One-Year Ago (01-August-2013) — Iceland

Gone to See Iceland 2013 Photography Safari with Mike Hagen. Day 3: Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands).

The group did a high-speed RIB Safari boat tour to the islands around Vestmannaeyjar. We needed to get into arctic survival suits, and had  shoulder harness belts holding us in our seats. I strapped a camera to my chest with a fisheye lens and set it to automatically take images every few seconds. At times the boat was traveling at 40 knots with lots of heavy bouncing. We went all the way out to Surtsey island that I remember reading about as a kid rising from the sea as a volcano. At one point we saw a whale, so slowed down and stopped to take pictures. While stopped the boat rocked a lot, causing one or two passengers to lose their breakfast. This is a rough cut before adding titles, stills, a GPS map, and music. Beware if you are prone to motion sickness. Images captured with a Nikon D800 and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens.

WARNING – THE TIME-LAPSE VIDEO MAY CAUSE MOTION SICKNESS

One-Year Ago (01-August-2013) — Iceland

Gone to See Iceland 2013 Photography Safari with Mike Hagen. Day 3: Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands).

Suðurey Island, Part of the Vestmannaeyjar Islands in South Iceland from a www.RibSafari.IS Rubber Boat. We were told that the rope ladder going up the cliff was the “Stairway to Heaven”. Actually it is the way to the seabird hunting lodge on top of the island. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 250, 16 mm, f/13, 1/125 sec).

Suðurey Island, Part of the Vestmannaeyjar Islands in South Iceland from a Zodiac. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 250, 16 mm, f/13, 1/125 sec). Nikonians Academy Photo Adventure. (David J Mathre)
Suðurey Island, Part of the Vestmannaeyjar Islands in South Iceland from a Zodiac. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 250, 16 mm, f/13, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Suðurey Island, Part of the Vestmannaeyjar Islands in South Iceland from a Zodiac. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 250, 16 mm, f/13, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Crop showing the rope ladder. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 250, 16 mm, f/13, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)

Monday (28-July-2014) — Russia

Gone to See Europe 2014. Day 58: Semester at Sea, Summer 2014 Semester Voyage. Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Ship and Two Lighthouses at dusk near Kronstadt Island viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer as we departed Russia. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define, and Photoshop CC.

Fishing boat and two channel lights. View from the deck of the MV Explorer while departing St. Petersburg. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 70-300 mm VR lens. (David J Mathre)
Fishing boat and two channel lights. View from the deck of the MV Explorer while departing St. Petersburg. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 70-300 mm VR lens. (David J Mathre)

Monday (28-July-2014) — Russia

Gone to See Europe 2014. Day 58: Semester at Sea, Summer 2014 Semester Voyage. Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Wooden Lighthouse and Naval Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Nicholas on Kronstadt Island. View from the deck of the MV Explorer while departing Saint Petersburg. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 800, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define, and Photoshop CC.

Kronstadt Lighthouse and Naval Cathedral on Kotlin Island. (David J Mathre)
Kronstadt Lighthouse and Naval Cathedral on Kotlin Island. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 70-300 mm VR lens. (David J Mathre)

Thursday Ago (24-July-2014) — At Sea. 

Gone to See Europe 2014. Day 54: Semester at Sea, Summer 2014 Semester Voyage. Gulf of Finland.

Ship Passing Under Electric Blue Noctilucent Clouds on the Gulf of Finland. Early morning from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 23 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/1.4, 1 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Nik Define, and Photoshop CC 2014.

Noctilucent Clouds over the Gulf of Finland. Image taken with a Fuji XT1 camera and 23 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/1.4, 1 sec). (David J Mathre)
Noctilucent Clouds over the Gulf of Finland. Image taken with a Fuji XT1 camera and 23 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/1.4, 1 sec). (David J Mathre)