I remember sunset. I hold her grace. I see her green her beloved salt marsh, festooning her summered wetlands with pastel gossamer. Knowing, she looks up at herself and I see. Centered in all this color I remember. I remember a heart that beats to new rhythms still comforted in the familiar embrace of the melody. I remember sunset. I remember why I am here.
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The moment is important. The movement is important. Tectonic forces shift as fault lines give way to the titanic pressure born of our nation’s original sin. Righteous activists are drawing back the iron curtain concealing a four century legacy of enslavement, oppression, colonization, segregation, and forced separation. A reckoning is upon as, and long may it reign until we address and redress the trauma, theft, and death wrought by racism is all its insidious forms.
Ignoring the moment is not ok. Denying the moment is not ok. Choosing to undermine the movement is active participation in amoral treachery and doles out tangible harm against our BIPOC brothers and sisters. This is the time to listen, to learn, to understand, and to empathize with our fellow citizens long denied access to the many freedoms we take for granted. This is not the time to insist in our righteousness and double-down on our own spoon fed, sugar-coated worldview with history written by the winners. I am a privileged cis-gendered heteronormative white man born in the United States in the late 20th century. I hit the birth lottery. Sure I have worked hard in life and struggled at times, but I’ve earned so many undeserved free passes because I look the part and fit a certain role. This is not ok, and to deny it is heretical.
So what am I going to do? I am going to sit. I am going to listen. I am going to learn. I am going to accept the painful stories our Black brothers and sisters are sharing across the internet. The issue of racism and the violence it engenders is being met head on, and I will not stand in the way of this challenge. In the United States we love to highlight all our past glory. I get it, I, too, am passionate about our founding mythology. It is long past overdue we spend equal time peeling back a hidden shame so unconscionable we built power structures to bury it. We ask of people to be introspective, to probe and understand our failings so we can address them, correct them, and grow. Why do we not apply this same logic to our national story? Denying America’s failings makes zero sense, and it only leaves us weaker and morally bereft. Worse yet, it leaves our most vulnerable and oppressed exposed and endangered—and in too many cases dead at the hands of those whom pledged to protect.
We are only as free as the most oppressed and disenfranchised among us. Freedom is a cudgel of oppression up until the moment it fully liberates and embraces us all. We must challenge ourselves every moment of every day to live up to our highest ideals. The self-evident truth that every person is created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Can we finally make this a reality for all Americans? And in the event I was not clear: Black Lives Matter. Full stop. End of discussion.
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It is in evening blue light when the day’s last comings glow, ebbing slow each night as the final light of day goes. It is a soft kiss, a gentle embrace as day shares love with her partner night. For a few moments the two poles dance together, igniting passion in the pastel embers of yearning. It is devotion writ large, a passion play painting tenderness on nature’s most dramatic stage. Ensconced our lovers intwine but twice each day, and they are here to teach us whenever we choose to learn.
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A weary traveller, chastened and humbled returning from isolation made his way out of exile to this sacred place of restoration and life. To the marsh he’d seen so many times before. The same marsh he’s photographed for more than eight years with dutiful care. To this holy marsh where centeredness and peace comes easy. It is at this place he bears witness to its cyclical grace of death and rebirth marked by its annual rise and fall. The comings and goings of its grasses, the arrival and departure of migratory sea birds, the summer flourish of bugs to feed the ecosystem, and all manner of life in between. It is the marsh of his youth that will god willing serve as the marsh of his golden years. It is the marsh to which he will always return when called out of exile.
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Made back on Christmas Eve, I have been sitting on this photograph for a week now. No real reason other than way too much life happening right now, and far too little of it the good kind. Nevertheless the capstone holiday for many children the world over met well with a fine burn over southern Ocean County. Doubtless the North Pole swarmed and pulsed with its final pre-flight check as the sun kissed its goodbyes.
Tonight begins another round of goodbyes. Goodbye to both a year and a decade. It is time for the ’20s whether ready or not. No choice but to embrace what is and what is about to be. My wish for the new year is more love, hope, patience, and tolerance for us all. Less reacting and more understanding. Less judgement and more forgiveness. Less emptiness and more fulfillment. Appreciate all you have—for having that which matters most is always a temporary condition. So love full and love complete, and know yours is a life well lived.
Thanks again, everyone. Happy New Year to you and yours. I wish continued blessings to those whose cups are full, yet I will not miss the chance to recognize, love, and honor those whom struggle with loss and loneliness during this time. I see you.
