Homebody: A Photoblog of Kings Park (and Close By), #2: The Golden Hours

     Welcome to Homebody, a photoblog of Kings Park (and close by).  I started this photoblog to share my enthusiasm about photography and my love for Kings Park You don’t need to travel far to get great photos and have fun:  Kings Park will do nicely!

                        #2:  The Golden Hours 

    A common recommendation to get great photographs is to shoot during “the golden hours.”  The golden hour is about one hour around sunrise; and then again about one hour around sunset.  The light from the sun travels through more of our atmosphere at these times of day.  This causes the red wavelengths of light to be emphasized, resulting in very dramatic lighting conditions.  The light changes quickly, and many unusual and beautiful light effects may be produced.  Of course if it is totally overcast, you probably will be skunked!   A partly cloudy day, however, will often produce the best results. 

    The accompanying photograph, “The River II,” was taken on a partly cloudy day last December at Nissequogue River State Park at just about sunrise.  As I was setting up my camera and tripod, flocks of Canada geese, canvasback ducks, black ducks, mallards, and other waterfowl created a wonderful chaos with their rapid flight, whistling wings, and their calls to other members of their species in the area.  I heard human voices and turned to see two deer running behind me, their white tails displayed (a warning signal).  Visiting morning joggers in the park had disturbed two of its residents.

     Again, I was using the 10 stop Neutral Density filter on a digital SLR.  The settings for this photograph were 126 seconds at f/22, ISO 200.  What appears to be fog over the water is actually the movement of the incoming tide caught by the long exposure.  A similar effect can be seen in the clouds on the horizon.  My Neutral Density filter was a present and this was my first successful photograph with it.  Believe me; a lot of mistakes went into getting this photograph!  And that’s totally OK in digital photography. 

    If I’ve confused you with the technical details outlined above, why don’t you come and check out the Kings Park Photo Club??  The Club was formed in January of this year by Frank Mercuri, a Kings Parker and fellow local photographer.    There are presently about 16 members of all skill and experience levels.  Our next meeting is this Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 7 PM at the Kings Park Library.  On the agenda:  Planning for photo outings and more events like the “Eye on Nature” display at the Nissequogue River State Park.   This display runs from Saturday, April 6 until May 3, 2013 at the Park Administration building near the Marina. 

    Photo Tip: “It Worked For Me:” If you are intimidated or confused about your new digital SLR, pick up a DVD that is tailored for your make and model of camera.  I did, and I was out shooting my new camera and enjoying it right after the DVD ended.  “Magic Lantern” publishers are one producer of these products and the one I chose.

       Thanks for reading.  If you have any suggestions or requests for topics, please post them in the comments.