Sunday, March 31, 2019

The Jersey Shore: Sandy Hook

The Jersey Shore: Sandy Hook

Introduction

New Jersey has ten (10) areas under the direction of the National Park Service. While none are "national parks", they are National Scenic Trail, National Heritage Area, National Recreation Area, National Monument, National Historical Park, National Historic Trail and National Reserve. I will be writing about some but will start with Gateway National Recreation Area, aka Sandy Hook.

Sandy Hook - Gateway National Recreation Area

Sandy Hook is probably the busiest place on the shore and it is also one of my favorites. It is a very diverse place, too; being a peninsula means there are plenty of beaches for sunbathing and the fishing is some of the best of the East Coast. There are also miles of hiking trails, old bunkers and munitions batteries, the Lighthouse and Coast Guard Station. The header image shows the original Visitor Center as seen from the beach. The building was once used as housing for lifeguards before being turned into a Visitor Center. The building is now closed due to damage suffered during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and the center has been moved to the Light Keeper's Quarters. This image is from March 2012.

I've been going to "the Hook" for as long as I can remember - I had an 8th grade class trip there and remember having a Boy Scout Jamboree back in the 70's. We camped on the beach, I remember rain.... This was also a place where we rode our bikes to a few times. I spent a lot of time surf fishing during the late 80's and early 90's and I can't tell you how many hours hiking along the beaches and trails, almost always with a camera in hand. I don't get up there too often anymore, it is now a 45 minute to an hour drive but I try to get there at least once a year.

The summer months find the park filling up early so if you want to go for a day at the beach, rise with the sun and head out. That's why this is one of my off-season destinations. If sunbathing is your thing, there are several ocean beaches but chose wisely - one of them is the "Nude Beach". There are trails to hike that bring you thru wooded areas and beaches - on both sides of the peninsula. The Hook is one of the few places where you can come early for a sunrise over the ocean and stay late to witness a sunset over the bay. Both are equally beautiful and distinctly different.

Wildlife

If you are a bird watcher, prepare yourself for a long day; the Hook is located along the Atlantic Flyway and is visited by more than 325 species of birds. The red-winged blackbird and great white egret are but two of the many different birds you will find here - some of the more common being glossy ibis, green heron, black-crowned night heron, piping clover and willet. Horseshoe Cove is a great place to find herons, egrets, osprey, geese and ducks; in fact, I spotted the egret shown here because a chevron of Brant (aka Brent Goose) caught my eye and the egret was feeding about 10 yards away. Of course, sea gulls are the dominant bird here and found on both ocean and bay sides. There are large poles with platforms sticking up in a number of locations - those are for osprey to nest. In all of the years I have been going to the Hook, I have only been able to capture an osprey on "film" once - it was shortly after I got the image of the blackbird shown here. Unfortunately, it caught me by surprise and it isn't a very good image.

Birds aren't the only wildlife you will find - if you are quiet and look real close, you may spot a red fox or two. You will also find Monarch butterfly and horseshoe crab, in addition to the aforementioned osprey. Muskrat can be found along the bay side but the real show-stopper might be the seals; you can find them playing in the surf or, between December and March, laying on the beach soaking up the rays.

Though I've not seen any in my travels, I understand you may come across an occasional snake along the way. The overwhelming majority of snakes in New Jersey are non-venomous and none of the venomous snakes are native to this area.

Flora

Warning: Poison ivy is prevalent - learn to recognize the plant and keep your distance.

