Natural Vs. Artificial: New Jersey Landscape Photography

I have long been interested/obsessed with lightning. As a kid, I used to love going out to the front stoop to watch storms. Living in a neighborhood with lots of trees didn’t exactly afford the best view of lightning or the sky – so the second I could drive, I began logging hours by the shore. At first, it was the bay beach a couple of miles away from my house. After a while, I began to feel comfortable creeping over to the Ocean Gate boardwalk.


I wasn’t doing photography seriously then, but I loved to take my first 35mm film camera with me to take the same 5 photos over and over again on different days. I never even attempted to get a photo of lightning, knowing that the combination of me being a seriously unlucky individual and also a rather cautious one created a cocktail that kept me from the experience. Once I got into photography seriously, I began to love long exposures, fireworks, and essentially any ‘light painting’ photo I could get.


I had not attempted getting shots of lightning until the other night. Having just finished shooting an event, on the way home, I noticed that there was some serious storm going on. It wasn’t raining, the clouds seemed to be in the right position to be able to photograph, and all the impossible variables seemed to fall into place. I set up by Island Heights, and began a relatively frustrating hour checking exposures, getting my timing down, and trying to remember to continuously press the shutter (next on my purchase list: remote shutter). I managed to get several bolts, though the one I’m going to share was the night’s best. It was totally exciting each time I knew I ‘got one’ in my shot, and I am now waiting patiently for the next storm.


Just so you can compare, I’m going to show you nature’s fireworks vs. the ones that we shoot off on the Fourth of July. I tried a little something different with this year’s fireworks and pushed my ISO way higher than I typically do, so I could include some foreground. When I finally got to look at the frames, I was really happy at the sense of ‘awe’ that including the people watching the show included.





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The New Landscape: New Jersey Fine Art Photography

I’ve always been a believer that Mother Nature is a cruel but beautiful mistress, and that the ocean deserves the utmost respect. When disasters happen, I can’t help but often feel like the ocean gives and takes, and that the way it leaves things is often the way it wants them.

The jetty down at Island Beach State Park has long been one of my favorite spots. I remember being in middle school and walking down with some family friends for the first time. It’s a mile or so of a walk, so to get there by foot you really have to want it. I found an enormous, perfect whelk shell. It was like finding GOLD. I was awed at the time that I just happened to be passing by the spot where that beauty washed up. I have never found another. I’ve found other neat things, and I do harbor an intense love of perfect scallop shells. I used to intently search for a perfect, pure white one. Believe it or not – they’re actually insanely difficult to find. Mostly they’re black, or reddish, or an assortment of colors. Over many years of looking I only ever found one that was truly white. I display it in a velvet ring box – perhaps as a reminder that even when the ocean flings things like Super-storm Sandy at the coast, it also produces small, perfect miracles. But I digress.

The landscape of the jetty changed significantly after the storm. Oddly enough, it now makes for more beautiful photographs thanks to a lovely tide pool that is somewhat reminiscent of what it looked like many years ago. I don’t know that us humans will allow it to stay that way for long, but I can’t help but enjoy the beauty that is there now.

Without further ado…

Beautiful Things: New Jersey Landscape Photography

I feel like it’s always a catch-up with this blog! We have done so many great family shoots and weddings recently, that it will take a bit to get all that goodness up. For now, enjoy this sampling from last night in Ocean Gate, NJ. The iconic (to locals) boardwalk and pavilion made it through Sandy – so it’s nice to see one local landmark completely untouched. Yes – these are HDR photos!





If you’re digging all this, make sure to check out our Facebook page where there is plenty more goodness from the Summer 2013 Landscape Collection (as well as much more!).

We also have a site with plenty to see!
www.deepsixphotography.com

New Year, New Start: New Jersey Portrait Photographer

A few months back we ran a contest of sorts called ‘New Year, New Start’ – the idea was: if you’d been affected by hurricane Sandy – give us your name! We did a random drawing, and the lucky winner received a photo session for free. Being that it was random, we weren’t sure who we were going to pick (obviously). There were many deserving families, and we truly wished that we could give free photos to everyone (if we could, we would!). We lucked out when we picked these guys – they were so sweet, their little one was so adorable, and they were so wonderful to work with.




For the full set, ‘like’ us on Facebook!

A (little) Spring in Our Step

There were moderately (I say this conservatively) spring-like temperatures this past weekend, so we were able to get out for a bit in Cattus Island State Park. I have been DYING (dying, dying, dying) to test out my new 100mm Macro f/2.8L on bugs so I was REALLY (really, really, really) hoping that we were finally going to see some signs of life. With the exception of a couple ants, my macro pickings have been limited to plant life, household objects, and my extremely uncooperative schnauzer. I’ve gotten to use the lens for bling shots of my brides/brides to be (which it’s awesome for, and I love the bling!) – but I was really hoping for some creepy crawlies.

I was in a little luck, and was able to spy a caterpillar on our walk. It was kind of windy, so holding his branch steady without freaking him out was difficult, but I got a couple of snaps. I also took a few other shots. Check out these snaps from our ‘nature walk’. There are only a few, because it really wasn’t that exciting.
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Hello, Spring! New Jersey Portrait Photographer

We are so lucky, because seriously – we get to have photoshoots with the cutest kids ever. No, really. Other photographers may brag that they have the cutest clients – but there is no way that’s possible.
We took a trip to Spring Lake last week to get some shots of this super ridiculously adorable family. It was windy (AGAIN! Where are you, Spring?!) so we were once again forced a bit inland of where we initially intended to do the shoot. Once again, we probably could’ve done this shoot in a junkyard, and still gotten adorable photos – because when you’ve got this much cute to work with, it doesn’t matter where you’re set up!
See the full set (and like the page while you’re there!) on our Facebook page.

Happy Easter: New Jersey Family Photographer

We have been very busy lately, hence a lack of posts. However – in order to catch up, we have quite a bit of posting to do!
We’ll rewind a bit back to Easter so that we can share this super adorable Easter themed shoot. While we had originally planned to shoot in Ocean Gate – the unspring-like (probably not a word) temperatures forced us a bit further inland. This little one was going to look cute no matter the circumstances, so it really didn’t matter where we were!
If you would like to see the full set, Like us on Facebook!

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

 

 

 

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 – New Jersey Portrait Photographer

It has been so long since our last post – and we have been very busy! We also have a lot of exciting new projects in the works – so stay tuned! In the mean time, here are a couple recent shots from shoots –

First up, we ventured to Ocean City, NJ to have a great shoot with an awesome family. We had a blast seeing a new beach, and hanging out with these guys! To see the complete set, visit our Facebook Page! (facebook.com/deepsixphotography)

Next up, we headed to Rumson, NJ where we met a super sweet little guy who had more energy than both Ray and I combined. I’m not sure I’ve ever worked up a sweat doing a shoot before – but we definitely did with this little dude. Full set available on our Facebook Page! (facebook.com/deepsixphotography).

 

 

 

 

And last but not least – we headed down to Cape May Zoo to meet a super great (super big) family! Of course, we couldn’t resist and decided to check out the animals afterward. Again, full set available on our Facebook Page! (facebook.com/deepsixphotography)

 

 

 

We’re going to be updating more – so come back soon! In the meantime, don’t forget to visit our site! www.deepsixphotography.com