Three-Years Ago (01-January-2015) — Antarctica

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage. Day 16: Antarctic Peninsula.

Iceburg in Antarctica from the Deck of the MS Fram. Composite of three images taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/11, various) Raw image processed with Lightroom, Nik HDR Efex 2, Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Iceberg in Antarctica from the Deck of the MS Fram. Composite of three images taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/11, various) Raw image processed with Lightroom, Nik HDR Efex 2, Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Panorama of Paradise Harbor and Brown Station (Estación Científica Almirante Brown) in Antarctica from the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Composite of 16 image takens with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Zeiss 32 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 200, 32 mm, f/16, 1/500 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Photoshop CC 2015, and AutoPano Giga Pro (David J Mathre)
Panorama of Paradise Harbor and Brown Station (Estación Científica Almirante Brown) in Antarctica from the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Composite of 16 image takens with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Zeiss 32 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 200, 32 mm, f/16, 1/500 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, Photoshop CC 2015, and AutoPano Giga Pro (David J Mathre)


Gentoo Penguin on its Rock Nest Built with Pebbles. Underneath are a New Years Chick that Just Hatched, and a Second Egg Where the Beak Just Appeared. Next to Bransfield House, Port Lockry in Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/11.3, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)
Gentoo Penguin on its Rock Nest Built with Pebbles. Underneath are a New Years Chick that Just Hatched, and a Second Egg Where the Beak Just Appeared. Next to Bransfield House, Port Lockry in Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/11.3, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)
Northern Entrance to the Lemaire Channel in the Southwest Antarctic Peninsula. From the deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. In camera panorama taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Zeiss 32 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 32 mm, f/8, 1/180 sec). Jpg image processed with Capture One Pro 8 and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Northern Entrance to the Lemaire Channel in the Southwest Antarctic Peninsula. From the deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. In camera panorama taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Zeiss 32 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 32 mm, f/8, 1/180 sec). Jpg image processed with Capture One Pro 8 and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Zodiac Leading an Antarctic Cruise Ship Through the Lemaire Channel. I had never seen clouds this color blue before, and they were that color blue. I am guessing it is blue light reflecting off the glacier. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 31 mm, f/11, 1/40 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Zodiac Leading an Antarctic Cruise Ship Through the Lemaire Channel. I had never seen clouds this color blue before, and they were that color blue. I am guessing it is blue light reflecting off the glacier. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 31 mm, f/11, 1/40 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)

Nine-Years Ago (01-January-2009) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Night Sky: Star Trails and Night Sky Videos.

Star, Moon, and Jet Trails + Clouds. Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey Looking South. Composite of 222 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/2.8, 15 sec) (David J Mathre)
Star, Moon, and Jet Trails + Clouds. Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey Looking South. Composite of 222 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/2.8, 15 sec) (David J Mathre)
Star, Moon, and Jet Trails + Clouds. Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey Looking South. Composite of 129 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 15 mm, f/2.8, 25 sec) (David J Mathre)
Star, Moon, and Jet Trails + Clouds. Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey Looking South. Composite of 129 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 15 mm, f/2.8, 25 sec) (David J Mathre)
Star, Moon, and Jet Trails + Clouds. Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey Looking South. Composite of 279 images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/2.8, 20 sec) (David J Mathre)
Star, Moon, and Jet Trails + Clouds. Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey Looking South. Composite of 279 images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/2.8, 20 sec) (David J Mathre)
Star, Moon, and Jet Trails + Clouds. Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey Looking South. Composite of 215 images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/4, 30 sec) (David J Mathre)
Star, Moon, and Jet Trails + Clouds. Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey Looking South. Composite of 215 images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/4, 30 sec) (David J Mathre)

Sunday (31-December-2017) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2017/2018 Road Trip. Day 11: Big Cypress National Preserve.

The trees are too close together at Clyde Butcher’s retreat to get a good view of the full sky for sunrise or sunset. I found a nearby location near the northern entrance of the Loop road for sunset last night, so I returned for dawn and sunrise. I was not disappointed as the colors in the clouds developed just before sunrise.

Inverse Little-Planet View of Colorful Dawn Clouds. Begining of the Loop road through Big Cypress National Preserve. Winter Nature in Florida Composite of 21 mages taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, and the composite generated using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Inverse Little-Planet View of Colorful Dawn Clouds. Begining of the Loop road through Big Cypress National Preserve. Winter Nature in Florida Composite of 21 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro, and the composite generated using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)

I went back to Clyde Butcher’s “Swamp Bungalow” for breakfast. The baby (one-year old) alligators were out next to the pond. Then it was back to the Loop road in Big Cypress National Preserve, with two goals — more birds and alligators, and pictures of the Cypress swamp. The swamp pictures were taken with a Leica T camera and then converted to B&W.





Three-Years Ago (31-December-2014) — Antarctica

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage. Day 15: Antarctic Peninsula.

I’ve never been this close to a whale before!!! It kept coming right up to and under our Polar Cirkel boat in Neko Bay.

Floating Ice in Antarctica from the Deck of the MS Fram. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/11, 1/180 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (© 2014 David J Mathre)
Floating Ice in Antarctica from the Deck of the MS Fram. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/11, 1/180 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (© 2014 David J Mathre)
Minke Whale Swimming Under Our Polar Cirkel Boat in Neko Bay, Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Catpure One Pro 8, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CC 2104. (David J Mathre)
Minke Whale Swimming Under Our Polar Cirkel Boat in Neko Bay, Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Catpure One Pro 8, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CC 2104. (David J Mathre)
(David Mathre)
(David Mathre)

Saturday (30-December-2017) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2017/2018 Road Trip. Day 10: Big Cypress National Preserve.

I was told that the Loop road in Big Cypress National Preserve was only partially opened. I still tried it, and it turned out to be open all the way around. There was one section near the southern end that had some water on the road, but not all the way across.  The first thing I came across was a Turkey Vulture blocking the road. There were alligators, more birds,  and butterflies along the road. And not many other vehicles, which was good since most of the time it is a dirt road. When I got back to Clyde Butcher’s place, there was a Copperhead snake and some Spiders and Webs. Later on I found five Baby (or maybe year old) Alligators sunning themselves on the side of the pond. “Moma” was in the middle of the pond keeping watch. I went back to the start of the Loop Road for sunset.

Turkey Vulture blocking the Loop road in Big Cypress National Preserve. Winter Nature in Florida Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VRII telephoto zoom lens (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture blocking the Loop road in Big Cypress National Preserve. Winter Nature in Florida Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VRII telephoto zoom lens (David J Mathre)