Saturday (07-March-2009) — New Jersey.

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey — Spring is Coming!!!

The Purple Crocuses have started blooming across the street. This is a good sign that spring is coming. In order to get a deeper depth of field (DOF) I took several images each with slightly different focus points, and then combined the images using Helicon Focus get the composite image. The focus range was just around the flowers, keeping the background leaves out of focus.

Early Purple Crocuses. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 200 mm f/4 macro lens (ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J. Mathre)
Early Purple Crocuses. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 200 mm f/4 macro lens (ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J. Mathre)
Early Purple Crocuses. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 200 mm f/4 macro lens (ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J. Mathre)
Early Purple Crocuses. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 200 mm f/4 macro lens (ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500 sec)

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Wednesday (18-February-2009) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey: Black-capped Chickadee.

I found this small bird trying to keep warm in my front doorway.  It looked like it was trying to make a nest in an old spider web.

Black-capped Chickadee trying to keep warm. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, flash). (David J Mathre)
Black-capped Chickadee trying to keep warm. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, flash).

Sunday (18-January-2009) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

We had a bit of snow last night. I went for a short walk in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. When I got home I found this young deer eating my shrubs.

Winter Winding Road. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Winter Winding Road. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).
Winter Grass with Snow. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 200, 95 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Winter Grass with Snow. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 200, 95 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Winter Grass with Snow. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Winter Grass with Snow. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Yearling Deer Eating my Shrubs in the Snow. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/6.3, 1/160 sec) (David J Mathre)
Yearling Deer Eating my Shrubs in the Snow. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/6.3, 1/160 sec) (David J Mathre)

Friday (02-January-2009) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey: Afternoon Walkabout.

Holly tree and red berries after a light snow. Images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 1250, 230 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)
Holly tree and red berries after a light snow. Images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 1250, 230 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)
Lone pine cone after a light snow. Images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 1600, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec) (David J Mathre)
Lone pine cone after a light snow. Images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 1600, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec) (David J Mathre)
Rhododendron bush after a light snow. Images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 1250, 230 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)
Rhododendron bush after a light snow. Images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 1250, 230 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)
Lone male red cardinal after a light snow. Images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 1600, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Lone male red cardinal after a light snow. Images taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 1600, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)