The Hook Peninsular Lighthouse
The oldest operational lighthouse in the world is found at The Hook Peninsular, Ireland.
The oldest operational lighthouse in the world is found at The Hook Peninsular, Ireland.
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Nov, 2015Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at The Hook Peninsular, near Wexford in Ireland. The cliffs there are amazingly beautiful to view and also crammed with fossils so they are interesting for macro photography too.Time
We walked the coastal footpath during the morning and arrived at this point just before lunchtime, perfect timing for the high tide.Lighting
The sea air was crystal clear so the lighting was wonderful, it lit the water to a deep sapphire blue, topped with dazzling white breakers. The distant lighthouse looked wonderful with the blue sky and whisky clouds behind. The whole view took my breath away.Equipment
I use a bridge camera because I can easily manage the weight of it and carry it with me at all times. The camera allows full control of the settings when needed, with the convenience of auto control and scene modes for more general photography. It is a Fuji Finepix S1with an excellent X 50 zoom but also has the capability of macro shots 1cm from the subject. On this occasion I used a polarising filter, then set my camera on a rock for extra stability as my tripod wasn't with me. If I don't have a tripod I set the camera on a 2 second delay to avoid camera shake.Inspiration
I was inspired by the wild beauty of the coastline and was seeking to get a fresh view of this iconic lighthouse. The present building is about 800 years old, making it the oldest operational lighthouse in the world. A combination of raw beauty, ancient history and a dazzling day made this shot irresistible.Editing
I edit in Photoshop CS6. On this occasion it was basic cropping, tweaking levels and a little straightening.In my camera bag
As I use a bridge camera my equipment is minimal. I usually carry a circular polariser, circular, variable ND filter and a cleaning cloth. I do have a huge range of other filters to choose from when I want special effects. I use a remote shutter control for tripod work to avoid camera shake or if I'm wearing thick gloves.Feedback
On this occasion I had planned the visit to capture this photo. Sometimes the weather, lighting or timing is wrong and you just have to be prepared to return to a location when conditions improve. If I had arrived at low tide the whole scene would have been lifeless so planning ahead was important, and on this day the weather was good fortune. Quite often I will find good spots for sunrise or sunset photos, then return to the exact place when the weather is promising in the hope of catching something magical.
