Greg Molyneux Photography

Tag: low key

  • Meet Mack, Beagle Bulldog Puppy Mix Master

    An adorable low key black and white portrait photograph of a Beagle-British Bulldog puppy mix named Mack, with a red 'Angry Birds' squeak toy between his paws.
    Meet Mack, Beagle Bulldog Puppy Mix Master — 50mm | f/1.4 | ISO 5000 | EXP 1/800

    Female canines you have been put on notice. This little guy’s just about as cute as can be, and he’s got the smooth disposition to match. I mean just look at that furrowed brow and those eyes. This is one awesome dog.

    While I regret to inform you Mack is not my own, he is, however, the latest fur-child welcomed into the loving home of my cousin and his most wonderful bride. Mack joins his two big brothers—Rottweiler and Pit Bull—and is never one to back down; rolling his fur up, getting down and dirty wrestling with the big boys. Between naps and play fights, Mack enjoys cuddles, snuggles, head butts and red Angry Birds squeak toys. I also hear he likes chess, but I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

    He’s melted all of our hearts, and now he can melt yours.

  • Symbol of Strength

    Heavy mesoband snow and wind batter Barnegat Lighthouse as winter storm Juno skirts the New Jersey coast in this low key black and white photograph of a resolute and unmoving Old Barney at night.
    Symbol of Strength — 14mm | f/2.8 | ISO 5000 | EXP 1/30

    To better set the stage take a watch—and listen—to the snow bands and high winds that slammed into Barnegat Lighthouse Monday night. Please excuse my shaky hands.

    Taken a the top of the 10 o’clock hour, I tucked in low and close along the concrete seawall that runs all the way out into the inlet. With the wind at my back and cover to my right flank, I was able to affix camera to tripod and rifle off a few shots before the combination of intense snowfall and wind compromised the clarity of my lens. Wanting to capture snow flakes and the lighthouse beams in the shot I had to dial my aperture wide open and crank the ISO to 5000. This afforded me a 1⁄30 exposure—fast enough to freeze the scene.

    Distracted by storm and snowfall I arrived home and ignored the contents of my memory card. It’s only today, Wednesday, that I’ve gotten to really see this shot for all its worth. Black and white processing was the obvious choice from the get go, with the white of the lighthouse lending strong contrast against the backdrop of a roaring night sky. The Lighthouse itself bears the brunt, revealing an icy spine running vertically down the whole of the structure just to the right of center—its unwavering position a testament to the steady, yet unrelenting direction of the fierce wind howling out of the north-northeast.

    When you’re out there exposed to the elements as nothing more than a vulnerable sack of human, you really appreciate both the intensity of weather and the fortitude of man. Here stands a singular column, standing sentry, strong as ever.

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  • Timeworn

    A low key black and white macro photograph of single aged and wrinkled Japanese maple leaf—curling up reminiscent of an old hand.
    Timeworn — 100mm | f/3.5 | ISO 640 | EXP 1/250

    The late day sun was pouring in. Casting a splendid glow upon the withered remains of my Japanese maple leaves. I’ve got a hundred or so of these bad boys that refuse to let go and find their final resting place in the dirt. At about an inch and a half in size these tenacious leaves make an excellent macro subject. Inspired I ran inside and fetched my camera, fixing my macro lens as a soldier would fix bayonets. Of course that’s a ridiculous notion but my mind can get pretty ridiculous. I digress.

    From the get go I knew I wanted to go black and white. Even with the rich golden light, I figured a low key black and white would really accentuate the story being told by this leaf. I wanted to set a sharp focus on the leaf tips alone, which struck me as the fingertips of an aged hand. The soft focus allows the eye to fade back into the picture, filling in the wrinkled, gnarled details for ourselves. Our own lives and our own mortality are inextricably linked to the unstoppable passage a time. Time being a concept that will forever fascinate me until the moment I can know it no more.

  • Around that bend is Kewe

    Moody light seeps in deep with this brooding low key photograph of a leafy footpath in the Pinelands leading around a bend to here unseen Kewe campsite at the Joseph A. Citta Scout Reservation
    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.

  • Day 3 of 5: Crossing the line

    Low key black and white photograph uses strong lines in front of backlit sun to a repetitive effect
    Crossing the line — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/30

    When shooting wide angle have some fun working angles in tight spaces. It’s here where these rectilinear lenses really shine. Photowalking Batsto Village yesterday, I poked my nose inside this weird barn-esque pseudo covered bridge type building sided in evenly spaced, repetitive wood slats. I only call it weird because I’ve never seen anything like it and surely have no idea what it’s called. Anyway, leaning inside there was about two feet of space at the base, gradually widening as it moved upward. Here’s the shot I quickly framed up with the afternoon sun pouring in and shadows filing in perfect order.

    Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

  • Day 2 of 5: It’s anyone’s story

    In this black and white photograph, strong leading lines move the eye through this olde tyme porch where an old wood bench sat steady for a lifetime of stories, friendship and support.
    It’s anyone’s story — 14mm | f/8 | IS) 100 | EXP 1/30

    Wow that really tells a story. I don’t know what story, but yeah.

    Some friends and I made our way to Batsto Village this afternoon. Founded in the late 1700s, this preserved iron town is one of the pearls of Wharton State Forest. We, and about four dozen other photographers, made the best of the rich afternoon light, and I made the best of one of my favorite porches on the site. A simple wooden porch that creaks off the page of a Mark Twain novel. I spent a good ten minutes photographing this bench, the floor and the angles, trying to get the movement and shadows just so. All the while this composition hung in the back of my mind as one of my black and white possibilities for day two of the challenge.

    As soon as I applied a low key black and white look with a dose of grain I knew this was a winner. Almost immediately my buddy Jon looked over and uttered the words above. While utterly simplistic and overtly amorphous—almost Yogi Berra like—it actually hits the mark. This photo tells its own story, and certainly one far better than I’ll ever tell. Enjoy.

    Aside: two days in and I am really enjoying the 5 day black and white challenge.

    Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

  • Day 1 of 5: Flat out

    A low key black and white macro photograph of a late season daisy in Autumn.
    Flat out — 100mm |f/4 | ISO 400 | EXP 1/400

    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.

    Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

  • These are for you

    A low key photograph of a late season pastel colored quick fire hydrangea backdropped by dark tones and smooth bokeh
    These are for you — 40mm | f/2.8 | ISO 100 | EXP 1/640

    Friday’s are always better with flowers. At least I think so. With Fall here this is getting to be just about it for flower season. Until next year, little buddies.

  • And the orange glow

    A low key HDR sunset photograph overlooking the tidal overflow of a lagoon flowing through a salt marsh.
    And the orange glow — 14mm | f/8 | ISO 100 | 7 Bracketed Exposures

    I came away with two shots from last night’s sunset shoot. The one I posted yesterday and the one you see above. Only minutes after the first photograph, the sky had undergone a rapid transformation. From the deep blue sky and dramatic clouds to the smooth orange glow backed by an almost turquoise sky that we see here. Once that sun came under the cloud draping just over the horizon the warmth of the sunlight changed—dialing up the orange and yellow and intensifying shadows. This is a big part of what make sunset (or sunrise) so exciting—you can have numerous stunning scenes in the span of one half hour.