A Window to Winter — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
Somehow I made it through the entirety of 2018 without making a single photo trip to Stafford Forge. I know it was a down year for photo output, but sheesh. At least I am checking it off my list early in 2019, am I right? With fresh mid-January snowfall it was the perfect destination to capture the final light of day.
The pines were magical. Cotton ball snow resting easy atop pine boughs as far as the eye could see. Fresh powder and a last gasp of golden pink light set a dramatic stage. More than the photography it was invigorating to stand outside in crisp, bracing air; taking in the unmistakable air of fresh fallen snow. There’s nothing quite like it. A true tonic for the soul.
I was out shooting and catching up with Jonathan Carr—who turned 39 today, happy birthday, man—and we couldn’t help note how similar the whole tableau was to March 2015. A similar snow fell across the region and the skies broke right in time for a power play golden hour into sunset. I made three great shots that day, and you can seem them here, here, and here. That kind of setup never gets old, and I will take more of that, please.
Sand to Snow | Captured: January 5, 2018 | Location: Harvey Cedars Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars, New Jersey
2018 began a proper tundra. Far flung neighbors from the northern reaches of Manitoba may have felt right at home staring out over the southwestern shores of Hudson Bay. I was about as cold as I can remember making this photograph and striking arctic vista aside, my primary takeaway from this venture into the meat locker was of my contact lenses freezing over. Rapid blinking and jumping jacks were essential in getting me through this forty-five minute freeze along the shores of Barnegat Bay. Photo-wise, things were looking great to start out 2018.
In and Out — 35mm | f/1.4 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/2000
In and Out | Captured: May 11, 2018 | Location: Ocean Acres, New Jersey
Yeah, that’s right, a big jump from January to May. Not much doing over the winter so we are skipping right to spring flowers. Here we have a photograph I made of my front yard spirea bush. Compositionally, I am drawn to the interplay of soft focus, shallow depth of field, and the working of the post and rail wood fence set against the delicate blossoms. This macro photograph is a reminder of my roots—cutting my teeth in 2012, shooting flowers as I was learning my way about a camera.
Prime Peony — 100mm | f/4 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/320
Prime Peony | Captured: May 26, 2018 | Location: Ocean Acres, New Jersey
Straightforward approach with this photograph. Center weight macro of a fresh bloomed peony in all its pastel pink petal glory. Soft focus and simplicity work very well here; and it’s a fair demonstration that a subject placed right smack in the middle of your frame is the way to go. Sure we talk up the rule of thirds and avoiding this sort of composition, but sometimes I is best to toss away the rule book to let your subject shine.
The Forest and the Trees — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/50
The Forest and the Trees | Captured: June 16, 2018 | Location: Baker’s Acres Campground, Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey
This pine forest composition is not overwhelming in its precision or wow factor, and in a more prolific year it probably doesn’t make the cut, but it is getting the nod in 2018. It’s departure from my usual marsh sunset/flower macro motif, plus it’s rich green and yellow coloring and line work, make it a viable contrast to my standard body of work. Sometimes an imperfect thing a little different is better than perfection we readily seek.
Some Summer Night — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
Some Summer Night | Captured: June 29, 2018 | Location: Cedar Run Dock Road, West Creek, New Jersey
Finally a shot in my wheelhouse. Longtime followers—thank you—will recognize this marsh sunset as an exemplar for my standard body of work. This is square in my comfort zone, and while 2018 was a down year for my photography—particularly fiery sunsets over the marsh—it is nice to have a solid one to drop in this year’s annual retrospective. I just love the way that vibrant, young marsh green works against the pinks, purples, and blues as day passes on into night. There is nothing quite like June on the marsh.
Corona — 100mm | f/4 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/80
Corona | Captured: July 9, 2018 | Location: Ocean Acres, New Jersey
Purple coneflowers, ladies and gentlemen. They are beautiful and wonderful to photograph, and depending on the day of the week they are probably my favorite flowers. For folks looking to get into photography, particularly macro photography, coneflowers will lend you a splendid muse throughout all phases of its lifecycle. Early bloom, full blossom, and even in death, they make a forgiving subject that will have you looking like a pro in no time. As an added bonus they provide a great food source to our insect friends giving you some added joy to practice with. Considering this has been my iPhone wallpaper for the past six months its inclusion in this list was a foregone conclusion.
Reaching Out | 100mm | f/4 | ISO 1600 | EXP 1/200
Reaching Out | Captured: September 16, 2018 | Location: Ocean Acres, New Jersey
Hey, I told you purple coneflowers make great subjects through all phases of their lifecycle. Here, the same plant we saw above was in its death throes providing home base for a silver-spotted skipper caterpillar. Excellent. The anchor of this composition is all about the negative space. Some three-quarters of this photograph is nothing but muted greens and purples. Plenty of room to breathe. This lends all the narrative drama to our caterpillar friend who finds herself reaching out into the void, seeking her next phase of existence; a transformation into something wholly new and beautiful.
