Category: Photo Techniques

Three-Years Ago (15-January-2015) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Night Sky Over New Jersey — Comet Lovejoy.

It was cold, but very clear out on the night I got some images of Comet Lovejoy. I set up a Nikon D4 camera with a 58 mm f/1.8 lens to take 5 second exposures. Normally, when shooting star trails I go for longer exposures. The comet was visible as a faint, fuzzy blue-green ball. Three different views — still images (with different crops), as star trails, and a time-lapse video


Star Trails and Comet Lovejoy on a cold but clear winter night. The comet is the blue-green fuzzy streek moving from the center to the right of the photograph. Composite of 379 images taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 58 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 800, 58 mm, f/2, 5 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Star Trails and Comet Lovejoy on a cold but clear winter night. The comet is the blue-green fuzzy streek moving from the center to the right of the photograph. Composite of 379 images taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 58 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 800, 58 mm, f/2, 5 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)

Friday (12-January-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey: A Newt.

The outdoor temperatures rose to the mid 60’s and it rained most of the day. I went outside and noticed a tiny newt on my doorstep. Only a couple of days ago there was snow on the ground. At first I wondered if it was alive, but saw it move. The arms and legs are very small. I got a small tripod and started taking pictures with a macro lens and flash. I was fortunate that it didn’t move long enough to take a series of images that could be processed with focus stacking software (Helicon Focus).

Tiny Newt on my Doorstep. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 200, 105 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Tiny Newt on my Doorstep. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 200, 105 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Tiny Newt on my Doorstep. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of seven focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 200, 105 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). Images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus (method B, radius 8, smoothing 4). (David J Mathre)
Tiny Newt on my Doorstep. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of seven focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 200, 105 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). Images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus (method B, radius 8, smoothing 4). (David J Mathre)


Wednesday (10-January-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Sky in New Jersey: Contrails at Dawn.

This is an in-camera panorama taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera. I don’t like the auto white balance applied and baked into to the jpg image. This limits the color corrections that can be applied during process. In full daylight the color correction is much better. I should have taken raw images.

Colorful Contrails at Dawn. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. In camera panorama (jpg) taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/3.6, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Colorful Contrails at Dawn. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. In camera panorama (jpg) taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/3.6, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)

Nine-Years Ago (10-January-2009) — New Jersey

Troll Family Portrait.

It can be hard to get a large group to stand still for a family portrait. This time they had to freeze for 47 focus stacked images in order to get a full depth of field.

Troll Family Portrait. Composite of 47 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus (method C). (David J Mathre)
Troll Family Portrait. Composite of 47 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus (method C). (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (09-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 6: Merritt Island.

Flock of White Pelicans Feeding along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2500 sec).

Flock of White Pelicans Feeding along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Flock of White Pelicans Feeding along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2500 sec). (David J Mathre)