Cape May

Writing 101: Where Would I Go?

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"Sunset in Cape May"

Sunset at Sunset Beach

I am participating in Writing 101 on WordPress.com

If I could zoom through time and space at the speed of light I would go to the ocean: my ocean, Sunset Beach, Cape May, New Jersey. I will always go to the ocean. It’s where I am most whole and most at peace. Standing on Sunset Beach at Cape May Point at the end of the world before Mother Ocean fills me with the belief that I am part of the infinite universe. It is here, at the end of the land, wrapped in Mother Ocean’s comforting embrace where I believe most deeply in God’s grace and glory.

Here at the southernmost point in New Jersey you can watch the sun set below the horizon without an obstruction. The sun dips below the horizon as day fades into night. The quiet and stillness of the moment when the dark overtakes the light and blue hour begins is awe-inspiring. It could very well be my imagination but at that moment when the darkness settles over the island the world stops spinning and a hush and stillness blankets the land. All is right with the world for a few fleeting quiet moments.

12 Photos

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Mr. Soapy has been after me for years to have some of my photos framed but I never do it. Either I decide that it’s too much money to spend on myself or I am my own worst critic and end up hating everything. So a few weeks ago he says, “Pick 10 or so of your favorite photos and give me the original files, I’m going to have them framed for your birthday.” So again I got all up in my head and hated everything and procrastinated. I finally sat down today and chose 12 of my favorite photos. I took me about 18 hours to decide on my first set of framed photos. I’m excited to see how they turn out. I can’t wait to hang them on our walls.

As it turns out a lot of the photos are from a few years ago. I don’t know if that’s because I’m just too close to the newer ones or if my newer photos just aren’t as good. I’m not sure yet, but I present to you my choice of 12 frameable photos. Of course because I did wait until the early morning hours of December 9 to give Mr. Soapy the files I’m not sure all 12 will be framed by my birthday. Mr. Soapy’s a saint, he really is.

Sunset from Fisherman’s Wharf at the Lobster House in Cape May on Labor Day weekend, September 1, 2007. This is my first ever favorite photo.

Atlantic City at Sunset from Caesar’s Pier, December 29, 2007.

Cape May Waves, May 28, 2008. Photo taken with telephoto lens.

Philly skyline in black and white, December 3, 2009. I have no idea where this was taken from or how I’d have been up high enough to take this shot.

Bokeh Heart, Christmas Tree and Christmas Tree lights, December 30, 2009.

Sunset sky Philly skyline from the Camden Riversharks game, September 18, 2010. I think this is one of the last places I went before I woke up in the hospital less than a month later.

Fireworks and Ben Franklin Bridge from the Camden Riversharks game, September 18, 2010. I think this is one of the last places I went before I woke up in the hospital less than a month later.

Ducks on the frozen duck pond at Washington Lake Park, January 15, 2011.

Blue dragonfly at the Cape May Bird Observatory, September 11, 2011. Could be one of my best photos ever.

The path less followed. This is the path back up from the beach into the Cape May Bird Observatory, September 11, 2011.

Philadelphia Skyline at Blue Hour from the South Street Bridge, November 12, 2011. I wanted to get as much photo taking in as possible at this point because I was less than a month from major surgery. I was first discovering blue hour at this point.

Female Northern Cardinal in the backyard on a rainy November day, November 7, 2012.

National Photo Month (day 26)

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This photo was taken the day after a horribly cold, wet, stormy October night. We were in Cape May for a Ghost Tour with Craig McManus, a psychic medium and author of The Ghosts of Cape May books, but I was sick and it was cold and stormy and wet so we opted to stay in lest I catch my death of a cold and end up one of the ghosts of Cape May.

The next day was one of those bright, beautiful, crisp fall days you read about in tourism pamphlets and so we ventured out of our hotel room. This is one of my most favorite photos. At the time I was working on capturing the sun reflecting on the ocean. It’s not quite perfect but it remains one of my most favorite photos. This was taken with my first point & shoot digital camera, a Fujifilm FinePix A500. (October 26, 2006)

National Photo Month (day 14)

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Sunset from Fisherman’s Wharf in Cape May September 1, 2007. I took this leaning between the boat and the wharf and in between tables of diners.

This is actually one of my favorite sunset photos ever. It was taken with my Fuji FinePix point and shoot. I didn’t even know what a DSLR camera was back then, which goes to show you don’t need a fancy camera to take great pictures.