Greg Molyneux Photography

Tag: hdr

  • Still worth it

    An HDR photograph taken over a windswept marsh on a cold winter's day at sunset along Cedar Run Dock Road. The photograph features a soft diffuse light.
    Still worth it — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    Twilight was cold. And windy. And frankly the sky was largely meh—a ho-hum vestige at best. Did I mention it was windy? And cold?

    Wind was such a factor I was concerned about camera shake with my exposures. Were it to wind up being an issue it would have been further compounded as I was taking seven bracketed exposures to boost dynamic range. Looking at my images back at the house revealed the trusty tripod did its work and kept the images clean and clear. Seriously, I can’t stress the importance of a sturdy tripod enough; particularly if landscape photography is going to be your thing.

    Back home I took a little departure from my standard post-processing workflow. After some initial tweaks to the seven exposures in Lightroom, I imported the images into Photomatix for merging. After re-importing a single image back to Lightroom I edited to taste further, bringing about a more representative dynamic range. It’s here where I departed from the status quo and took it an extra step. Bringing the image over to Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 4 I applied the Duplex filter to make the final image more diffuse and a touch warmer.

    I’m pleased with the result—maximizing the most of an otherwise ordinary sunset.

    I did have some company while I was out there. I ran into a gentlemen cruising about Cedar Run Dock Road in his van taking sunset snapshots. We chatted for a few minutes, talked about good spots, a sunset a few days back, and then went on about our business. It’s always good to see other people out and about enjoying and capturing nature. It’s not a bad way to pass the time.

  • On point

    An HDR photograph taken just before sunset from the north end of the bay beach in Ship Bottom, New Jersey. The protruding jetty rock creates a natural leading line toward the drama off on the horizon.
    On point — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 50 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    Here’s a holdover from last night’s shoot at Ship Bottom’s cloistered sunset park aptly named, Sunset Point. I made this shot from seven bracketed exposures; I took them just before I loaded up my ND filter and made yesterday’s long exposure.

    I’m using the jetty rock as a natural leading line, pointing out the action across the bay along the horizon. The smooth blue tones washing over the scene evoke a calming mood, reinforced by the soft ripples undulating across the top water. This spot just screams (whispers?) stay awhile and listen. Listen to your thoughts. Listen to the water. Listen to the birds and to the breeze. There is wisdom in nature.

    With Spring just over the horizon the place makes me smile, imagining the warmth to come.

  • Fallback plans

    An HDR photograph taken at the end of Cedar Run Dock Road overlooking the bay to the south taken just after sunset.
    Fallback plans — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 50 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    I had every intention of shooting with my ND filter today. I even got so far as to spending the greater part of my sunset shoot one 300 second photograph at a time. After cursory glances at my LCD I was pleased with the exposures rolling through. It wasn’t until closer inspection—after I was packing up my gear—that I noticed the litany of light leaks scattered about each photograph. Looking at the images back home on the computer revealed even more frightening results. It was so bad you could actually see the entire reflection of my convex lens in each picture. It was almost immediately that I knew where I went wrong, I loaded the filter onto the mount in the outside slot instead of the inside slot. A rookie mistake. One I will not make again. The added spaced allowed the light to bounce wreaking havoc with reflections.

    Rewind back to sunset, where I didn’t have the benefit of a large display and well-informed hindsight, I quickly set up shop so I could test my now filterless lens to ensure nothing funky was going on with my glass. Sparing no haste I composed the shot above and fired off seven bracketed exposures. Not a bad way to turn the shoot around, and I made a mistake and learned.

  • Capturing a moment

    An HDR photograph of a rare event: a full spectrum sunset over a snow covered, frozen marsh south of Cedar Run Dock Road.
    Capturing a moment — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 50 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    Yep—

    This is what I’ve been waiting for. The perfect storm of a snow covered marsh, expressive clouds and an explosion of color. The occasional visits of the Polar Vortex this year have served to paint the most dramatic skies; and tonight just may have been the best of all. I shan’t distract you from the photograph with any more words and I hope you enjoy.

  • Thinking about tomorrow

    A cross processed HDR photograph taken at sunset from Cedar Run Dock Road by Manahawkin, NJ, photographer Greg Molyneux. This photograph is colored in blue and grey tones.
    Thinking about tomorrow — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 50 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    Here’s my sunset shot from yesterday—I was out for an evening of dining and drinks in Atlantic City with friends celebrating a birthday and was unable to post. A good time was had by all.

    This was taken on Cedar Run Dock Road and I’ve composed a photograph from this very location before. While the colors weren’t as explosive as they’ve been other times this winter, the cloud definition was intricate and brooding, teasing topside color that was just out of reach. With about 20% less cloud cover and the sun would have gotten below the cloud deck and painted the sky with its gifted hand. Alas it wasn’t meant to be.

    I opted to cross process this image, which is already a composite of 7 bracketed exposures, smoothing out the image with a calming blue tone. It more fit the mood of the blue-grey day I was seeing out there on the marsh. Snow is coming and the sky was letting us know.

  • You’re uninvited

    An HDR photograph taken from the southern side of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge overlooking the Atlantic City skyline at sunset.
    You’re uninvited — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    I was pressed for time yesterday and unable to post this shot before the Downton Abbey season finale and True Detective. Priorities, you know?

