Golden Hour in Downtown Morristown: My Gear, My Boots & My Moment

It’s 4:45 p.m., I park the car in downtown Morristown, slip my boots on, strap on the X‑T3 and step out into the autumn light. The sidewalks are quiet, the historic facades of the Main Street district cast long, warm shadows, and the leaves are drifting.

As a photographer‑cinematographer based in Newport/Morristown, I’m constantly balancing movement and stillness: my body, my lens, the scene. Today I chose the downtown district because it’s accessible, photogenic, under‑used, and the seasonal light is perfect.

I walk with intention, boots crunching on brick, gear bag across my shoulder, camera ready. I pause at a café window, catch my reflection, the warm golden tones — I shoot a frame: boots in foreground, camera strap loose, historic building behind. Then I move on to the street where late‑fall leaves dot the ground, the light glows. I switch lenses, set for f/4, dial ISO 200, capture the layers of color, texture and context.

Fitness for me isn’t only in the gym—it’s in the walk, the pause, the movement of lens, the bending, the stretching into the frame. I take a five‑minute mobility routine on a bench, shake out the legs, then continue shooting. Because if my body’s static, my vision diminishes.

If you’re near this region and wondering where to shoot this fall: pick your downtown, pick your golden hour, pick your gear and boots. Let the light work for you. Make the walk part of the content. Let your body show in the frame.