Abandoned Gun Battery - Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook

Monochrome

WOW! I can't believe I am finally getting a chance to write this post! I received an email a few hours ago and it is still a bit surreal to me.

Blank Wall Gallery in Athens, Greece, holds group exhibits centered around a theme. The exhibit is open to photographers world-wide, both amateur and professional. The exhibit that I answered the "Open Call" for was titled, Monochrome. I submitted five (5) images (the other four are shown below) and had one accepted - Abandoned Gun Battery.

The exhibit will consist of 100 framed images, as-well-as twenty-one images displayed via projector onto a 43" 4K screen. My image was chosen to be one of the twenty-one projected images.

The Image

The selected image was made a couple weeks ago at Fort Hancock on Sandy Hook. It is an old gun battery that has long ago been closed to the public. You might be able to see some graffiti on the walls - the fact that it is fenced off with signs all around apparently doesn't stop people from going in anyway. Even though Sandy Hook is one of my favorite destinations I don't think I have ever pointed my lens at this battery. The trip out to "The Hook" was an unscheduled one and was my last of three for the day - it proved to be my best decision of the day.

I started out at the old Lifeguard Station and then drove up the the lighthouse and one of the mortar batteries. It was a warm day for January (in the 50's) and the park was buzzing with activity which is normally a signal for me to leave, I much prefer when the hook is deserted. I drove around and ultimately ended up at the northernmost parking area with the intention of grabbing a couple images of the New York Skyline from the Observation Deck. The view, photographically, was pretty boring so I headed back to the car. When I arrived at the parking lot there was a woman walking up the concrete in the left foreground of this image - completely disregarding the signs. I get rather angry when I see people doing that and I guess that is what made me take a second look at the scene. I guess I should be thankful for the woman, I may otherwise have put the camera in the car and headed for home. 😊

The images below are the other four that I submitted. The lighthouse was actually shot after I left the battery and was on my way home - don't know what made me stop but something caught my eye. That's one reason I am always looking around and don't pack my gear away until I am home.