Tuesday (02-July-2019) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Rainbow in New Jersey.

While eating dinner, it started getting dark outside with the rumble of thunder. I was happy when the rain started since it had been hot out, and all of my garden towers on the patio and the wildflower meadows needed water. A bit later when looking out the kitchen window while doing the dishes saw a rainbow. I dropped everything and first ran out with my Leica CL camera with the 11-23 mm wide-angle lens. After taking a bunch of pictures, I returned with a Nikon D810a camera with the 8-15 mm fisheye lens. I really like the Leica CL camera for travel, but the Nikon D810a camera has a  larger (full frame) and more sensitive sensor with greater dynamic range. Just compare the two images of the rainbow above my backyard weather station.  I then took a bunch of images to make a 360 degree panorama, little planet view, and inverse little planet view of the rainbow.

Backyard Evening Rainbow over the Weather Station. After the Thunderstorm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 100, 11 mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Backyard Evening Rainbow over the Weather Station. After the Thunderstorm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 100, 11 mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Backyard Evening Rainbow over the Weather Station. After the Thunderstorm. Image taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 200, 15 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Backyard Evening Rainbow over the Weather Station. After the Thunderstorm. Image taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 200, 15 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Backyard 360 Panorama View of an Evening Rainbow. After the Thunderstorm. Composite of 46 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Backyard 360 Panorama View of an Evening Rainbow. After the Thunderstorm. Composite of 46 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Little Planet View of an Evening Rainbow. After the Thunderstorm. Composite of 46 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Little Planet View of an Evening Rainbow. After the Thunderstorm. Composite of 46 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Inverse Little Planet View of an Evening Rainbow. After the Thunderstorm. Composite of 46 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Inverse Little Planet View of an Evening Rainbow. After the Thunderstorm. Composite of 46 images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/8, 1/200 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga. (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Power Use (54.9 kWh) from Sense and Solar Production (66.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The outside temperatures were high, so the geothermal HVAC system was working hard.

Current Weather Conditions

powered by Ambient Weather

Saturday (09-February-2019) — New Jersey

Winter in New Jersey. Backyard Maple Syrup Production.

I helped a neighbor with the first maple syrup boil down this year. The temperatures have been weird and we were not sure enough maple sap would be collected this season. Rather than multiple cameras I just used a Garmin VIRB-360 camera to record the activity for the day. I used the images to produce time-lapse videos (1 hour in 30 seconds) in 360 degree panorama, tunnel view, and little planet view.

9 AM

10 AM

11 AM

 

Sunday (21-October-2018) — Portugal

Gone to See Portugal. Street Photography Workshop with Steve Simon. Day 7: Lisbon, Portugal.

Following a final review of our “best images” the group walked to the Time Out Market for lunch. My foot didn’t hurt, and I found myself walking faster than everyone for the first time all week. One person made a comment that the hurting foot was all an act — it wasn’t. The Time Out Market was much busier than when I was there on Saturday, but the adjoining fish, meat, vegetable, and fruit markets were all closed. The restaurant area was so crowded we couldn’t find a place to sit down together. At that point the group said our final goodbye and split up. Many of the restaurants had available seating  on the corridor surrounding the main area which was much less crowded. I sat down at CAFÉ DE SÃO BENTO and had a Portuguese steak with a fried egg on top. I then walked back to the Bessa Hotel stopping at several places to get high-resolution 360 degree images with the Nikon D850 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens.

Lisbon Photographer. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 100, 15 mm, f/8, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Lisbon Photographer. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 100, 15 mm, f/8, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)



Street Photographers or Paparazzi?

Steak & Egg Lunch at Time Out in Portugal. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/2.5, 1/40 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Steak & Egg Lunch at Time Out in Portugal. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 200, 23 mm, f/2.5, 1/40 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Time-Lapse Video (360 degree Pano, Tunnel View and Little Planet View) of the Afternoon Walkabout (Part 1). Images recorded with a Garmin VIRB-360 camera.


Individual images from the slideshows can be viewed here.

Time-Lapse Video (360 degree Pano, Tunnel View and Little Planet View) of the Afternoon Walkabout (Part 2). Images recorded with a Garmin VIRB-360 camera.

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.

Monday (01-October-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Yard Work in New Jersey.

After all the recent rain, I am trying to catch up with a lot of yard work. I just received over 300 daffodil, crocus, and tulip bulbs. I plan to plant these in the bed just behind my patio, but first need to clear the weeds and wildflowers from the bed. I have an electric fence to protect the area from deer, but may need to put some type of cover over the bed to protect it from the squirrels. I recorded the days activity using a Garmin VIRB 360 camera mounted on my lawn tractor.

Garmin VIRB 360 Camera Panorama View Time-Lapse Video (1080p, 24p)

Garmin VIRB 360 Camera Tunnel View Time-Lapse Video (1080p, 24p)

Garmin VIRB 360 Camera Little Planet Time-Lapse Video (1080p, 24p)