Slacker Greg is is running a bit of a backlog so I beggin’ your pardon if my words are short—though let’s face it you’re here for the photos and not these silly word things, right? Right!?
Bloggers . . .
Anyways, this photo dates back to 25th July, and you’ll see something of a theme in the next few posts—flower and insect macro hybrids. My run of buggy good luck began last Sunday, and over the course of the week netted me bumblebees, a skipper butterfly, and some kind of cool ass fly. In each instance our bug friends were using purple coneflowers or black-eyed susans as their stage. It’s a p kool feeling when your able look down the barrel of your macro lens to dial in an insect with tack sharp focus. It’s a whole new world down there. From there it really makes you wonder what things look life down in the world of the planck length.
As for the title? This comes from a song I’ve only recently been exposed to, though I’ve been told it represents an anthem of sorts from my friends’ hooligan heyday.
Live alone in a paradise — 100mm | f/3.5 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/1600
. . . that makes me think of two.
Here’s a flower for your Friday. I hope you enjoy it.
This is one of my purple coneflowers that I have potted (sloppily) in my backyard. With strong light overhead, a little to my back, I fixed bayonets macro lens and popped off a few shutters. It was five minutes of awesomesauce. You should have been there. OK. Maybe not.
Regardless, and I’ve said it before, purple coneflower are some of the best floral muses out there. A real go-to for this guy.
It was just this past Sunday I dropped such deep knowledge on the Twitters. Insert very strong sarcasm. Flippancy aside I really do like the shallow depth of field. Recognizing its existence was for me revelatory. As someone who spent the better part of 30 years willfully ignorant toward anything photographic, seeing exposures for the first time elevated composition to a new plane of understanding in my sometime left dominant brain. More so, it shed light into why, despite being rather skilled with any kind of fine art pencil work, I could never grasp the nuance and subtleties of painting—I’m especially looking at you, oils. I never understood depth of field. I never saw it. It’s as simple as that. I never understood you could just blur out elements, whether in the fore, mid or back grounds, with purpose to better move the eye across your subject and through its story.
Art, man. It sounds so simple in retrospect. But I really do like the shallow depth of field.
See to the real you — 100mm | f/2.8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/250
It wasn’t until showering this morning—OK. OK. This afternoon. So what if I like to sleep a little late?—that I realized I totally forgot about this photo. Taken in my backyard all the way back on May 24th I processed this baby up and apparently moved on to other things. Cripes. Memorial Day parties to host, work to pay the bills and exercise the mind, and naps. But mostly naps.
So here it is, mid-June and my clematis is finally getting its due. It’s certainly not my typical macro, but every now and then a high key black and white treatment on a flower photograph is just what the doctor ordered. And while this exposure doesn’t reach the heights of I’d love to see you in that dress, it does slot in nicely among my past work.
No, it’s not the goop spitting Petey Piranha of Bianco Hills’ Super Mario Sunshine fame, ready to chomp your day. But it is my front yard’s lone purple peony. After it went all last season without a single blossom I was most pleased to see a solo bloom make open for business this past Memorial Day Weekend. While I have several pink peonies scattered about my property, its purple shade is hands down my favorite.
Now that it’s made an appearance, who’s ready to play some Mario?
You got a Piece of Heart! — 100mm | f/2.8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/500
I’ve been sitting on this photograph for just over two weeks now. It’s been processed up and ready to go and everything, I’ve just been slacking. Anyway, here’s one of my backyard bleeding heart flowers just after it hit full bloom this past May 1st. Later that very day I scored this fine sunset at Stafford Forge; always a bonus when you walk away with two keepers in one day.
Even before my macro days began—and all the way back to my time as a youngster—I always enjoyed the company of these early season plants. Harbingers of good times, and a fun reminder of my all-time favorite video game franchise. Yes, that’s a hint toward the title I chose.
With the first turn in the weather, the calendar mandates it’s time I get back to my photographic roots. After a toddling period of crash course trial and error in the early days of 2012, flower photography quickly established itself as my go-to comfort spot behind the camera. It’s where I first felt some semblance of control in the process of making satisfactory photographs. Everything else—most certainly landscapes included—felt far too unwieldily and daunting at the time.
But with a diverse array of flowers in abundant supply in just about every corner of my property, I had plenty of eager subjects waiting to help me learn and grow. Here I more often than not unwittingly stretched my creative muscles through soft focus and shallow depth of field with my petaled muse. I remember being quickly drawn to the way bokeh and soft focus when juxtaposed with areas of clarity can move the eye throughout a photograph, bringing layers and depth to an image. This exact relationship is what was entirely lost on me as a high schooler struggling with painting—for whatever reason I was too engrained with this hyper-realistic bias where everything had to be clearly defined and in focus. Never understanding that all that clarity, when deployed incorrectly creates competition and noise throughout a composition.
So while the sunsets and landscapes are sure to continue, a steady dose of flowery soft focus and shallow depth of field is on the way. For now we’ll start with this daffodil—the first of my flowers to bloom.
