Thursday (28-April-2011) — At Sea

Gone to See Central America and the Panama Canal. Semester at Sea Spring 2011 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. Day 2: At Sea.

We were out on deck early to catch the sunrise. There was a bit of confusion about what time sunrise would be since the ship changed to Central Mexican time zone overnight. Was the sun going to rise at 05:07 hr or 07:07 hr. It turned out to be 07:07 hr, which makes sense since we are on the west side of the time zone.  We then spent the day in class: “Welcome Orientation & Workshop Introduction”, and “Components to Travel Photography” taught by Michael Mariant. We are scheduled to arrive in Cabo San Lucas tomorrow morning. At the end of the day a fog bank came in just before the sun set.

Sunrise over Isla Cedros Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunrise over Isla Cedros Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec).
Pacific Sunset in Fog off the Mexican Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Pacific Sunset in Fog off the Mexican Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec).

[Posts will be limited while on the M/V Explorer due to narrow internet bandwidth.]

Wednesday (27-April-2011) — California, Mexico, and At Sea

Gone to See Central America and the Panama Canal. Semester at Sea Spring 2011 Enrichment Voyage. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. Day 1: Depart San Diego; Travel to Ensenada, Mexico; Embarkation on the MV Explorer.

HDR composite of images of Sunrise over San Diego taken from my hotel room. Three images were taken with a Leica X1 camera (+2, 0, -2 EV) just as the sun started to show above the mountains to the east. The first image was processed with HDR Express, using its Artistic default. The second image was processed with Photomatix Pro using the Compressor Deep settings.

We left San Diego at about 11:00 by bus for Ensenada, Mexico. Once we arrived at the cruise line port we embarked on the MV Explorer to begin the Spring Enrichment Voyage to Central America and Panama Canal. It was good to see many friends from the Caribbean Enrichment Voyage and Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop I (UTPW-I) on board the ship.

After the ship departed Ensenada for Cabo San Lucas there was a small  green flash at sunset. The image was taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (200 mm equiv). This is a good omen for the Voyage!!!

San Diego Sunrise. Composite HDR Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/11, 1/13 sec +/- 2EV). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, HDR Express (Artistic), Topaz Denoise, and converted to jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
San Diego Sunrise. Composite HDR Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/11, 1/13 sec +/- 2EV). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, HDR Express (Artistic), Topaz Denoise, and converted to jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
San Diego Sunrise. Composite HDR Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/11, 1/13 sec +/- 2EV). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Photomatix (Compressor Deep), and converted to jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
San Diego Sunrise. Composite HDR Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/11, 1/13 sec +/- 2EV). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Photomatix (Compressor Deep), and converted to jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
M/V Explorer Upper Mast. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
M/V Explorer Upper Mast. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Green Flash at Sunset over the Pacific Ocean off Mexico. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 49.2 mm, f/6.3, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Green Flash at Sunset over the Pacific Ocean off Mexico. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 49.2 mm, f/6.3, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

[Posts will be limited while on the M/V Explorer due to narrow internet bandwidth.]

One-Year Ago (18-April-2010) — California

Gone to See America 2010. Big Sur Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant. Day 4: California Central Coast.

My Taxes Have Been Filed. Now the crabs can come out from hiding, and I can start working on my images again! Image taken one year ago while on a Photography Workshop in Big Sur on the Central Coast of California.

Crabs in Big Sur, Central Coast California. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Crabs in Big Sur, Central Coast California. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec)

One-Year Ago (14-April-2010) — California

Gone to See America 2010. Big Sur Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant. Day 0: Piedras Blancas Beach.

A year ago today, I drove from San Franciscio to San Simeon for a Big Sur Photography Workshop run by Michael Mariant to begin the following day. With time to burn  I visited the Elephant Seal View Point on Piedras Blancas beach, just seven miles north of San Simeon on the California central coast. Link to an aerial view of Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal View Point. The sun was slowly going down over the Pacific ocean as I took this series of images.

Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec).
Young Male Elephant Seals Jousting at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Young Male Elephant Seals Jousting at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec).
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 180 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 180 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec).
Elephant Seal at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seal at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec).
Young Male Elephant Seals Jousting at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 220, 210 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Young Male Elephant Seals Jousting at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 220, 210 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Young Male Elephant Seals Jousting at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Young Male Elephant Seals Jousting at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 70 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 70 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Elephant Seal at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 320, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seal at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 320, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 220, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 220, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 250, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 250, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Elephant Seal at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seal at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec).
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec).
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 210 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 210 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Herring Gull at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Herring Gull at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).

Tuesday (22-March-2011) — California

Gone to See California. Day 3: Working in South San Francisco.

Before going to work, I took some images of a sailboat at anchor in Oyster Bay. Two of the images were combined using the Photoshop CS5 HDR module.

Sunrise with Sailboat at Anchor in Oyster Bay. Images taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/250 + 1/2000 sec). Two image HDR processed with Photoshop CS5 HDR module (photorealistic). Noise reduction with Nik Define 2.0. (David J Mathre)
Sunrise with Sailboat at Anchor in Oyster Bay. Images taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/250 + 1/2000 sec).