Thursday (23-December-2010) — Florida

Gone to See Florida — 2010 Road Trip. Day 3: Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park

Sunshine Skyway Bridge Panorama at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. St. Petersburg, Florida. Composite of 3 vertical images taken with an Nikon D3s and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 200, f/11, 0.5 sec). Images processed with DxO, AutoPano Giga, Photoshop CS5, and Topaz Define. (David J Mathre)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge Panorama at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. St. Petersburg, Florida. Composite of 3 vertical images taken with an Nikon D3s camera and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 200, f/11, 0.5 sec). Images processed with DxO, AutoPano Giga, Photoshop CS5, and Topaz Define. (David J Mathre)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge Panorama at Dawn from Fort Desoto Park. St. Petersburg, Florida. Composite of 3 vertical images taken with an Nikon D3s and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 200, f/11, 0.5 sec). Images processed with DxO,PTGui Pro, Photoshop CS5, and Nik Silver Efex Pro (David J Mathre)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge Panorama at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. St. Petersburg, Florida. Composite of 3 vertical images taken with an Nikon D3s and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 200, f/11, 0.5 sec). Images processed with DxO, PTGui Pro, Photoshop CS5, and Nik Silver Efex Pro (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (22-December-2010) — Florida

Gone to See Florida –2010 Road Trip. Day 2: St. Petersburg Pier at Sunset.

It is much warmer in St. Petersburg. I took this image of the Pier from my balcony at the Vinoy Hotel. The lightweight Leica V-Lux 20 camera is a great travel camera, and I am looking forward to having it in my pocket while in Patagonia.

St. Petersburg Pier at Sunset from the Vinoy Hotel. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 49 mm, f/4.8, 1/160 sec) (David J Mathre)
St. Petersburg Pier at Sunset from the Vinoy Hotel. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 49 mm, f/4.8, 1/160 sec) (David J Mathre)

31-October-2009

Halloween 2009

For Halloween I went to St. Petersburg Florida for the wedding of Lars (my brother) and Valerie. The day began with a sunrise photo shoot at Fort De Soto Park with Kari and Elise. When we got to the park we found out that we would not be able to get to the east tip turnaround because of the Florida Halloween Halfathon race. We ended up at the fort itself to view sunrise. After that we shot some pictures of folks in costume doing the race, and then went for a walk down the beach. I have images of both Kari working a sea urchin, and Elise working a shell. Ft. De Soto is always a target rich environment for birds.

Later that afternoon the extended family attended the wedding of Lars and Valerie. I am not a wedding photographer, but I did take some snapshots.

The following images were taken with a Nikon D3x or D700 with a 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye,  35 mm f/2, 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E, or 70-300 mm VR lens.

Sunrise at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with Nikon D3x and 45 mm PC-E (ISO 100, f/16, 1/160 sec)

Sunrise at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with Nikon D700 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec)

Sunrise at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with Nikon D700 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 220, 300 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec)

Sunrise at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with Nikon D700 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec)

Darth Vader running the Florida Halloween Halfathon at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/25 sec)

Princess running the Florida Halloween Halfathon at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec)

Hawaiian Tourist running the Florida Halloween Halfathon at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec)

Fairy running the Florida Halloween Halfathon at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 320, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec)

Kari working a Sea Urchin at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 300 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Check out the result.

Kari working a Sea Urchin at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 220, 75 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Check out the result.

Kari working a Sea Urchin at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 85 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Check out the result.

Elise chimping her image of a shell at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 140, 155 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec).

Sunrise Pelican in flight at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 230 mm, f/5.3, 1/400 sec).

One eyed Tern at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 250, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).

Sandpiper at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 250, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec).

American Oystercatcher at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec).

Young Blue Heron at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec).

Snowy Egret at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec).

Snowy Egret at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec).

Black-hooded Parakeet?? (not native) at Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg Florida. There were at least 50 of these birds at this location. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).


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Saturday (27-December-2008) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2008 Road Trip Day 6: Birds and Reptiles at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

This was the first time that I visited Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. It is right next to (and is part of the John F. Kennedy Space Center). The wildlife viewing road can be closed during launches. Black Point Wildlife Drive is a target rich environment for viewing Florida wildlife. I have included a few images of birds (White Ibis, White Egret, Anhanga) and alligators. There was also a viewing station with telescopes set up to see a pair of American Bald Eagles building a nest.

White Ibis Fishing at Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve. Image taken with an Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
White Ibis Fishing at Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve. Image taken with an Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec).  White Egret Fishing at Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve. Image taken with an Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec).