I spent the past weekend with my wife's family in the Outer Banks. I was starting to think that the weather would not cooperate. It was heavily overcast the whole time. I woke up early the first morning because I wanted to get this lighthouse in the early morning light. No dice. I drank too much beer to get up early any of the other mornings (didn't matter anyway because they were all cloudy and nasty). Finally on my last full day there the clouds broke and the sky actually got too clear - there were no clouds at all but oh well. I got these just before having to head back to join the group to watch fireworks (this was on the 4th). I would have stayed for sunset but I was in a time pinch.

Anyway, I think these were worth the wait.

This lighthouse is the Bodie Island Lighthouse.

Click the pics for the EXIF







There are a few more in a gallery if you click here.

Nice set Phil. I love the lighting. That first one is beautiful.

Nice Pics. One thing though....Wheres the water?

Originally Posted by Phil U. I spent the past weekend with my wife's family in the Outer Banks. I was starting to think that the weather would not cooperate. It was heavily overcast the whole time. I woke up early the first morning because I wanted to get this lighthouse in the early morning light. No dice. I drank too much beer to get up early any of the other mornings (didn't matter anyway because they were all cloudy and nasty). Finally on my last full day there the clouds broke and the sky actually got too clear - there were no clouds at all but oh well. I got these just before having to head back to join the group to watch fireworks (this was on the 4th). I would have stayed for sunset but I was in a time pinch. Anyway, I think these were worth the wait. This lighthouse is the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Click the pics for the EXIF There are a few more in a gallery if you click here.

Sure was worth the wait... gotta love that sweetlight!

Phil I'm going to fwd this thread to my Mom, who's Dad was a lighthouse keeper. My Mom lived her childhood on a small island lighthouse on the southern tip of Nova Scotia Canada, and loves looking at these types of shots. Thanks and really sweet light on these, thanks for sharing!



AJ

Originally Posted by Prezwoodz Nice Pics. One thing though....Wheres the water?

Thats what I was thinking.

Lovely shot though. Lighting and colour is really nice

Originally Posted by Khaos Nice set Phil. I love the lighting. That first one is beautiful.

Thanks K. I think that first one is my favorite also.

Originally Posted by Prezwoodz Nice Pics. One thing though....Wheres the water?

Hehehe... Thanks, I'm not surprised by your question. The thing is, the east coast is very flat. These happen to be barrier islands made of sand built up from the bottom of the ocean. Over the years, the shape of the islands can change drastically. They built these lighthouses quite a bit off the water (a quarter of a mile or so) in order to withstand the changes. In the case of the Hatteras Lighthouse, the island changed enough to where the ocean was lapping at it's base. They ended up moving it a couple years ago to it's original distance from the water. If they hadn't, it might be in the water now.

In that first picture, there's a saltwater marsh behind the tall grass and then not far beyond the marsh is the ocean beach. However, the "sound" side is even closer behind the camera. Check out the diagram here: http://www.itpi.dpi.state.nc.us/caroclips/Bodie3.html

Check out information on the Hatteras light here: http://www.nps.gov/caha/capehatteras.html and information on the move here: http://www.nps.gov/caha/lrp.htm

Originally Posted by Jerry Curtis Sure was worth the wait... gotta love that sweetlight!

Yes, gotta love it. Thanks Jerry!

Originally Posted by MuskyDude Phil I'm going to fwd this thread to my Mom, who's Dad was a lighthouse keeper. My Mom lived her childhood on a small island lighthouse on the southern tip of Nova Scotia Canada, and loves looking at these types of shots. Thanks and really sweet light on these, thanks for sharing! AJ

Very cool, a light keeper in the family. That's definitely an era gone by. I know I would never have been able to do it, but that life has always fascinated me. Make sure you send her the link to the gallery as there are a couple of another lighthouse (the Hatteras lighthouse - easily the most popular on the east coast - also the tallest I believe). Unfortunately those were taken earlier in the day as I was killing time waiting for the sweet light. I hope she enjoys them.

Originally Posted by rahmonster Thats what I was thinking. Lovely shot though. Lighting and colour is really nice

Thanks, see my response to Prezwoodz for the answer to your question.

They were going to let it drown. Didn't.

We have one in the process of drowning. Can't get to it except by boat.

Hey, with this certified Global warming, they will just drown faster.

Nice photos!

ginger

Your right sweeeeet
Very nice and the ones in the gallery are great too

Thanks
Fred

Originally Posted by ginger_55 They were going to let it drown. Didn't. We have one in the process of drowning. Can't get to it except by boat. Hey, with this certified Global warming, they will just drown faster. Nice photos! ginger

Thanks Ginger. I know it is the way of things, but I wish it didn't have to be.

Originally Posted by USAIR Your right sweeeeet Very nice and the ones in the gallery are great too Thanks Fred

Thanks a bunch Fred!

Lovely light indeed Phil... Personally I think the first one is the best. The second one has a strange feel to me because the house is straight, but the tower seems to lean over. I know you can't avoid it if you are that close to shoot it, perspective and such.
The last one is very appealing and tender, but focusses more on the house itself then the tower. So your first shot would be a keeper for me...
Great job. It is frustrating at times if you want to shoot and the weather sabotages you. I would LOVE to visit the Outerbanks one day... Looks like a magical place

Nice shot. That lighthouse is similar in design to the Pigeon Point
Lighthouse out here in the left coast.

Very cool.

Originally Posted by photocat Lovely light indeed Phil... Personally I think the first one is the best. The second one has a strange feel to me because the house is straight, but the tower seems to lean over. I know you can't avoid it if you are that close to shoot it, perspective and such. The last one is very appealing and tender, but focusses more on the house itself then the tower. So your first shot would be a keeper for me... Great job. It is frustrating at times if you want to shoot and the weather sabotages you. I would LOVE to visit the Outerbanks one day... Looks like a magical place

Thanks Cat. I appreciate your feedback. I like to hear why someone likes a certain shot or why one is preferred more than the other. The first is also my favorite. In the second I wanted to use the wide angle to get the perspective distortion - perhaps with this type of subject it just doesn't work. In the third I was looking to capture what is in effect an attached toolshed. this is where I believe supplies and tools for maintaining the light were kept (one thing for sure was the tank for the oil that the lamp burned). The keeper's house is on the other side of the property that I didn't want to shoot in the evening light (that was my planned morning shot). Greaper got it - his second shot in this post is what I had been planning: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?...ighlight=bodie (damn you Greaper ) BTW: his first shot shows the walkway out into the marsh land I mentioned in my post about the "where's the water?" question.

Thanks again Cat - glad you found something you liked anyway.

Originally Posted by ian408 Nice shot. That lighthouse is similar in design to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse out here in the left coast. Very cool.

Thanks Ian! I Googled Pigeon Point and you're right - looks like a similar design. I'm sure when the gov was building all those lights at the time they didn't start from scratch on each one. Wow, money saving ideas - wouldn't hear of anything like that these days.

Hey all. Sorry to dig this one up again. I don't know why I didn't think of this before when I was giving my explanation of "where's the water". Use Google Maps!!! They have some cool sattelite imagery of the area. Click this link: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.82...4206&t=k&hl=en Follow the road that runs SW away from the beach to a patch of mowed grass - that's the lighthouse. You can zoom right in and see it from above. See the marsh area between it and the beach?

I love Google Maps.