Texture Adventure

In Sandy’s wake, we have limited access to the beach and consequently, our favorite photo spots. For the past couple of months, we’ve been very slow with our own personal photo work. The work that we do for our clients aside, we also enjoy just going out with cameras and capturing whatever it is we choose. In an effort to get back into our own personal photo adventures, we took some visits to local parks to get some shots – with an emphasis on textures and patterns. Being that we usually don’t shoot the woods or winter very often – it was a fun exercise. It also proved that you can find textures and patterns in nature pretty much anywhere you look.


Here are a couple favorite shots from the adventure. You can view the whole set on our Facebook page.


Initially, the woman in red in this photo irritated me. She was ruining my shot! I initially had planned to just clone her out – but I ended up liking the pop of red she provided.

These posts are really nothing special, but I really loved the clean, uninterrupted way the snow was sitting on top of them. While I initially included just the first post – I decided I liked the perspective effect the rest of them had behind it.


This was literally ice in a mud hole on the ground. I stepped on a lot of it before realizing how much like shattered glass it appeared.

If you were a 90’s kid, you surely remember Legends of the Hidden Temple on Nickelodeon. This pattern in tree bark reminded me a lot of Old Mec.



As always, be sure to check out our site (newly renovated) and ‘like’ us on Facebook for even more!

Ortley Beach: 80 Days After Sandy

Just about 3 months after the storm, visiting Ortley Beach, NJ still feels like a different world. This post is going to be a bit photo-heavy, but it can serve as a dedication of sorts to the town that Ortley once was, and what it will be again. It’s difficult to describe what it’s like to go to a town you once knew so well that you could probably describe the streets house by house – and be met with what feels like no landmarks to identify what street you’re standing on. The rubble is extensive, the streets are buckled, and there are enormous masses of tangled rope and the fabric of people’s lives washed up on the shore. These are really the only photos I’ve taken thus far since the storm – I’ve only been back twice. Ray has been back several more times than that. The beach in Ortley is closed, and not wanting to tempt fate we didn’t try to sneak up so I could get some photos of the now-infamous fallen JetStar. In the last shot of the first grouping, Ray is feeling the water – not something we get to do every day anymore.











These photos are from the same street in happier times.

This is a favorite shot of the pier and JetStar – taken standing on the old ramp that used to lie at the end of the street.








As always, visit our site or Facebook for more.

An Engagement Shoot at 50mph – New Jersey Engagement Photographer

We seem to have a real knack for shooting in fairly extreme conditions. Having already conquered shooting in far less than desirable conditions (read: hurricane Sandy), we knew that shooting in 50mph wind was going to be a challenge. We had a really special couple coming to shoot with us – but we were worried that the wind was just going to be too difficult (and uncomfortable) to shoot in. I had tentatively stepped out on the dock to see what it was like, and was nearly blown off – it was that bad! Luckily for us, Rosemary and Blaze were game to push on. While I was dressed like Ralphie in A Christmas Story Rosemary managed to look effortless (and completely beautiful) – luckily I was not the one getting photos taken on that day!

While we were a bit limited by the wind and essentially had to hide behind a small building for cover – Rosemary and Blaze were truly amazing and really did make this shoot look like just another day at the beach (it wasn’t! trust me!). If they made 50mph winds in December look gorgeous, I can only imagine how wonderful they are going to look in their wedding photos! Weather aside, these two were so in love that it just made these photos glow!

Check out the full set on our site: www.deepsixphotography.com

… and like us on Facebook! facebook.com/deepsixphotography

 

 

 

Merry Christmas! New Jersey Portrait Photographer

A day late and a several dollars short – Merry Christmas to everyone!

What better way to celebrate Christmas than with several adorable baby photos? Danielle and I worked together several years ago, and when she asked me to come over and take some pictures of her adorable new addition I couldn’t resist! Once Ray and I got there, we were informed of the double surprise that she had also gotten engaged the night before (so of course we had to do some ring shots).

Enjoy!

 

Hello, Philly: New Jersey Event Photographer

I can honestly say that every time I've gone to Philly over the years, I've gotten lost. I have always been a huge G Love & Special Sauce fan, and being that he hails from Philadelphia, I have gone to my fair share of his shows there. It typically turns into a mess of turning the wrong way down one way streets, and hoping that I luck into finding the place where I'm actually supposed to be going.

I should have known that this trip to the city of brotherly love would be no different. Despite having a shiny new iPhone with a GPS – I stink at navigation. I managed to guide Ray in, but not without our share of last minute turns, desperate lane changes, and several missed parking garage attempts. After monopolizing our fishing pole-laden vehicle (very out of place in Philadelphia) by eating our dinner (wraps) on the hood of the car and having a valet circle us like a shark waiting to park our ride – we began to lug out heavy camera equipment around the city – only to discover we had parked directly across the street from the venue.

Once we stepped inside, however – I couldn’t believe how absolutely gorgeous the Arts Ballroom on Locust street was. With a cocktail hour illuminated in blue lights, and a banquet hall so elegant it was straight out of Cinderella (grand staircase and all!) I could only wish for a glass slipper to lose.

