Twelve-Years Ago Today. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage. Day 36 in Riga, Latvia.
While on a walkabout in Riga, we came across a Gold Street Artist following a group of women with ballons. He got one of the women to sit on his lap to have her picture taken. The Nikon 1 series of cameras were small and unobtrusive for street photography.
“Come Sit on My Lap Little Girl” said the Man in Gold. Street Performer in Riga, Latvia. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 10-100 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 94.2 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage.
Eleven-Years Ago Today. Traveling to Stockholm to Join the Semester at Sea Spring 2014 Enrichment Voyage.
After flying to Sweden on Icelandic Air I took the Express Train from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm. This was after an overnight flight, changing planes in Reykjavik. I was tired and just followed the signs.
On the Way to Stockholm — Express Train Station at Arlanda Airport. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/3.2, 1/100 sec).
Thirteen-Years Ago Today. Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.
Harvey the backyard rabbit checking out if it was safe to have dinner in my vegetable garden. Harvey had part of its ear missing. I didn’t mind if he nibbled a bit. It was the deer that did the most damage.
Harvey “Do I Smell Dinner?” Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 500, 500 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec).
Fifteen-Years Ago Today. Semester at Sea Spring 2010 Enrichment Voyage.
An early morning rainbow visible from the deck of the MV Explorer as we approached San Juan, Puerto Rico. Several of the photographers in Michael Mariant’s Ultimate Travel Photography workshop were up early to check out the sunrise before arriving in Puerto Rico when the rainbow appeared.
Rainbow and clouds over the Atlantic Ocean from the deck of the M/V Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec).
Five-Years Ago Today. Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.
This was the first of the hatchlings to leave the Eastern Phoebe’s nest above my front door. Was it an Eastern Phoebe, or Brown-headed Cowbird. Since it was bigger than the other hatchlings, I think it was a Brown-headed Cowbird. The Cowbirds lay their eggs in other bird species nests.
First fledgling from Eastern Phoebe nest — Brown-headed Cowbird or Eastern Phoebe??? Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 500, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/420 sec)
Twelve-Years Ago Today. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage, North Sea.
HM Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter (Stac Pollaidh, G-BIMU) hovered near the MV Explorer as we traveled across the North Sea from Dover to Oslo. It may have been a training exercise as no one from the Enrichment Voyage needed to be transported for medical treatment. I am not sure where the helicopter was based, but the Stac Pollaidh name is a mountain in the northwest Scottish Highlands.
HM Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter (G-BIMU, Stac Pollaidh) Hovering Near the Semester at Sea M/V Explorer in the North Sea. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/14, 1/800 sec).HM Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter (G-BIMU, Stac Pollaidh) Crew. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec).
Twelve-Years Ago Today. Semester at Sea, Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage Field Trip in Dover.
This yellow “Snail on the Trail” was observed while on a hike to the base of the Cliffs of Dover from the National Trust South Foreland Lighthouse in St. Margaret’s Bay. The field trip took us to see the sights in and around Dover. The snail reminded me of a bright yellow Banana Slug I saw in Big Sur, California several years earlier.
Snail on the Trail. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux-6 camera (ISO 100, 17.7 mm, f/2.3, 1/60 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro, Photoshop CC, Nik Silver Efex Pro.
Eight-Years Ago Today. Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.
I used to have a patch of Lily of the Valley plants that would bloom in the spring. This is an image of the flower buds just before opening. Unfortunately, I lost the plants when they drilled the well for the geothermal loop.
“Lily of the Valley” flower buds. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec).
Nine-Years Ago Today. Backyard Spring Nature in New Jersey.
I came upon this wet rabbit in my backyard doing stretches following an afternoon thunderstorm. Normally, they don’t let me get very close even though I allow them in my wildflower meadow. This image was taken with a 400 mm telephoto lens. The rabbits nibble on some of the flowers but are nowhere as destructive as the deer.
Afternoon Stretch Following the Thunderstorm. Image taken with a Nikon D810A camera and 400 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 250, 400 mm, f/2.8, 1/800 sec).
I am a scientist by training (Eckerd College, BSc; Caltech, Ph.D.). I worked for 27 years as a Chemist in the Pharmaceutical Industry developing processes to manufacture medicines for human and animal health. I now spend my time as a photographer and world traveler. My interests include the natural world, wildlife, landscapes, sky, and seascapes, travel, and astrophotography. I look for unique ways of viewing the world and presenting my images. I have traveled to over 55 countries in six continents, often on Semester at Sea voyages. While at home in New Jersey, I spend time observing and photographing the plants and animals while expanding a wildflower garden/meadow in the backyard. When the sky is clear, I have telescopes viewing the night sky.
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