Lighthouse
This photo was taken at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. The lighthouse was built in 1966.
This photo was taken at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. The lighthouse was built in 1966.
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Apr, 2014Views
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Staff Winter Selection 2015
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Top 30 rank week 2Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at Mystic Seaport Marina in Connecticut. I am a self taught photographer and became interested in the art of photography about 4 years ago while on safari in South Africa.Time
I woke up one day with the aim of taking photographs of a lighthouse and thought what better place to do this than Mystic Seaport. This is a beautiful 19th century seafaring village that you can stroll through and get up close to all of the lighthouses located in the marina. This is probably one of my favorite images that I took that day. I took this photo in April 2014 late in the afternoon.Lighting
I wanted this image to look dramatic and to draw the viewer into the entire scene so that you have a sense of the surrounding village as well. As luck would have it the sky was starting to get dark which gave the image a more mysterious look and allowed the lights on top of the lighthouse to stand out more.Equipment
This was shot with my very first camera: Canon Rebel SL1/EOS 100D. I did not use a tripod or flash. I used my kit lens 55-250.Inspiration
One of my favorite subjects to shoot are lighthouses. The more remote lighthouses tend to be more dramatic but can be very challenging to shoot because they are not easily accessible. However, any lighthouse can look compelling if you have the right lighting. What drew me to this lighthouse was it's location and easy access and it's beautiful New England flavor. The natural lighting hit the structure just right and brought out the mix of colors that I wanted the viewer to see.Editing
I did not do a lot of post-processing. I used Lightroom and tweeked the photo a little so that the lighting appeared more dramatic.In my camera bag
I now take photos with my new Nikon 810 camera but this shot was taken with my Canon Rebel SL1 with it's accompanying kit lens. It may not have all the "bells and whistles" that my full frame camera has but I still love taking pictures with it. The weight of my Canon camera is dramatically different from the Nikon. That's why if I want to spend a whole day shooting I pick up the Canon camera instead. It's so much lighter and takes great shots. I normally keep the kit lens in my bag 55-250 as well as my macro lens EF 100mm 1:2.8, extra batteries, Sekonic Flashmate L-308S, and a circular polarizing filter. I make sure that I have the manual in my bag too just in case.Feedback
There are many different locations in Maine and New England to take spectacular shots of lighthouses. It's important to plan ahead of time and research the area well to find out the best vantage point. The weather can change on a dime here so bring protective gear for yourself and your camera. Shots taken along the coast can be so compelling especially at dawn or dusk or just after a storm has hit when the clouds are out in abundance and the seas are stirred up.
