Clowns, clowns and more clowns
Seaside Heights, NJ
As you all should know, we're scheduled to travel down to Seaside Heights on the 19th of September to photograph at Clownfest 2010. To assist in your planning for this event, I wanted to share the following information:
1. Website for additional information: *http://www.clownfest.com/cf2010/Info_clownfest_2010.html
*2. Plan is to meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Saddlebrook Marriott on Sunday morning, Sept. 19.
3. We'll form up into car pools for the 1 hour and 45 minute drive to Seaside Heights. We should arrive by 10:00 a.m.
4. We'll be free to do some general photography from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon when Clownfest starts.
5. Clownfest will run from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m.
6. Departure times for the trip back home will be left to each car pool
Should be a fun filled day if the weather cooperates.
Train viaduct with fall landscape
Salisbury Mills, NY
We're scheduled to travel to Salisbury Mills, New York on the 9th of October to photograph the Moodna Viaduct in fall color. To assist in your long range planning, here are some of the details regarding the trip.
1. Meet at 6:00 a.m. on the GSP near exit 172. We'll form up car pools for the trip there. Parking is difficult so we should take as few cars as possible.
2. It's around a 1 hour drive to Salisbury Mills and the Viaduct.
3. We should get there by 7:00 a.m. (Sunrise is at 7:01 a.m.)
4. We'll have to wait a little while for the light to get high enough to light the valley and the viaduct but we'll use the time to set up.
5. I suspect that we'll be ready to leave and return home by 10:00 a.m.
6. There should be a train coming over the trestle around 7:18 a.m. and again around 9:32 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. A train in the image certainly improves the image. You actually only need one train because you can clone the train and insert it into other images.
It should be fairly cool that early in the morning so everyone should wear layers and be prepared to shed them as the sun comes up and the temperature warms up.
After our morning shoot, I plan on going to Perkins Memorial Drive in Bear Mountain State Park to photograph fall colors and panoramic view of lower Hudson Valley. There is a 40 foot tall stone lookout tower at the top. Great panoramic view
complete with fall colors.
When we're finished photographing in Bear Mountain we'll had to Mohonk in New Paltz, New York to photograph the fantastic sceney and fall color as well as the stately hotel. We'll stop for a leisurly lunch in New Paltz or at the Mohonk resort itself.
For more information, check it out yourself at:
http://www.hvnet.com/panoramas/perkins01.htm
and
http://www.mohonk.com/
Wonderful tourist area in off season
Martha's Vineyard
As of this moment, the field trip to Martha's Vineyard is all sold out. We've filled our allotment of rooms at the Ashely Inn. If anyone, that hasn't already contacted me, wants to join us on this wonderful field trip, please email me directly at martinjoffe@gmail.com. Don't just sign up for the trip. There is, however, a posibility of room share for a single female.
*Photographing Martha's Vineyard.*
Martha's Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts, has long
been a summer playground for the rich and famous. However, the island is
also a photographer's paradise: beaches, boats, sunrises, sunsets,
lighthouses, rocky coastlines ... name it, it's there for the lens to
capture.
The Vineyard is accessible year-round by ferry from Wood's Hole or
Hyannis The ferry ride from Woods Hole takes about 45 minutes, and
arriving early one can begin photography right in Woods Hole, which is a
quaint New England seaport with fishing boats in the harbor and the
famous Oceanographic Institute right on the water. If lighthouses are a
passion, Nobska Light--one of the most photogenic on Cape Cod--is right
around the corner.
Martha's Vineyard is a small island, so one can capture a great deal of
it photographically in a short period of time. Although much of the
coast is in private hands, there is certainly adequate opportunity to
photograph spectacular scenery and beaches. It's a little tricky to find
one's way around because the smaller roads are not well marked. If you
have a GPS, bring it! If not, allow some extra time to get lost, which
is not necessarily a bad thing because doing so may result in finding
unsuspected photo treasures. And it is, after all, an island so you
can't get very lost!
The Vineyard is a four-season photo opportunity, with summer the least
pleasant time on the island from a photographer's point of view. The
crush of tourists can be oppressive and overwhelming. It's the most
popular tourist season, and getting anything from ferry reservations to
a good meal can be difficult.
Years ago, the island pretty much shut down after Labor Day, but that's
tourists last until Columbus Day and
even later. The huge summer crowds are gone, but the Island and its
tourist services are still busy. As you might expect, winter is the
least busy season, and many services are closed. The Vineyard gets snow
in the winter so be prepared. But the scenery is wonderful and very
different from the same world in summer.
The cliché about photographing early and late certainly applies to this
venue. The best photos will be taken very early in the morning and at
sunset and shortly thereafter. You can take wonderful black and white
photos at any time. No special equipment is required for photography on
the Vineyard. Of course serious photographers will have a sturdy tripod,
especially advisable because the island can be windy. Since low light
work is a mainstay of photography on the Vineyard, a cable release will
be helpful to minimize camera shake. A polarizer and a neutral split
density filter will also be useful. Wide angle and telephoto lenses are
recommended, in fact, bring all the glass owned, as there will be need
for all types of lenses.
