summer - David Mathre Photography

Four-Years Ago (09-September-2008) — New Jersey

Late Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Big Spider at My Front Door. I saw this big spider lurking above my front doorway, and decided to enter via the back door. I then came back around with a camera, macro lens, and flash. This is the biggest spider I have ever seen in New Jersey. I really don’t like spiders, but do like taking their pictures. I don’t know what type of spider it is. If anyone knows, please send me a message.

Big Spider Above My Front Door. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 200 mm f/4 macro lens (ISO 220, 200 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. (David J. Mathre) — Big Spider Above My Front Door. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 200 mm f/4 macro lens (ISO 220, 200 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. (David J. Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (24-August-2009) — North Dakota

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 03: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota.

Bison Bulls Fighting. My first night sleeping in the RV in a campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. These two Bison Bulls were having an argument just outside my site. I was glad that I would sleeping in the RV, and not in a tent like the family just across the road.

Male Bison Fighting in the Campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 18-200 mm lens. (David J. Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (22-August-2009) — New Jersey

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 01: New Jersey.

White Ram – My New Home. Three interior images of the “White Ram” My new Roadtrek RS Adventurous RV as I prepare to drive to Anchorage, Alaska to attend ANPAT 9 with my fellow Nikonians. All images taken with a fish-eye lens and thus the spaces look bigger than they really are! For the exterior view when I took delivery check out 15-August-2009.

Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the rear, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)

Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the front, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)

Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image of the cockpit, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (15-August-2012) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey: Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Kermit the Bull Frog in a Pond. Assignment One – Part Two.

This week Thom Hogan is posting some photography assignments. Assignment One: “Here’s your first shooting assignment: pick the absolutely worst lens you own and go out and take pictures using it. Not just any pictures, but the best possible pictures you can. Learn to use whatever liability that lens has to advantage.”

I decided to do a variation of this. Instead of going back to the Sourland Mountain Preserve with a big telephoto lens, tripod, and 36 MP camera, I decided to go light, but still wanting to take close-up images of butterflies and other wildlife. I took a Nikon 1 V1 camera with the FT1 adapter with the 70-300 mm VR lens. This kit is almost 20 pounds lighter than the high end kit I was going to take. The following five images are of a bull frog at 70 mm, 100 mm, 135 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm. The field of view equivalent for this camera vs. a 35 mm sensor camera is ~190 mm, ~270 mm, ~365 mm, 540 mm, 810 mm. These are the full images (not cropped) although reduced to the 600 pixel width of the photo blog.

Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 70 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 190 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre) — Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 70 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 190 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre)

Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 100 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 270 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre) — Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 100 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 270 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre)

Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 135 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 365 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre) — Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 135 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 365 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre)

Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 540 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre) — Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 540 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre)

Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 810 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre) — Bullfrog in a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec) and monopod. [FOV Equivalent to ~ 810 mm on a 35 mm image sensor] (David J Mathre)

Sunday (12-August-2012) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey: Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. I went for a walk at the Sourland Mountain Preserve today. I was looking to see if the thistles are now in bloom. I first noticed a Clearwing Hummingbird moth at a Joe Pye weed bloom. Further up the trail, I did find that the thistles are now in bloom. I saw many Monarch and Tiger Swallowtail butterflies — then more Clearwing Hummingbird Moths. If the weather is good, I will go back tomorrow with a bigger lens and full tripod.

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre) — Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre) — Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Thistle Bloom. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre) — Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Thistle Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Thistle Bloom. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre) — Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Thistle Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)