Waving in the marsh grass — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/15
Make the wind do the work for you. It was blustery yesterday, and I capitalized on this by having a lazy enough shutter (1/15 of second) to allow the wind to create the slightest hint of movement in the photograph. You can just start to notice it in the bushels of marsh grass seed that look oh so slightly out of focus throughout the lower half of the photograph.
I’ve been craving a glowing shot of marsh grass ever since I’ve been photographing New Jersey marshland; one really featuring the marsh grass itself. This one is my new favorite. The warm glow and soft motion backdropped by dramatic clouds of pink and yellow pastels captures the essence I seek quite well.
Feels like the first time — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures
I haven’t been out shooting once since October 26th. October 26th! I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that’s my longest photo-less stretch since I began this whole picture taking fiasco New Year’s Day 2012. This camera cessation was not planned, and suffice it to say I’ve been jonesing.
All day the clouds were spectacular. Low, dark, puffy and fast moving they hinted at the threat of sun-showers all day. Since I was already down in the Great Bay Boulevard area picking up four of my reclaimed wood framed prints from my good buddy Ben Wurst, I knew that’s where I’d head for sunset. Tonight did not disappoint. I’m hard pressed to recall a Fall sky more fierce. The shadow play on the clouds dripping in red scarlet color was really something else. Tonight there were several other revelers out there with me, and that’s always good to see.
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.
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.
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.
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.
