Crossing the line — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/30
When shooting wide angle have some fun working angles in tight spaces. It’s here where these rectilinear lenses really shine. Photowalking Batsto Village yesterday, I poked my nose inside this weird barn-esque pseudo covered bridge type building sided in evenly spaced, repetitive wood slats. I only call it weird because I’ve never seen anything like it and surely have no idea what it’s called. Anyway, leaning inside there was about two feet of space at the base, gradually widening as it moved upward. Here’s the shot I quickly framed up with the afternoon sun pouring in and shadows filing in perfect order.
Wow that really tells a story. I don’t know what story, but yeah.
Some friends and I made our way to Batsto Village this afternoon. Founded in the late 1700s, this preserved iron town is one of the pearls of Wharton State Forest. We, and about four dozen other photographers, made the best of the rich afternoon light, and I made the best of one of my favorite porches on the site. A simple wooden porch that creaks off the page of a Mark Twain novel. I spent a good ten minutes photographing this bench, the floor and the angles, trying to get the movement and shadows just so. All the while this composition hung in the back of my mind as one of my black and white possibilities for day two of the challenge.
As soon as I applied a low key black and white look with a dose of grain I knew this was a winner. Almost immediately my buddy Jon looked over and uttered the words above. While utterly simplistic and overtly amorphous—almost Yogi Berra like—it actually hits the mark. This photo tells its own story, and certainly one far better than I’ll ever tell. Enjoy.
Aside: two days in and I am really enjoying the 5 day black and white challenge.
On matters of motion — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/13
Sometimes you just have to press your shutter and hope. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. With wave action coming in fast I had to be quick on my feet and steady with my hands so as to avoid any kind of camera tragedy of the saltwater kind. All the while operating blind. Let me explain:
With my lens hyperfocal distance set just left of infinity I knew any objects a hair over a foot away from the back of my camera ALL the way to the horizon would be tack sharp and in focus. What I didn’t know was my composition. Left to aim in a general direction of jetty rock and lapping ocean, I kept firing off exposures while retreating from the wave action. Wash, rinse, repeat for a good 15 minutes—I’m certain the fine family and surf fishermen nearby thought me nuts. Under ideal circumstances I would have laid in the sand and eyed up the shot in my viewfinder like any proper photographer would. But that position would have put my equipment in too much peril; I wouldn’t have been able to pop up and escape the waves quick enough. That was not a risk I was willing to take.
So I was stuck hoping for the best. And while I do like this shot, the prior Next time?
I made it up to the ocean tonight. I’m glad I did. Between the meh clouds and a tide chart noting a low tide coinciding with sunset the decision was pretty easy.
I probably don’t photograph the ocean as often as I should—I imagine this has something to do with my not a morning person status. Sunrise is the time to go, I’m just too lazy.
But tonight it did not matter. The light was great. The tide was out. The jetty exposed and the day glow stellar. The only thing that was going to impede my shooting tonight was the wave action under my tripod. For this reason I had to go handheld.
There was a lone piece of jetty rock set about 6 feet away from the main jetty. Between waves I was running up to the rock, dangling my camera about 3 inches from the sand, and trying to time the shutter with water spray firing off said rock. Since I was shooting a mere 15 inches from the jetty rock, the big risk was getting myself and my camera out of there before the spray got to me. All went well, and I got a sweet shot.
By myself but not alone — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/20
I’m always shooting Dock Road. Always. Unscientifically I’d say it’s where near half of my landscape shooting goes down. The reasons are plenty: it’s close, it’s lightly travelled, and it’s marsh vistas are as sprawling as they are perfect. As a sunset guy it’s pretty much all I can ask for in a go-to photo spot.
The picture posted above is usually at my back. It’s from my regular roadside spot only this time I’m shooting northward. I’ve always enjoyed the bending estuary on that side of the road coupled with the serenity of the marsh. Especially so during low tide on a windless day where the water turns mirror to the world. Last night all of this came together, and before I locked into my tripod for last night’s sunset shot, I took a quick handheld photograph of the north marsh. Now that I can compare the two shots together this is easily the one I prefer.
It doesn’t always have to be a show — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
Tonight, like other nights before it, was all about the ultimate sunset. No matter how many times I get out and shoot a sunset I’m always hoping my next one will be the one; explosive colors, textbook composition, interesting foreground, leading lines, unicorns. Come 120 minutes before sundown and there’s some interesting cloud play marking the sky, and this is exactly where my mind is going. Sunset mecca. It’s this drive that has kept me from falling bored with sunset photography. At least up until now.
Tonight though, it became readily clear that it wasn’t going to be one of those nights. One where I’m tweeting like a maniac and standing roadside doing a shimmy. No, tonight was not one of those nights. But you know what? It’s all good. I rather enjoyed the simplicity and softness of an understated blue hour. Tranquil and serene it put me in the right place.
Tomorrow the quest for the Ultimate Sunset™ continues.
The winds of change — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
Few things reinvigorate the spirit like a change in weather. The clouds break, the winds turn and cold, fresh air pours down clean and clear from the northwest. Like a steam roller of inevitability it reminds us winter is coming.
Today was one of those all kind of weather days. Morning took us into early afternoon with clouds, rain, and a dank humid warmth. The afternoon gave way to glow of sunshine and a flash of warmth; a feint reminder of summer gone by. But come sunset the winds had changed and the cold began its lurch across the state. We’re heading down into the low 40s for the the overnight and by morning we’ll all be hugging our loved ones a bit little tighter.
Just another marsh shot — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
Here’s my other shot from Monday. The shot I had all set up and dialed in before plans changed. It worked out for the best since I walked away with two keepers. And while I’m hardly a math magician even I can surmise two is greater than one.
While compositionally sound, what I like most about this shot is the essence it captures. This is the Jersey Shore I know and love. The backwater coastal ways, the estuaries, the salt marsh. It’s where I find my peace.
Long before I was into picture taking, I would take drives to the marsh—often with friends—to just take in the scene. Away from the angst and bustle of the real world, the busy world. We all need place where we can take a step back and decompress. That’s what the marsh is for me.
Milestone alert: While yesterday was my 100th post on this website, this here shot is the 100th image I’ve shared. Thanks to all those who have visited, and thanks to all of those who someday will. Cheers.
Tonight I had solid clouds to work with but no color. Not exactly sure what to shoot I knelt down roadside, hands cupping my camera no more than an inch above the asphalt. The first test shot showed a promising composition. A second later I heard a car approaching, roughly a half a mile out.
Knowing the photograph I hoped to produce, car approaching, camera aimed blind in nothing more than a general direction, I depressed the shutter. A quick glance down at the viewfinder showed luck was on my side. Success.
Fun fact: This is post number 100 since the January launch. Woohoo!
