Sunflower Fields in New Jersey

In New Jersey, you may find magnificent blooming sunflower fields in one of many local farms around July and August. Since 2008, eight farms in New Jersey have signed up with New Jersey Audubon Society to devote several acres of land to grow sunflowers for birdseed (see: NJ Farms Blooming With Sunflowers).

The above abstract picture (camera panning technique) of sunflower field was taken at Duke Farms in Hillsborough. I am a frequent visitor of Duke Farms and I enjoyed very much the nature and relaxing setting there. Though not very big in size, the sunflower field located in front of visitor center offer a pleasant view at anytime of the day.

There are plenty of other sunflower fields in New Jersey. Noteworthy, the Sussex County Sunflower Maze in Augusta is the largest sunflower maze on the east coast, with over 1.5 million flowers in 2013. Besides, Donaldson Farms in Hackettstown has about 30 acres of sunflowers planted throughout the farm, and they offer sunflower tours from late August to mid/late September. Brodhecker Farm in Newton also has a magnificent sunflower field in their farm.

Deer Leap Falls, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is among the most scenic nature wonder in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I always wanted to explore the park although I am not a big fan of black bear:P 

We were here during a friend visit last weekend. There are tons of spectacular waterfalls in the park and most of them are easily accessible. We explored quite a number of them despite a short 2 days trip. Dingman Falls and Silverthread Falls can be access easily via a 0.4 miles hiking trail; Buttermilk Falls is located at the roadside; Bushkill Falls, a.k.a. "The Niagara of Pennsylvania", can be reach easily via one of the several trails; all three waterfalls in the George W. Childs Recreation Site - Deer Leap Falls, Factory Falls and Fulmer Falls are also easily accessible via a short loop trail.

This picture was taken at the Deer Leap Falls in the George W. Childs Recreation Site. As you can see from the picture, the water flow is low due to the low rainfall recently. Nevertheless, this is a fantastic place to visit and photograph and I will definitely plans for another trip in the autumn.

Dancing Trees

It was another fantastic morning at Manasquan Reservoir County Park, New Jersey. The light was great and I was planning to try something different other than grand landscape.

I switched to the telephoto lens and search for a nice piece of dried trees for abstract shot. The location that I was standing is facing east, which add a bonus as the beautiful light forming a nice background and the tree trunks became the silhouette. So I panned my camera vertically, with experimentation of different exposures and speed/direction of camera movement. After quite a number of trial and error, here is it - the trees is dancing happily!

Lesson of the day - abstract is one of the best way to train your creativity, anywhere and anytime.

Chasing Light at Ocean Grove

It's another morning shooting session at the New Jersey Shore and this time it is Ocean Grove. It is a pretty typical beach and I have two thought in my mind - to create a long exposure shot using the 10-stop ND filter and to create a sea stripe shot by panning the camera. Although there is no dramatic clouds, the soft light before sunrise is good enough for me to fulfill the mission.

A suggestion to those who love shooting water, get some good quality ND filters. I have a B+W 3-stops and a 10-stops ND filters, which I carried them in my bag wherever I go. They lend the way to creativity and fun!

 

Opening Reception at NJ350 Elements

It was a great evening in the opening reception of NJ350 Elements at Duke Farms. I felt great when I saw my picture "Manasquan Reservoir County Park" printed on 40" x 60" Satin Fabric, hanging outdoor and illuminated by the natural light. The beautiful Duke Farms is just an ideal location for such photo exhibit that showed the nature wonder of New Jersey.

If you have chance to visit Duke Farms, stop by the exhibit in front of the visitor center, I am sure you will be amazed. Otherwise, please visit the NJ350 Elements - Selected Photos to view the photos online. You may also view the finalist photos at NJ350 Elements - Discover New Jersey Video.

Once again, thanks to Danielle Austen and Nancy Edwards who organizing such an amazing event!

Guest Blog by Jennifer Bolton: Keeping Your Camera Safe While Traveling

Text contributed by Jennifer Bolton

For all of us who love to discover new and exciting places, capturing beautiful images is an absolute must. Especially in a world where digital photography and social media sharing dominates the industry, whether using our high-res smartphones or special lenses, both aspiring and expert photographers anticipate each journey with eagerness and expectation. But our coveted image-capturing devices are not immune to accidents and even theft, and taking precautions while on the road or doing fieldwork is essential.

