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Grand Haven's Other Lighthouse
There's actually two on the same stretch of concrete Pier. During storms and in winter, this Lighthouse on Lake Michigan is pounded by the water and you ca...
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There's actually two on the same stretch of concrete Pier. During storms and in winter, this Lighthouse on Lake Michigan is pounded by the water and you can get a lot of great shots of it. I haven't driven the two hours in winter to get there when the whole thing is covered in ice, but maybe this year.
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NIKON D3400
Aperture 90/10 ISO 200 Shutter 10/25000 Focal Length 3000/10 
Grand Haven, Michigan, US
Aug, 2021Views
420
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in seaside views Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
All Star
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at the Grand Haven State Park in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. It's a beautiful little town with a gorgeous sandy beach and two lighthouses on one pier.Time
It was evening, and we had been at the beach almost the entire day, once we got there. It was a two hour drive for us, and we drove it home in the dark. This sunset was the most amazingly LONG sunset I've ever experienced. The color came on very early and stayed until well after the sun dipped into the water. I absolutely love the color in the sky. I painted my living room accent wall that deep sunset orange.Lighting
I let Nature take her course and she provided the best lighting I've seen to date. Man! What a sunset that one was!Equipment
I used my Nikon D3400 with the Nikon AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm lens. I've never used a tripod, although I own one. I'm just a fan of shooting freestyle. I get more pictures that way. But it does mean I edit more pictures, too, and have to erase a few. This is one of my favorite lenses because I can zoom in and out. My next favorite is the macro lens.Inspiration
The sky was incredible. I'd been taking pictures, then swimming, then drying off in the sun, then taking pictures. The real magic came toward evening when the sky turned this amazing orange. Truth be told, I think we were getting smoke from the fires in Minnesota that day, which added to beauty of it. I couldn't NOT take the shot. It was a fantastic day with a new beau, and I got a ton of great shots that day. It was really a magical day.Editing
I like to go in and add clarity to make the pictures appear more 3-D instead of the flatness of the 2-D. I think it works to help make the shot pop. Sometimes I turn up the color a little to make it the color it really was to my eyes. I've been told I can make my camera take brighter pics, so I'm going to try that out. I have Ps and Lightroom, but I don't know how to use them yet. I don't think I turned up the color on this one, but I can't remember for sure.In my camera bag
First, I always carry my Nikon D3400. It's a really cool deep red color, and I get a lot of compliments on how pretty it is. Lol. I have three lenses that I carry in my backpack. My favorite is my Sigma 105mm macro lens. I love to get in close! My second favorite is the lens I used for this shot, my Nikon 70-300mm lens. My third favorite is my Sigma 10-20mm lens for wide angle shots. I'm still relatively new at using a real camera because I just bought it in December 2020 and am still getting used to it. I love to carry the backpack with me so I can switch lenses at will, because you never know when you'll want that different lens.Feedback
The advice I would offer would be to get to the beach early and enjoy it, and take pics all day. Relax. And when the sky begins to show color, put something cool in the shot, like a lighthouse, boat, sailboat, people, even a volley ball net. Bring it into the viewer's eyes so they'll want to stare at it all day. Because where can they do that? In their own home. Boom. Sale! I love to hang my own work in my home, so I'm always after the shot that I can put on my wall. And now I'm starting my own photography business and hoping to hit the art fair circuit, travel around the warm parts of the country and display and sell my work. Also, I got into my first gallery. My opening is in February and I'm very excited about it! Just keep taking pictures. Of everything. That's my advice.