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A Window to Winter | Captured: January 13, 2019 | Location: Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area, West Creek, New Jersey
2019 kicked off with an early- to- mid January snowfall, and that is always enough to set my heart alight. I made no photographs at Stafford Forge across all 2018, and with fresh fallen snow I had an opportunity to set a wrong to rights. Despite the cold and the snow, the golden glow beset by pink pastels is warm and inviting. The snow-capped pines flanking the frame call us to the window of a sublime winter wonderland. Stafford Forge continues its reign as a go-to location for outstanding snow shots.
Gradient | Captured: January 15, 2019 | Location: Stafford Municipal Boat Ramp, Cedar Run Dock Road, West Creek, New Jersey
Simple is best, and this photograph cuts to the heart of simplicity. Minimalist in all things, Gradient, relies on basic forms and color to convey juxtaposition. It articulates contrast between the deep blues to the top and bottom surrounding the fiery orange and red glow at the center. Bisecting the image across the horizon is a razor sharp margin to hinge this photograph. Consume this image in all directions, for there is no true top or bottom.
Ice World Ignition | Captured: February 2, 2019 | Location: Rand’s Marina, Great Bay Boulevard, New Jersey
The derelict Rand’s Marina off Great Bay Boulevard is home to a handful of my all time favorite shots. It’s as photogenic as it is strewn with dock remnants and the latter is a primary contributor to the former. Foreground, middle ground, and background never betray the photographer at Rand’s. In snow and ice, however, the drama jumps up a notch. Locked in ice demonstrates the damage rent through years of weather and disuse. It deepens the narrative, and when this profound tableau is cast in glowing rich pink hues the story rings truer inside our soul.
Magnolia Season | Captured: April 13, 2019 | Location: Ocean Acres, Stafford, New Jersey
From the moment I made this photograph back in April it has served as my iPhone background wallpaper. This photograph connected with me straight away. One peep in my viewfinder and I knew this one was going in the “best of” list. The colors, bokeh, and contoured line work traveling in and out of a shallow depth of field take this next level. Looking at the magnolia buds unfurling into beautiful flower blossoms, I had a plan, and I am beyond pleased I was able to execute.
Cast Adrift | Captured: May 3, 2019 | Location: Ocean Acres, Stafford, New Jersey
Now things take a turn. The style I am best known, wide sweeping sunsets, is with certainty not this. Here we keep things weird. I am thrall to the whimsy and form of wisteria blossoms. The small, delicate flower buds ooze with personality. Strung together like a bunch of grapes they make their brief appearance in spring. Captured up close with macro equipment, wisteria moves photography into the abstract. Under magnification at this range, you are hard pressed to know said wisteria blossom is no bigger than the quarter that used to set about your pocket. It is the tiny writ large, backed by bokeh casting strange shadows and tones. There is an eeriness and mood driving the scene, and the focus is soft enough to lend a painted effect. Someday I am going to have this printed large on canvas and it will be glorious.
Hit the Pavement | Captured: May 23, 2019 | Location: Cedar Run Dock Road, West Creek, New Jersey
Get low! Now get lower. To make this photo I splayed out belly down right on Cedar Run Dock Road’s asphalt surface. The township could have painted double yellow lines transverse down my spine. The orientation of the sunset dictated where I went with this shot. All the best action was to the northwest and so I decided to make the road itself the center of attention. It’s fine to bring a different perspective to the table considering I shoot Dock Road more than any other location by far. Of course the salt marsh sunset shots are great, but here I present the human side of the locale. Roads and guardrails, and power lines leading the eye to the homes marking the horizon. Dock Road is such a wonderful space with limitless potential.
Top Down | Captured: June 17, 2019 | Location: Ocean Acres, Stafford, New Jersey
Coming in hot with more abstract macro goodness. Here we look down upon a nascent honeysuckle blossom. Early in its development it gives little clue as to its identity let alone what it is to become. The pollinators dream is the macro photographers dream, and this may be my personal favorite image in this list. The contrast between the green and purple backdropped by shallow depth of field demands the viewer’s attention. The tiny yellow hairs introduce a component of texture begging for touch. I get lost in this photograph, and for my money that is when I know I did my job.
Placid | Captured: June 27, 2019 | Location: Cedar Run Dock Road, West Creek, New Jersey
Take a slow, steady breath in through your nose. Now exhale even and powerful out of the mouth. It should be audible. Repeat two more times. Ahhhhhhhh. Let the parasympathetic nervous system take over, relax a while, and unload some stress. Placid is this breathing and relaxation exercise made visual. It is a stress shedder. The mirror glass reflection of the water balanced against gentle green marsh grasses, topped off with a sunset sky cast in pink and purple intend to unwind the careworn traveler. Sublime and soothing, let your woes find comfort and placid tranquility. A salve for your hurts. Inhale. Exhale.
