Three-Years Ago (26-December-2014) — South Georgia

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/5: Day 11 – Hurtigruten MS Fram near Strømness, South Georgia

There are not many hours of darkness this far south at this time of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.  You need to stay up late to see the colors at sunset and dusk, and very early to see the colors at dawn and sunrise. I was fortunate to catch this cloud formation at 03:51 AM. No one else was out on the deck other than the ship’s late night watch.

Lenticular Clouds at Dawn Over Strømness in South Georgia from the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Composite of three images taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/11, various). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, NIK HDR Efex Pro, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Lenticular Clouds at Dawn Over Strømness in South Georgia from the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Composite of three images taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/11, various). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, NIK HDR Efex Pro, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (26-December-2011) — Florida

December Road Trip to Florida in 2011: Sarasota

Mirror selfie in a mirror with a frog. Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida.

Frog & Mirror. Marie Selby Gardens Gift Shop - Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec) (© 2011 David J Mathre)
Frog & Mirror. Marie Selby Gardens Gift Shop – Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec) (© 2011 David J Mathre)

Eleven-Years Ago (26-December-2006) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey: Birds that Stay Through the Winter

White-throated sparrow and a northern mockingbird spending time near my house. Images taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 79-200 mm f/2.8 lens.

White-throated Sparrow on a Vine. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 70-200 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec) (David J Mathre)
White-throated Sparrow on a Vine. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 70-200 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec) (David J Mathre)
Northern Mockingbird in the Vines. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 70-200 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)
Northern Mockingbird in the Vines. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 70-200 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)

Monday (25-December-2017) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2017/2018 Road Trip. Day 5: Urban Garden in St. Petersburg.

This was the first time I have seen a Black & White Warbler. It never stayed in one place very long, so was hard to get an image. Many House Sparrows and an orange butterfly (Gulf Fritillary?). Then some fruit — Bananas still on the tree, a Carambola, Figs, and a green lemon.

Black & White Warbler. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 500, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec) (David J Mathre)
Black & White Warbler. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 500, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec) (David J Mathre)



Three-Years Ago (25-December-2014) — South Georgia Island

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/5 Day 10: Christmas Day on South Georgia Island

The Hurtigruten MS Fram arrived at South Georgia early in the morning. We were ferried from the ship to the island on Polarcirkel boats (a more comfortable version of the Zodiac boats). We then hiked across the island to Grytviken — an abandoned whaling village to attend Christmas Service at the Whalers Church. This is reported to be the southern most church. It was prefabricated in Norway, and dedicated 104 years ago on Christmas Day. The Christmas service was performed in Norwegian, German, and English. The church has a foot-pumped organ that the ship’s musician used to play Christmas music (as well as “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum). We then spent the remainder of our time on shore investigating the remaining whaling buildings in Grytviken and visiting a King Penguin rookery just outside of the village.

Hikers from the Hurtigruten MS Fram going to attend Christmas Service at the Whalers Church at Grytviken in South Georgia. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 30 mm, f/16, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)
Hikers from the Hurtigruten MS Fram going to attend Christmas Service at the Whalers Church at Grytviken in South Georgia. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 30 mm, f/16, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)