Some more time at south mountain reservation

Just a quick walk

Planning The Photo Saunter of Blue contemplation, I need a proper day with my Camera

First of all does anyone have anything suggestions on where I should travel to to take pictures in NJ/NY area, let me know.

After I received my new Camera, Nikon D90 aka Cambot MK3, I wanted to go on a crazy photo walk, by myself. I wanted to do this to get to know my camera better, play with exposure settings different angles etc and take a crazy amount of pictures in new places, but Things kept getting in the way. In January I finally get to do this. I am calling it the "The Photo Saunter of Blue Contemplation"

Updates -So far the points of interest consist of
Long Branch NJ, live in NJ all my life and I have never been here. For beaches I have usually gone all south of Blemar NJ , I need winter beach shots. When I'm done at the Jersey shore I will venture to a spot for lunch, something involving Craft Beer. Slow it down some, contemplate the composition of a good beer image and make an attempt .

After that, and due to the weather, I am probably going to go to Manhattan. It’s really easy to stay warm in Manhattan, New York. I am going to start off at south street sea port I think. Then work my way up town to Central park. And from there I will play it by ear. I will basically drift afer I hit those two points.

It shall an epic EXP (experience point) grind, a chance to disconnect and learn, really learn more about Cambot MK3.You'll probably find me drifting through the New Jersey shore, holding my 28-80 mm lens toward the horizon of the ocean. I will also lug my tripod with me that day ,my 70-300 lens and maybe18-105.  Occasionally referring to my cheat sheets to find out what else I could do.

The whole purpose of the day is to fine tune my image making skill, well the stuff I have learned so far anyway.

Goals for The Photo Saunter of Blue contemplation

--Purely shooting in Manual mode,

--Beach shots, I love the water , with the 70-300

--Beer shots

--Coffee Shots

--Something with a Wabi Sabi vibe (beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature)

--No Driving, all NJ Transit

--Have fun

How to take successful photos at night

Full guide at: http://www.dslrtips.com/wor... How to take successful photos at night, by Gordon Laing, Editor of http://www.dslrtips.com

Quick Tips for Urban Photography After Dark

what timing !

Before heading out to get some great images of the city after sunset, it is important to make sure you have the proper equipment. This means that you should definitely have a flexible tripod that can adjust to varying heights; a wide-angle lens; some sort of lens hood or a system for directing the flash outside of the frame; and a game plan.

Early Morning in Hoboken Photo Fu 12-29-09 - a set on Flickr

Photo Fu 12-29-09 - a set on Flickr



It was a dark and smeggnig freezing morning, I could not feel my nose, but the pictures were so work it. As a learning experience. I have been wanting to to takes these shots since i got the camera. I tried this shot, many times before, and with older point and shoots and failed. I am going to take what i learned and redo these pictures when it's warmer. I also have to read up on night photography.

what i need to work on here is ISO settings at this level of light, better choose what metering to use , Center Weighted or Matrix. Also need to work on exposure settings .







Created with flickr slideshow.

Photo Fu 12-27-09 -South Mountain Reservation , a quick walk

Photo Fu 12-27-09 - a set on Flickr


On this day, and was pleasantly warm fifty degrees Fahrenheit. So while i had a quick moment i headed up the mountain, tripod and camera in hand and got some shots in. Nothing really special and a nice quite peaceful snow melted moment.
Take a look at the slide show, Please comment



Created with flickr slideshow.

Quick Photo FU Thoughts: exercise

Quite the sword, Steady the camera.

Quite the sword, Steady the camera. I believe great image creation can benefits from strength, fitness, coordination, balance, focus and control.

One part of my photo fu training, learning photography, has become exercise. No, not taking pictures of people exercising, actually exercising. Getting in better shape. I think being in better health will help me greatly when creating better images.

The best exercise for photography, in my opinion are pushups. This exercise has the best overall benefits, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushup)Strengthens the arms, the back, stomach etc. Having strong arms can help you steady your shot.

