Friday (17-February-2012) — New Jersey

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

When I got home today, I noticed that these Purple Crocuses were in bloom across the street. I think that this is the earliest that I have seen these blooming. In addition, some of the Daffodils are also starting to bloom.

For those wondering why I have not posted recently, things have been busy at work.

Early Purple Crocuses -- Spring is Coming. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 and 10 mm lens (ISO 100, 10mm, f/3.2, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early Purple Crocuses — Spring is Coming. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 and 10 mm lens (ISO 100, 10mm, f/3.2, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early Purple Crocus -- Spring is Coming. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 and 10-100 mm lens (ISO 100, 100 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early Purple Crocus — Spring is Coming. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 and 10-100 mm lens (ISO 100, 100 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early Purple Crocuses -- Spring is Coming. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 and 10-100 mm lens (ISO 100, 53 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early Purple Crocuses — Spring is Coming. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 and 10-100 mm lens (ISO 100, 53 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early Purple Crocuses -- Spring is Coming. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 and 10-100 mm lens (ISO 100, 58 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early Purple Crocuses — Spring is Coming. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 and 10-100 mm lens (ISO 100, 58 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)

Monday (20-June-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Late Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Yellow Cactus Flower. I was reviewing image from previous years and realised that I may have missed the cactus blooming. I went out this afternoon  and found that one was still blooming. Three images. The first “as is” from a Leica D-Lux 5. The next is from a Nikon D3x and 105 mm macro lens. The final is a composite from the Nikon D3x and 105 mm macro from 16 images combined using Helicon Focus. Let me know what you think.

Yellow Cactus Flower. Last Day of Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 400, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/250 sec) Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Focus Magic. Converted to sRGB with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Yellow Cactus Flower. Last Day of Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 400, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/250 sec) Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Focus Magic. Converted to sRGB with Photoshop CS5.
Yellow Cactus Flower. Last Day of Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100. 105 mm, f/22, 1/1.6 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Focus Magic. Converted to sRGB with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Yellow Cactus Flower. Last Day of Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100. 105 mm, f/22, 1/1.6 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Focus Magic. Converted to sRGB with Photoshop CS5.
Yellow Cactus Flower. Last Day of Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100. 105 mm, f/4, multiple). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro then multiple (16) images combined with Helicon Focus. Converted to sRGB with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Yellow Cactus Flower. Last Day of Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100. 105 mm, f/4, multiple). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro then multiple (16) images combined with Helicon Focus. Converted to sRGB with Photoshop CS5.

Sunday (19-June-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Late Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

I spent some time waiting for the doe and her two fawns to walk through the yard. They never came by, but this rabbit came out and slowly worked its way toward my deck.

Rabbit Head with Big Ears. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Rabbit Head with Big Ears. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Rabbit Hop. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Rabbit Hop. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Rabbit in Backyard. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Rabbit in Backyard. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Rabbit Hiding Behind Clover. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Rabbit Hiding Behind Clover. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Rabbit in Backyard. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Rabbit in Backyard. Late Spring Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Sunday (19-June-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey: The Ticks are Back!.

So while processing the Rabbit images, I feel something crawling on me. Yet another Tick. Will need to do some research to see if it is a Deer Tick, Dog Tick, or Wood Tick. Let me know if you recognize this critter. I have both a top and bottom view using macro lenses.

[21-June-2011: Rick Sidler sent me a link that clearly shows this to be Dog Tick (also known as a Wood Tick)]

Tick. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 (ISO 210, 60 mm, f/32, 1/250 sec) and SB900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Tick. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 (ISO 210, 60 mm, f/32, 1/250 sec) and SB900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Tick. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/22, 1/250 sec) and SB900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Tick. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/22, 1/250 sec) and SB900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Friday (17-June-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Late Spring Nature in New Jersey.

When I got home today, I saw a doe and two young fawns walking through my yard. I knew I didn’t have time to run and get a DSLR and telephoto so grabbed the Leica D-Lux 5 that I had in the car. I took the D-Lux 5 rather than the Leica X1, since the D-Lux 5 has zoom capabilities. I got a few images before they ran off. Once the doe realized I was near she got between me and the two fawns and then started pounding her front leg to let me know I was too close. Once they were gone, I walked the yard and got some macro images of wild strawberries, wild daisy flowers, and some small pink roses. What I didn’t realize was that the battery was low, and only got these images before the camera shut down.

Wild Daisy Flower. Late Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 100, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wild Daisy Flower. Late Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 100, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
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Wild Strawberry. Late Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19.2 mm, f/3.5, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Small Pink Rose Flower. Late Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Small Pink Rose Flower. Late Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Doe and Two Fawns. Late Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 400, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, NIK Color Efex (Tonal Contrast), Nik Viveza, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Doe and Two Fawns. Late Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 400, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, NIK Color Efex (Tonal Contrast), Nik Viveza, and Photoshop CS5.