Greg Molyneux Photography

Tag: landscape

  • All I wanna be is by your side

    An HDR photograph taken at sunset from along the jetty at Sunset Point in Ship Bottom, New Jersey. The in water perspective hugs the darkened jetty rock and frames the colored sky and water.
    I’ll I wanna be is by your side — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    Yesterday I had helping hands (thanks, Jennifer Carr!). I was able to take some chances.

    While heading over to Sunset Point for The Daily Sundown™ my hope was that the tide would be low enough to expose the bay sand on the lagoon side of the jetty rock (the right of the jetty in the shot above). #nope. The tide was already working its way back in. Temps were mild so I rolled up my jeans, hopped over the jetty rock, and made my way into the water where I had hoped said sand would be. The bay water was notably warm; summer’s coming, you guys.

    At first I was shooting handheld since I was water bound and there was no place for my tripod. Handheld is all well and good except it does not afford the tack sharp stability of a tripod. Nor does it allow me to bracket exposures as I most always do when shooting landscapes. Time to turn that on its head.

    About ten minutes in I turned to Jen, handed over my camera for safe keeping while she passed over the tripod in return. I took the device, splayed its legs wide, and began to sink it in the sand under about three inches of water. Once I was able to get a stable, level hold I reclaimed my camera from Jen and locked it into place. I let the sun get fully below the horizon and that’s when I went to town on my bracketing.

    In post processing I went with a darkened silhouette of the jetty instead of its much more illuminated brother. I’m all about mood and this version just seemed to have it. The tradeoff: the bright green moss is far less prominent in this rendition—only some faint hints of green brush the outer rocks. To its credit, this darker treatment really brings out the color festooned upon the calm waters.

  • Barnegat Bay dockside

    Barnegat Bay dockside

    A late evening HDR photograph taken just after sunset from Sunset Park in Surf City, New Jersey. The exposure looks out over a very calm Barnegat Bay and features the unfinished wood of the dock at the edge of the park with a small stone in the foreground.
    Barnegat Bay dockside — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    Part of me thinks the stone in the foreground needs to be swapped out for a Corona bottle, no? I’m down for changing my whole latitude.

    Last night almost didn’t happen. After a Mother’s Day dinner of steak and ribs I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d muster up the energy to head out for sunset. Game of Thrones was fast approaching and the cloud setup wasn’t screaming drop everything and grab your camera. But once my buddy Jeff swung by and mentioned he wanted to head to the M.T. Burton Gallery to measure out our spot for an upcoming gallery event I figured I might as well grab my camera and be prepared.

    We stopped off at Sunset Park in Surf City and the first thing that jumped out at me was how glassy the bay was. Outside of lazy one inch rollers, Barnegat Bay was just about as calm as you’ll ever see it at sunset. There was still a problem, though: the tide was in and I wasn’t seeing much for a foreground.

    As I was grabbing my gear and walking under the gazebo I noticed a rock resting gently on the bayside bulkead and thought to myself, this just might work. And it did! And to top it off I was bestowed with great color in the evening sky. Last night was one of those nights the color really lingered, too. This exposure—which is the composite of seven bracketed exposures—was taken a good 10–15 minutes after sunset. As such, the sub horizon sun angle was still painting the sky in soothing pastels of orange and pink. What a great welcome to the inevitable coming of Summer.

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  • Watching the sky unfold

    An HDR photograph taken at sunset from Rand's on Great Bay Boulevard featuring an imposing cloud deck backing in off the ocean awash in pinks and purples from the just departed sun.
    Watching the sky unfold — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    It’s not my wish to distract too much attention from this photograph with words, but wow. Just when tonight’s sunset seemed it would fizzle a light show exploded upon the imposing cloud deck that was back-building off the ocean. I had an entirely different shot dialed in—one facing toward the setting sun. And as much as I liked said composition it became impossible to ignore the drama happening off to the south and east. Knowing I’d be short on light, I composed a frame from the same spot and began bracketing.

    Considering there was such a sky show, I’d have liked to be over the flat marsh without any obstruction, bringing all the focus to the intricate pastel washed cloud patterns. But I had to work with what I had. I’m still pretty pleased for working in a pinch, and I’m very pleased I was out shooting tonight and able to bear witness.