Purchase a Good Coverage Plan

It doesn’t matter whether you’re taking a casual break or engaging in an intensive expedition – making sure that your camera and equipment is protected under appropriate financial coverage is a must. With many great deals available which cater individually to specific items or overall household and/or travel insurance, the small fee you pay is next to nothing compared to repairing or replacing damaged equipment and losing your work. You can have peace of mind by investing in a good plan (always read the small print) as well as checking out the warranties on your product(s) and what they cover. Some credit card providers also offer warranties on products which are purchased with a particular card/plan and cover various scenarios for a short time, so these are also worth looking into – but always check the length of the term and whether or not the coverage extends to other countries.

Use Quality Protection

Many models already come with a case, but often these offer only minimal protection and are designed for aesthetic purposes rather than functional ones – they don’t always cover the entire device, are not always waterproof, don’t provide additional pockets for other items and are often not very durable despite being expensive. It’s better to shop around and find generic brands (unless you don’t mind dishing out some more money for brand names) and finding light-weight yet sturdy cases which offer:

• Protection from the elements (sunlight, rain, snow)
• Insulation against varying temperatures and humidity
• Protection against wear and tear
• Additional storage space for batteries, lenses, memory cards, chargers, adapters, and other items
• Ease of access, but with efficient safeguard against theft
• Comfort for carrying and transporting
• Know Your Environment

Although spontaneity is part of what makes a photographer’s journey so memorable, it’s important to have a good grasp of the environment you will be taking your photos in. This includes taking note of the climate, weather, geography, and all other environmental aspects, as well as the cultural, social, and political nature of the location. For example, you’ll want to know if you will be working in a high humidity environment, and whether or not your lenses will cope with change in pressure so that you can take care of them properly.

Just as vitally, take time to respect the customs of the people and their respective environment. In some regions, many locals may not be happy to have their photo taken without permission and a small fee. Underground urban areas, sacred sites and museums are just a few of the places where camera activity is forbidden in some places. Also note that when using an expensive-looking camera, it immediately sets you out as a target for pickpockets and thieves; know how to avoid situations where such criminals can capitalize. There will be some locations where it will be better leave your camera at home altogether, whereas in other places, stealthy criminals can easily slide their hands into your pockets when you are focusing intensely on the next shot, or grab your camera the moment you put it down. Some photographers take multiple memory cards per trip so that in the event of a theft, not all the images are lost.

Be Familiar with Your Equipment

It’s quite common to purchase a new model just before going away on a trip, but there is nothing worse than being presented with some fantastic picture opportunities and not being able to take advantage of them because you haven’t taken the time to know your device. Even more importantly, not knowing how to properly take care of your camera while away can result in accidental damage. Know how to maintain your equipment and make sure that you mark off your checklist while packing so that you don’t leave anything behind.

Take your camera with you in your carry-on luggage where possible, always use the strap, and stay vigilant; just by following a few of these simple steps, you can enjoy a safe and memorable vacation with ample photo opportunities.

Abstract at Goshen Pond

Weather is a friend or foe to landscape photography, and unfortunately, it is unpredictable. The great light can happens anytime when you are not in the field, and the poor light can be your company when you are standing in front of a majestic landscape. It's all the matter of luck, unless you have time to chase for the light everyday in the field - unfortunately it is not the case for an amateur photographer like me.

This was the images taken at Goshen Pond in the Wharton State Forest, New Jersey last weekend. It's an hour drive and some hike and search, so I would really love to see the dramatic cloud and sky during the golden hour, and it would be also a nice scene when the fog invade the area (see the work from Richard Lewis, where he capture the Goshen Pond in a foggy morning). However, these ideal situation doesn't happen, so I was looking for the abstract shot, and I wanted to capture the icon of Goshen Pond which is the dead trees standing in the middle of the pond. I tried different ways to get it right, panning the camera horizontally and vertically, from different angle and perspective. After all, one works well, it is by panning the camera vertically on the reflection in the pond. Hurray!

The lesson is, if the light doesn't cooperate, don't give up, try other options, like abstract or black & white. Treat this as a good opportunities to train your creativity!

Exhibition in Duke Farms

My work "Manasquan Reservoir County Park" was awarded as a winner for "NJ350 Elements - A Unique Nature and Wildlife Photo Exhibit" at Duke Farms, New Jersey, from August 1 to September 2, 2014. The image will be printed on 40"x60" satin fabric and will displayed outdoors around the Duke Farms Orientation Center. For more information about the exhibition and to see the works of other artists, please visit NJ350 Elements.

I will be present for the opening reception on August 8, 2014, 6-8 pm and I would love to meet you there to show you my work. Hope to see you soon in Duke Farms!