Category: Photo Techniques

Saturday (19-January-2008) — New Jersey

Winter Nature in New Jersey.

Great Blue Heron and a pair of Mallard Ducks in the pond at the nearby Sourland Mountain Preserve. I guess they decided to spend the winter here rather than in Florida.  Some years this pond freezes over.

Great Blue Heron and Mallards. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Great Blue Heron and Mallards. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec)

Sunday (30-December-2007) — New Jersey

Currency & Stamps: Micro-print.

One method I use to test the resolution of cameras and lenses is to see well the combinations perform. The US $50 bill has “The United States of America” printed using very small letters. A copy machine would have difficulty resolving something this small.

Camera & Lens Testing. United States of America micro-print on a US $50 bill. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens with a TC-E II 2x teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 m, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Camera & Lens Testing. United States of America micro-print on a US $50 bill. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens with a TC-E II 2x teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 m, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Camera & Lens Testing. United States of America micro-print on a US $50 bill. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens with a TC-E II 2x teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 m, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Camera & Lens Testing. United States of America micro-print on a US $50 bill. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens with a TC-E II 2x teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 m, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Friday (28-December-2007) — Florida

Gone to see Florida 2007 Road Trip Day 7: Dawn over Tampa Bay.

I stayed at the Historic Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg. This was my last day in Florida, and I took a series of images of the dawn colors over Tampa Bay from my balcony. The Vinoy Hotel is a great place to stay and I want to return.

Colors at Dawn over Tampa Bay from a Vinoy Hotel Balcony in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens.. (David J Mathre)
Colors at Dawn over Tampa Bay from a Vinoy Hotel Balcony in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)


Wednesday (26-December-2007) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2007 Road Trip Day 5: Selby Gardens in Sarasota.

We drove to Sarasota to visit Marie Selby Botanical Gardens to view the Orchid show. The gardens do not allow the use of tripods in the conservatory, but did allow me to use my walking stick as monopod to stabilize the camera while taking pictures. I tried to work quickly so not to block other visitors to the gardens. It was a target rich environment. After visiting the conservatory we spent time wandering around in the outdoor gardens. It was there I got an image of a crab spider having a fly for lunch.

Orchid at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Orchid at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)


Crab Spider with a Fly for Lunch at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (David J Mathre)
Crab Spider with a Fly for Lunch at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (David J Mathre)



Monday (24-December-2007) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2007 Road Trip Day 3: Fort De Soto Park.

I drove to Fort De Soto Park to find some birds to try out a 200 mm f/2 VR lens with a TC-EII 2.0x teleconverter. Other than this turkey vulture that wanted to pose, the rest of the birds seemed to be on a siesta and were in hiding. I should have gone earlier in the morning…

Turkey Vulture on a post at Fort De Soto park in Pinellas County, Florida. Image taken with a D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens with a TC-EII 2x teleconverter (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture on a post at Fort De Soto park in Pinellas County, Florida. Image taken with a D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens with a TC-EII 2x teleconverter (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)