The warning aside, poison ivy does play an important role - it's roots help secure the sand in place during storms. Milkweed is abundant and is vital to the well-being of the Monarch butterfly. The flowers, trees and plants found on the peninsula are many - mushrooms, cacti, Maple trees, flowering dogwood, beachgrass, sunflower and bayberry, to name a few. The Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) shown here was found growing out of the wall surrounding Mortar Battery. For more information, check out the Sandy Hook Herbarium run by the Marine Academy of Science and Technology. I would like to thank Ms. Cheryl McDonald for helping me to identify the plant. I would also like to thank Ms. McDonald for letting me know of the Holly Forest at the park. I'm certain that I have been thru there because I have explored the entire park at some point but I had forgotten. The Holly Forest is the largest on the East Coast and has trees that have been there since the British occupied the area - some reaching 70 feet high! The forest is also believed to be the largest virgin holly forest in the country. There used to be a nice pathway thru the forest but my understanding is that it is now closed to the public - there was a problem with people damaging the trees by taking clippings for Christmas decorations. The Park Rangers were conducting walks thru the forest but it would seem that has ended as I cannot find any information.

History

There is no way I can write about Sandy Hook and not talk about it's rich history and it's role in our military history, particularly the American Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and the Civil War. You will find bunkers, ammunition batteries, and the lighthouse.

The Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States, built in 1764 it was lit for the first time on 11 June 1764 - at the time it stood 500 feet from the tip of the hook, today is is nearly 1½ miles from the tip. The lighthouse was nearly destroyed in March 1776 by the Monmouth County Militia for fear it was aiding the British. They took most of the items essential for the lighthouse to function and broke the glass lens. The British ultimately took over the hook, repaired the lighthouse and remained there until the end of the war.

A wooden fort was constructed during the War of 1812 and named, Fort Gates. As an additional line of defense, a cannon was installed in the lighthouse. After the war, it was decided that a permanent structure should be built but it didn't start until 1859 when the Army began construction of Fort at Sandy Hook. The fort was never finished and was knocked down in the 1950's. The gun batteries didn't come into being until the end of the 19th Century. This is around the same time Fort Hancock came into being; designed to protect New York Harbor from invasion.

World War II saw a proliferation of aircraft being used for warfare and by the end of the war anti-aircraft guns played a key role in defending the fort, only to be replaced by Nike missiles during the Cold War. The fort was decommissioned at the end of 1974 and became part of the National Park Service.

The U.S. Coast Guard now occupies much of the land on the bay side, close to the tip.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Ms. Cheryl McDonald for identifying the plants shown here.

I would also like to thank my daughter, Katie, for allowing me to use her sunset image. It's hard to believe I have never shot a sunrise or sunset at Sandy Hook, I'm glad she has. You can check out more of her work at her Facebook page - Katie Valencia Photography.

Links to websites and other information

  • Download a "Multi-Use Pathway map" (PDF) - here
  • Download a "Trail map" (PDF) - here
  • Map of Sandy Hook (JPEG) - here
  • Fort Hancock Historic Walking Tour (brochure/map) - here
  • Birds of Gateway National Recreation Area (PDF) - here
  • Mammals of Gateway National Recreation Area (PDF) - here

How to get there

For GPS, use the following address: 128 South Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, NJ 07732
General directions (from the National Park Service website): https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/sandyhookdirections.htm
  • From North Jersey and New York: - South on the New Jersey Turnpike - Exit 11 onto the Garden State Parkway (South) - Exit 117 (Keyport/Hazlet) - After toll, bear left and follow Route 36 East - 12 miles to park entrance (after crossing the Highlands Bridge)-Stay right to enter the park.
  • From South Jersey: - North on Garden State Parkway - Exit 105 (Eatontown), bear left for Route 36 East - Continue on Route 36 East, pass Monmouth Mall and across Route 35 through Eatontown and Long Branch (Route 36 is called Joline Avenue here). - Continue on Route 36, which turns left and follows north along ocean. (Route 36 is called Ocean Blvd. here) - North for six miles through the towns of Long Branch, Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright to park.
  • From Philadelphia & Camden, New Jersey: - New Jersey Turnpike north to Exit 7A (Shore Points) onto I-195 - East on I-195, to Garden State Parkway north. - GSP north to Exit 105 (Eatontown). - Then follow "From South Jersey" directions above.
For alternate transportation options - including public transportation - you can check out the website above.
"Sunset on the Bay" is copyright Katherine E. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at k.e.v.photographynj@gmail.com
All other photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

Thursday, March 21, 2019

The REAL New Jersey - a new project and series (CANCELLED)


Due to a number of reasons, this project has been cancelled indefinitely. One of the biggest reasons is the inability to secure corporate sponsorship and secure the equipment needed to execute the project properly.


