A Few Summers Ago ..

I had some time off and decided to take a drive down to Cape May Point. It's not too far from where we live and a good spot to take some black and white photos. I shot mostly in Black and White, but remembered to take a few color shots as well. Tourist season was over and there would be ample parking at the southern tip of New Jersey. I charged the battery in my Cannon Rebel T1i the night before and was set to go in the morning. I grabbed a cup of coffee from Wawa and began my trip down.

I Arrived ..

Parked the truck and went right to the beach. It was an overcast day, but made for better picture taking I suppose. Maybe I saw one other person that day. It was a bit windy, as it always is on the point, but temps were near 60F, so it wasn't unbearable. Turned out to be an awesome day to travel and enjoy the sights along the way.

First Stop ..

Was just as easy as turning around when at the foot of the beach to see an old world war navel watching station. This large cylindrical concrete tube, was constructed just off Sunset Boulevard, outside of Cape May. It was one of several used during the war to watch the bay and ocean for enemy navel transportation. This one has been restored and preserved by a local art organization. I believe they have some teaching and learning tools available inside of it now.

Before I lay down all the Black and White shots, here on out, I wanted to start this off right with a little color. I think one needs to see this first shot in color before black and white, in order to get a decent appreciation for some of our nations history. Plus, I don't want you to give up on the rest of my post, if B&W is not your thing ;-)

Okay.. all bets are off!! Black & White time .. HERE WE GO!!!

This photo is a close up of the structure where you can see the viewing slits and watch tower at the top. just enough to get a good 360 degree view and enough protection if fired at.

We Move On Now ..

To another man made structure. A water tower in the near distance. It's always cool to shoot old water towers. This one is rusty from the salt air, but still quite sturdy. The multiple layers of paint are slowly falling off, and scattered along the ground below it. There is not a whole lot clear down at the end of the point, so this tower most likely gets little use. For those of you unfamiliar with what they are, they are used to elevate a water supply in order to build pressure, so water will come out of a faucet.

Here is a closer shot where you can see a little of the detail. The somewhat faded and pealing paint, the metal service stairs heading up the side and the cat walk surrounding the top mid section, used for service and maintenance.

I wanted to include this shot. This one is panned back a little bit so that the salt hay grass acts as a pretty neat, soft foreground for the photo. Something to soften the man made object up. Some would think this was a bit ugly, and I sometimes agree, but today I thought it to be cool enough to take a few shots of. As long as its not in my back yard.. haha.

Lets Turn Our Attention To The Beach ..

So the beach is best known for what people call Cape May Diamonds; small sand tossed, and polished pieces of quartz that look like rough diamonds when wet. They sand, if you want to call it that, is mostly pieces of multicolored quartz. The beach looks like a bunch of tiny smooth pebbles. It's somewhat difficult to walk on but feels awesome if its warm enough to be in bare feet. I really have no clue why it collects here, except that the tide and Delaware River flow, has something to do with it. The rest of the New Jersey beaches are made up of a nice fine, soft, white sand. This photo was taken looking down the beach, shot just above the quartz.

You can see where the tiny stones collect at the tidal line. Also there is a lot of salt hay pieces and other stuff that washes up here in a line. It's fun to walk along this trail of debris and search it for a shell or something else. Sometimes small worn pieces of war shells wash up here too. I was lucky enough to find ONE shell today. It was small and cute, just about the size of a US quarter. I am not a shell connoisseur, so please don't expect a name for this one. I am calling it the Crab-less Home. :-)

I Left The Shell There ..

Maybe someone else will find it, or a crab in search of a new home will stumble across it. Good bye shell, and hello Seagull. Yes, I spotted the bird resting upon what is left of old wooden pilings, that may have been a pier of some sort. These pilings may have also been placed to just hold a storm drain in place too. Not sure, but the bird could care less. He/she found it a nice spot to rest and also keep an eye out for food if it presents itself.

This is the same shot, but backed out a little so you can see the bigger picture. Some how, and not on purpose, I was able to line up the tops of the pilings with the ocean horizon. A little weird.. I am not sure I like it. Hmmmmm. The ocean is really calm here today. The water in this area seemed almost too calm, but I do hear the crashing of waves just around the bend. Heading there next!

There are a few waves crashing into the pebbles! The sound is a bit mutted and muffled because of the course stones. Sort of a weird sound that you have to experience in person.. so start planing your trip to Cape May :-)

In The Distance I See ..

