Thursday (26-December-2019) — Florida

Gone to See Florida — 2019 Road Trip.

Boxer Day — Dawn and Sunrise at Fort De Soto Park. Every year while visiting Florida I like to go to Fort De Soto Park to view the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at dawn and sunrise. My brother and I got there early, just as the and sky and clouds were starting to show some colors. I set up two cameras on tripods, and one handheld. When we arrived the Skyway bridge piers were still lit up with red overnight lights for the holidays.

Fuji X-T3 camera set up to record the sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1250, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fuji X-T3 camera set up to record the sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1250, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fuji X-H1 camera set up to record the sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1000, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fuji X-H1 camera set up to record the sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1000, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 13 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4, 1/8 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 13 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4, 1/8 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 13 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4, 1/8 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 13 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4, 1/8 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 23 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 23 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. composite of 11 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 23 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. composite of 11 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 23 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 4 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/11, 1/20 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 4 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/11, 1/20 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/16, 1/80 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/16, 1/80 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 4 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/16, 1/80 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 4 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/16, 1/80 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)



Daily Electric Energy Used (52.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 20.4 kWh. Most of the hydroponic gardens were off or only on for fewer hours. Also, the thermostat for the Geothermal heater and hybrid heat pump hot water heater were set for vacation mode.

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Wednesday (18-December-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

Ice storm yesterday with some tree limb damage. The sun came out early and things started to melt. The solar fountain in the bird bath was running. The young doe continues to stay close to the house. The turkey vultures were out looking for a meal.


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.


Daily Electric Energy Used (84.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (25.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Rained much of the day. Overall a net deficit of 59.3 kWh.

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Five-Years Ago (26-November-2014) — Florida

Moon, Palm Tree Silhouettes, and Orange Contrail Clouds at Sunset.

Another case of “the best camera is the one with you”. I’d never seen contrails lined up like this before with the added bonus of happening just after sunset. View from the Old Northeast section of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Moon, Palm Tree Silhouettes, and Orange Contrail Clouds at Sunset in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm wide-angle zoom lens (ISO 400, 18 mm, f/6.4, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Moon, Palm Tree Silhouettes, and Orange Contrail Clouds at Sunset in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm wide-angle zoom lens (ISO 400, 18 mm, f/6.4, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)

Monday (25-November-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Outdoor Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

Dawn clouds and jet trails.

Clouds and Jet Trails at Dawn Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 64, 14 mm, f/5, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Clouds and Jet Trails at Dawn Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 64, 14 mm, f/5, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (71.1 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (30.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 40.3 kWh.


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Sunday (03-November-2019) — New Jersey

Autumn Outdoor Night Sky Over New Jersey.

I haven’t done any night sky images recently. It is getting colder, and the sky was clear with the Waxing Crescent Moon (nearly 3rd Quarter) shining brightly.

Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of six images (15 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of six images (15 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of nine images (10 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of nine images (10 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of eighteen images (5 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of eighteen images (5 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (77.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (34.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The sun was out, but much colder outside. Overall a net deficit of 43.1 kWh. Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house (11.9 kWh). Monthly server backups completed.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (444 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (134 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 310 kWh. Cooler out so the Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house. Notice the 12 hours when the power was off.

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