 

We had a great time capturing some candids at the cocktail hour, and then watching several hysterical videos as the 2012 Pepperpots went on. Special thanks to PRSA for letting us be a part of their evening, and for throwing such an awesome bash!

Check out the full set on our Facebook or site!

www.deepsixphotography.com

 

Catching Up: New Jersey Wedding Photographer

Just another catch-up post to try to bring this blog up to date. There was one more special event that took place directly after Superstorm Sandy decided to come and mess everything up.

Sandy took a great many things from the shore – inclusive of Michelle and Tim’s wedding venue. They decided to get married anyhow, in a dark chapel the Saturday after the storm. With the area still largely without power, the ‘congregation’ (aka: us) sang the wedding march as the pair walked down the aisle. Afterward, the party headed down to Spring Oak Country Club to celebrate.

Sandy: you may have taken electricity, the boardwalk, and essentially the entire eastern seaboard – but you can’t have love!

That was corny.

 

Check out the full set (and LIKE us on Facebook!)

 

or..

Visit our site! www.deepsixphotography.com

 

 

Spring Lake, NJ New Jersey Wedding Photographer

 

Prior to being a photographer, I felt like I never really got to go to weddings. It’s quite amazing that now I get to share in the joy of people that I’ve just met and be part of their special days. It is even more amazing when said special day is the evening before a superstorm is priming to hurl itself into the coast.

 

All morning long we observed the weather. There were road closures, evacuations, and a million other terrible things going on. The weather was deteriorating quickly, and everyone was buying gas and anticipating what we were told were going to be weeks without power. While I was anxious and scared of getting trapped someplace that wasn’t home – I knew we had to go shoot this wedding! So out we went, to brave the wind and rain, to Spring Lake, NJ. I couldn’t have been happier that we did.

 

 

To say that the atmosphere was warm, cozy, and full of love was an understatement. Whispers Restaurant in Spring Lake is small, quaint, and lovely. The couple was absolutely beaming, and it was such a comfort to see true love prevail against even the worst storms. Making the best of what we had – we had to forgo all the sweeping landscape photos we originally had planned. Landscapes or not – it was clearly evident that this couple was just happy to be married – all circumstances aside. It was an honor to attend!

 

 

To see the full set, visit our site – www.deepsixphotography.com or visit our Facebook (and ‘like’ us!) facebook.com/deepsixphotography

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catching Up: Halloween

So I love Halloween. A LOT. Arguably, I love Halloween far more than I love Christmas. I love scary movies, full moons, ghost stories, and creepy October nights with fog rolling down the street. Additionally, my birthday is the day after Halloween, so I typically enjoy a scary birthday and that suits me just fine.

This Halloween, as many (if not all) of you know – the Jersey shore dealt with a force more powerful than zombies, vampires, or ghouls. Hurricane Sandy swept through our coastline, devastating the barrier islands, and pretty much anyone who lived anywhere near the water. Many people lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their lifestyles. Much of the coast (myself included) was without power for 2 weeks. Life as many of us know it here, has changed dramatically.

I don’t have any photos of storm ravaged shore to show you. Access to the islands is heavily controlled, and I’m not sure I would want to share any more (even if I did have photos). The damage is so widespread and encompassing that there is no need to publicize it further.

Instead, I will focus on some of the happier moments in Ray and I’s current photographic lives. We did quite a bit of shooting the weekend before the storm, and also the weekend after. We were able to see two weddings occur in the pre and post devastation – and also attend one of the most kick-ass Halloween parties we’d ever had the privilege to go to.

Here are a few shots from the Halloween party – which occurred Saturday night before the storm hit Sunday into Monday. The mood was happy, the guests were wonderful – but I couldn’t help a feeling of foreboding as the storm approached. The wind began to kick up as the party went on.

If you’d like to see more of the set, visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/deepsixphotography. Don’t forget to give us a ‘like’ while you’re there!

Long Exposure HDR

 

Every now and then I get on a jag with long exposure shooting. I don’t always find the technique applicable (I’m sure that I would use it a whole lot more if we had some waterfalls or the like around) but when I use it, I’m typically not disappointed. The last long exposure HDR shot I did was at the lighthouse, and became Deepsix Photography’s top-selling photo. I’m not sure that this most recent endeavor will climb the charts quite like that one did – but I do really like it:

 

 

 

Just for comparison – here is a similar shot (zoomed in quite a bit) that is not HDR, just long exposure. If you look at the above shot, you can see the moon just beginning to descend from the clouds. Below, you can see much more of it.

 

 

And there you have it – one shot, two similar ways. Which do you prefer?

 

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ us on Facebook!

http://facebook.com/deepsixphotography

 

 

 

 

 

Staying Grounded

 

We photograph a lot of the same things again and again. Living on a barrier island, this is unavoidable unfortunately. There are only so many ways you can do dune grass – only so many wave shots you can take – before everything begins to look the same.

 

On a walk to the jetty this weekend, I decided to test some of the limits of my new 5d Mark ii and get on the ground. I had old jeans on, so it wasn’t too huge a production to pretty much lay in the sand for some shots.

 

 

 

Ray was attempting to get low, also:

 

 

Anyway, it was a really gorgeous day for some faux-macro photography of ordinary things!