Some more weathered and worn pilings. These should make for some good black and white pictures. So I continue on down the beach toward the wooden posts sticking out of the sand. When I arrive, I took quite a few pictures from all sorts of angles. I won't share them all, there's just too many. The first one I want to share is of the entire structure. This mess of wood and rusted bolts, was used to hold a storm water discharge pipe in place. The water runs out here, but the storms and surf are powerful, and could displace the concrete pipes very easily. These are erected for that purpose, and work most of the time.

Looks like some of the pipe work is gone, but you'll still see a bit of it here, in this next shot. As I was looking at the stones/quartz pebbles, washed up and collected here against the pipe, I noticed something. I noticed how cool the rusted bolt, sticking out of the wood member, actually was. The salt air, constant splashing of salt water, wind blown sand and time, have weathered it down to a mid evil looking rusty point.

I took a closer shot of whats left of the bolt, nuts and washers. They are all one mass now, unable to ever be screwed off and replaced. One would have to cut them off and that would be a sin. They are just now looking good! For my pictures at least. Make sure your Tetanus shot is up to date before messing around with these!

Not too far from this structure above, there were a few lonesome pilings with only small amounts of them poking up through the sand and stone. The grouping caught my eye and I thought they made for a good picture. The tonal values are there and the contrast between wood and sand was perfect. They looked very very very weathered. Bits of sand, shell and debris lodged in the crevices. They dark and light areas magnified the details. I only regret not taking a shot a bit lower to the ground. I think I was kneeling and should have laid down for one.

I thought I would include a photo with the waves crashing in the background. It kind of gives you a sense of how close the water is and how often this wood gets pounded by the surf.

Just another grouping of short wood pilings. Like I said, I got a lot of shots of them. I couldn't help myself, and they were really neat and definitely had contrast. I only have a maybe one more to share.

This poor guy is all broken up. It still has some neatness too it though, especially with it's ability to collect all sorts of weird or not so weird stuff. I found pieces of shell, stones, a super tiny small crab, that took off in the weeds, before I got a shot of him. There is also a very nasty wet feather in the shot as well. Nothing worth pocketing and taking home, accept for the memory. hehe.

Okay ..

I am done and ready to head home. I just have a short walk back up the beach back to the parking lot. I got tons more photos, some good and some bad, but that's the fun part of photography and taking pictures. Just around the bend is a walkway back up through the duns, to a small seasonal gift shop. I don't remember it being opened, and I am craving another coffee. Oh well, that's the price I pay for coming off season for photos. No crowds is a good trade off though. You can just make out the buildings there at the top left of the photo. That's where I am headed!

I Will Leave You With One Last Shot ..

A COLOR shot of that shell earlier. This will give you a good idea of the color of the sand and sand tumbled quartz pieces. I sort of regret not snatching that shell to take home. That's okay I guess.. I think.. Hmmmm.. Wonder if I can find it again?? hehe.. Just kidding.

I know I'll find another some day.

Until then, THANK YOU for joining me on this short walk down at the Cape May point. Next time I'll find something different to shoot. Maybe some macros of the stones and the like. Whether that happens or not, it was fun reminiscing and getting these out there to share with all of you!

Enjoy The Rest of Your Day or Evening!!

Thanks For The Support!!!!!

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About Me ~ The Artist

My art work incorporates a wide variety of subject matter, including landscape, seascape, cityscape, and still life images. My works are the product of a continuing process of exploration through which I seek to portray personal and visionary interpretations of my surroundings. My paintings are impressions of places and events from everyday life, an interpretation of my imagination, and personal responses to what I see and feel on a daily basis. More recently I have invested generous amounts of time into my landscape painting. I am surrounded by natural and man made beauty, which inherently presents itself in the tri-state area, and almost demands that I paint it.

Not everything is art. Art is not everything, but it comes close. Art is everywhere and all the time. Art makes you experience the beauty of the world, the people in it, and the places we call home. Art itself is so influential that it can tell stories, show feelings, and express passion or fury. Art exists in addition to language; expression of sensations and thoughts, revealing a way of thinking too subtle and delicate for words.

For me art requires love, honesty and perseverance. In return, it reveals some personal, non-analyzable, and creative untamed passion. For the public, art with its magnificent beauty, improves mood and health and builds better human beings and communities. It engages the intellect, softens the heart, strengthens the soul and frees the spirit.

~ B D Miller