This post is part of a series - for more information about the series, as well as links to the other posts, check out The REAL New Jersey Project Page

I recently submitted a series of images to a magazine for consideration. The magazine selects a single artist each month and devotes the issue to them - they publish 11 images and conduct an interview. I wasn't selected but received a nice email from the publisher who spoke highly of a couple images in particular - he said I was one of three finalists and he encouraged me to submit again at a later date.

I decided to take those 11 images and use them as the seeds for a new project on Behance - The Real New Jersey. The project will be "live" and updated throughout 2019; I will also be creating a companion series here on the blog. You can check out the project here - https://www.behance.net/gallery/77865857/The-Real-New-Jersey.

The blue hour image of the beach at Spring Lake is one of the many Jersey Shore images you will find - seascapes, sunrise, sunset, beach, waves, etc.... I will also be traveling outside of the Jersey Shore to bring you to the Appalachian Trail, Sandy Hook and other parks and natural wonders the state offers.

I hope you enjoy the project as much as I do.


All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

Monday, March 18, 2019

Shooting the New York City Skyline

The Iconic New York City Skyline

I was sitting in my office the other afternoon counting the minutes until quitting time (I started at about 250!) and trying to decide if, and where, to shoot on my way home. I wasn't expecting a spectacular sunset but indications were that it would be at least worth checking out. I decided on driving to Atlantic Highlands, specifically Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook, and shooting the New York City Skyline, with Sandy Hook in the foreground.

Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook

Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook is a small park in the Monmouth County Park System; also part of the park is the Monmouth County 9/11 Memorial - more on that in another post. The website for the park states -
At 266 feet, this overlook in Atlantic Highlands sits on the highest natural elevation on the Atlantic seaboard (excluding islands) from Maine to the Yucatan providing beautiful views of Sandy Hook, Sandy Hook Bay, Raritan Bay and the New York skyline.
This makes it a great spot to check out Sandy Hook, the Atlantic Ocean and New York City. On a clear day you can see for miles! The horizon would be about 20 miles out to sea! There are two (2) covered seating areas, each with a couple benches and the large, pay-per-view, binoculars that get you up close to the Hook and City for 25¢. It's a great place to sit and unwind after a day at the office.

Setting up

I arrived at the park about 5:45 PM, about an hour before sunset. This gave me plenty of time to decide on a composition and take a few shots of the scenery before it started getting dark; with that much time there was no pressure. The downside of being there that early was that it was quite cold and a bit windy. The saving grace being that the wind wasn't constant but it did seem to gust pretty good just as I was clicking the shutter.... The sky was clear and I had a good view, the problem was that the sky was clear - a sign that sunset wasn't going to be all that great. There were a couple clouds out over Queens that were slowly making their way west but they pretty much dissipated by the time the sun set.

Sunset

It was fun watching the sky gradually turn orange and the city lights start to come alive. I wanted to smooth out the water as much as I could so I stopped down to f/11 to get as slow a shutter as I could. I decided not to get out the ND filters because I was having trouble with the wind and didn't want to add to the problem. While I didn't get the dramatic sunset sky that I like, I did get a nice warm sky and a slight glow on the buildings.

Darkness Descends

The color image at the top of the page and the black & white image shown here are the same image - taken about 30 minutes after the sun set and the sky got dark. The wind had begun gusting harder by this time and, of course, it was considerable colder but I didn't want to waste an opportunity. I waited until the wind stopped, then tripped the shutter with the cable release but invariably the wind would blow at some time during the long exposure; I even tried blocking the wind with my body but it only helped a little.

The park closed at 8:00 PM and by now it was 7:50 so I packed up and headed for home - excited to see what I had captured.

