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Bird Fishing at Sandy Hook

I was excited as I eagerly awaited the chance to utilize my brand new XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR superzoom lens. I signed up for several bird-watching expeditions with the New Jersey Audubon Society to make the most of my new acquisition. The first outing was originally scheduled for a Saturday but was postponed until Sunday due to inclement weather. According to the forecast for Sunday, we could expect chilly winds but clear skies. As I arrived at the designated meeting spot in parking lot B, I immediately noticed that the wind was stronger and colder than anticipated. To combat the harsh elements, I was compelled to wear my Patagonia winter jacket over my Patagonia spring jacket to stay cosy and warm throughout the outing.

Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

We began our birdwatching excursion after receiving an introduction from our leaders, Linda Mack, Carole Hughes, and Chris Daly. After that, we headed towards the dunes near "Lot B". After not finding any good bird sightings for about 20 minutes, we decided to move further north towards Area "F" and Sandy Hook Fishing Beach. Unfortunately, the sun was already high above the horizon, which is not the ideal time for bird photography. From my past experiences with photographer Ray Hennessey, I have learned that the best time for bird photography is during the early morning or late evening when the sun is rising or setting. The bright sky can overwhelm the camera's sensor, creating silhouettes. However, birders don't think much about this issue as the human eye can adjust to the scene.

Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

As I gazed out into the distance, I noticed a sizable group of birds hovering above a boat anchored far offshore. Unfortunately, due to the distance, it was difficult to capture a clear photo of any individual bird. The sun's reflection on the water also made it challenging to photograph them as they appeared as dark silhouettes. Nonetheless, I managed to take a couple of shots of birds flying overhead, and I believe one was an osprey.

Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

We left Sandy Hook Fishing Beach and headed to "Lot L" where we walked along a scenic trail through the trees to reach Beach 1. Although we were able to spot a few more birds, I only managed to capture one usable photograph of them in the trees.

Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

I don't understand why I bothered to go out with my camera on that freezing morning after the sun was up. I hoped to learn about bird migration patterns. Given that the information I found online from the New Jersey Audubon and other websites was too general, I had thought that the best way to get specific details was from local birders. However, I didn't get much help from them either. I learned that May might be the best time for beach bird photography, but overall, the trip was a waste of time. I ended up leaving early when the group stopped for lunch.

Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
Sunday 2 April 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

Ilford HP5 400 - Expired

Ilford HP5 400 35mm film was a black and white photographic film that gained a reputation as a versatile and reliable choice for both amateur and professional photographers.

We have had very little snow this winter. One morning in early March, we had snow that lasted more than a few minutes. It was early morning, and I had no pressing meetings. I grabbed the Minolta X-700 and loaded an unlabeled black cartridge from the box of expired 35mm film. The film cartridge was inside a smaller box labelled Ilford HP5 400. I went outside for a quick walk along Salisbury Road.

I have not exposed snowy scenes with any film stock. Snow confuses the camera's exposure meter. It will most likely underexpose your shots because it can't recognise the brightness of the snow. The X-700 doesn’t have the advanced "WYSIWYG" preview features of my Fuji X-T3, so I expected that my exposure would all be shit.

Ilford HP5 400 35mm film was a black and white photographic film that gained a reputation as a versatile and reliable choice for both amateur and professional photographers. This film has been a staple in the photography industry for decades, known for its fine grain, high contrast, and excellent tonal range.

The ISO rating of 400 made this film suitable for many lighting conditions, including low-light situations. It was ideal for capturing sharp, detailed images with a high level of contrast and emphasising deep blacks and bright whites. This made it particularly well-suited for portraits, street photography, and documentary-style photography.

Ilford HP5 400 was also known for its wide exposure latitude, which means it could handle a wide range of exposures without sacrificing image quality. This made it an excellent choice for photographers who needed to work quickly in changing light conditions or who wanted to experiment with different exposure settings.

The film was sold in 35mm format, one of the world’s most widely used film formats, and came in 36 exposure rolls. It was processed using standard black-and-white processing techniques and was compatible with various developers and fixers.

Ilford HP5 400 35mm film was a classic black and white film that has stood the test of time. Its current iteration, HP5 Plus, continues to be famous for black-and-white photography. Its versatility, reliability, and high-quality results have made it a photographer’s favourite for decades. It remains a popular choice for those who value the timeless beauty of black-and-white photography.

To compensate for the number of years that have passed since the film expired, I overexposed this cartridge of expired Ilford HP 400. I exposed it at ASA 50 and sent it to Boutique Film Lab for development. The cartridge was listed for 36 exposure, but I got 38 usable frames from the cartridge. The negatives were scanned with VueScan 9 on my Epson Perfection V600. I added meta-data using Exif Editor and imported the images into Adobe Lightroom, where they were converted to viewable images using Negative Lab Pro. I asked my regular lab, Boutique Film Lab, to pull the film -3 during development. At least, that’s what I have in my notes. I’m not sure if they did that or not.

Name Ilford HP5 400
Format 35mm
ASA 400
Features High contrast. Wide exposure latitude.
Camera Minolta X-700
Lens. Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7
Exposed ISO 50
Price FREE
Lab Boutique Film Lab
Process B+W, pull -3
Scanner Epson Perfection V600
Software VueScan 9, Negative Lab Pro, Adobe Lightroom
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50
Montgomery Hills neighbourhood in the snow
Montgomery Hills · Tuesday 7 March 2023 · Minolta X-700 · MD Rokkor-X 50mm F1.7 · ISO 50

First Real Snow of 2023

I am home today with a stuffy nose and sore throat, but when I looked outside and saw the snow on the ground, I knew I had to take advantage.

I was under the weather all week and woke up sniffling with a parched throat. I had no aches, but all the same, I administered a COVID-19 rapid test. I contacted the director and the rest of my security architecture team to let them know I was taking a sick day. When I looked outside and saw the snow on the ground, I knew I had to take advantage. This is the first real snow of 2023 for the Princeton area.