David J Mathre)
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 102400, 200 mm, f/4, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. No Noise Reduction
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 102400, 200 mm, f/4, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. Topaz DeNoise 5. (David J Mathre)
Young Buck Moonlighting. Summer Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 102400, 200 mm, f/4, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. Topaz DeNoise 5.