{"id":95581,"date":"2023-07-13T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-13T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=95581"},"modified":"2024-06-13T23:07:41","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T03:07:41","slug":"lighthouse-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/lighthouse-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Lighthouse Photography\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to scenic and photogenic structures, lighthouse photography<\/strong> is both a historic and contemporary staple when it comes to photographing architecture. Lighthouses aren\u2019t just pretty, they have remained a symbol of hope and guidance to those that seek passage. Whether you are planning to shoot a lighthouse soon or perhaps you come across one in the near future, here are some helpful tips for getting the best shot you can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Compositions <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to getting the right composition<\/a>, there is no right or wrong way to create yours. In fact, it is better to experiment and play around with different framing, lighting, and points of view. Since a lighthouse is a static object, being creative with different compositions will diversify your shots. Think about what you want from the shoot. Do you want to shoot it during the day or night? Do you want to shoot the beacon? How about photographing it from above? Is it a particular season or weather? Figuring out exactly what you want will help you prepare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lens choice will be the main factor in determining your composition. Lighthouses are tall and usually located at the edge of water. Figuring out your point of view will allow you to choose the best lens. A wide-angle lens will feature the lighthouse in a natural setting \u2014 between land and sea. Getting a closer vantage point would show the dominance of the lighthouse as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a mid to telephoto lens creates a more intimate frame of the structure. These lenses are more handy when you can\u2019t get a closer vantage point of the lighthouse. Utilizing the lens compression<\/a>, you can effectively make the lighthouse look much larger and closer.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Photo by Tyler Glass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Best Gear for Lighthouse Photography <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Camera <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Honestly, you can shoot lighthouses with just about any camera, including a smartphone. The only time you may need a mid-high level camera is when you are shooting in lower light situations and want to open your shutter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lenses <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your composition will depend heavily on the type of lens you choose to use. Most lighthouse imagery you will find will be taken with a wide-angle lens. Although, on occasion, you may see a shot taken with a telephoto lens. It all depends on how close you are able to get to your subject. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tripod <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Being near a lighthouse means being near the coastline, which often brings strong winds and rain. Having a sturdy tripod<\/a> is essential to your setup and gives you the chance to take longer exposed shots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Filters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Depending on what time of day you are planning to shoot, a filter can be beneficial to your composition. Using a mist filter <\/a>can add a soft glow to the beam if you are shooting at night or dusk. An ND filter can allow you to open up your shutter if you\u2019d like to showcase the movement of water in your frame. Lastly, a polarizing filter will take away reflections of the water, or bring out more color. There are so many different filters out there now, you just need to decide what kind of composition you\u2019d like to achieve and go from there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Drones aren\u2019t often the go-to tool for lighthouse photography. Although, in an age where it seems like everyone has a camera, creators need to find new perspectives. Using a drone to capture a lighthouse can give you so many new frames and is often just a fun and dynamic way to shoot. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Photo by Tyler Glass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Preparing for the Shoot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You will want to have a basic understanding of the layout around the lighthouse. Find out how much room you will have to work with. That will also allow you to find the best focal length to use<\/a>. Scouting out the location ahead of time and seeing what time you can get the best lighting isn\u2019t a bad idea either. Check to see if there are any photographic guidelines or regulations, and try to go at a time when there is likely to be less crowds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Camera Settings for Lighthouse Photography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, consider your shot as it pertains to your shutter speed<\/a>. When a lighthouse is rotating, the light will give different beams at different widths. Opening up your shutter will make the beam appear wider in your image. Experiment with longer exposures until you find that perfect amount of light coming from the beam. You most likely won\u2019t need to open it any more than one second. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, it\u2019s time to determine your ISO <\/a>and aperture<\/a>. If you are shooting the lighthouse at night, generally, that means your ISO will need to be a bit higher. Keep your aperture as wide-open as the lens allows and go from there with your ISO \u2014 hopefully keeping it under 6,400. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have fun and experiment with different points of view and foregrounds. Open up your shutter, lower your camera to give a better sense of scale, or send up a drone to take a top-down shot of the structure. Stretch yourself to get as many compositions as you can and don\u2019t be afraid to try something different. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Photo by Tyler Glass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Ideas for Lighthouse Photography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Add Foreground Interest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Establishing a foreground interest that complements the rest of the elements will usually give you a more visually appealing photo than one without. This can be a boat, a tree, some rocks scattered along the shore, and other nearby subjects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a subject to focus on in the foreground creates a layered composition that allows you to draw the eye naturally, beginning with the focal point (the subject) and gradually moving on to other elements in the frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use Long Exposures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Long exposures allow you to create the feeling of movement in your image. The effect of this approach is usually evident when you have moving water in the frame. It will appear frothy or milky and provide an interesting contrast to the parts of the image that are in focus. If you\u2019re shooting on a particularly cloudy day, you can also use long exposures<\/a> to create movement in the sky, rendering the clouds as colorful streaks.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Photo by Tyler Glass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Use a Fast Shutter Speed to Capture Movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can also try going the other way and using a fast shutter speed to freeze movement and capture those dramatic seascape scenes that include violent waves crashing against the rocks. To achieve this, use shutter speeds of about 1\/500 of a second or faster to effectively freeze the action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may want to bump up your ISO and use a larger aperture to properly expose your image, as using incredibly fast shutter speeds won\u2019t allow for enough light to enter the lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go Black and White<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Consider shooting your lighthouse images in black and white (or editing them later in the post-processing stage) to make them appear more emotional and dramatic. This is also a useful trick to salvage a good, well-composed photo that has a little too much noise due to using high ISO settings and fast shutter speeds. Image noise normally looks unacceptable in colored photos, but in a monochromatic image<\/a>, it lends a grittier, more mysterious feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blend Multiple Exposures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another tip for breathtaking lighthouse photos is to shoot the same scene at different exposures and using photo editing software<\/a> to blend them into one image that has a richer range of colors, shadows, and highlights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the same process used for HDR or high dynamic range photography, although you can also use it to solve gradient issues when using a graduated ND filter. To avoid having the lighthouse go from dark to light in the image, shoot the scene without the filter while making sure that the lighthouse is properly exposed. Then, shoot a second photo with<\/em> the filter to balance the exposures of the sky and ground. You can then blend the two images to create one that has correct exposures in the upper and lower half, without affecting the lighthouse itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more tips, here\u2019s a video from Jack Hollingsworth on how to capture that perfect coastal or seascape images with your iPhone:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>
Coastal Photography: Picture Perfect iPhone Photography with Jack Hollingsworth<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>