There is a rapture in the lonely shore

This is somewhat of a follow-up to an earlier post titled "There Is Pleasure In The Pathless Woods" and just one of many inspired by a poem or quote that I have come across over the years. The full quote is:

There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more. - Lord Byron

The lead image is the beach at Ocean Grove, looking North towards Asbury Park. This is the beach I most often visit when I want to shoot the beach and ocean. It is close to my home but it is also one of my favorite places, period! I started going to Ocean Grove long before I moved to where I am now. This was actually taken with my cellphone camera shortly after I arrived at the beach. I have a habit of taking a few shots with my phone when I am out shooting and then posting them on social media - Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It is a great way to get some images out and it is also a great way to communicate to others who may be in the area - just in case they want to join me. If you look closely at the sky, you will see that I wasn't really alone - a beloved television character from my childhood was there. Can you see it?

I think my favorite time to be at the shore is dawn and sunrise. Watching the sun come up over the Atlantic Ocean is such a wonderful experience and I never get tired of it. This second image was shot at Ocean Grove on a magnificent morning. I knew the sun was going to be rising almost exactly due East of the Fishing Pier; I had been waiting for this day for quite a while. The sunrise that October day was 7:08 AM so I was on the boardwalk ready to go at 5:45 AM. Why so early? I always get to my shooting destination at least an hour early so that I can plan my shots, set up and make sure I don't miss anything.

The third image was taken on the first day of Spring 2012 at Horseshoe Cove on Sandy Hook. You may have seen this image before - I have used it to illustrate a couple previous blog posts but don't think I ever wrote about the image itself. I make it a habit to get out and shoot on the First Day of Spring (I try the other "First Day"s but don't seem to make all of them) and 2012 was no exception. I have also noticed over the past few years that the weather is not necessarily "Spring-like" when I am out and this day was no exception. There was a very dense fog covering the entire area but the closer you got to the ocean the worse it got. You can see in this image that visibility was extremely limited. Horseshoe Cove is one of the places I always go to whenever I get out to Sandy Hook; to me, it is a special place. Don't ask me why, don't know but it is. I like this shot because it is both calming and eerie at the same time. The scene is tranquil but you just don't know what is looming just out of sight.

I have one final image I would like to share. This was one that I took on my way to the office one morning. I leave much earlier than necessary, just in case I have to take a "detour" and that is what happened this morning. When I walked out of the house I noticed some clouds tinged with faint red and immediately headed to the beach. This was taken with my smartphone and edited using Lightroom for Mobile (see "Improve Your (mobile) Photography: Using Lightroom for Mobile")

I have many more images of the beach and ocean - all times of day and in all types of weather - but I think this is a good time to conclude this post. I hope you enjoyed the images presented here, along with the stories. I also hope the quote inspires you to get out into nature and explore it many splendors yourself. I know I will be out soon - Spring is here and I also need images to illustrate "There is a pleasure in the pathless woods"....

Oh, by the way! The character in the sky is Wile E. Coyote. Did you see him?

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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

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There Is Pleasure In The Pathless Woods

There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more. - Lord Byron

I am not one who is attracted to poetry and don't know much about it outside of Ogden Nash but I came across this quote a while back. I tucked it away thinking it would be a good subject for a blog post and now, here it is!

If you have been following me for a while you know how fond I am of wandering around in the woods. If I had to spend the rest of my life in just one environment, this is what I would choose and so when I saw this poem it immediately went into my "inspiration" list.

I would miss the ocean - the sound of the crashing waves and smell of the salt - but I derive far more pleasure hearing the sound of a babbling brook and the smell of the forest floor. There is nothing like the smell of the woods in autumn - except for maybe the smell of a baby.... :-)

Where else are you going to get this close to something as beautiful and graceful as this deer? I can, and have, sat for long periods just watching them walk through the woods, occasionally stopping to eat. If you listen closely you may hear the sound of a woodpecker looking for insects in a nearby tree. I found this hairy woodpecker only a few yards off a trail I was hiking behind my home. The was no noise but for his tapping on the tree, it took a few seconds to find him.

If you are lucky you may get to see a chipmunk or two scurrying around collecting acorns, like this little guy. I had been periodically seeing a few chipmunks on my afternoon hikes but was never able to get a decent shot - not only are they tiny but they never seem to stop moving. I was quite fortunate to get the opportunity to get the shot below.

I don't want you to go away thinking you can only go into the woods during temperate conditions - there is nothing quite like being out during, or just after, a snowfall. It is so pure and unbelievably quiet.

And with that I will bring this post to a close. I hope I have inspired you to go out and explore the “pathless woods” and have your own adventure. Please remember – Leave No Trace. Please obey all rules and regulations of the park you are hiking in and obey all signs along the way. Do not encroach on sensitive areas or leave the trail unless it is allowed.

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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

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