CRANFORD, NJ — “There’s This River” is a fine-art coffee-table book by Cranford resident Christine Dyer. It features more than 50 wildlife portraits captured along the Rahway River and in nearby New Jersey natural areas.
Originally from Valley Stream, Long Island, Dyer moved to Cranford 16 years ago. She had lived in Manhattan on the Upper East Side and was ready to slow down. Her husband was from New Jersey and, even before her, he was ready to leave the city.
Dyer has been living in Cranford for the past 16 years and it took her a good eight years before she began her hobby of photographing wildlife in the area. She said, “When I first moved here, I was commuting to the city. A year later, my son was born. I started a business out of my home so I could have a flexible schedule, but I didn’t have a lot of free time. Three years later, I had my daughter. Life was hectic.”
When her children started going to preschool, Dyer started taking pictures. “There’s amazing things here,” she said. “I had two hours to myself, here and there. I’d use my free time to go on these walks. At first, it was a mental escape. I kept finding the most interesting things. First was the great blue heron. Every time I went for a walk, I’d find something new. It became fun.”
Originally, Dyer took photos with her phone, then moved on to a Nikon Z 50, which took nicer pictures. She got the camera right before the pandemic. She said, “I had the right equipment at the right time.”
Dyer’s a self-taught photographer. “A lot of trial and error,” she said.
Her interest in photography started when she was in her 20s. She said, “I was fortunate enough to travel. Once or twice a year, I’d travel with friends. I met my husband; he was also a traveler. I kept traveling with him. I’d take pictures and create beautiful albums. It was always fun. I love animals. This all came together. It’s an evolved hobby.”
During her photography adventures along the Rahway River, Dyer’s favorite park to take pictures in is Nomahegan. She said, “There’s a little trail off the beat and path. If you go to the baseball diamond, there’s an opening to the woods. There’s a trail. It’s very quiet and I see the most amazing things. It’s magical.”
Dyer finds her outings as both spiritual and meditative. She said, “Life with children is always noisy and busy. We’re always running from one thing to the next. When I go for my walks, it’s just quiet. I don’t have to think about what I have to do next. I’m not meditating – just the silence and being present. I know I’ll always see something.”
During the pandemic, Dyer’s children walked with her. “That was the best thing,” she said. “They’re older now and still as amazed as I am of the wildlife and sunsets.”
It took Dyer eight years to compile all the photographs. She said, “You have to take a lot of pictures to come up with good pictures. I needed time to learn how to look for wildlife, how to properly photograph it, how to edit the pictures…”
Dyer’s walks in nature take between 60 to 90 minutes. During the months of April and May, she’s out every day. She said, “I see so much in that time frame – migration season. I don’t want to miss out.”
“There’s This River” has been resonating with people of all ages. Dyer said, “We’re so overstimulating with devices. It’s a gentle nudge to get outside. You don’t have to travel the world to see these things. The magic happens if you want to notice it.”
Ten percent of online sales of “There’s This River” support Cranford Family Care – helping feed families in the local community.
“They do such wonderful things,” said Dyer. “I feel like giving back is a natural expression of the book’s messages. Cranford inspired me to create this book. It’s nice to give back to the community.
For more information, visit: www.riverandwildco.com.
Photos Courtesy of Christine Dyer
