Greg Molyneux Photography

Tag: 40mm

Made with a Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Lens.

  • With Tumbled Locks and Broken Codes

    With Tumbled Locks and Broken Codes

    Photograph of broken seashells on a pier at the Crab Island Fish Factory
    With Tumbled Locks and Broken Codes — 40mm | f/5.6 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/250

    Let’s shimmy back to summertime, shall we? It’s late December here in the mid-Atlantic and we’re staring a week’s worth of temps in the 60s and 70s. Exactly how Bing Crosby drew it up. With this kind of unseasonable warmth funneling through the region it’s hard not to think back to warmer climes. Of course this is a convenient excuse to post a photograph I’ve been sitting on since the 9th of August. Cripes. Not wanting to carry over any lingering photographs into 2016 you’re getting it now.

    Hopping back to August I remember this day well enough. It started out early—pre-dawn in fact—as Ben Wurst and I made way in the infamous “Otter Boat.” Complete with gunnels so low a two inch rogue wave could sink this ship. Sure I’m exaggerating but it’s a pretty small vessel. Perfect for quick hit exploration of our intracoastal salt marsh. Our original intent, other than infringing on my innate desire to sleep forever, was one of sunrise. The plan was to make for a bit of sandbar in the middle of Great Bay. A place only exposed during periods of low tide. While tides were good, the clouds were not. It was such a serene morning it was hard to think of our efforts as a bust in spite of the cloudless sky. Here we were two dudes cruising around a glassy Great Bay in a low rider. Not too shabby.

    Before heading in we made for the great ruin of our area—the Crab Island Fish Factory. For decades this once profitable fish processing plant has remained a derelict. Nevertheless dominating the Great Bay Boulevard skyline (such as it is). It’s dereliction accelerated during the post-Sandy years, but it does have a pretty neat Ebbets Field connection. I’ve wanted to get out there to explore long before my photographer days, but I never had the means. Of course flip-flops aren’t exactly recommended footwear for exploration of an abandoned island. Particularly one covered in poisonous plants and littered in glass, rusted metal, unknown wildlife, and who else knows what. We did not explore far, but I did manage to make this photograph of what must have been thousands of broken seashells strewn about an asphalt pier. Most likely the result of sea birds dropping clamshells to expose their fleshy, protein rich prey.

    I definitely hope to exploit more photo opportunities at the fish factory in the future. For now you can take a pretty sweet arial tour thanks to some drone footage made a few short weeks after our impromptu visit. The title is a lyrical inspired shout-out to Lera Lynn’s most excellent song, “The Only Thing Worth Fighting For.” At the time of this photograph I was knee deep in True Detective season 2, so that’s the connection.

  • American Gothic Statuary

    A photograph of a fiery sunset backlighting the American Gothic display at New Jersey's Grounds for Sculpture. True to the look of the original painting, here the famous farmers are depicted in larger than life cast bronze statuary.
    American Gothic Statuary — 40mm | f/8 | ISO 320 | EXP 1/40

    Get thee to the Grounds for Sculpture

    Cloistered within New Jersey Transit’s Hamilton Station and various nondescript warehouses and factories, resides a 42-acre sculpture garden just waiting for an afternoon of artistic exploration. Seriously New Jersey, this is a great way to spend your waking hours and working dollars. Thoughtfully placed about the property, resides all kinds of bronze cast sculpture of hyper realistic humans frozen in time in their daily lives. From couples picnicking in the woods, to painters hard at work on the museum walls, and even a business man hiding behind some trees just trying to relieve himself, it’s got it all. With plenty of pieces of abstraction if that’s your thing, too.

    You want big? It’s got a several iconic moments of americana captured larger than life—much larger than life. From the American Gothic display as photographed above, to a massive Marilyn Monroe upskirt, and the famous scene of the sailor kissing that random woman in Times Square on V-J Day. It’s even got an awesome French restaurant. I can’t wait to get back.

    In the interest of full disclosure, this photographed scene reminded me more of Green Acres than American Gothic. But then again, I’m not much for culture.

  • Around that bend is Kewe

    Moody light seeps in deep with this brooding low key photograph of a leafy footpath in the Pinelands leading around a bend to here unseen Kewe campsite at the Joseph A. Citta Scout Reservation
    Around that bend is Kewe — 40mm | f/8 | ISO 800 | EXP 1/13

    I took this photograph tonight at scare school. That’s right. Scare school. My awesome friends are getting ready to put on the third annual Zombie Outbreak at the Joseph A. Citta Scout Reservation in Brookville, New Jersey, tomorrow (10/24) and Saturday (10/25). We set up a wicked zombie village walkthrough deep in the pines and all proceeds go to charity.

    Tonight we met up with some volunteers to go over the basics. Ergo scare school. I took this shot just after sunset making way through the trails to the backside of where it’s all going down: the Kewe Campsite. This weekend is going to be great, and hopefully I have a picture or two to share.

  • Go East, my friend

    In this HDR Pinelands photograph, early morning rays pierce through the tree line illuminating an eastward path through the pines
    Go East, my friend — 40mm | f/8 | ISO 400 | 3 Bracketed Exposures

    Here’s the last of the three shots from Sunday’s photo mission. After our time messing around in the cold, steam rising bog we decided to do a little four-wheelin’. The Pinelands are littered with trails, some maintained better than others, and it’s a great way to spend time with friends. Over the years they’ve mostly been midnight excursions, but now that we’ve turned photographer there’s more reason to get out there in daylight.

