Some may think I have an obsession with the beautiful Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe). These were taken in the back section of my property where I have a number of Thistle plants in bloom. Most folks call the Thistles terrible weeds. I like them because I know from the Sourland Mountain Preserve that the flowers attract a variety of bees, butterflies, and hummingbird moths. The seeds attract Goldfinch birds. Images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm OIS lens, Nikon D3x camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens or a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/4 lens.
Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly on a Thistle flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm OIS lens. (David J Mathre)Great Spangled Fritillary feeding on on Thistle flowers. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens. (David J Mathre)
Pair of Fawns Resting in the Shade to Escape the Heat. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 300 mm, f/5.6. 1/40 sec).
Pair of Fawns Resting in the Shade. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 300 mm, f/5.6. 1/40 sec). (David J Mathre)
Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 03: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota.
Jousting Bison in the Campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I was glad that I was sleeping in my RV, and not in a tent like the folks across from my campsite. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm lens (ISO 900, 105 mm, f/5.3, 1/60 sec).
Male Bison Fighting in the Campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm lens. (David J. Mathre)
North American Gypsy Moth Caterpillars in a Silk Nest. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). Since the Gypsy Moths are so destructive, I removed and burned the nest right after taking the picture.
North American Gypsy Moth Caterpillars in a Silk Nest. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). One of the very first images that that I took with a DSLR camera. Not a very good image, but it does show that the vibration reduction (VR) helps since this was hand-held with a relatively long (1/10 sec) exposure.
Today is my ten-year anniversary of using a DSLR camera. I have made many mistakes, and learned a lot since then. In ten years I have taken ~ 1.7 MM images. I save everything, and continually review the bad images and failed compositions to become a better photographer. Part of the reason I go back and review images taken on each day of the year. Initially, I only used Nikon DSLR cameras (D200, D300 (2x), D700, D800, D810a, D2xs (2x), D3 (2x), D3s, D3x, D4, and Df). More recently I have been using smaller mirrorless cameras Nikon (N1-V1, N1-V2, and N1-V3 (2x)), Leica (X1, X2, T (2x)), and Fuji (X-T1 (2x)). Of these, all still work except for the Nikon Df (shutter sleeves buckled while in Antarctica), and one of the Fuji X-T1 (water damage while visiting Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe). Some of the cameras my brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces are using. I have also used a large collection of lenses (macro, prime, zoom, telephoto, perspective control, fish-eye).
For the initial trip across the US with the D200 camera I had the kit 18-70 mm lens and the 80-400 mm telephoto zoom lens. I didn’t know how to use the camera, and the manual wasn’t much help. Somehow, I got some great images during the trip and became hooked on photography as my new passion. I have always been the type of person that has to learn and become an expert of something new every few years. I’ve had many great mentors to guide me, and have been on many photo related trips. I’ve had cameras with me on every one of my Semester at Sea voyages, visiting over 50 countries. Now that I am retired from corporate America, I can spend my time with photography and travel. I probably am not going to buy new cameras and lenses as often – and believe that “the best camera is the one that is with you”.
Lone Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec). (David J Mathre)
