Saturday (13-October-2018) — New Jersey to Portugal

Gone to See Portugal. Street Photography Workshop with Steve Simon. Day -1: Travel to Portugal.

I took a red-eye flight from Newark to Lisbon on TAP (Portugal Airlines). The “fast track” pre-boarding security lines at Newark terminal B were not open, so I had to remove my shoes, put each computer, notepad, and phone in separate trays. I also had to remove all the cameras from my camera bag. This is the third time this year that the “fast track” lanes at Newark were not staffed. TAP uses the SAS lounge in Newark. Good Nordic snacks before the flight. The TAP flight left a bit after the scheduled departure time, but still arrived in Lisbon almost an hour before the scheduled arrival time. The dinner served by TAP was excellent. The only time I have had airline food this good before was while traveling Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic (back in the days I was commuting to Cambridge, UK while working on a chemical automation project).  After dinner, and most passengers fell asleep the cabin was dark enough that I could see the Big Dipper through my window. I was able to get a picture of the Big Dipper using a Fuji X-T3 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 3200, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1 sec). I held the camera up to the window for the long exposure. Manually focusing to infinity and holding the camera still for 1 second was a challenge.


Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed here.

Big Dipper from a commercial airline jet while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 3200, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Big Dipper from a commercial airline jet while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 3200, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Friday (12-October-2018) — New Jersey

Home Renovation Project: Back Patio.

The remnants of Hurricane Michael blew through last night with about 0.45 inches (11 mm) of rain. The temperature dropped to the mid 60’s, and this morning the sky was clear with a bright sun. Today may be the first day this month that my solar panels generate more electricity that I use.  Alan and Lincoln installed the railings for the rear door landing to the patio. Still more to do, but the project is getting a lot closer to being complete. While they were working on the railings I mowed the lawn, and got some pictures of a Monarch Butterfly in my Zinnia patch.

Garmin VIRB-360 Time-Lapse Video (360 degree panorama, little planet, tunnel view) 720p 24p.


Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed here.

Five-Years Ago (10-October-2013) — Arizona

Gone to See America 2013. Nikonian Annual Photography Adventure Trip. Day 5: Williams, Chloride, and Oatman.

When we woke up, there was snow on the ground. Early winter — but Williams is 6766 feet above sea level. The government shutdown continued, and the closure of Grand Canyon National Park continued.  Our van set out for opportunities at lower elevations free of snow.  We traveled to Chloride, a one time silver mining town and now nearly a ghost town. Outside of Chloride, we visited a site where artist Roy Purcell created some modern rock murals back in the 1960’s.  We also visited Oatman, another former gold mining town. Now a tourist destination. But the remaining local residents don’t want the tourists to feed the wild burro’s.

Footsteps in an Early Snowfall (Williams, Arizona). Gone to See America 2013. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Footsteps in an Early Snowfall (Williams, Arizona).  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Modern Rock Mural near Chloride by Artist Roy Purcell. There are a lot of very colorful murals in this location started in 1966. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 24-120 mm f/4 lens (ISO 400, 55 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Modern Rock Mural near Chloride by Artist Roy Purcell. There are a lot of very colorful murals in this location started in 1966. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 24-120 mm f/4 lens (ISO 400, 55 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Wild Burro (Donkey) in Oatman, Arizona. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 24-120 mm lens (ISO 200, 120 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Wild Burro (Donkey) in Oatman, Arizona. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 24-120 mm lens (ISO 200, 120 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (10-October-2012) — New Mexico

Gone to See America 2012 Road Trip. Day 4: On the Road – Roswell, New Mexico to Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Before leaving for Carlsbad, I stopped back at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge to watch the Sandhill Cranes leave to feed for the day. I was told that one of the places they go to feed is local peanut farms that had been recently plowed. Ever wonder how the salmonella got in the peanut butter a few years ago???

Pair of Sandhill Cranes in Flight. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
Pair of Sandhill Cranes in Flight. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (10-October-2012) — New Mexico

Gone to See America 2012 Road Trip. Day 4: On the Road – Roswell, New Mexico to Carlsbad, New Mexico.

I first visited Carlsbad Caverns on a road trip in 1976. Well before I had a camera. As part of the road trip this year, I visited Carlsbad Cavern National Park again. This time with a Nikon D4 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens that does well in low light. I took a lot of images. Your first walk down into this big entrance going from bright light into the dark cavern. It takes a while for the eyes to adapt to the low-level of artificial lighting in the cave. At the end of the walk, you take an elevator back to the surface. Someday, I want to go back and do the extended tour where you need to wear a hardhat and headlamp.

Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/7, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/7, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1/80 sec) (David J Mathre)
Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1/80 sec) (David J Mathre)
Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern, Looking Out. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1/6400 sec) (David J Mathre)
Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern, Looking Out. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1/6400 sec) (David J Mathre)