“Benefits of push ups are so obvious that there is no secrets about them. Plain and simple. You just need to take a few minutes each day to perform them and you are going to see their incredible impact on your body very soon. Every week your could notice great changes on the shape of your body, while watching yourself in the mirror. Every week!”

The other important exercise in photography is walking. This is also very easy. Because you can take your camera with you it also makes Great Photo Fu practice. This does require decent weather though. You can catalog your neighborhood, you can go to other areas, parks, whatever makes you happy and take decent pictures.



Another Great exercise I like is bike riding. This is something I don’t carry my DSLR (Cambot Mk3) with,though. I generally have my phone or a point and shot. “The best camera you can have is the one that’s with you” Anyhoo When biking you get places farther, and when you rest, and take pictures, you have a decent map of where you have gone and using a smart phone, you get GPS coordinates to go along with it.

All in all, your physical health should be part of your photography. You can get a lot more done the healthier you are.

More on the High line

20091122-DSC_0152, originally uploaded by gservo.

Download a printable High Line map

high-line-flickr-pool

Recyling - The High Line - A Great place for a Photo Walk

20091122-DSC_0153, originally uploaded by gservo.

Old Raised City Tracks
Trains, Flow over no more
Recycled as park

The High Line is located on Manhattan's West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues. Section 1 of the High Line, which opened to the public on June 9, 2009, runs from Gansevoort Street to 20th Street.

For park information, please call the High Line Information Line: (212) 500-6035

Hours
The High Line is open from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily.


Access
Access to the High Line is possible via any of the access points listed below.

In the event the High Line reaches capacity, you may be asked to enter via the Gansevoort Street stairs (or 16th Street elevator if you need elevator service) only, to ensure public safety and the safety of the park itself.

* Gansevoort Street
* 14th Street (elevator access)
* 16th Street (elevator access)
* 18th Street
* 20th Street

About the Park
EnlargeSection 1 Landscape
The High Line was originally constructed in the 1930s, to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan's streets. Section 1 of the High Line is open as a public park, owned by the City of New York and operated under the jurisdiction of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Friends of the High Line is the conservancy charged with raising private funds for the park and overseeing its maintenance and operations, pursuant to an agreement with the Parks Department.

When all sections are complete, the High Line will be a mile-and-a-half-long elevated park, running through the West Side neighborhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/Hell's Kitchen. It features an integrated landscape, designed by landscape architects James Corner Field Operations, with architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, combining meandering concrete pathways with naturalistic plantings. Fixed and movable seating, lighting, and special features are also included in the park.

Access points from street level will be located every two to three blocks. Many of these access points will include elevators, and all will include stairs.

A place I would like to do a ‘Photo Walkabou’t : Governors Island, New York

Manhattan and Governors Island, originally uploaded by JesseLoesch.

Governors Island, in the heart of New York Harbor, is only 800 yards from Lower Manhattan, A former Military base. It was ‘mothballed in 1996’.

In 2003 the island was sold to the people of New York for one dollar (usd) Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC) oversees 150 acres of the Island, while the National Park Service manages the balance, the 22-acre Governors Island National Monument which includes two 1812-era forts.

The 172-acre Island is about 22 city-blocks long from tip to tip. The northern 92 acres of the Island are the Governors Island Historic District and are open to the public for picnics, tours, concerts, car-free biking, and more. The 80-acre non-historic South Island, full of decrepit barracks and warehouses, is currently closed, undergoing major demolition work and slated for redevelopment.

Governors Island by the Numbers:

* 172 acres total
* 102 landfill acres added to original island from subway excavations
* 92-acre National Historic Landmark District and New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission Historic District on North Island
* 3 historic fortifications
* 52 landmarked buildings totaling 1.4 million square feet
* 80 acres of non-historic land south of Division Road
* 3 working ferry docks
* More than 1,600 trees
* Closest point on land to the face of the Statue of Liberty

http://govislandblog.com/ is the best source of New information about the park