I’ve taken 6,386 photographs with my DSLR this year—short ~250 that were deleted immediately on account of poor quality—and easily my lowest total since I began shooting January 1, 2012. For some perspective, I took well over 25,000 pictures that first year but don’t let the lower total fool you; I’ve no doubt become more selective in my shooting—ditching spray and pray tactics in favor of a more established process. Thanks to the experience I’ve gained over the past three years, 2014 represents my best year as a photographer. I launched this website in a rare spat of motivation on January 18, 2014, and I’ve processed and posted 136 photographs (and counting at the time of this posting) since. I thought I’d share with you my personal favorites from throughout the year.
Winter has its ways — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 3 Bracketed Exposures
Winter has its ways | Taken: January 23, 2014 | Location: Antoinetta’s Restaurant, Cedar Run Dock Road, West Creek, NJ
Two things stand out from last winter once dates flipped to the January side of the calendar: 1) Polar Vortex cold, and 2) the great sunsets it wrought. As a sunset landscape photographer early 2014 brought the goods to the New Jersey coast, rendering multiple standout sunsets each week. This reality will be reflected over the next few shots in the series, but this particular photograph stands out for me as my favorite sunset shot I’ve been lucky enough to make—not just this year but ever.
What really makes it a standout for me is the coupling of the frozen bay and the lines it creates with the deep purple and scarlet red sky that I covet so much. The marching clouds moving steadfast out of the southern vanishing point splay out in almost winged fashion as they moves off screen to the top left. There’s just so much sweetness happening right here.
I’ll leave you when the summertime — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
When rich pastels, a smattering of snow pack, and water still as glass come together you have all the ingredients of a great sunset photo opportunity. All you’ve got to do is compose it, breathe, and fire. With this shot, aside from the great colors, I like the way the pink clouds racing across the horizon to the left are counterbalanced by the angle of the water moving off screen to the bottom right. It brings the right kind of movement and balance to the photograph that makes it a standout for me.
This title is lyrically inspired. Having been one of the coldest winters I can remember I was listening to Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” and the line “I’ll leave you when the summertime” just stuck with me.
The path before me — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
The path before me | Taken: February 7, 2014 | Location: Cedar Run Dock Road, West Creek, NJ
More cold, more great sunsets. Here’s another shot from Dock Road, taken about 1/4 quarter mile west of Winter has its ways above. To make this photograph I set my tripod about 18 inches off the ground, set back about two feet from where that small tidal pool spills out onto the pebbles in the foreground. That opening is only about two feet wide. That’s where the magic of the 14mm wide angle comes into play, making the whole scene larger than life as it pushes everything back toward the vanishing point; in this case driving all eye movement to just right of center along the horizon.
A subtle loss of clarity — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/15
A subtle loss of clarity | Taken: February 18, 2014 | Location: Great Bay Boulevard, Little Egg Harbor, NJ
Hey, alright! The first photograph in the not sunset division. I love black and white. Growing up as a wannabe photorealist pencil drawer I did just about everything in black and white. Resorting to other mediums only as mandated by the art teacher. And while color has grown on me in surprising ways, black and white will always hold a special place.
Specific to this low key black and white landscape I was going for a moody, dead-zone February vibe. Coupled with this lazy shutter trick I sometimes try where at slightly sluggish speeds—1/15 of a second in this case—I pan the camera across the horizon, holding the camera steady turning only at the hips from left to right. Executed correctly—which is equal parts luck, voodoo, and skill—it can create a really cool ethereal effect. With this shot, the soft undulating water ripples move me peacefully through the photo despite its apparent darkness.
Your day breaks — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
Your day breaks | Taken: February 22, 2014 | Location: 13th Street, Ship Bottom, NJ
I am not a morning person. That means I miss just about all the sunrises. This is probably a fail on my part considering I have the whole of the Atlantic Ocean like 6 miles to my east. Lucky for me on February 22nd I was awake. I can’t remember what made that morning different from any other in terms of waking up early, but hey, it paid off.
When I was composing this shot I wanted to capitalize on two key features: 1) the dune fence arcing from left to right, and 2) the sweeping cloud diving in from the top right corner that eerily reminds me of one enormous looming moon. The curving trajectories of these two features play so nicely together, achieving the balance I seek with my work. Of course this is all enhanced as its backlit by gorgeous sunrise light.
More lyrically inspired titles—the opening line to the Beatles “For No One” seemed perfectly apt.
And hey, let’s here it for February 2014!—this marks four selections for the month, the most of any month in this retrospective.
Barnegat Bay dockside — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
Here’s my runner up to Winter has its ways as second best sunset photo of the year. I dig everything about this picture. The way the blues and pinks work together; the subtle movement to the colors reflected in the bay; the cotton candy clouds drifting the sky; and the foreground marked by knotty boards and one small stone. It’s a minimal composition that I’m definitely proud of.
It starts with one — 100mm | f/4 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/400
It starts with one | Taken: June 27, 2014 | Location: My house, Manahawkin, NJ
Gear change. Time for a run of flower macros. This is really how I got my start with a camera in 2012. For much of that year I shot macro exclusively, focusing mostly on flowers and bugs. And while I’ve since grown up as a landscape photographer, I still really enjoy making the small world big with macro.