The Collector | Captured: July 15, 2019 | Location: Ocean Acres, Stafford, New Jersey
Here we have my “mom, maybe someday I can be in National Geographic?” entry into the annual retrospective. Making handheld macros of a small moving subject, such as a bumblebee, is hard work. You are battling camera shake, an indefatigable subject, lens focus, wind, and a whole host of other factors, internal and external. It’s a challenge. But when it all comes together and you get it right, it’s an immediate fist pump kind of moment. (Hey, I am from New Jersey.) I am blessed I nailed this pollinator doing its thing, adding value to the hive. I am honored to have the opportunity to document this essential lynchpin to a vibrant and product ecosystem bettering our planet. Now, about that magazine…
Until Next Season | Captured: August 18, 2019 | Location: Ocean Acres, Stafford, New Jersey
Mood makes the photo, and the mood here is indomitable. A lone black-eyed susan blossom transitioning on toward end of life. Reluctant with unwanted acceptance of its fate. Told through the weight of the photo, the narrative unfolds with the blossom, placed to the right of the frame, pulling away from the light on the left. Turned away from the sun our lone hero moves onward into darkness and unknown. As the sun sets in the western sky so, too, does our blossom prepare its journey below its own horizon in search for new life.
2019 was a year of transition, change, growth, and setback. Through ups and downs and heart-wrenching disruption, photography has remained a constant. A well worn sturdy crutch to lean on through the dark times. It’s the friend who is always there free of judgement, forever willing to accept you for who you are, wherever you are. I was steadier in my practice in 2019, making more high quality photos compared to my low output in 2018. As I close out my eighth year (!) behind the lens and pivot toward 2020, I look forward to putting my dear old crutch to further use. I will again lean on you, old friend.
Thank you all for your time and support for both me and my photography over the years. While I endeavor in this exercise for personal growth and creative expression, I do not have words to express the gratitude knowing there are good folks out there touched by my work. I see you, and I appreciate you all. Thank you with my fullest sincerity. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Cheers, my friends.
It’s been a week. Life is a series of give and take, and right now it is hellbent on dealing blows and stripping away happiness. It is a dark time. In light of my struggles I wish you well in your escape from the shadows.
Light kneeling before dark, while cold and uncertain, is the appropriate segue today, December, 21, 2019. Yes, it is to the winter solstice I refer. Documented above, photographed in 35mm, we meet with its final light of day. Captured at 4:35 p.m., at the Cedar Run Dock Road boat ramp staring west across Little Egg Harbor, the sun embarks on its longest journey through darkness. Long will it labor until its shadowed path brings us first light. A rebirth to our celestial cycle will illuminate dreams cast upon a distant horizon.
This photograph was simple in its execution. Shot handheld at a focal length of 35mm. This casual approach fit well with the stillness of the bay water. Calm and sublime. It was only my second frame of my total shoot—I made many more exposures at 14mm—yet its minimalism and stillness speaks to me. Wanting to key in on forms and color, I substantially reduced clarity and texture in post processing. This introduces softness and comfort to the scene. I suspect this is my own feelings crying out for softness and comfort. As it is life informs art as art informs life.
Enjoy the solstice, and happy holidays everyone.
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Yesterday afternoon was a treat. A late stage pulsing sunset served a tonic for the soul. An overcast deck held sway even as the sun dropped below the horizon leaving grays and blues dominating. Yet I waited. There was enough breaks to the cloud and enough experience chasing sunsets to know I ought lend time to the sky. Five minutes passed and sure enough a touch of pink begin building to my south-southwest. Over the next five minutes a panoply of pastel color flourished. The game was afoot.
Unfortunately, a fellow sunset reveler about a quarter mile away threw in the towel too early. They packed up early and missed the show, reminding me too often people bail on the sunset too soon. So one quick tip I’m more than happy to share: Wait at least 10 minutes after the sunsets before punching out. (20 minutes if you have time to spare.) This simple change will take your sunset photo making to the next level. Far more often the best color comes 5-10 minutes after sundown. Remember this and please apply accordingly. Now get out there and wait for it.
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The sun sets early this time of year. Snuffing out daylight early and often. Long nights leave us vexed, corrupting our internal sense of time. How is it only 6:00 p.m.? It feels more like midnight. Premature exhaustion settles in by 8:00 p.m. and the call to hibernate is real. So is the struggle. When midnight hits so does the second wind and the time destroying whims of winter come full circle. Morning alarm goes off and we rejoin the dark waltz again.
Yet winter and its stunted days are not without benefit. Here’s a quick hit list of its boon:
What are some ways you make the most of long nights delivered at the hands of short days?
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