High Point New Jersey Photography

You may be wondering if High Point State Park is any good spots for shooting great photos.

The Veteran's Monument in  High Point State Park is most likely the most photographed subject in the entire park (see the photo below), but are there any other good photo ops?  Yes! There are also many other good spots in the area to take some winning photos. This high resolution photo gallery of High Point New Jersey and a few photography tips will help you answer that question.

High Point State Park is a favorite hiking location in the whole state of New Jersey because of the more than 50 miles of easy, moderate, and strenuous hiking trails. These trails, including sections of the famous Appalachian Trail (AT), provide you with many solid options for taking beautiful nature and landscape photos.

My favorite technique to use when photographing tall architectural subjects, like the Veteran Monument above, is to use a wide angle lens and a close vantage point to accentuate the feeling of size. I chose the south side of the monument as the shooting location, because of direction of the light. I timed the photo perfectly as the light on the western side (the left side in the photo above) was skimming across the surface and did a great job of revealing the texture of the stone.

If you take a broader view of the park, there's no doubt that High Point State Park, New Jersey is a hotspot for taking stunning photos. That includes shooting photos while hiking the trails. trails. I took the next three photos during hikes in the park.  Taking trail photos is one of my favorite recreational activities,  and as you can see from the images below, I shoot a lot of those types of photos.

High Point State Park was dedicated in 1923 as the first State Park in New Jersey and has over 16,000 acres to explore and photograph. Both the photo above and the photo below where taken from vantage points just a few feet from the blazed AT trail that travels through the park.

Although the photo composition above is a bit "busy," the color contrast between the blue water and the yellow tree leaves inspired me enough to take this snapshot.

High Point State Park Photography Tips

Here are a few tips for getting better photos when you're visiting High Point State Park.

1. TIMING. Usually the light is most interesting if you shoot early or late in the day when the sun is lower in the sky. On cloud days it's not as critical.
2. PATIENCE.  Take your time to explore, enjoy, and photograph different areas of the park. Allotting just one day to photograph all there is to offer at High Point is likely not enough to get more than a few great photos.
3. VARIETY. Use a variety of lenses or a lens with wide-angle-to-telephoto zooming capabilities.  Also, position yourself at different vantage points to get different perspectives and different interpretations of your subjects.

Additionally, don't limit your shooting wide angle scenic views. Remember to shoot a few detail shots or close-ups like the red maple leaf photo below.

Particularly in the Spring. Summer, and Fall, you'll have limitless opportunities to shoot close-up photos like the red maple leaf above.

The "Color Tapestry" photo below is likely may favorite image from all of the photographs I took at High Point State Park. It's mind-boggling for me to understand how this multi-color splashed landscape scene came to fruition naturally, as apposed to a talented impressionistic artist would paint it.

I tried a few different f/stop settings on my lens to give a few different amounts of depth of field with this scene. I liked the  focus on both the more distant trees as well as the trees in the foreground.

The sky had no clouds to include in my composition, so I positioned myself to have the overhanging trees work as a framing device to the mountain  as the main subject.

In the photo above I positioned my self so that the orange leaves reduced the barrenness of the area behind the tree with yellow leaves. It's always interesting to see what leaves last the longest as the temperature drops in the Fall here in the Northeast.

Below is another photo that I took  from one of the ledges on the Monument Trail at High Point State Park.

The photo of the High Point Monument below gives you a good visual of how tall this obelisk reaches into the sky. The 220 foot, granite-sided monument sit at New Jersey's highest elevation which is 1800 feet. The summit has unforgettable views of the New Jersey-Pennsylvania-New York tri-state area. You only need a photography permit if you are doing a professional shoot.

The High Point Monument is best photographed from a distance like the photo above, or up close with a super side angle lens, like the image at the beginning of this post. Additionally,, you likely be happier with your photos if you shoot with the sun at least somewhat behind you or off to the side.

High Point State Park Photography Opportunities

There are many great photography opportunities at High Point State Park. View the PDF High Point Trail Map to see what locations you may want to travel to. In addition to the photos above, here is a list 6 recommended locations to hit for photography:

• HIGH POINT MONUMENT.  The monument structure is impressive and worth photographing, . You can also get  views of the surrounding mountains and valleys area from the top of the monument.
• LOOKOUT TOWER.  It's not as high as the High Point Monument, but its's another high elevation that gives you an opportunity to photograph the monument and surrounding  area.
• THE LEDGES. The Ledges is a series of rock formations that offer views of the valley below. It is a popular spot for landscape photography. See the High Point Trail Map link above.
• LAKE MARCIA. Park  or hike down the steep trail to Marcia Lake and take gorgeous reflection photos. Alternatively, try Sawmill Lake and Steenykill Lake are additional places to visit in order to get that epic photograph.
• SKYLINE DRIVE. Skyline Drive is a scenic road that winds for miles through the park. It is a great path to follow to get photos of the forests and mountains.
• WATER. The many streams and waterfalls in High Point State Park are eye candy to landscape photographers of all skill levels.

Also, another nearby, picturesque park to photograph is Jenny Jump State Park. I hope you enjoyed this brief visual journey to High Point State Park and you've become inspired to shoot some of your own photos.

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