Three-Years Ago (07-June-2015) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime in New Jersey.

Little-Planet view of my backyard and house on a clear day. The image is a  composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). The first image is the version processed with the JPG images three years ago. The Little Planet, Tunnel View, and 360 degree Panorama have been newly processed with the raw images (with a much faster and more powerful computer). I like the colors better with the newly processed images. At the time these images were taken, I still had a deck (now a stone patio), and I now have solar panels on the roof.

Backyard Spring in New Jersey. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). JPG images processed with AutoPano Giga Pro (Little Planet). If you look close my Selfie Shadow is in the image.
Little Planet View of My Backyard. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Little Planet View of My Backyard. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Tunnel View (Inverse Little Planet View) of My Backyard. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Tunnel View (Inverse Little Planet View) of My Backyard. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Panorama (360-degree) View of My Backyard. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Panorama (360-degree) View of My Backyard. Composite of 37 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and Bower 8 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, 8 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (16-May-2018) — Japan

Gone to See Japan. Street Photography Workshop with Steve Simon and Soichi Hayashi. Day 0: Tokyo.

Red Poppy Flower at Shinjuku Chuo Park in Tokyo Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 18 mm, f/5, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Red Poppy Flower at Shinjuku Chuo Park in Tokyo Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 18 mm, f/5, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

I woke up early trying to adjust to the 13 hour time change and spent the morning doing a walkabout near the Keio Plaza hotel. One thing I noted on the map of the area was “Niagara Falls” in Shinjuku Chuo park. The waterfall is not as big as the one on the New York/Canada border. I found a woman walking her turtle (tortoise?) to the waterfall. On the way back to the hotel, I took a 360 degree series of images in Citizen Plaza. At 09:30 the  two observatories on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Building open. There is no admission fee, but a quick bag check before entering the elevator.  I chose the south tower, since the line was a bit shorter. The elevator going up is really fast bringing you to a large room with viewing windows all the way around the building. There is a toy store in the center, and a cafeteria/bar along one side. I took a series of images from each of the windows (except the ones in the restaurant area with restricted access) to see if I could generate a 360 degree panorama and/or little planet view of Tokyo. I did not see Mt. Fuji which is visible from the observation towers on clear mornings.

In the afternoon, I returned to Shinjuku Chuo park and found some Poppy flowers. Which was good since I don’t think I will have many (or any) back home this year. I then did another series of images in Citizen’s Plaza and from the North Observation tower — this time with a wider angle lens.t

The images from Citizen’s Plaza and the Observation towers were processed with AutoPano Giga Pro to create composite 360 degree panorama, fisheye, mirror ball, little planet, and tunnel view images. Individual images from the slide-shows can be viewed here.







Sunday (05-October-2008) — California

Gone to See America October 2008 Road Trip. Eighth Annual Nikonian Photography Adventure Trip. Day 1: Yosemite National Park.

Sunset Panorama of Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View. There were many photographers (in addition to the Nikonian group) lined up at the Tunnel View parking lot to photograph sunset. Many left thinking nothing was going to happen, then all of a sudden sunlight came in from the west under the clouds  to light up both sides of the valley with this incredible orange color. I think that the mist down in the valley is smoke from campers cooking dinner.

 (David J Mathre)
Sunset Panorama of Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View. Composite of 3 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 24 mm PC-E lens (ISO 800, f/16, 1/25 sec) (David J Mathre)