So, You Went Out to Photograph?
Yes, I went out. I made sure to wear to a mask and engage in proper social distancing.
Fortunately, photography can be an excellent solo activity. While I do enjoy shooting with other photographers, some of my best work comes from when I’m alone and can take all the time I want to compose my shots properly.
So, Where Did You Shoot This Month?
Most of my photography in April came from two locations — Prospect Park and Dead Horse Bay, both in Brooklyn.
Prospect Park
The boathouse at Prospect Park is a favorite subject of mine to photograph. It’s very picturesque and the reflection on the water helps to make a compelling photograph.
I experimented with this photo, making it softer than my usual style of photography. I did this by blurring the image and using different blend modes in Photoshop to soften the image while still retaining some of the detail.
Binnen Falls is a small waterfall in Prospect Park, about five minutes from the boathouse. It signals the end of the stream that runs through the park and the beginning of the Lullwater, the pool of water seen in the previous photo.
For this shot, I used an 10-stop ND filter to slow my shutter speed to be able to capture the motion of the water. I also did some cleanup of the image in Photoshop to remove graffiti and other unwanted elements.
I don’t know if this falls has a name. It’s a very easy falls to miss if you’re not looking for it. It sits at a crossroads in a busy part of the park, but thanks to the magic of photography, we can eliminate the crossroads and give the impression that this little beauty is just iolated right in the middle of nowhere.
Dead Horse Bay
Even most Brooklyn residents don’t know where Dead Horse Bay is.
Dead Horse Bay is located all the way on the south-western side of the borough, right next to the Marine Parkway Bridge.
The place got its name from the many horse-rendering plants that used to be there back in the 19th century. There are no more horse rendering plants there, but there is a lot of broken glass on the beach — so much so that the beach is known as Broken Bottle Beach. If you go here, be sure to keep your shoes on.
This sunset shot was taken from the very southern tip of the beach. I had to climb over a fairly large mound of rocks and rubble to take this shot.
The smoothness of the water comes from the fact that I kept the shutter open for 30 seconds. This smooths out the motion of the water, creating this appearance.
This is the Marine Parkway Bridge. I shot this shortly before sunset. I used a long exposure to smooth out the motion of the water. You can also see the movement of the clouds while the shutter was opened.
I love capturing rays that emenate from a sun hidden behind clouds. Those rays are called crepuscular rays. They are also known as “Jacob’s Ladder.” If you see this feature and you want to photograph it, you have to move quickly, because they often disappear quite quickly.
That’s it for this month. Be sure to come back at the beginning of June when I review my May photographs.
2 thoughts on “New Photos, April 2020”
Thanks for the BTS information on these spectacular compositions
You’re very welcome, Les!
Zev