Once a week, we interview one of our Patrons or a photographer from our Slack community on NJspots.com!
We hope that you learn a new spot or new camera setup!
Who are you, and where in New Jersey are you from?
I’m Mike Scicolone, NJspots community member, Patron, and writer!
I currently live in South Plainfield but lived in Union, Bergen and Essex counties. I live in South Plainfield with my wife, 9-month-old son and 2-year-old dog Ozzie. I currency work full time at a PR and Social Media agency in Florham Park.
What are the three best spots for photography in New Jersey, and why?
1. Liberty State Park.
Dusk and dawn shoots provide excellent light throughout the park and each time you’re there, you can find a new angle to shoot the city skyline.
2. Cape May.
I love the town and in off seasons, you can get all around and photograph the coast on both sides!
Get this shot when you explore Cape May Point!
3. West Orange/Eagle Rock State Park.
This is area provides a great perspective and look of NYC without the “hassle” of driving to Liberty State Park or Hoboken.
Check out our overlooks map for more spots to see NYC!
What's your camera setup?
Nikon Z6 with a 35mm, 24-70mm, 85mm and 200-500mm.
What's your dream piece of gear? Think big!
iOptronSkyGuider Pro – will help with cleaner images of the stars and moon!
If you want to get into Milky Way and night photography, check out our guides!
What's one bucket list photo of New Jersey you haven't gotten yet?
For the longest time it was the Red Mill, but thanks to NJspots, that’s no longer the case after last year’s meetup.
Now I would say it’s the Barnegat Lighthouse. And if you want to visit it too, check out our lighthouse map!
One tip for aspiring photographers?
When I research a spot to photograph I look at what other photographers do and think, “how can I do this differently?” Anyone can go and take a picture. Cameras and smartphones have made that possible. So I look and think about changing a factor that someone hasn’t done before (slow shutterspeed, light stick, angle, perspective, etc.). So my advice — be different. Shoot unique.
What's your favorite part of being a photographer?
“Photographer Feature” is an ongoing segment featuring our Patrons and Slack community members. Contact editor Abbey Dufoe for more information.
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