Who watches the watcher? — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/13
We had a brief outbreak of light snow today and I wanted to get out to photograph it. With my friends up and their truck accessible, we took a cruise down to Barnegat Light figuring the snow pack and potential salt water ice flows would have something to offer as far as interesting pictures go.
It worked out just so that as the snow was pulling off over the ocean to the east, the sky cast a solemn beige-purple hue to the south west. It was this sky that I wanted to feature with my shot of the lighthouse.
Of note, this is one of my first times photographing Old Barney. I’ve got to get back soon and add this to my list of regular locations.
Winter has its ways — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 3 Bracketed Exposures
I’ve been privy to a spate of spectacular sunsets of late. While winter typically brings the goods, over the past seven weeks I’ve had this, this, and this happen; each better than the next. You could say the first rule to making good pictures is being there, and nothing has proven more true.
Get out there and freeze your butt off. It’s worth it.
and the heavens created the earth — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
The stars aligned today. It’s hard to say waking up with a sore throat, beat down from the weekend can be a good thing, but on this day it is so. You see, my misfortunate allowed me to work from home and thereby be local and camera ready for sunset.
It paid off.
This was the best sunset I’ve yet to photograph. In fact, it’s one of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen unfold. All day long I was poking my head out the window, looking toward the sky assessing the cloud situation. By 3:30 PM it was clear a solid sunset at minimum was in play. While my buddy and I were getting setup and noting the ideal cloud features and creative sun angles, the excitement of the infringing pinks marching down from the north was palpable. We knew this was going to be special. I mean the night before a ripping northeast snowfall, how couldn’t it be?
I once was a blogger and now I blog again—only this time with photographs.
I’d say for the past month or so I’ve been putting slightly more than a passing thought to having my own website once again. In a past life moonlighting as a web designer, I did a lot of blog and design works with friends. We had a blast. Our digital couch moved from Atlas Editorials to Babeled to Nuclear Fissionary; my friends and I took our passions, opinions, and occasional sarcasm to the blogs. It is now that I take my photographs to this space.
Starting back with my 365 photo project (366 as it was a Leap Year) that began on January 1, 2012, I’ve embarked on a most unexpected journey. A trek that has taken me from beleaguered photographic neophyte, to a serviceable photog with a passion for landscape and macro photography. Of late, wide angle work has really captured my interest and gets the bulk of my attention—this site should somewhat reflect that addiction. But who knows how my photographic interests will evolve from here?
The plan for now is to post various photographs to this site offering insights and explanations into what my mind is seeing. Photography has moved and relaxed me, and I hope you can find a small piece of solace to enjoy while you visit.
Fury at the Hellforge — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/10
I’ve already mentioned the perilous battery life occurring during this shoot; flashing red lights, double rainbows, and with this included, what amounted to two great shots. It was an embarrassment of riches this day that would have left me angry with myself had my battery expired.
Seldom have a rolled the dice with a minimally charged battery. As a photographer with a habit of shooting sans CF card, I figure the least I can do to bolster my workflow is ensure my battery is charged. Just not on this day.
The skies were filled with some ominous clouds this day and sunset shooting seemed a must. Instead of my go-to Dock Road spot, I took a bit of a longer drive to Great Bay Boulevard. The extra gas paid off. As I was shooting an incredible sunset casting deep blues and fierce purples my battery indicator began flashing. Red. Pause. Red. Pause. Breathe. Pause. Red. Pause.
It was then that I turned around. And yeah, this happened. With my battery on its last and my heart pounding, I spun my camera’s tripod mount, framed my shot, and exposed. I was able to rifle off the shots I need and come up with this picture. Other than a touch of sharpening, this color is straight out of camera—I’ve yet to see the natural light so pink. What an awesome day.
Kicking Around on a Piece of Ground in your Home Town — 100mm | f/8 | ISO 400 | EXP 1/320
I remember photographing this Small Blue butterfly like it was yesterday. She made for the most patient of subjects, giving me a solid five minutes to position, hone in and shoot. I intentionally underexposed for a low key effect, and then in post processing with Sliver Efex Pro 2 I bumped up the brightness on the Small Blue to give her the visual weight she deserves.
Off on the Edge — 100mm | f/4 | ISO 400 | EXP 1/640
Macro photography of a purple peony backdropped by rich bokeh. In hindsight I’d go back and crop off the top 10% of this photograph to tighten the overall image. I’d probably roll with the 2:1 ratio.
Update:Thanks to Barb for identifying this flower as a Cleome.
Looking for some audience help with this one. I have several of these flowers growing wild amongst the stones in my path to the backyard. They put off a strong odor with a hint of skunk, but arrange themselves in the most wonderful spiral array.
Bonus points to the first person who gets the song reference.
