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?
My name is Tola. I like to describe myself sometimes as an aspiring renaissance man. I’m a recent transplant to New Jersey (moved from middle Georgia).
I currently live in Brick Township and I’m slowly exploring exploring places along the Jersey Shore. You can follow my work on Instagram or on my website.
What are the three best spots for photography in New Jersey, and why?
1. I’m very partial to the Asbury Park Boardwalk.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0JAX6vHV-m/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
2. Raritan Bay
3. Long Beach Island
What's your camera setup?
I mainly shoot on a Nikon D750, but I also carry around a Canon G5X. Virtually all of my recent public work was done with the Nikon.
I keep the Canon handy in situations where I don’t know the area well or I feel like the images will be better served by a camera with a smaller profile, like smaller family gatherings.
What's your dream piece of gear? Think big!
There’s honestly so much cool stuff out there, it’s hard to keep track of it all. That said, probably some Broncolor Siros strobes.
I love flashes and strobes because I don’t have the patience to wait for the light to be “just right” or to spend extra time in post-production trying to make adjustments to get where I want the image to be.
What's one bucket list photo of New Jersey you haven't gotten yet?
I’ve been looking at some photographs from the Brick Historical Society. It might be interesting to go out and shoot in some of the places for shoot (assuming they still exist).
One tip for aspiring photographers?
Shoot relentlessly. Publish selectively. Don’t let the fear of feedback or your own perceived imperfections keep you from creating or sharing your work.
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.
