Category: Skyscape

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

Three-Years Ago (27-August-2016) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Night Sky Over New Jersey.

Star and jet trails plus clouds. 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 generated with Photoshop CC (statistics, maximum). One problem I continue to have is moisture condensing on the lens as temperature cool over the night. Especially with wide angle lenses with lots of glass surface area. You can see how the condensation blurs things in the final image. I’ve read about adding electrical resistance thermal tape to heat the lens, but worry about damage and optical artifacts. I’ve also added a time-lapse video of the night sky show.

Star Trails and Clouds Looking South. Composite of 50 images (01-50) 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. Composite of 50 images (01-50) 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. Composite of 50 images (51-100) 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. Composite of 50 images (51-100) 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. Composite of 50 images (101-150) 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. Composite of 50 images (101-150) 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. Composite of 50 images (151-200) 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. Composite of 50 images (151-200) 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)

Four-Years Ago (27-August-2015) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Night Sky Over New Jersey.

Star trails looking north and the waxing gibbous moon (both a composite and time-lapse video).

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 Statictics/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). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro with the composite processed using Phototshop CC Statictics/Maximum. (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon. Composite of 12 images taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon. Composite of 12 images taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Seven-Years Ago (27-August-2012) — North Atlantic Ocean

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 05: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.

The day was a bit rough as we crossed the North Atlantic. Splash from the waves made it up to the portal in my cabin on deck 5 of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/320 sec).
I didn’t get sea sick, but there were not many of the students or staff that showed up for lunch or dinner. Most of the decks were off limits due to the heavy seas and winds. In the early evening I was able to set up a camera in a protected area to capture the sun going down for a time-lapse video.

Heavy Seas. Waves breaking up to my cabin window.  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Heavy Seas. Waves breaking up to my cabin window.  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)

Thirteen-Years Ago (27-August-2006) — Michigan

Gone to See America 2006 Driving Tour. Day 2: Northern  Michigan.

My first images with a new Nikon D200 camera on this road trip west. Quick stop in Mackinaw State Forest, then some pictures of the Mackinac Bridge before crossing it to the Upper Peninsula. Finally a stop at Pictured Rock National Lakeshore. I have memories of crossing the Mackinac bridge soon after it opened as a small child. All of the images have been reprocessed with currently available software.

Woodpecker Tree in Mackinaw State Forest. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Woodpecker Tree in Mackinaw State Forest. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Mackinac Bridge. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Mackinac Bridge. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Mackinac Bridge. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Mackinac Bridge. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Seagull, Mackinac State Park. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Seagull, Mackinac State Park. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)
Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens. (David J Mathre)

Ten-Years Ago (26-August-2009) — Washington

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 05: Grand Coulee Dam, Washington

Grand Coulee Dam Panorama. Composite of seven images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 mm lens (ISO 200, 18 mm, f/11, 1/1000 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the panorama created using AutoPano Pro.

Grand Coulee Dam Panorama. Composite of seven images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 mm lens (ISO 200, 18 mm, f/11, 1/1000 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the panorama created using AutoPano Pro. (David J Mathre)
Grand Coulee Dam Panorama. Composite of seven images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 mm lens (ISO 200, 18 mm, f/11, 1/1000 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the panorama created using AutoPano Pro. (David J Mathre)


Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow


Grand Coulee Dam Panorama. Composite of seven images taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 18 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, Photoshop and CC, NIK Color Efex. Panorama created using AutoPano Pro.

Grand Coulee Dam Panorama. Composite of seven images taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 18 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, Photoshop and CC, NIK Color Efex. Panorama created using AutoPano Pro. (David J Mathre)
Grand Coulee Dam Panorama. Composite of seven images taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 18 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)


click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow