Fall - David Mathre Photography

11-October-2011

Pre-Dawn Delaware River Crossing.

Looking south while crossing the Delaware river between Lambertville NJ and New Hope PA.

Crossing the Delaware on the Lambertville - New Hope Bridge. Pre-Dawn New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 6400, 28 mm, f/3.5, 1/25 sec). (David J Mathre)

Sunday (09-October-2011) — New Jersey

Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

I saw this flock of Turkey Vultures warming themselves in the early morning sun. The local Turkey Vulture population has increased over the past several years. I think their major food source is deer killed by automobiles.

Turkey Vultures Morning Sun Perch. Autumn in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/13, 1/640). (David J Mathre) — Turkey Vultures Morning Sun Perch.Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/13, 1/640). (David J Mathre)

Turkey Vulture Morning Sun Perch. Autumn in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/4.5, 1/320). (David J Mathre) — Turkey Vulture Morning Sun Perch. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/4.5, 1/320). (David J Mathre)

Turkey Vulture Soaring. Autumn in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/4.5, 1/320). (David J Mathre) — Turkey Vulture Soaring. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/4.5, 1/320). (David J Mathre)

Saturday (08-October-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nighttime Skies Over New Jersey.

Early Early Morning Star Trails. With the continuing clear skies, I set up two cameras to record star trails early this morning. I started at 3:00 AM after the moon set. I was still worried about condensation on the lens. I pointed a Nikon D3 camera with a 16 mm f/2.8 fish-eye lens north, and a Nikon D3x camera with a 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens at 14 mm pointed south. I used some gaffer tape to prevent the focal length lens creep on the 14-24 mm lens that ruined a previous star trails session. The Nikon D3 camera stopped recording after 2 hours. After the fact, I realized that I used a EN-EL4 rather than the higher capacity EN-EL4A battery. The D3x camera with a EN-EL4A battery ran until I went out to get the cameras at sunrise. Unfortunately, condensation on the lens started distorting images after about 5 AM. Both the North and South facing Star Trails ended up about 60 images (2 hours). The really bright trail in both the Northern and Southern view is Jupiter.

North View Star Trails. Autumn Early Morning in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 16 mm f/2.8 mm Fisheye lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/4, 1 min 59 sec). Composite of 56 images combined using the Startrails program. (David J Mathre)

South View Star Trails. Autumn Early Morning in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 14-24 mm f/2.8 mm lens (ISO 100, 14 mm, f/4, 1 min 59 sec). Composite of 60 images combined using the Startrails program. (David J Mathre)

Saturday (08-October-2011) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

I saw this Praying Mantis climbing a weed off my back deck. I initially tried to get some images with the camera & telephoto lens at hand, but the minimum focus distance for the 600 mm f/4 VR lens is ~ 17 feet. I switched to a 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens, with a minimum focus distance of 7 feet. When viewed close up, the Praying Mantis looks deadly. There was a black fly that kept landing on the back of the Praying Mantis. I guess the fly knew where the safe zone is. Ultimately, I think the Praying Mantis got tired of me, and moved further into the shrubs.

Brown Praying Mantis. Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre) — Brown Praying Mantis. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Brown Praying Mantis. Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre) — Brown Praying Mantis. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Friday (07-October-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

Doe Portrait Session. When I got home from work, I noticed a couple of young deer in the backyard. I quickly went in and picked up the camera with the 600 mm telephoto lens that I used last night for the moon. I didn’t have time to set up a tripod or find the monopod, so these images are hand-held. One does not hand-hold this lens for very long. I forgot that the TC-E III 20 teleconverter was still on the camera, so 1200 mm.

Doe Portrait Session. Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverer (ISO 1000, 1200 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre) — Doe Portrait Session. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverer (ISO 1000, 1200 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)

Doe Portrait Session. Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverer (ISO 560, 1200 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre) — Doe Portrait Session. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverer (ISO 560, 1200 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)