The Results

The images shown here are the only ones I did any editing for as I felt they were the strongest compositions. I deleted the others. I am happy with the compositions presented here but, upon close inspection, find that they aren't as sharp as they should be and there is a lot of noise in the dark areas of the images. The lack of sharpness is due to camera shake during the exposure; the noise a function of the camera. I am disappointed but also armed now with some knowledge I didn't have prior to that shoot. I will be going back again - more than once - and shooting during sunset and twilight.

You can download a park brochure for Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook here.


All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

Friday, March 8, 2019

Interview with Scottish Photographer & Vlogger Kim Grant

Author note: It's been well over a year since I interviewed Kelly Czupkiewicz for this blog and I thought it was time to resurrect the series. I am beginning with Scottish photographer Kim Grant. I am lining up more for the months to come. Stay tuned.
I found Kim on YouTube a while back and subscribed to her channel before I was even halfway thru the first video. I'm not even sure how I discovered her channel - I was following guys like Thomas Heaton, Brendan van Son and Serge Ramelli; one of her videos may have shown up on the "Up Next" suggestion list while watching one of their videos or when I did a search for "female photographer." I doesn't matter how I found her, I'm just very happy I did.

If you watch her videos you will soon learn how much she loves nature and her homeland, Scotland. She is genuinely enthusiastic about each place she visits, as well as quite knowledgeable. Most of the photographers/vloggers I follow are producing videos for one or more of the following reasons:

  1. Show off their photography skills and images
  2. Teach you how to do something
  3. To sell you something - a piece of equipment, calendar, workshop, Lightroom presets, etc....
My experience with Kim is that her main objective is to share her love of nature and country, displaying her skill as a photographer is just icing on the cake (and what a sweet icing it is.) It is a refreshing change and I think this is one thing that contributes to her success; watching her videos is like being on vacation with a friend as a tour guide. This year Kim ventured into the world of workshops and now you can experience Scotland with your very own guide. The workshops are single-day and, as-of this writing, cost £50 (about $65 USD). You get an opportunity to shoot side-by-side with Kim and see some of her favorite locations. It is a great way to discover new places, meet new people and learn to see things differently. She also offers private, one-on-one sessions; check the "Workshops" section of her website.

I have been re-watching some of her videos, particularly her earlier ones, in preparation for this interview. Snowy Adventure and What My Youtube Channel is Really About! is the video in which I "connected" with Kim and really gives us a good understanding of who she is. If you watch the video, just about 4:30 in she starts to talk about her channel and what it is all about; at one point she states "...landscape photography is something which I use to connect with the natural world...". I feel exactly the same way, sometimes when I am out I wonder if my hiking is an excuse for photography or if photography is an excuse to go out hiking. In the end, it doesn't matter - right? I don't want to put words in Kim's mouth but, for us, the experience is more important than the image. The act of squeezing the shutter is an attempt to capture not only the beauty of the scene but also the feeling and character of the landscape.

Okay - enough of my ramblings, let's get to "Kim Grant in her own words!" I hope you check out her links below and consider supporting her work via her Patreon page.

The Interview

Personal questions

What is your favorite childhood memory?

Camping in Aviemore with my dad. Loved spending the summers in the Highlands enjoying all things outdoorsy from kayaking to cycling. There was nothing better than spending a day down by a loch and cooking food on a stove.

What are the five foods you can’t live without?

  • Spaghetti Bolognese
  • Dark Chocolate
  • Ice Cream
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Freshly Made Baguette

What’s the best advice anyone has given you and who gave it to you?

"You always have a choice". I was told this by a midwife when I was training to be a nurse just after I left school. It's always stuck with me and is something I always repeat in my mind when I feel my life is steering in the wrong direction.
(Joe: Great advice! I have never been disappointed with the answers to this question. I’m beginning to wonder if I asked it for the advice…. 😉)

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't shooting?

Getting stuck into a really good book. There's nothing better than immersing yourself into a fantasy world and letting your mind run wild. Anything with a good message or a page turning thriller. It's a great way to detach from the stresses of real life for an hour or two.