Blue Steps — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 3.2 sec
Blue Steps | Captured: November 18, 2018 | Location: Cedar Run Dock Road, West Creek, New Jersey
Batting cleanup, Blue Steps. Here we arrive at my big hitter in an otherwise thin year. But I confidently declare this photograph would hold up even in my best and most productive years. This blue hour special had that je n’ais se quoi from the get go. Making the shot I knew this one was special. The last of magic hour moody blue light, dead calm seas, and an intricate dock structure on its way toward dereliction. There’s a quality to this image that keeps the viewer locked in, comfortably gazing and setting the mind at ease. It’s no question my personal favorite from 2018.
Partner X — 35mm | f/1.4 | ISO 800 | EXP 1/80
Partner X | Captured: December 2, 2018 | Location: Bask Hot Yoga, Brick, New Jersey
Devastating changeup. Here’s where I share my new pitch, a total departure from my standard repertoire. In early December I engaged in an actual yoga photo shoot with actual yoga people. It was intimidating and intense, but I better for having given it a shot. Here’s where we turn it into a human interest piece: my girlfriend, Rose, pictured here and highlight of my year, gave me the proper prodding to get out there and do this. Like all great partners she has been a source of inspiration, hope, and the proper kind of growth inducing discomfort.
Coda
Photographic productivity was in short in 2018, and yes, this retrospective does not feature my customary 12 photographs, but I am not going to use this space to go out on a sour note. Life threw me plenty of sweet blessings in 2018: improved health, a wonderful mother/daughter combo, good friends, and a budding yoga practice. Yet while I centered time elsewhere I have not forgotten about photography as a cornerstone in both my personal and creative wellness. While I am not making any specific promises now, I assure you I will be back and better than ever with my photo work in 2019, setting aside a bit more time to return this blog, and more important, this essential hobby. Cheers and thanks for reading.
Or at least to photograph it. While I began my own yoga journey in November 2017—an asana out of my comfort zone—I took another pose out my safe space earlier this December. Before I further mix metaphors let me get to it. Adam Binder, entrepreneur and founder of Apeiron Yoga, after what I can only assume was some serious cajoling by Rose Dease, tapped me for a photo shoot. The goal was simple: show off his sweet line of yoga mats. Of course the showing off would spring from some well practiced and comely yogis modeling asanas atop said mats.
Followers of this blog may immediately recognize the incongruity here. I do not photograph much that is neither a bug, flower, or landscape, and I most certainly do not photograph people. I lack a flash, lighting equipment, and any kind of sense of how to use those tools. But most inhibiting, I lack ease or grace when it comes to being around people. The up close intimacy demanded in portrait work only exacerbates this limitation. I can feel my awkwardness in typing this. A smooth dude at ease in his own skin, I am not.
Despite all that I gave it a shot. (Do you have any more puns?) And you know what? It wasn’t too bad. Situated at Bask Hot Yoga’s Brick location, we found ourselves in a beautiful space. An open space, bathed in warm white light, with a lattice work wall piece and altar at room center. Hot yoga is Bask’s thing, so the room was toasty. As soon as I walked through the front door I knew my choice of attire was bad: jeans, t-shirt, and dress shoes were a miss for a balmy room hanging in the mid-80s. This was great for our yogis to loosen up, but not great for my sweat stains. But glass half full this and a dark rainy day were the only drawbacks of an otherwise product power session that went on the better part of 3 hours. (We were hoping for some great, natural light to make up for my manual lighting limitation, but alas.)
The Warriors Five — 14mm | f/2.8 | ISO 800 | EXP 1/60
Here are some highlights from the session:
I walked away with 755 exposures—and some weren’t half bad
This style of shooting is physically demanding; no sitting around waiting for the sun to set while your camera rests atop a tripod
Getting low worked out; much of the shoot had my lying prone with my camera and lens propped up on my elbows
Good direction is key—I had knowledgable peeps calling out poses and keeping things moving
My focus was too soft
High key was a good choice
We should have done more poses with my 14mm lens and the full group—the 35mm and 14mm primes worked better than I thought for this kind of work; Canon’s 24mm prime would have been money
I need to learn to use a flash and lighting
While you are only getting a small taste here, the photos came out better than I expected—though my expectations were admittedly low
Disclosure: Sweet Live Limitless hooded sweatshirt aside, this was an unpaid photo session and unpaid written endorsement. However, having used Aperion mats in hot yoga I can report they not only look and feel great, they provide excellent grip when the body and sweat starts flowing.
This evening I made my way to my most familiar of spots: Cedar Run Dock Road. It is my local escape when the quickened pace of life demands a tonic of peace, nature, and a slow burning winter sunset. I am not alone here. Aside from the lucky ones who make this stretch of marsh their home, locals take slow drives on the regular to soak in the sights, sounds, and sunsets. Along the near three mile stretch of road you will never look far to find a slow-puttering car, dogs walking their owners, and friendly denizens commingling amid the splendor. If good vibes and a safe space for introverts to get about are your thing you can do far worse than this place. Of course, watch out for our terrapin friends making their turtle crossings come summer.
