Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 02: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.
Waiting for the Sun to set from the aft deck of the M/V Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 122 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec).
Sunset at Sea on the M/V Explorer. Fall 2012 Semester at Sea Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 122 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Time-lapse video of the sun setting from the aft deck of the MV Explorer. Images taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro. Time-lapse video created using Photoshop CC. Two versions first without additional processing, and the second applying a warping filter using After Effects CC to minimize motion while hand holding the camera on a moving ship.
Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 03: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota.
Jousting Bison in the Campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I took the picture standing next to my RV. I was glad that I was sleeping in my RV, and not in a tent like the folks across from my campsite. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm lens (ISO 900, 105 mm, f/5.3, 1/60 sec).
Male Bison Fighting in the Campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm lens. (David J. Mathre)
Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 03: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota.
Painted Canyon Panorama. Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 85 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 200, 85 mm, f/16, 1/40 sec). Raw images reprocessed in 2019 with Capture One Pro (BM-02 Teton Style). Composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. A 48 x 17 inch print is available for sale. The individual images going into the panorama are included below.
Painted Canyon Panorama. Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 85 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 200, 85 mm, f/16, 1/40 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro (BM-02 Teton Style). Composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.
North American Gypsy Moth Caterpillars in a Silk Nest. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). Since the Gypsy Moths are so destructive, I removed and burned the nest right after taking the picture.
North American Gypsy Moth Caterpillars in a Silken Net. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). The ninth image taken with the camera. Not a very good image, but it does show that the vibration reduction (VR) helps since this was hand-held with a relatively long (1/10 sec) exposure. Below are the original jpg image, an updated version from 2010, an updated version using current tools (2019). For the current version the image was first converted from jpg (8 bit) to a tif (16 bit) file with Topaz JPG to RAW AI, and processed using Capture One Pro. I then attempted to sharpen the rabbit with Focus Magic (motion blur) and Topaz Sharpen AI (stabilize). Not perfect, but much better than the original.
Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). Original jpg image. (David Mathre)Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). Processed with tools available in 2010. (David J Mathre)Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). Processed with tools available in 2019. (David Mathre)Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). Original jpg image cropped. (David Mathre)Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). Processed with current tools (2019) and motion blur removed with Focus Magic. (David Mathre)Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). Processed with current tools (2019) and Topaz Sharpen AI – stabilize. (David Mathre)
Today is my thirteenth anniversary of using a DSLR camera. I have made many mistakes, and learned a lot since then. Over this time I have taken over 2 MM images. I save everything, and continually review the bad images and failed compositions to become a better photographer. Part of the reason I go back and review images taken on each day of the year. Initially, I only used Nikon DSLR cameras (D200, D300 (2x), D700, D800, D810a, D850, D2xs (2x), D3 (2x), D3s, D3x, D4, Df, and D5). More recently I have been using smaller mirrorless cameras Nikon (N1-V1, N1-V2, and N1-V3 (2x)), Leica (X1, X2, T (2x), TL2, CL), and Fuji (X-T1 (2x) X-T2, X-T3, X-H1). Of these, only two failed — Nikon Df (shutter sleeves buckled while in Antarctica, subsequently repaired), and one of the Fuji X-T1 (water damage while visiting Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, not repairable). Some of the cameras my brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces are using. I have also used a large collection of lenses (macro, prime, zoom, telephoto, perspective control, fish-eye). Recently, I have been trying out some 360 degree panorama cameras.
For the initial trip across the US with the D200 camera I had the kit 18-70 mm lens and the 80-400 mm telephoto zoom lens. I didn’t know how to use the camera, and the manual wasn’t much help. Somehow, I got some great images during the trip and became hooked on photography as my new passion. I have always been the type of person that has to learn and become an expert of something new every few years. I’ve had many great mentors to guide me, and have been on many photo related trips. I’ve had cameras with me on every one of my Semester at Sea voyages, visiting over 50 countries. Now that I am retired from corporate America, I can spend my time with photography and travel. I probably am not going to buy new cameras and lenses as often – and believe that “the best camera is the one that is with you”.
