Sunday (06-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2013 Road Trip. Day 3: Foggy Morning in St. Petersburg.

When I woke up this morning and looked out from the balcony of my room at the Vinoy hotel it was foggy. I couldn’t even see the St. Petersburg Pier that I had been taking images for a time-lapsed video the previous night. I had hoped to go to Fort De Soto park for both sunrise and bird photography today — but it was way too foggy. Initially I could barely see the palm trees. At 11 AM, I still couldn’t see the Pier.

Foggy Morning in St. Petersburg from a Balcony at the Vinoy Hotel. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/80 sec). Converted to B&W with NIK Silver Efex Pro 2. (David J Mathre)
Foggy Morning in St. Petersburg from a Balcony at the Vinoy Hotel. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/80 sec). Converted to B&W with NIK Silver Efex Pro 2. (David J Mathre)

Saturday (05-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2013 Road Trip. Day 2: St. Petersburg.

While visiting my parents in St. Petersburg, I found this Crab Spider on her web. I had never seen a crab spider during all the years that I lived in Florida. The first one I saw, eating a fly was at Selby Gardens a few years ago 26-December-2006. Now it seems that I see one every time I visit Florida.

Underside of a Crab Spider on its web. Urban garden nature in St. Petersburg. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 105 mm f/2.8G VR macro lens + SB-910 flash (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Underside of a Crab Spider on its web. Urban garden nature in St. Petersburg. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 105 mm f/2.8G VR macro lens + SB-910 flash (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)

Two-Years Ago (02-January-2011) — Argentina

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 7: Night Sky in Patagonia.

I got up really early before dawn to see the night sky in the southern hemisphere. I’ve wanted to see the Southern Milky Way and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. This was the first time that I saw the Orion constellation upside down. I don’t recognize many of the other stars and southern constellations. Images  while staying at Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten in Argentina.

Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/4, 30 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/4, 30 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16-35 mm f/4 lens (ISO 400, 28 mm, f/4.5, 58 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16-35 mm f/4 lens (ISO 400, 28 mm, f/4.5, 58 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/4, 58 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/4, 58 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/4.5, 58 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/4.5, 58 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16-35 mm f/4 lens (ISO 400, 28 mm, f/4.5, 58 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 16-35 mm f/4 lens (ISO 400, 28 mm, f/4.5, 58 sec) (David J Mathre)
Southern Hemisphere Milky Way. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4 G lens (ISO 100, f/4, 50 sec) (David J Mathre)
Southern Hemisphere Milky Way. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4 G lens (ISO 100, f/4, 50 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G (ISO 12800, 50 mm, f/2, 1/15 sec) (David J Mathre)
Night Sky in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G (ISO 12800, 50 mm, f/2, 1/15 sec) (David J Mathre)

Two-Years Ago (01-January-2011) — Argentina

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 6: Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Laguna Torre, Parque Nacional Los Glaciaries.

Some images of a female Magellanic woodpecker taken while on the trail to Laguna Torres in Parque Nacionals Glaciares back in January (01-January-2011). We saw several of the these woodpeckers while going through a wooded area. This one was calm enough to pose and let several photographers take her picture.

Female Magellanic Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec) (David J Mathre)
Female Magellanic Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec)
Female Magellanic Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec) (David J Mathre)
Female Magellanic Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec)
Female Magellanic Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec) (David J Mathre)
Female Magellanic Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec)

One-Year Ago (27-December-2011) — Florida

Gone to See America. December 2011 Florida Road Trip. Day 8: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Roseate Spoonbill in Flight. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec).

Roseate Spoonbill in Flight. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Roseate Spoonbill in Flight. Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)