    As our two truck convoy was humming along deeper and deeper into the pines, the low sun angle was creating wondrous light play atop the tree line. At this one particular bend we stopped our vehicular exploration to get out and shoot on foot. Off the main trail was this little eastward spur illuminated by a lovely little sunbeam. Upon composing my shot I held my breathe and fired off three bracketed exposures handheld. Normally I’d say go for the tripod, but every now and then, particularly with my 40mm, I like to challenge myself and test my stillness.

    While I’m hesitant to say for sure, I think I prefer this shot to the first offering, even though the light in that one was pure magic. Yesterday’s post, however, represents a distant third. But that’s not for me to decide. That is up to you.

    Casual aside: As a long time Legend of Zelda fanatic I can’t help but think of the open-ended exploration of the Lost Woods. Ah, memories.

    In the meantime, watch out for those Moblins.

  • A pine for every season

    This golden hour photograph features a pine tree branch and its needles in a closeup arrangement with a shallow depth of field illuminated by rich morning light.
    A pine for every season — 40mm | f/2.8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/100

    Yesterday morning was cold, and yet you wouldn’t know it from this photograph. It never ceases to amaze me, the indiscernible nature of pines. Without their pine cones as a guide or air temperature as an indicator, it’s virtually impossible to distinguish a season on looks alone. While their deciduous cousins are annually betrayed by fallen leaves the interminable pine stands above, immovable. Timeless.

    As I was skulking around the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area scoping out yesterday’s steamy ray shot, I made an about face and saw some wonderful golden light breathing life into a once innocuous pine branch no more than two feet from my face. As I was already loaded up with my 40mm pancake lens, I set the aperture wide open and went for some close range shallow depth of field goodness.

  • It’s a secret to everybody

    An HDR photograph of a boggy cedar swamp taken in the heart of the Pinelands just after dawn during golden hour
    It’s a secret to everybody — 40mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 3 Bracketed Exposures

    Kudos to Ben Wurst for planting the seed of a Sunday morning sunrise shoot in the pines earlier this week. It takes a lot to get this guy rolling in the pre-dawn hours—especially on weekends. But as tough as it is to get up, it’s always a touch easier if it’s for fishing or for photos.

    When it was settled where we’d meet up this morning my excitement for the locale began to overwhelm my denial of having to wake up so early. Along my route to work each day, about 14 miles into my journey, I pass a low bog in the heart of the pines. It offers an eastern face for sunrise and a western view for sunset, each from County Road 539. Unfortunately I’m always en route to and from the career gig and have yet to take advantage of the opportunity to stop and shoot. That changed this morning.

    Thinking I’d be setting up overlooking the roadside bog, I was shocked to find the most well manicured, 10 inch wide path through the pine forest. It was comically quaint. It would be the perfect fit for David the Gnome types. Something straight out of The Legend of Zelda. Excited by my discovery, I led us down the path. It wasn’t more than a tenth of mile in that we came upon another access to the bog. What’s more? It had its own wooden walkway making a loose 150 yard circle around the bog.

    The air was crisp. The sky was clear. The steam was rising. At this point my focus was all about getting a proper ray shot. The kind where rays of sunlight make there way through steam/fog/condensation with rich golden light. I was pleased that my handheld camera, 40mm, and I were able to get it done.

  • These are for you

    A low key photograph of a late season pastel colored quick fire hydrangea backdropped by dark tones and smooth bokeh
    These are for you — 40mm | f/2.8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/640

    Friday’s are always better with flowers. At least I think so. With Fall here this is getting to be just about it for flower season. Until next year, little buddies.

  • Down in it

    Taken at sunset this marsh grass photograph is from a closeup perspective with a shallow depth of field.
    Down in it — 40mm | f/2.8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/160

    I took fifteen shots tonight. This was the first. Taken blind from an outstretched arm dangling inches from the ground. Sometimes it works out that way.

    Other than purposefully taking this shot wide open it was a crap shoot; a hopeful aim in a general direction—in this case at marsh grass backed-up by the setting sun. I’d say this was a nice change of piece to my usual sunset routine.

  • A narrower view

    Late summer HDR sunset taken over the south marsh of Cedar Run Dock Road.
    A narrower view — 40mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 3 Bracketed Exposures

    Just about everything was different with tonight’s shoot. For whatever reason I hopped out of the car, scanned the scene, and decided today would be a good day for shooting with my 40mm. It’s not too often I shoot landscape with my 40mm pancake, and considering today’s results I’d do best to work it into the landscape/sunset rotation on the regular. Seriously, this is the work of three bracketed shots—handheld no less—on a prime lens that costs a little over $100! I can’t recommend it enough, especially for the full frame shooters out there.

    The other departure from the norm, aside from ditching the tripod and bailing on my usual manual focusing with my 14mm, came from Mother Nature herself. More often than not—it unscientifically feels greater than 90% in my experience—the optimal color range occurs after the sun goes down. By the time I grabbed my tripod, switched to my 14mm, and waited for the sun to sink below horizontal, the best light had come and gone. It was my 40 and my bare hands that made it work tonight. Photography is never without surprises.