Yesterday, I wandered a two block stretch of Sea Bright, one of the many seaside boroughs in Monmouth County, New Jersey. On this occasion, I challenged myself to take photos using solely manual settings on my Nikon D3100.
Street corner a block from the beach — Sea Bright, NJ. F-Stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/400 sec. ISO: 400Two fire engine red shopping carts stand in stark contrast to the royal blue exterior of a liquor store in Sea Bright, NJ. F-Stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/250 sec. ISO: 400The green-and-yellow text block from an advertisement for New Jersey Lotto frames a Palm Breeze Alcoholic Spritz poster. F-stop: f/10 Exposure time: 1/320 sec. ISO: 400 (I think I would try ISO 250 next time; this shot is a bit washed out.)There was a great deal of construction on this particular block, with many homes and businesses still feeling the effects of Hurricane Sandy, which devastated the region nearly three years ago. F-stop: f/10 Exposure time: 1/200 sec. ISO: 400I took this image because I liked the way the railings in the foreground and background framed the smiley Little Tykes go-cart. F-stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/400 sec. ISO: 400Motorboat on a lake a quarter-mile from the ocean. F-stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/650 sec. ISO: 400In this image, yellow lines lead the viewer past the storm sewer and to the bright green topiary. F-stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/400 sec. ISO: 400Beach homes line the street in cookie cutter shapes. F-stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/400 sec. ISO: 400Pink petunias spill out of a very large pot. F-stop: f/13 Exposure time: 1/80 sec. ISO: 400Three bikes, all in a row. F-Stop: f/10 Exposure time: 1/200 sec. ISO: 400This ancient-looking statue of what appears to be an Asian fellow greeted passers-by on this Sea Bright street. It seemed totally out of place in its surroundings but at the same time, fascinating. I’d love to know the story behind this one. F-stop: f/9 Exposure time: 1/200 sec. ISO: 400The Black Swine is an Italian Eatery on Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright. F-stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/400 sec. ISO: 400
After capturing these shots, I hopped into the car — taking a deep breath and inhaling the delightfully minty aroma of my new car freshener shaped like a flip-flop to complete the coastal experience. La dee dah . . . bumper-to-bumper traffic is to be expected along the Jersey Shore on sunny Sunday afternoons such as these.
Minty car freshener! F-stop: f/5.6 Exposure time: 1/60 sec. ISO: 200
The next few pictures were taken this afternoon at Pier Village, an upscale housing/retail development constructed in Long Branch a decade ago. With shops, restaurants, and accommodations hugging a well-maintained section of the North Jersey Coast, it’s no wonder Pier Village is a popular tourist destination.
Two beach-goers passing momentarily under the shadow of a beach pavilion. I’ll admit that I used the camera’s automatic function to frame this particular shot. F-Stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/500 sec. ISO: 220Even though it was constructed in the mid-2000s, architects who designed Pier Village drew inspiration from the Victorian Era, which is evident in the pointy angles of buildings such as this one. F-stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/500 sec. ISO: 200Long Branch Beach is relatively sparse for such a sunny day. Then again, this photo was taken on a Monday afternoon, so many people were probably stuck at work. F-stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/500 sec. ISO: 200A few of the boutiques featured at Pier Village, which has a resort-like atmosphere. F-stop: f/9 Exposure time: 1/160 ISO: 400Although you can’t tell from this picture, these two condos have an expansive view of the Atlantic Ocean. They also sit atop a Gold’s Gym, so I hope these units’ residents are in tip-top shape; no excuses! F-stop: f/11 Exposure time: 1/500 ISO: 400Pots of petunias adorn the streetlamps at Pier Village, soaking up the Mid-Atlantic sunshine. F-stop: f/10 Exposure time: 1/500 ISO: 400
Loved these pictures Gina! I always love how you catch such a variety in your shots, one can never get bored sifting through your work. And bravo to do all manual settings!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, Ilona. Someone wiser than me said: “If you can only use auto settings, your camera controls you. With manual settings, you control your camera.” Magic words for a control freak like me. 😀😉😳
Gina, way too many fantastic photos here to just pick out a few!! But I love the photo of the Roman Doric columns along the street of that Pier Village outdoor mall. Only in NJ would one see beach architecture mixed with ancient columns. 🙂 Love how your photos really shine on those manual settings – you grasped that challenge and just ran with it!! All so lovely. Seeing your car air freshener begs me to ask every fellow NJ-transplant I meet: “How long did it take you to fully master driving around wearing flip flops?” 😀 Really super-loving your latest posts and hope to see many, many more!
Roman Doric columns, awesome. That’s a new term to me and I’ll think of it every time I pass those shops from this point forward. Oh, I was the flip-flop queen even before moving to Jersey. Love them! Thanks for your comments; it feels good to be posting regularly again. 💕
Virtually Gina 
8 responses to “Summertime By The Sea”
Loved these pictures Gina! I always love how you catch such a variety in your shots, one can never get bored sifting through your work. And bravo to do all manual settings!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, Ilona. Someone wiser than me said: “If you can only use auto settings, your camera controls you. With manual settings, you control your camera.” Magic words for a control freak like me. 😀😉😳
Gina, way too many fantastic photos here to just pick out a few!! But I love the photo of the Roman Doric columns along the street of that Pier Village outdoor mall. Only in NJ would one see beach architecture mixed with ancient columns. 🙂 Love how your photos really shine on those manual settings – you grasped that challenge and just ran with it!! All so lovely. Seeing your car air freshener begs me to ask every fellow NJ-transplant I meet: “How long did it take you to fully master driving around wearing flip flops?” 😀 Really super-loving your latest posts and hope to see many, many more!
Roman Doric columns, awesome. That’s a new term to me and I’ll think of it every time I pass those shops from this point forward. Oh, I was the flip-flop queen even before moving to Jersey. Love them! Thanks for your comments; it feels good to be posting regularly again. 💕
Fabulous pictures Gina! I love all the colors!
Thanks for stopping by to check it out, Barb!
Absolutely beautiful… I love how you capture real life in its essence. Simply raw and reflective at the same time…awesome!
Thanks, Amy! I’ve found that photography and mindful living compliment each other very well. And coffee. ☕️👍🏼