There are several major venues for both tourists and photographers on
the island. A personal favorite is Menemsha, a small fishing village in
the southwest corner of the island. Steven Spielberg used the village
for some of the exteriors in the movie JAWS. Be prepared to spend a lot
of time (and shoot a lot of images!) there. The best time to photograph
is late afternoon into sunset and beyond. One can photograph boats in
the harbor, old wooden buildings, reflections, and especially details.
These include buoys, fishing nets and floats, anchor or chains, oars,
and the other incredible flotsam and jetsam associated with commercial
fishing.
Not far from Menemsha is Gay Head or Aquinnah with an incredible
lighthouse and long, sandy, rocky beaches. This is another late
afternoon/evening site, so be sure to bring a flashlight to light the
way back to the car since the parking lot is remote from the beach. The
light will also help check your camera settings. Aquinnah is also famous
for its cliffs which literally glow in the late afternoon light: another
"must have" for a photographer's collection! These cliffs can be
photographed from the top and also from beach level. Try a wide angle
lens and include some rocks in the foreground.
If a morning person (or even if not), the waterfront of Vineyard Haven
is definitely worthwhile. The sun rises over the harbor, and there is a
multitude of sailboats to photograph in the pre-dawn light and as the
sun rises. There's also a boatyard which can provide some fascinating
photos. Walk along the beach for different perspectives. Bring a tripod
and cable release, and dress warmly; it can be quite chilly in the
predawn. Be sure to hit the famous Black Dog Tavern for breakfast after
the photo shoot. Vineyard Haven is one of the Vineyard's two ferry
landings and is just a short walk from the town of Tisbury. Here quaint
shops, art galleries (including Peter Simon's ... Carly's brother), and
classic waterfront houses can be found.
Another early morning venue is Oak Bluffs. The town is the island's
other ferry landing and has a long stretch of beach which is beautiful
at sunrise. When the sun is up, move on to the famous Victorian Cottages
at the Campground. Originally the site of a tent city surrounding a
tabernacle in which revival meetings were held, the community is now a
collection of gaily painted, lattice-worked, private homes that are
truly remarkable fodder for your camera. This is definitely color
photography territory and a telephoto lens will be needed to record the
intricate details of these beautiful cottages. As always, a tripod is
recommended.
Edgartown is the largest community on Martha's Vineyard. The town has a
lovely harbor, a lighthouse, and beautiful old sea captains' homes. Many
of these are now bed & breakfast inns. This is likely to be the most
crowded location on the island but generally the crowds will be thinnest
at the "magic" times for photography ... early morning and late
afternoon/evening. Edgartown is also the terminus for the ferry to
Chappaquiddick Island at the extreme east end of Martha's Vineyard.
Chappy is largely residential, but there is a wildlife sanctuary open to
visitors. Edgartown is situated so that you can photograph early in the
morning as well as late afternoon.
Aside from these major points of interest, the island is dotted with
small ponds, forests, and lovely homes. Finding these sites
serendipitously is one of the upsides of getting lost!
It bears repeating that Martha's Vineyard can be very crowded during the
peak summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The best times to
visit for photographic purposes are the "shoulder" seasons... spring and
fall. Although the island may still be somewhat crowded, the sights will
be far more accessible at these times. Winter is also an excellent
season, although there are fewer services available.
Even in spring and fall, island nights are chilly although the days will
be warm. Dressing in layers is the key, so that coats and sweaters can
be removed as the temperature climbs. Don't forget a pair of gloves and
a hat; yes, it's that cold at times!
There are no "chain" hotels on the island, although there are some local
hotels in Edgartown. Most people stay in B&Bs of which there are ample
numbers in all the major communities on Martha's Vineyard. A car is a
must for getting around.
Of course, there will be plenty of opportunity to have Quahog Chowder
and a hot toddy or two or three.
*Note: Most of this article has been excerpted from an article by Dr.
Barry Slaven titled "Photographing Martha's Vineyard". *
Steam Locomotives and train museum
Reading, PA
We're scheduled to travel to Scranton, PA on the 13th of November to photograph at Steamtown. You can learn more about this site by going to the following link:
http://www.NPS.gov/stea/index.htm
*Once again, to assist in your planning, here are some details of the field trip.
1. We'll meet up on Saturday, Nov. 13th at 6:30 a.m. at the Mahwah, Sheraton
2. We'll car pool up for a 2 hour drive to Scranton, PA
3. We should arrive in time for their 9:00 a.m. opening after a very short breakfast break.
4. Departure for the trip back home will be made by each car pool.
Marty
Ruins of State Penitentiary. Wonderful photo ops.
Philadelphia, PA
We're scheduled to make a return field trip visit to the Eastern State Penitentiary on Saturday, December 11th. To assist in your long term planning, here are a few details.
1. We'll meet up on Saturday morning, Dec. 11th at 7:15 a.m. at the Saddle Brook Marriott.
2. We'll car pool up for the 2 hour trip to the ESP.
3. We should arrive in time for their 10:00 a.m. opening after a short breakfast stop.
4. We'll photograph from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m when we'll break for lunch.
5. We have lunch in a very pleasant restaurant directly across the street from the Penitentiary.
6. After lunch we can either, return to the prison to continue photographing, head home or even visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art which is very, very close to the prison.
Decisions as to what to do should be made by a consensus opinion of the car pool members.
Marty
3 days 2 nights - Orchid Show and Sale
Kennett Square
Huge Orchid Show and Sales: Thousands of orchids
Kennett Square, PA