  • The Burned Lands

    An HDR photograph take just after sunset from the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area. The foreground is marked by the charred remains of a lone tree stump. Fresh grasses begin to fill in the ashen remains.
    The Burned Lands — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    While not like to evoke thoughts of General Sherman and his strategy of scorched earth, the charred remains of a solemn tree stump flanked by the onset of lush grass rising in the ashen remains of last month’s controlled burn make for a calming scene, particularly at sunset. Carefully planned fires are a way of life down here—in the quiet Pinelands of New Jersey—overgrown undergrowth and grasses are burned away allowing new, more healthy flora to take hold. And if it wasn’t purposeful humans setting the fires, nature and/or the careless ash of a cigarette butt would do the same—only more often; jeopardizing the homes and wildlife throughout our region. Kudos to the local fire service for safely making this happen.

    The Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area was transformed a few week’s back by a manmade blaze. In a matter of days fresh grasses began to spread, setting the stage for the next generation of growth at the outer boundaries of the Pines. As I was milling about looking for my shot, I spotted the remains of this torched stump hiding in plain site amidst a field of nothing but nascent grass the color of lime. Immediately I knew I had my foreground.

    The sky was hardly the greatest but conditions were solid all around. It’s my goal to return in the near future to use this stump as a foreground prop at least once more before the tall grasses return, swallowing the burnt remains whole. As always the cycle continues.

  • It doesn’t matter; it’s in the past

    An HDR photograph taken at sunset from the east end of Cedar Run Dock Road. Rolling waves from Barnegat Bay move onshore leaving heavy foam upon the small shell-laden beachfront.
    It doesn’t matter; it’s in the past — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    Lazy poster alert

    This photograph is a holdover from this past Sunday and I’m only now—Friday afternoon—getting around to posting it. As it was a Sunday evening I had more pressing priorities, ya know, Game of Thrones premiere and stuff like that. As for why I couldn’t post it some other time this week? Well, I have no excuse. Except baseball.

    Thinking back to last Sunday conditions were cold. And windy. I was greeted by a nice headwind off Barnegat Bay as I was making my bracketed exposures and was concerned that sturdy tripod be damned, I’d face some camera shake. Fortunately the sharpness seems solid enough so I don’t think it was much of a factor. The low-lying clouds hanging just above the horizon was actually smoke from an area forest fire that happened in Chatsworth, New Jersey, Sunday afternoon. To my knowledge it was not a controlled burn. Hopefully the damage wasn’t too extensive.

    This spot, while on Cedar Run Dock Road, was a new vantage point for me. All in all, not a bad spot.

    Upcoming

    I’m heading down to Washington D.C. on Saturday afternoon with some friends for the Cherry Blossom Festival. With any luck I’ll have a few pictures to share. Until then happy weekend!

  • Beset by light

    HDR photograph taken at Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area featuring a fiery sunset offset by a few blowing blades of golden marsh grass in the foreground. The grasses look touched by sunlight.
    Beset by light — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    It’s been a while. Thanks to poor weather, uneventful skies, the return of major league baseball season, and poor scheduling I haven’t been out shooting in almost two weeks. And while it’s good to step away, double digit sabbaticals get a bit too long for me. Suffice to say, I’ve been jonesing.

    With what looked to be a solid setup I made for the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area. It had recently gone through a scheduled controlled burn and all the undergrowth had been taken down to sooty black earth weeks ago, yet low green was already beginning to thrive in the nutrient rich remnants. Fire is life down here in the pines. It’s just amazing how quickly this place can transform in a manner of weeks. I took a picture of the clearing riddled with nascent grasses that I’ll post tomorrow.

    As for tonight’s picture, well after some largely meh long exposure attempts I switched on the fly and transitioned to bracketed exposures as the sky really started doing its thing. It played it coy tonight, colors were tempered and muted well past the sun slinking under the horizon until suddenly the lights really came on. I particularly like how the offset oranges and reds to the right reach across to kiss the golden marsh grasses to the bottom left. For me, it makes the photograph. I hope you enjoy.

