1 Audrey Zupp Blvd, Jersey City, N.J.
This place, one of the most beloved photography locations in New Jersey, holds a special meaning for me. It was a favorite spot for my dear friend William Dennis Junior, who is no longer with us. His passion for life and this location lives on in my heart, even though he is now gone from this world.
This Jersey City photography page is dedicated to you, Big Ice. It is a bittersweet tribute to our time together, a memory etched into my heart forever. I can still feel the rumble of your large black Cadillac SUV as we cruised around Jersey City, discovering new photo locations—two souls from opposite worlds, brought together by a common passion. Our bond transcended our differences, but now that you’re gone, the emptiness feels insurmountable.
We were two shattered souls brought together by unbearable loss. You had been robbed of your sister and me, of my dear mother. Our shared grief bound us tightly, aching with every breath we took. And now my heartaches because you’re gone.
Your kindness knew no bounds, a trait that never failed to astound me. You had a heart of gold, always looking out for others before yourself. Such a beautiful soul, yet so often overlooked by the cruel world. Yet somehow, you opened up to me, trusting me with your vulnerability and pain. I will always cherish that and hold it close to my heart.
You always had a fondness for my photography, which brought you great joy. I couldn’t think of a better way to honor you by dedicating this page to you. Jersey City has lost a great friend.
I will forever love you, Big Brother, until we meet. Love, Little Sis.
Some of my dark art, which rarely ever happens. It’s from my broken heart.
You will need a Think Tank Camera Bag. We love them.
There’s never a wrong time to visit. Some days, there are special events with large crowds, like the night of the 9/11 Memorial. It’s a meaningful and somber time to honor those who have served and fallen and those who were lost. I’ve also been here on Christmas Eve when the park was empty, except for a distant park ranger. It was like a movie scene, imagining families gathered in their apartments across the water while I stood alone in the park.
You can easily spend a few hours in this park.
Pack your sturdy tripod, wide-angle lens, neutral density filter and circular polarizing filter. These will be handy for capturing the perfect shot of the city skyline, with its twinkling lights reflected in the still waters below. Keep an eye out for any birds that may land nearby – having your zoom lens ready will allow you to capture their graceful movements in crisp detail. There are also a lot of boats, fire boats, police boats, and sometimes even boat races at this location.
Bring bug spray, sunscreen, hiking boots, snacks, and bottled water. There is an area where you can get snow and water, but depending on which part of the park you’re in, it could be a very long walk.
Liberty State Park is right off the New Jersey State Turnpike. Your GPS should show you the address: One Audrey Zupp Blvd.
If you have moving subjects, you will want to shoot in shutter priority to ensure your shutter speed is high enough to have your subject in sharp focus. Approximately 1/250th of a second is appropriate for people walking by, and adjust your ISO accordingly. If they are moving fast, increase your shutter speed to about 1/500th of a second. A fast bird flying by would be shot at about 1/1000th of a second. If it’s a bright sunny day, go as high as 1/1200th of a second. Remember, the higher your shutter speed, the less light comes into the camera. It should not be an issue outside during daytime hours. For More Details, see our Shutter Priority Page.
You have moving waters here. You can do your long-exposure running and milky water shots. You will have to use a tripod for this effect. Your settings will vary depending on the lighting and your neutral density filter. You will shoot in manual mode for the milky waters. ISO is always 100 or as low as your camera will allow. The aperture is f22 or the highest f-stop your camera will allow. Your shutter speed will be the only variable depending on the light. Roll your shutter speed until your meter reads zero. (In the center) Use your shutter release or 2-second timer to prevent camera movement when exposing your picture. You will want at least a 2-second exposure for milky water. If you don’t have a neutral density filter, you may not get more than 1/15th of a second in the sun.
You can buy an ND filter here. We highly suggest you do not go anywhere without one. Long exposure for moving waters makes all the difference between lifeless images and outstanding, dynamic images.
Aperture Priority is often used to blur the background of your images and control your depth of field (how much from the subject to the background is in focus). For more information on this – see our Aperture page
The higher you set it, the more light is when exposing an image. The higher the number, the more digital noise, so stay below 800. If you need to go higher to get the shot, you can use Topaz Denoise to filter out the digital noise later. See the ISO page here.
There is a lot to photograph at Liberty State Park. You can also take a boat ride to the Island and photograph the Statue of Liberty. Start at one end of the park and work your way to the other. It’s so big I suggest you drive to the other side. Start at the 911 Memorial wall area, then go to the Flag area on the other end of the park.
Find the Liberty State Park Map here—Liberty State Park photography.
Birds—shoot in shutter priority: 1/500ths sec on a cloudy day, ISO 800, and 1/1000 sec on a bright sunny day, ISO 100. Don’t forget to set your white balance to match the sun or clouds, changing it as the clouds roll in.
Night Photography – ISO 100, Manual mode, open aperture, adjust your shutter accordingly. You will have shorter exposure at dusk than when the sun is completely down. Start with a few seconds of exposure and go from there. See our HOW TO SHOOT DARK SKY PHOTOGRAPHY PAGE
Address: 1 Audrey Zupp Blvd, Jersey City, N.J.
PARKING: There are a few different parking lots. There is one you have to pay for by the boat dock. There is another by the 911 Memorial Wall that is free, but it gets packed, and there is a time limit.
Entrance Fees: This has no entrance fee.
Add your campground here! Do you want us to send our photography and ghost-hunting friends to your campground to stay during their ghost-hunting trip? Put your campground information here. We will put a picture of your establishment, the website link, the phone number and your information on your campground to make it easy for our photographers and ghost hunters to find you. They are really good at getting there in the dark.
Would you like to be featured in an article as a place to stay while doing photography or ghost hunting? If so, please send us an email. You will be surprised at how affordable our prices can be.
Where to Stay Near Liberty State Park doing Photography
Add your hotel here! Do you want us to send our photography and ghost-hunting friends to your hotel for their ghost-hunting trip? Put your hotel information here. We will put a picture of your hotel, the website link, the phone number and your information on your hotel.
Would you like to be a featured hotel like this article or this one? Please send us an email. You will be surprised at how affordable our prices can be.
There is food on the boat, but only on one side of the park. The park is huge. You can drive from one side to the other, or it’s a long walk. The food is on the opposite side of the NYC skyline area. It’s also open seasonally. There is a restaurant where weddings are held, but I have never been inside. There is a diner on your way into the park on the main road – Liberty Park Cafe.
Liberty Park Cafe Monday – Friday 5 am – 8 pm, Saturday 5 am – 6 pm, Sunday6 am – 5 pm
14 Burma Road
Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201) 333-4154
Add your Restaurant here! Do you want us to send our photography and ghost hunting friends to your restaurant after their ghost hunting trip? Put your restaurant information here. We will put a picture of your establishment, the website link, the phone number and your information on your restaurant to make it easy for our photographers and ghost hunters to find you. They are really good at getting there in the dark.
Click here to see what the weather is near the location.
Don’t forget that you can use a rain sleeve on your camera if it is raining. Use a low ISO, such as 100, if it is bright and sunny.
If you are doing photography along with your ghost hunting on cloudy days, you can do running water or waterfall photography to avoid the glaring sun. You can also use an ND filter to get a long exposure for dramatic effects, even in the sunshine. If you ghost hunt indoors in abandoned places, be careful!
MORE READING: Go to our Photography Store after reading all about waterfall photography or neutral density filters.
For this location Read here.