    Prior to all that I made my way to the Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge to meet up with my buddy Jon and his mom. Ever since I’ve known about this place I’ve lusted over its obvious sunset potential; sprawling vistas, abundant wildlife, marshland for miles, and plenty of set ups with workable foregrounds. Oh, and birds.

    Going into the shoot I knew exactly where I wanted to setup: toward the southeast end of the refuge is a beachhead with exposed pilings and jetty rock. Jon on I hopped out of our vehicles, scampered off the dirt road down the shallow berm and onto the beach. Not exactly Normandy. We bandied about framing shots all about the beach until we honed in our tripods and set ups.

    And let picture making ensue. No? No.

    Just as I began firing off bracketed exposures an innocuous minivan slowed to a stop. A friendly voice hailed down and after the obligatory pleasantries I was politely told I couldn’t be where I was. In fact, I was told no one may actually step off the roadway—anything in the refuge beyond those bounds is off limits. The good news? Nesting doesn’t begin until April, 1, I learned, so thankfully no wildlife or habitat was put in jeopardy. The attendant was kind enough to let us make our shots real quick and then return to the road. It was the most cordial reprimand ever.

    Yesterday I learned I can no longer exploit the refuge for its once perceived wide angle landscape potential. Instead, I’ll take my bird appreciation to the next level and get myself a proper telelphoto lens and make the most of this beautiful place come Spring.

  • Hey look it’s Dock Road

    An HDR photograph of the actual pavement of Cedar Run Dock Road taken during blue hour by Manahawkin, NJ, photographer Greg Molyneux.
    Hey look it’s Dock Road — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    Literally.

    I’ve gotta say, it’s been a pretty solid day of shooting. It started out with this morning’s pleasantries on the beaches of Ship Bottom and ended with the deepening blue skies of a Dock Road blue hour. Since I spend so much of my time photographing the marshes of Cedar Run Dock Road, I figured the least I could do is give the actual road some love. Besides, what else is there to shoot during a sunset that is sans clouds? Also, I’m noticing in my evolution as a photographer that I have a thing for signs.

    Worth mentioning: I ran into my old buddy Vin. He was there with his new Nikon D80o. We got to talk shop and take some photos; he gave me some good pointers for potential printing arrangements should I ever get that off the ground. All in all it was a good day.

  • Your day breaks

    Your day breaks

    An HDR sunrise photograph overlooking the dunes, dune fence, ocean and sand of 13th Street in Ship Bottom, NJ.
    Your day breaks — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    I’m not exactly a morning person so it’s not everyday I buck-up, pop the cot and go shoot a sunrise. But with a fellow photo buddy in town it’s a little easier to find the motivation.

    Conditions were pretty excellent this morning, comfortable temperatures with a cool early day glow left me thinking I’m real excited to be here. I spent my initial shooting going for the obligatory up against the shoreline shot. This was decidedly meh. The jetty rock I thought would be there had not so amusingly vanished, and there was nothing passable for an interesting foreground. When my buddy Jon walked over and showed me some shots he was making on his viewfinder, I saw he was making good use of the dune fence as foreground and I decided then I was going to follow his lead.

    Enter the shot before you.

    The swooping cloud formation, for me, creates a most interesting effect. It has the look of a crescent moon that’s dominating the daybreak sky, pressing its weight and looming ominously. Counterbalanced by the movement and lines of the foreground dune fence it makes for a well balanced scene. Getting up early was worth it.

    Related: I spent three great summers (2003–2005) manning the tools of ignorance for Ship Bottom, NJ Public Works. Three great summers of stretching dune fence. Every season we’d be replacing broken fence and even running whole sections of the stuff for blocks. Nothing like spending your days with your buddies, a couple pairs of post hole diggers, and some dune fence. It was simple labor but it always paid off going home each day having made real tangible results toward keeping our beaches clean and beautiful. Plus we got to see the sunrise each day. I miss that job.

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  • A homecoming of sorts

    Manahawkin, NJ, photographer Greg Molyneux's HDR photograph of Holgate, NJ at sunset. This HDR photograph overlooks the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
    A homecoming of sorts — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 3 Bracketed Exposures

    The prodigal son returns. Or the fool finds his roots. Or whichever yarn you’d like to spin this is where it all began. Just north of two years back I embarked on what would become my photographic journey—right here at this very spot in Holgate, New Jersey. Only I didn’t know it at the time. That one innocent photowalk down a section of the eastern shore of the Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge on one a seasonably warm New Year’s Day; that one innocuous macro shell and here’d I be two years and some forty thousand picture later blogging about it on my own photography website. Sometimes life is strange.

    As I made my way around the refuge today it dawned on me just how much territory on this isthmus there is to explore despite the fact that access on the bayside western shore is restricted to protect the wildlife. I stopped for a second to chat with a local, an elderly gentleman who noted the southern tip of the refuge made its way three miles to the south where a micro sized Atlantic City looms. For another day, I quipped. Short on daylight, and therefore time, I made my way back to the jetty rock. Jetty rock that had been laid waste by years of violent storms—Sandy of course topping the list.

    It was here that I made my stand. Here that I made my shot for this story. Here I shall return for future sunsets as this locale offers both potential and an important link to the past.