Lighthouse, New Brighton, UK
Aug, 2015Views
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Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Legendary Award
Contest Finalist in Lighthouse Beauty Photo Contest
Winner in Sea lighthouses Photo Challenge
People's Choice in Rough Seas Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in Rule Of Thirds Extravaganza Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Clash Of The Premiums Photo Contest
People's Choice in Your best lighthouse Photo Challenge
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People's Choice in Splash Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in HDR Waterscapes Photo Contest
People's Choice in Lighthouses! Photo Challenge
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AmandaJayne
January 23, 2016
I love Brighton,I think you should show this photo to the tourist board:)
A_B_digital
January 23, 2016
Sorry to disappoint you, Amanda Jayne, but this is the lighthouse at New Brighton on the Wirral peninsula in North West England, not Brighton on the South coast. Thanks for your comment anyway.
Platinum
lizziemellis
March 28, 2016
Magnificent shot love to see a lighthouse in a storm. sadly I would have to drive quite a way to see one, well done and congratulations for the people's choice in the lighthouse challenge:-)
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Latitude4236David
June 18, 2016
A beautiful capture of a Lighthouse and the sea together. I like the lighting. Makes you wonder if anyone is inside, the element of danger.
A_B_digital
June 18, 2016
Thank you so much for your critique, David. I cannot resist a lighthouse for the same reasons.
jeremydufault
September 16, 2016
Congratulations on winning people's choice in my best lighthouse challenge. I love the violence of the water blended with the serenity of the sky. Beautiful!
A_B_digital
September 16, 2016
Thank you so much, Jeremy. It's great to know one of my early photos could be so appreciated.
PRO+
A_B_digital
September 16, 2016
Thank you kindly, Eelco. I think I just struck lucky the day I took this shot, and people seem to like the result.
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A_B_digital
March 28, 2017
Many thanks again, Eelco. I just cannot resist entering this photo for lighthouse challenges. Fòrtunately, people still seem to like it.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
New Brighton, on the Wirral peninsular in the north west of England.Time
Around midday. I had to catch the high tide.Lighting
The day was a little overcast.Equipment
The camera I had then was my Nikon D5200 (I now have the Nikon D750) with a Nikkor 55-300mm zoom lens.Inspiration
When I bought a D5200 (my first DSLR) in 2014 I was eager to try it out on one of my favourite landmarks - the Perch Rock lighthouse. When I arrived at New Brighton on that wild February day, I was in luck - the tide was high and the stiff north westerly wind was whipping the waves into foam. I took a few shots and this one epitomised something of the force of nature I wanted to capture.Editing
As the day was overcast, my pictures were rather dull. I had the composition I wanted, but it lacked the dynamism I had felt at the time.As I always shoot in RAW, I decided to process the image with three different exposure settings and saved each one as a separate file. I then used the HDR software, Photomatix, to combine the three and bring out every last detail, as well as boosting the contrast and colour to inject some life into the image.In my camera bag
Now I have a Nikon D7100 body, fitted with my "walkabout" lens - a Sigma 17-70mm 1: 2.8 - 4 zoom. I also carry a Tamron 70-300mm 1: 4 - 5.6 zoom, a Sigma 10-20mm 1 : 4 - 5.6 ultra wide angle zoom and last but not least, my Nikkor 35mm 1 : 1.8 prime. Each of these lenses is fitted with a Hoya protective filter or polariser. I also carry a set of Cokin ND and ND Graduated filters, a Nikon cable release and my trusty MeFOTO Roadtrip travel tripod. This may seem a little excessive but, as I don't drive, I'm often out all day on bus and train to photograph all kinds of different subjects, and I want to be prepared.Feedback
If you have it in mind to head to the coast to take pictures of wild waves crashing on rocks (or lighthouses) it's crucial that conditions are just right. I would suggest you always check the tide - half an hour or so before high tide is good, as the waves are rushing in and breaking on rocks or structures. A quick Google for "Tide times New Brighton" (or your coastal area) will often give you all the info you need, including the other crucial element - wind. For my shot, a brisk north-westerly (coming in from the open sea) was perfect for building the biggest waves possible. If the wind is blowing from the land out to sea, it can often diffuse the energy in the waves, and you will lose the drama. Beware, when standing on the beach or on rocks, that you don't get wet feet - or worse, stranded by the incoming tide - and watch out for flecks of spray on your lens. Important: if you get any of your equipment wet (IE. camera body, lenses, tripod, etc.) wipe or rinse in fresh water as soon as possible - sea water is corrosive! Finally, when taking the picture, compose your scene and focus, then watch the pattern of the waves and try to time your shot when a big wave crashes and foams and, above all, try to get a level horizon!!
