Category: Skyscape

Views of the sky. Sunrise, sunset, clouds, and weather

Ten-Years Ago (30-August-2006) — Wyoming

Gone to See America 2006 Driving Tour. Day 5: Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming; Badlands National Park, South Dakota.

Devils Tower National Monument. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). JPG image processed with Capture One Pro, and converted to B&W with NIK/Google Silver Efex Pro.

The freaky thing is that I watched “Close Encounters” at the motel I stayed at the night before, and hadn’t remembered that part of the movie was filmed at Devils Tower.

Devils Tower National Monument. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). JPG image processed with Capture One Pro, and converted to B&W with NIK/Google Silver Efex Pro. (David J Mathre)
Devils Tower National Monument. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). JPG image processed with Capture One Pro, and converted to B&W with NIK/Google Silver Efex Pro. (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (29-August-2012) — North Atlantic Ocean

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 07: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.

Just After Sunrise from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Images taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 VR lens.

While on Semester at Sea voyages I always tried to get images at sunrise and sunset. This meant I was out on the deck at least an hour before and hour after, and sometimes longer if the lens is going to fog up due to the difference between my cabin temperature and the conditions outside.

Just After Sunrise from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Images taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 VR lens (ISO 100, 38.5 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Just After Sunrise from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Images taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 VR lens (ISO 100, 38.5 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Just After Sunrise from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Images taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 VR lens (ISO 100, 110 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Just After Sunrise from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Images taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 VR lens (ISO 100, 110 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

Sunday (28-August-2016) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Night Sky Over New Jersey.

Star Trails and Clouds Looking South. By early morning condensation on the lens made the center of the images blurry. Each image is a composite of 50 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/4, 120 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite created using Photoshop CC (statistics, maximum).

I have had this problem with condensation (and in the winter frost) with this lens in the past. I am looking into getting a flexible electric heater strap, just to heat the lens slightly to prevent the condensation. Other recommendations to solve this problem?

Star Trails and Clouds Looking South. Each image is a composite of 50 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/4, 120 sec). (David J Mathre)
Star Trails and Clouds Looking South. Each image is a composite of 50 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/4, 120 sec). (David J Mathre)
Star Trails and Clouds Looking South. Each image is a composite of 50 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/4, 120 sec). (David J Mathre)
Star Trails and Clouds Looking South. Each image is a composite of 50 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/4, 120 sec). (David J Mathre)

Nine-Years Ago (28-August-2007) — Colorado

Summertime Night Sky Over Colorado.

Lunar Eclipse Captured in Boulder. Composite of 8 images taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 2.0 (2x) TC-E teleconverter. (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/4, 1/1.6 sec).

Today, I know I could have the moon in better focus. When I get some spare time I want to put together the whole sequence of images from that night together. This is just a short part of the images I took.

Lunar Eclipse Captured in Boulder. Composite of 8 images taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 3.0 TC-E teleconverter. (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/4, 1/1.6 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lunar Eclipse Captured in Boulder. Composite of 8 images taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 3.0 TC-E teleconverter. (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/4, 1/1.6 sec). (David J Mathre)
Accidental Ghostly Self Portrait Taken During a Lunar Eclipse. Boulder Colorado, 28-August-2007. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 14 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 400, 14 mm, f/2.8, 30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Accidental Ghostly Self Portrait Taken During a Lunar Eclipse. Boulder Colorado.  Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 14 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 400, 14 mm, f/2.8, 30 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (27-August-2015) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Night Sky Over New Jersey.

Startrails Looking North. The moon was out, lighting up the chimney and Sycamore trees. Composite of 60 images taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 10.5 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 100, 10.5 mm, f/4, 120 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro with the composite processed using Phototshop CC Statistics/Maximum.

Startrails Looking North. Composite of 60 images taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 10.5 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 100, 10.5 mm, f/4, 120 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro with the composite processed using Phototshop CC Statistics/Maximum. (David J Mathre)
Startrails Looking North. Composite of 60 images taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 10.5 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 100, 10.5 mm, f/4, 120 sec).(David J Mathre)