In this shot I’ve pulled a lot of personal favorite styles together. Black and white processing; low key mood; minimalist subject with one yet-to-bloom daisy; and a shallow depth of field. I want the eye to play between the soft grey shadow to the left of the offset daisy bud to the right, highlighted in the glow of an offscreen light source. It’s a simple scene, and that suits my style just fine.
The last of us — 100mm | f/4 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/250
The last of us | Taken: September 5, 2014 | Location: My house, Manahawkin, NJ
Fact: purple coneflower is one of my all time favorite flowers to photograph. Their size, color, and shape make an ideal macro candidate. This little guy is potted in my backyard, and he was still standing tall into September. Knowing its time was coming I went for the camera. I had about 10 more minutes of afternoon light before the sun would slip behind my house, turning off the light source. Shooting handheld I set my focus to just sharpen the petal tips, letting the rest of the flower fall into soft focus and bokeh. The result? One of my favorite flower macros of the year.
I’d love to see you in that dress — 100mm | f/4 | ISO 500 | EXP 1/1000
Here it is, folks. My number one favorite shot of the year. Starting with a single Klondyke Sunny Red in Ben Wurst’s front yard wildflower bed, I made a handheld macro photograph aiming directly at the flower from its waistline if you will. What struck me staring down the barrel of my viewfinder was how much this beautiful flower made my mind’s eye behold a graceful dancer twirling the most beautiful cocktail dress. With consideration toward the wonderful femininity inherent in this photograph, I went with a proper high key black and white treatment to accent the softness and sensuality that is this photograph.
This shot I made is a total departure from my normal photo M.O. That no doubt is what makes it even more special to me, and why it stands atop my 2014 list.
Barnegat Lighthouse, easily the most famous landmark within ~30 miles of my house. I don’t get out there to photograph nearly enough, and this represents one of only three Old Barney shots I’ve posted. Lucky for me the sunset and subsequent blue hour was jamming on September 22nd. I posted up with my tripod out on the jetty rock figuring it would provide my best vantage point and composition for this time of year. Seconds before I periscoped my tripod head northward to make this shot above, I was panned to my left taking this wonderful sunset. The light was crazy, rendering one of the best skies of the year. Some days you just get lucky.
Watch the spray — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/50
Watch the spray | Taken: October 12, 2014 | Location: Surf City, NJ
For me this shot is more about the moment. With the tide out and the dampened sand too soft, using the tripod was not an option. Wherever possible, whenever possible, however possible, my goal is to shoot landscape fixed to a tripod. With the added stillness it assures, and my penchant for bracketing multiple exposures, it’s an absolute must. But sometimes your surroundings are not wont to accommodate. On this October evening I decided to not only go handheld but to get a little reckless (by my OCD camera standards). Here’s an excerpt from the post:
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.
On matters of hobbits — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/30
On matters of hobbits | Taken: October 18, 2014 | Location: Batsto Village, Hammonton, NJ
Get thee to Batsto Village in Autumn. Tucked away in Wharton State Forest it’s a wonderful place to visit, capturing an 18th century town frozen in time in the middle of the Pinelands. I was lucky enough to photowalk the grounds with a few friends just as the maples were beginning to fire with all their orange, red, and yellow fury. Juxtaposed with the still green grass washed in late day sun, the place looked great. I made several keepers in just about 90 minutes of shooting, but this one is my personal favorite. It’s fun and it breaks the rules a little bit—with blown out skies, crooked horizon and odd angles. But sometimes breaking the rules is the best course of action in your photo work.
That’s it. We made it. Stepping back through the year was tons of fun—far surpassing expectations. I’m already looking forward to doing it again next year.
And how about a shout-out for the south Jersey? Every photograph here was taken within 25 miles of my house. If you toss the Batsto shot at the end, that drops down to about 12 miles. So many great spots right in my backyard. Be sure to check out my best of work from 2015 and 2016.
Last night I was tagged on Google+ to participate in the #fivedayblackandwhitechallenge that’s been running strong for the past couple of weeks. If nothing else it’s coincidental that yesterday was the first day it popped in my mind if I’d somehow get tagged for this. I was on my way to work. Sure enough that thought was manifest by day’s end. For anyone unfamiliar with Google+ it’s a wonderful place for photographers. It’s where this hobby started for me, and for that alone it will forever be remembered fondly by this guy, ghost towns be damned.
Onto the challenge: I love me some black and white. I really do. Back in my Studio Art days in high school it was my wheelhouse. Colors were scary. Black and white might as well have been the blanket of one Linus Van Pelt. 15 years later and suddenly into photography, color has, perhaps ironically, taken me by storm. Past inhibitions are strangely gone and color has become a strength. Life is nothing if not odd.
All that setup being said, black and white remains a passion of mine. As much as I’ve learned to harness the power of color in all its vibrant glory, nothing takes me away (sorry, Calgon) like a stunning black and white. That’s where my envy rears. In that vein I am very excited about this challenge. My inner critic, though, is concerned that it will be hard to make great black and whites on purpose and on demand.
I guess we’ll see what the next five days have in store.