If you could spend an hour with any famous person, past or present, who would it be and why?

They say never to meet your heros. I would therefore probably pick someone who had an interesting life with a lot of interesting stories to tell. Maybe someone like George Michael. His music inspired so many but he battled a lot of things behind the camera. It would have been interesting to hear his personal accounts of fame and the pressures that come with it.
(Joe: This is interesting…. I have heard the same advice; I’ve been fortunate to meet some whom I have admired, all where good encounters. I have been lucky.)

What is something that most people don’t know about you?

I was almost a black belt in kick-boxing when I was a kid (one belt away from black belt - almost a martial arts expert hehe).
(Joe: I always hope that my interviewees are happy with the final interview but this answer makes me nervous…)🤣

What would you like to be remembered for?

Allowing people to see the natural world in a more positive light and being able to inspire people to get outdoors and embrace it.

Professional questions

Why photography?

It allows me to connect with nature in a more meaningful way. I find it relaxing and it gets me out the house to see stunning times of day which so many of us miss.

How and why did you start vlogging?

I started it as a bit of fun. I thought it would be good to share my trips around Scotland and teach people a few positive messages along the way. I genuinely only expected a few hundred people to see and follow my adventures. It still shocks me how well my YouTube channel has done and how many people enjoy watching the content that I create.
(Joe: As I am writing this, Kim has more than 11,000 subscribers!)

Can you explain your photography in 10 words or less?

A connection with the landscape and it's true natural beauty.

What is your greatest achievement in photography?

Before YouTube I made a small local calendar showcasing my best images from around the Moray Coast. Seeing my images in print for the first time made me feel incredibly proud. I only managed to sell half of them (barely making the money I spent on printing them back) but the fact that almost 100 people wanted one, made me feel very proud of my images and work!

If you could share a gallery show with anyone past or present, who would it be?

There is an English photographer called Ollie Taylor who shoots astrophotography. His work always blows me away! Sharing a gallery with him would be fun (me showcasing locations at golden hours and him showcasing the same locations after dark). I think it would be a great contrasting visual representation of the landscape throughout the day.
(Joe: That sounds like a great exhibit! Hey, Ollie! What about it?)

Where do you draw inspiration from when you shoot and what’s your favorite part about the process?

Watching inspiring videos and vlogs. Nothing inspires me more than seeing somewhere stunning on film with epic music and light. I often feel my most inspired when I see a really good YouTube video and I begin to plan my own trip to that location (or one similar) to have my own adventure. Seeing other people have a happy experience in a location, inspires me to get there and shoot it for myself.
(Joe: I’m sure you have done your share of inspiring others thru your videos!)

What is your favorite location to shoot?

The coast. It's too difficult to pick one specific location. I love standing on towering clifftops and shooting the sunset or sunrise with the ocean and waves crashing around me. I always feel most alive when shooting seascapes. Just take me to the coast and I'm happy!
(Joe: I would agree with you. There is something magical about a sunrise over the ocean – I would do it every day if it wasn’t so early in the morning!) 😉

What is your favorite piece of equipment?

Probably my tripod. while I enjoy shooting without it from time to time, it allows me to get creative with long shutter speeds and explore the world of astrophotography.

How did you get your start and what advice would you give to someone looking for a career in photography?

I feel like I'm still starting out in the photography world myself. It's a challenge to get into it in the modern day world but plenty of practice and sharing your work online can really boost your chances. On a local level, my Facebook page was very popular when I first started (as local people could relate to the locations I was shooting). In my current photography journey, it's youtube that has opened up the doors for me. I guess social media is your friend. If you're more into portraits, weddings or events, networking and marketing yourself is the best way. You need to get your service and name out there to get the work in.

Bonus question:

What are your Top 5 "Deserted Island" albums?

  • Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
  • Elton John - Captain Fantastic
  • Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials
  • Kygo - Cloud Nine
  • Sia - This Is Acting

Links


All images are © Kim Grant and may not be used without written permission. You may contact Kim at kimgrantphotography@gmail.com

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