  • I’ve got the time

    An HDR photograph taken over the front lake at the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area. This photograph features a foreground of long yellow grasses and a large fallen branch with a stunning background sunset radiating through middle ground clouds. Atop the image, barren branches frame out the scene.
    I’ve got the time — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    I took my time leaving work today. There were no pressing needs at home and pictures were not on my radar. As I walked to my car I felt good about my leisure pace, there were no clouds to be had, and, ostensibly, no worthwhile sunset to chase.

    Time to drive.

    And drive.

    62 miles of drive. Each way. But hey, who’s counting?

    People usually balk at the distance, and right fully so. Me? I mostly shrug it off and enjoy the four wheels of solitude.

    I was 30 miles from home when I first caught glimpse of a solid cloud layer off in the distance. I unscientifically gauged this as being right over my town. 25 miles later would reveal my best guess was correct. Only I was up against the clock.

    6:23: Seven miles from home and running against a 7:04 sunset. Knowing I needed to stop home called for haste—I immediately settled on Stafford Forge, a 12 minute drive door to lake. Making it the closest in my sunset rotation.

    6:32: enter driveway. Quickly I toss aside my work bag inside—OK, it’s a satchel—and grab my camera, tripod, ND filter (would later prove unnecessary), sweatshirt and jacket. Oh, and I ditched the loafers.

    6:36: exit driveway.

    6:48: arrival.

    Bored with my usual Forge setup, I eyed a little patch of woods near the park entrance. Camera in hand I worked through the branches and settled in under a tree. Overlooking the lake with long yellow grasses and a fallen branch in my foreground I knew I had my spot. I dashed back to the car for my tripod, got set up, dialed in and made my bracketed exposures. Above is the result.

  • A path in the pines

    Manahawkin photographer Greg Molyneux's black and white photograph of a snowy trail turning off to the left in the Pinelands. This photograph features a grainy treatment and stark black and white contrast juxtaposing the light and dark. All light focuses on the path.
    A path in the pines — 40mm | f/4 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/640

    Yesterday morning I woke up to a late season South Jersey Special. Which is to say we received about 6 inches of snow in Manahawkin while the good folks to the north (about 40 miles) saw next to nothing. You win some, you lose some in New Jersey. Wanting to make the most of the fresh fallen snow my buddy and I made for the Pinelands. After about 3 abrupt U-turns we pulled down a small little trail.

    I started the shoot with my 40mm pancake lens—it seems like months since I’ve taken it for a spin. Not far from the truck I quickly framed up a shot, focusing on the trail that doglegs to the left back behind the pines. It advances the story and leads us wondering what’s around the bend. I didn’t know it at the time but this would wind up as my shot of the day. Different from my usual style, this grainy black and white calls for your attention at simply cuts out the rest.

  • A new place to play

    An afternoon long exposure photograph taken from High Bar Harbor in Barnegat Light overlooking east toward the Barnegat Lighthouse. In this empty bay beach scene, the low level clouds streak across this black and white photograph from left to right.
    A new place to play — 14mm | f/22 | ISO 50 | EXP 41 sec

    My buddy Jon and I had some time to kill and set out for some photo-exploring. Initially targeting the Barnegat Lighthouse, we made way to Long Beach Island and turned north. Approaching our final destination we made a quick pit stop at an area Barnegat Light bay beach. Unremarkable on its own, that beach told us one thing: the wind was going to spoil any shooting out on the long jetty of the lighthouse inlet. Any exposed area would render shooting difficult at best.

    Having never been before we turned our attention toward High Bar Harbor. A unique piece of land on the west end of Barnegat Light where we made for a cove that would shelter us from the whipping west wind.

    Where we wound up was pay dirt. An area of protected beach that has an eastern face—featured here looking out to the lighthouse—that will be most excellent at sunrise; and a path leading to a western exposure looking out to the Barnegat Bay to the rear. Morning, noon, and night, this spot has loads of potential.

    It was a bit earlier than I normally shoot, and as such the light was rather intense. I went with my ND filter and stopped all the way down to f/22. I seldom stop down this far unless it’s for a very specific purpose—in this case it was to maximize my exposure time—slowing things down all the way to 40 seconds. Enough time to render sufficient cloud movement left to right.