High Speed Soccer Photo Shoot

Posted by Steve Greer & filed under Uncategorized.

Soccer Player in mid-air about to kick the ball

I decided to dip my toe into the world of video and produce a “behind the scenes” documentary of an outdoor studio photo shoot – photographing a professional soccer player.  My goal was to demonstrate the use of studio strobes and speedlites to freeze the athlete in mid-air while he did a scissor kick.

I went into the project with big expectations and imagined a high-end production  result.   I see all these great videos on the web and I thought, how hard can it be.   Boy, did I ever have a rude wakeup call.  Two of the editing suites I used, Sony Vegas and Camtasia, have a large learning curve.   I now have a newfound appreciation for video editors and sound engineers.

Regardless of the mediocre results, I learned a lot about the craft of videography, and even managed a few giggles along the way, between bouts of pulling my hair out.   A special thanks to Al Horner, who without his help, this project would have never got off the ground.

In the film, I also show the post-processing work in Photoshop necessary to get to the final frame.  Enjoy.

 

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New Jersey Pine Barrens Cranberry Harvest

Posted by Steve Greer & filed under Uncategorized.

Fall Cranberry Harvest, New Jersey (Steve Greer / SteveGreerPhotography.com)

Fall Cranberry Harvest, New Jersey (Steve Greer / SteveGreerPhotography.com)

The berries have ripened, the bogs have been flooded, and its time to put on your chest waders.  Let the annual cranberry harvest begin!

Each year in October, cranberry growers (many whom are proudly fifth and sixth generation cranberry farmers), harvest millions of pounds of cranberries from their farms in New Jersey.

A perennial plant, cranberries grow on long-running vines in sandy fields called “bogs” (marshes).  After the bogs have been flooded, machines referred to as “egg-beaters” agitate the water to loosen the cranberries from the vines. The cranberries float to the water’s surface, as they contain three pockets of air. The deep reds of the floating cranberries, framed against the backdrop of the surrounding Autumn foliage and the bright blue sky, make a stunning scene indeed.

As a photographer, I feel like a kid in a candy store – one that is full of vitamin D.

To see more photos of the Pine Barren Cranberry Harvest visit my website.

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New Jersey Shore Aerial

Posted by Steve Greer & filed under New Jersey Destinations, Uncategorized.

Brigantine Golf Course Community, Brigantine, New Jersey (Steve Greer)

Brigantine Golf Course Community, Brigantine, New Jersey (Steve Greer)

This year the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting an active hurricane season for the Atlantic coast.  Now that Hurricane Irene has safely passed, New Jersey’s shore towns came through the storm relevantly unscathed.

With this in mind, I was looking for a unique vantage point to illustrate the development of Brigantine Island and how precariously perched the people that live on it are.   With the back bay on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, most of the island is just 5 to 10 feet above sea level.

I made this photo from a Robinson R44 helicopter.  The pilot took the doors off and I was strapped in and able to lean out. From this unrestricted perspective I had complete freedom to look out at spectacular views up and down the coastline.

When shooting aerials you need to use a high shutter speed. The vibration from the helicopter and its wind drag from the main rotor wash can make for a wobbly flight and some possible blurry images.  It’s important to keep your elbows in, isolate yourself from the vibration by not touching any part of the helicopter, except the padded seat, and shoot a lot of frames.  And don’t forget to keep your camera strap around your neck!

To see more aerial photos of the New Jersey coastline visit my website.

My setting were 24mm, 1/1000sec, ISO 400

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Wildwood Boardwalk and Morey’s Pier Amusement Rides

Posted by Steve Greer & filed under New Jersey Tourism.

Amusement Theme Park, on the beach, Wildwood, New Jersey (Steve Greer)

Amusement Theme Park, on the beach, Wildwood, New Jersey (Steve Greer)

Each summer, people from all over New Jersey head down to the shore to stroll Wildwood’s boardwalk, a two mile long human circus of noise, honky-tonk, and amusement rides.  Vendors sell t-shirts with bawdy messages, and there’s no shortage of pizza and soft custard.

Jutting out from the boardwalk to the ocean is Morey’s Pier, a family friendly amusement park.  At the end of the pier is the famous 160 foot high Morey’s Pier Ferris Wheel. When you’re perched at the top it affords terrific views of Wildwood and the back bays.  No matter what time of day, it’s always a great photo op

The day I was there the weather was dull and overcast.  Not very inspiring.  Regardless, I staked out the Ferris wheel to try and time my ride to the top to coincide with the sunset.

I knew that once the sun dipped below the horizon the sky would turn a predictable cobalt blue.  To my surprise some light-colored reds began to spill into the blue.  I knew it would only last a few minutes.

You only get three rotations on the Ferris wheel before returning to earth.  Three chances to time the weather, and the lights below.  With a little luck I managed to anticipate the wait time in a long line of people and the ride to the top to create this image.

My setting were 24mm, 1/20sec, ISO 1000

This image was chosen for the front cover of my latest hardcover pictorial book, America the Beautiful, New Jersey

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Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Posted by Steve Greer & filed under Uncategorized.

Hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Forest, Virginia (Steve Greer / SteveGreerPhotography.com)

Hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Forest, Virginia (Steve Greer / SteveGreerPhotography.com)

Along the mountain ridges in the Shenandoah National Park this summer, I met some intrepid thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. They began their journey in Georgia and were going to arrive in Maine in the fall, a distance of over 2,000 miles.

I saw this chance meeting as an opportunity to learn what they have learnt, and to try to document the freedom and adventure of their quest. They inspired me to remember to take some time to shed the trivial distractions, and the busyness that can so consume us in our modern lives – to stay in the moment, to simplify.

The low light conditions and rolling fog added to the mystery of this backcountry, and the challenge to have enough light to photograph. With my 35mm lens at f2.8 and ISO at 800, my shutter speed was 1/15 sec – not quite enough to freeze the action of the hikers moving on the trail. Mounting the camera on the tripod, I asked them to walk very slowly, and even freeze in mid-step in order to achieve critical focus.

If by chance you’re out on the trail this summer and happen to see them at a trailhead, open up your picnic basket, or fire up the grill at your Winnebago and offer them some tasty vittles. They will be most grateful.

To see more images of these hikers visit my website

Hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Forest, Virginia (Steve Greer / SteveGreerPhotography.com)

Hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Forest, Virginia (Steve Greer / SteveGreerPhotography.com)

Hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Forest, Virginia (Steve Greer / SteveGreerPhotography.com)

Hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Forest, Virginia (Steve Greer / SteveGreerPhotography.com)

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