Photography

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For this week's challenge, I had a few ideas in mind. There is a rusting abandoned car along one of the trails of the Autumn Hill Reserve in Princeton. I wanted to take a hike out and see what sort of images I could create with that. However, it rained a lot over the weekend, and the ground was quite wet. The last time Bhavna and I hiked out in the Preserve after a rain we found the trail unpleasant. I didn't fancy slipping and sliding in mud or being up to my ankle in muddy water but I grabbed my tripod and camera and started down the trail. About twenty minutes later I had to turn back. The water on the trail began to seep into my boot. I got a split in the path and realised I could not remember which directly led to the rusted truck. I turned around and walked back to my car.

I was starting to feel a bit down. My weekend photography projects were working out the way I had planned. The weather was putting a damper on things. I was feeling dispirited.

Asbury Park Carousel —Nikon D5100 + Nikon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ (24 mm, f/4.0, ISO100), © Khürt L. Williams

On Sunday we decided to drive down to Asbury Park. I've wanted Bhavna and the kids to see this old New Jersey shore town I had discovered for myself several years prior. The sky was 100% overcast, with no chance of sun and the weather report suggested a high probability of rain. But, I wanted to get out of the house, and I hoped that walking the boardwalk would provide some opportunity for photography.

Yello Sub. My family is having some fun with the artwork on the outside wall of the old casino. Asbury Park Boardwalk, Asbury Park, New Jersey —Nikon D5100 + Nikon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ (24 mm, f/4.0, ISO100), © Khürt L. Williams

Located in Monmouth County, Asbury Park is one of New Jersey's old shore towns. The town was developed in 1871 C.E. as a residential resort. The Asbury Park Boardwalk, an orchestra pavilion, public changing rooms and a pier at the southern end of that boardwalk attracted a lot of tourists and subsequent development including some grand hotels.

Asbury Park Casino, Asbury Park, New Jersey —Nikon D5100 + Nikon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ (24 mm, f/4.0, ISO180), © Khürt L. Williams

In its heydey as many as 600,000 people visited Asbury Park each summer, riding the New York and Long Branch Railroad from New York City and Philadelphia. The Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall complex, the Casino Arena and Carousel House were built in the 1920s. The photos in this post are from the inside and outside of the convention hall.

Asbury Park Boardwalk, Asbury Park, New Jersey —Nikon D5100 + Nikon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ (24 mm, f/4.0, ISO100), © Khürt L. Williams

We had planned on playing some miniature golf but my wife complained it was too cold. The boardwalk is normally quiet on a Sunday with only a few people. But earlier in the day, the borough hosted a gay pride parade. The boardwalk and restaurants were packed with people. We walked around, and I gave my family a history lesson -- as much as I knew -- on each of the buildings we passed.

Old Convention Hall, Asbury Park Boardwalk, Asbury Park, New Jersey —Apple iPhone 7 + Apple iPhone 7 back camera 3.99mm f/1.8 @ (3.99 mm, f/1.8, ISO160), ©

Later we walked downtown and had pretzels (kids), bratwurst and beer at the Asbury Biergarten und Festhalle. We sat outside on the roof patio but soon it was too cold. We walked around exploring the downtown before heading home.

Old Convention Hall - Asbury Park Boardwalk, Asbury Park, New Jersey —Nikon D5100 + Nikon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ (24 mm, f/4.0, ISO100), © Khürt L. Williams

Asbury Park Boardwalk, Asbury Park, New Jersey —Nikon D5100 + Nikon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ (24 mm, f/4.0, ISO100), © Khürt L. Williams

Shaan spreads his wings. —Nikon D5100 + Nikon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ (24 mm, f/4.0, ISO100), © Khürt L. Williams

Mural on the wall outside the Asbury Park Casino. I asked Bhavna to pose, snapped with my iPhone 7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom. —Apple iPhone 7 + Apple iPhone 7 back camera 3.99mm f/1.8 @ (3.99 mm, f/1.8, ISO32), © Khürt L. Williams

Asbuary Park Bierhalle —Apple iPhone 7 + Apple iPhone 7 back camera 3.99mm f/1.8 @ (3.99 mm, f/1.8, ISO20), ©

Asbuary Park Bierhalle —Apple iPhone 7 + Apple iPhone 7 back camera 3.99mm f/1.8 @ (3.99 mm, f/1.8, ISO20), ©

Created by photographer Frank Jansen, the Tuesday Photo Challenge is a weekly theme-based challenge for photographers of all kinds to share both new and old photography.

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  • Khürt Williams
    26th May 2022 at 11:45 AM

    I searched to find out the story behind the artwork that adorns the outer walls of the old Asbury Lanes building on the Asbury Park boardwalk.
    American pop artist Shepard Fairey is known for his guerrilla “Obey” sticker campaign, which melded contemporary street art and guerrilla marketing into a phenomenon that put him on the artistic map. Shepard is also an activist and founder of OBEY Clothing. I also learned that Fairey designed the Barack Obama "Hope" poster for the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
    Sunday 24 April 2022 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2
    According to Wikipedia.

    His "Obey" Campaign is from the John Carpenter movie They Live which starred pro wrestler Roddy Piper, taking a number of its slogans, including the "Obey" slogan, as well as the "This Is Your God" slogan. Fairey has spun off the OBEY clothing line from the original sticker campaign.

    Obey | Sunday 24 April 2022 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2
    Fairey’s art, some of which are from album covers, is on display outside the old Asbury Lanes building on the Asbury Park boardwalk. The art installation was part of the music and art festival organised by All Tomorrow’s Parties. The festival was a collaboration with the Jonathan LeVine Gallery, which commissioned Fairey to create these murals. In September 2011, he unveiled several murals and a gallery show called “Revolutions”.
    All Tomorrow's Parties is a London-based organisation that has promoted festivals in the UK, the United States and Australia since 1999. All Tomorrow's Parties is also the name of a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, The Velvet Underground & Nico. I don’t know if there is a connection.
    Sunday 24 April 2022 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 45mm F2
    On the day I exposed these frames of Kodak Pro Image 100, the long side of the building facing the ocean was boarded up. I’m unsure why, but I suspect it was to protect the art. I remembered that I had photographed some of the artwork on my first visit and later visits to the Asbury Park Boardwalk. As it turns out, my first visit to Asbury Park was in November 2011, a few weeks after the Revolutions festival.
    Asbury Lanes | Sunday 13 November, 2011 | Nikon D40 | AF-S DX Nikkor 35 mm f/1.8

    All images were scanned from Kodak Pro Image 100 35mm film negatives using an Epson Perfection V600 scanner, VueScan software and the Negative Lab Pro plugin for Adobe Lightroom.

  • adventuresofabusymomcom
    6th June 2017 at 5:03 AM

    I enjoyed reading your stories behind the pictures. Thanks for sharing!

  • jansenphoto
    4th June 2017 at 9:36 PM

    Wonderful shots, Khürt!

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