Greg Molyneux Photography

Tag: fall

  • Color the Season

    Color the Season

    Landscape photo of fall foliage trees colored orange, red and yellow, mixed with green pines.
    Color the Season — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/40

    The calendar flips, it’s getting short on pages. The daylight wanes and I take stock of my photography. Judged on quantity alone this will be my least productive year yet. Fewest number of posts since starting this site in January 2014, and the fewest number of photographs since I began shooting in January 2012. Such a surface level analysis falls short, leaving the scene unfinished. When assessing the quality of my work I take more solace in my production. My photography continues to improve, and that’s the metric that counts. Though I’d be lying if I said my reduced output hasn’t gnawed at me. Yet the story doesn’t stop here.

    The best, and most surprising development in 2017 has come by way of writing. My photography has always been the feature on this site, and that will not change. Even so, writing has assumed new prominence and personal joy. I would go so far to say I experience more intrinsic reward writing when compared to shooting and processing. I’m not going to contend I am great—or even good—at writing. But I will contend it stretches my mind and creativity in unexpected ways. The reality that writing does not come as natural to me as photography is a factor here as well. There is reward in the effort.

    In previous years I’d make a photo, post it here and write a paragraph or two about the shot itself. If not that I’d discuss the motions I was going through in making said shot. It was little more than a narrative recounting of the scene I was capturing. Of course, a well made photo can do a far better job of conveying a scene. Lately I have been poring more energy in telling stories. I let the photograph trigger a thought, idea, or suggestion and I run with it, even if it has next to nothing to do with the photo itself. This freeform flow follows a similar trajectory to how I have always settled on my photo titles. I most always let the first thought or phrase that comes to my mind stick. And now so it goes with my writing exercise. It creates a nice companion piece to stand aside my photo work. While it may not be for everyone it helps me grow as a person and as a creator. It also makes me more excited about my own photography.

    There’s no reason to expect this trend will not continue as November turns to December, and as the calendar reloads with a fresh stack of pages come 2018. I will continue to take more risks with my writing, letting my mind stroll where it is wont to go. My hope beyond this is that I can work more creative risk taking into my photography. To take new steps, take more risks and infuse more creative to my work. A lot can happen in a year, and not all of it expected.

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  • Fall Foliage: The Best of Batsto Village in Autumn

    Fall Foliage: The Best of Batsto Village in Autumn

    In this golden photograph late afternoon sun pours over the Autumn leaves illuminating the west side walls of a tucked away Batsto Village mansion.
    West side manse — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/250

    Batsto Village—Wharton State Forest—Hammonton, New Jersey

    There’s much to love about New Jersey and its southern pines. But for me Batsto Village in Fall just may hold the Pinelands top spot. Rich in maples, colors come alive transforming this once thriving iron works village into a canvas of orange wonder amidst architecture of an era gone by. With its history reaching back to the late mid 18th century, a near decade before the shot heard ’round the world, Batsto Village has gone through several historical periods of development before its final purchase by the state of New Jersey in the mid 1950s. It has served dutifully as a great public destination ever since.

    A couple weekends ago, I made the thirty minute drive with some friends to photowalk these hallowed Autumn grounds. Conditions were ideal—roughly a week or so before foliage peak with near perfect golden hour light. In the parking lot, unsure which lens to rock, I opted for the 14mm prime and ditched the tripod. I committed to myself to walk, shoot, and enjoy. Nothing more, nothing less. So that’s precisely what I did, and I hope you enjoy some of my favorite pictures from that one fine October afternoon.

    The Batsto Mansion

    The 32-room Mansion, sits at the heart of Batsto Village, and served as the former residence of generations of ironmasters and reflects the prosperity enjoyed during Batsto’s industrial years. In the late 19th century, the structure was renovated into the elegant Italianate style of architecture by Joseph Wharton, a Philadelphia businessman. Fourteen rooms, including the parlors, dining room, library and bedrooms, are currently open to the public for tours. — source

    I’ve yet to take the tour, but I must get in there with my camera someday soon. For any Disney World fans out there, the Batsto manse has Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion written all over it.

    A golden hour HDR photograph of the Batsto Village Mansion framed behind a large maple tree ablaze in Fall color orange leaves
    Fall colors creeping in — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 3 Bracketed Exposures
    In this golden photograph late afternoon sun pours over the Autumn leaves illuminating the west side walls of a tucked away Batsto Village mansion.
    West side manse — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/250
    A square format golden hour photograph featuring a maple tree ablaze in rich orange color, highlighting the best of the Batsto Village mansion in Fall.
    A square deal — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/160
    A portrait orientation photograph of an old gnarled maple tree regaled in orange leaves basking in golden hour light, framing the Batsto Village mansion in the background.
    Framing maple — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/100

    The General Store

    When Joseph Wharton acquired Batsto Village, he moved the entrance to the General Store from the side of the building, which faced the Mansion, to its present location. During the 1800s, the store was usually open six days a week. Here, workers from the Village could purchase a variety of goods, ranging from fruits and vegetables to guns and farm equipment. — source

    If you can remember back to the five day black and white challenge I recently finished up, this building has one hell of a porch. I didn’t get any color shots of it here, however, and in the shots below we’re left looking at the general store’s backside. The old country porch (think Old Country Buffet) was loaded with photographers and subjects maximizing the perfect lighting conditions.

    Facing southwest into the late day golden hour sun, this photograph features a dramatic solar starburst just over the Batsto general store and a soft processed glow evoking a moody, fantastical storybook feel
    Oh that autumn glow — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/800
    A portrait orientation golden hour photograph of lush grass littered with orange and yellow maple leaves. The blown out sky and soft yellow glow create an ethereal, shire like feel for the viewer
    On matters of hobbits — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/30

    The Batsto Village Grounds

    Along the lakeside is one of the finest maples on the entire property (right there with the Mansion maple pictured above). Tall and regal it’s proven difficult for me to frame up and photograph. Pictured below, set behind the bench, we get but a glimpse of what this tree has to offer. So for now it is a subject that remains on the ever growing things to shoot better list.

    A portrait orientation golden hour photograph with a foreground marked by a lone red maple leaf sitting on an empty park bench on the Batsto Village grounds with maple trees in the background
    The transient nature of leaves — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/80

    Going into this post I didn’t quite know what to expect. I’ve never done a comprehensive collection like this. Now that I’ve wrapped up writing and am tidying up the edits, I think I’m going to make this an ever growing collection of Batsto Village Fall Photography. Hopefully throughout the years ahead this post will continue to grow and evolve, showing more of Batsto’s Autumn splendor. In the meantime, if I get to pick a personal favorite so far it’s On the matters of hobbits.

    Thanks for stopping by.