It’s a fine open space. A sprawling stretch of salt marsh set about as far as the eye can see. Flanked to the east by Long Beach Island and hemmed in to the west by a stand of cedars and pines, it is far departure from the cluttered, angry, New Jersey suburban sprawl we see on TV. Nature is out there if you know were to go and find it. I’m lucky to never have to go too far.
Thanksgiving has passed and winter works its way across the marsh. The season of contrasting relationships makes way. The sting of biting cold brings the cleansing fresh air. The deep breathe to purify the soul. The truncated days lend us long nights close together. The cold brings fire. The sublime state of snow paints nature’s purest beauty. The deepest freezes set skies alight smoldering deep until the stars burn bright. Winter wisps await upon our fingers’ tips.
Remind Up Rewind — 35mm | f/5.6 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/500
Holy smokes Greg posted a photograph? In 2018? 2018, the year of slack, rages on, but here at least is a small reminder to myself and the world, I do, in fact, make photographs. From time to time.
I had the luxury to visit Wells Mills County Park and my wonderful Rose reminded me of a lesson no photographer should ever forget: look up. Look up and keeping looking up. Don’t settle for compositions that set literally in front of your face. Bend your neck back once in a while. It’s good for the spine and good for the mind.
Rose looked up and observed the sublime beauty of trees driving skyward. Coming together toward an invisible vanishing point somewhere in the great beyond. A dome of tranquility beneath which keen observers may take note while those oblivious can walk under in shelter. The world is full of many wonders whether we actually see them or note.
Laid up for the weekend with back pain is suboptimal. Press conference Joe Girardi would shrug his shoulders incredulous and declare it’s not what you want. Whatever your flavor there is never a good time for back pain. And to my brothers and sisters mired in low back hell, I slouch in solidarity with thee. May your heating pad and icy hot be forever in your reach.
The good news to this story is that of this Sunday evening writing my condition has improved. Eager to product something of value I thought why not hit this neglected blog and publish a new photo on this website. The photograph is not new, per se, having made this shot in mid-September. True to form I have been slacking all year on getting photos out and into the world on any kind of schedule representing timeliness.
Yet here is a sweet little macro of what I only learned minutes ago is a silver-spotted skipper in its caterpillar phase. That is one stylish looking insect if you ask me. Rock the neon glory if you’ve got it. Before its metamorphosis stride I made some macros of it milling about an old coneflower. No doubt contemplating what comes next in life.
Presented with ample negative space this photograph has room to b-r-e-a-t-h-e. Loads of space and flat color bokeh teeing up all the wide ranging existential issues. So much room for the mind by way of the eye to sit and ruminate in a minimal motif stripped of stuff. Left hanging, we are as our little green friend: Stretched on the precipice of of existence in simultaneous reach to the Next Big Thing. As we cling to the familiar we hold battle with anxious apprehension when faced with undefined space. For those who recognize all possibility of the empty palette reach out to transform their lives.
The Auspices — 14mm | f/8.0 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
Do you make much of signs? Omens, auguries, celestial alignments? Perhaps we but note the signs we wish to see dismissing the rest as noise? Confirmation bias made visual and symbolic. Yet does it matter if we construct our own signs? Or own futures? When nature mainlines your being to confirm the positive in our better selves we all stand better for it. The mechanism, contrived or divine need not matter. Drink in the tonic it will not harm you.
Today was full of opportunity. A chance to seize and to share. A chance to be better than yesterday. To move forward to new beginnings. It packed all the emotions of wracked nerves to wide the wide open expanse of ease and elation. Today and all its opportunity capped itself in an illumination of natural pastel.
I knew it had been a long while since I last made a sunset photograph. I did not know that gap spanned back all the way to June, 30. Damn near 25% of the year gone without a capture. I know my photography has taken a dip in output and it is my sincere hope the auspices of today are a portents of things to come.
The Forest and the Trees — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/50
On June 16, 2018, I had the opportunity to photograph Baker’s Acres Campground in Little Egg Harbor, NJ. A wooded, family forward establishment, Baker’s Acres offers a picturesque retreat for any and all campers. Nestled off Garden State Parkway exit 58, Baker’s Acres is a secluded getaway so good at maintaining a low profile I had never happened across it in my 25 years living down here. But don’t let its low key nature fool you, Baker’s is happening with plenty to do and fun for the whole family.
I don’t exactly know how to photograph a place to make it look nice, but I spent about 90 minutes walking the premises, photographing its amenities. (They even have a dog park!) All the while passing tons of happy and friendly campers who did not seem to mind the guy milling about with the camera one bit. That was a relief.
Ensconced in the Pinelands on all sides, at the far edge adjacent to said dog park sets a stand of beautiful pines beset by ferns. Transfixed my mind immediately drifted to the forest moon of Endor. I know those were sequoias but still that is where my brain went. I took it all in for five minutes are so and made my way back to exploring the friendly confines of Baker’s Acres.
Full disclosure: this is an unpaid and unsolicited plug for Baker’s Acres Campground. It’s personal commentary on an impressive little place to hang your hat.
