Great Point Lighthouse - Nantucket

[Clemens Vanderwerf]

This is one of the nicest lighthouses to photograph. It is on a very remote part of Nantucket with only access by boat of four wheel drive. Many nice angles possible. I like the remote feeling of this presentation in nice evening light.

Canon 1D Mk IIIs, 18mm, f5.0, 1/2500, ISO400, handheld

Any comments are highly appreciated. Thanks for looking.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Clemens, welcome to the forum. The image is well handled technically with good light. First off I might not have centered the lighthouse due to compositions generally being stronger when the center of interest is offset. (not a hard fast rule but a guideline) The most dominant area of the image is by far the sky. It has interest but so dominates the image the lighthouse is no longer the main story.
I will say the image does communicate a vast and empty environment which in itself is appealing...

[Robert Amoruso]

Hi Clemens,

I saw your image earlier today but was called away and just got back online now.

I felt the saw as David, I feel you captured the wide look of the scene well but feel the lighthouse placed to on side of the image would balance better.

Looking forward to more images.

[Clemens Vanderwerf]

Hi Clemens,

I saw your image earlier today but was called away and just got back online now.

I felt the saw as David, I feel you captured the wide look of the scene well but feel the lighthouse placed to on side of the image would balance better.

Looking forward to more images.

Dave and Robert,

Thanks for your comments. I do agree that the sky is actually the main subject, and the lighthouse gives the perspective. I did take many images with the lighthouse off center and closer. Have also some very nice verticals that really work well and focus on the lighthouse as subject.

Thanks again.
Clemens

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Clemens,
Very good advice above regarding the composition.....and really can't add to it....but I have a few questions....#1 Why the SS chosen? #2 Why the f-stop? Were you on the Moving boat....so that partially explains #1 and #2? I look forward to the response so I can further critique the image.

[Clemens Vanderwerf]

Hey Clemens,
Very good advice above regarding the composition.....and really can't add to it....but I have a few questions....#1 Why the SS chosen? #2 Why the f-stop? Were you on the Moving boat....so that partially explains #1 and #2? I look forward to the response so I can further critique the image.

Hi Roman,
Agree that there is enough room for a slower ss and more dof by using a higher f stop, but also think that for this composition it does not make such a big difference. Focal point was on the lighthouse. Like to hear your opinion.
Thanks,
Clemens

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Clemens,
did you manually focus on the LH? Since it is so small in the frame.....I wonder how the focal point was on it......so at f5.......this could be a problem and not a good habit to get into considering you had a SS of 1/2500. I see no good reason to shoot at that SS. I do think a higher f-stop would give more depth to that sky and FG......so just for others to learn here.....why did you chose such a fast SS?

[Clemens Vanderwerf]

Roman,

I locked focus on the lighthouse (with the bottom middle sensor) and recomposed in order to get more sky in. I focussed more on the f5 than on the ss to be honest. I agree that I should have taken a higher f-stop, which brings the ss down. What f-stop would you recommend for such a composition? As high as possible?

[Roman Kurywczak]

Sorry Clemens,
Running a workshop today so a bit late on the reply. I generally start at f22......but if you were worried about cloud movement......f11 to 16 in order to maintain some SS and freeze the clouds would probably be a good compromise. With all the cloud detail I would love to keep as much of it as I could!

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

Clemens- I really like your image, but I was wonering what it might look like as a pano and fooled around with the crop and this is what I came up with and thought I would share it with you. Hope yopu don't mind. I like mine, but maybe like yours better.

Mac

[Robert Amoruso]

Mac,

That is a very interesting take on this image making the lighthouse the center of interest. Well done.

[Clemens Vanderwerf]

Sorry Clemens,
Running a workshop today so a bit late on the reply. I generally start at f22......but if you were worried about cloud movement......f11 to 16 in order to maintain some SS and freeze the clouds would probably be a good compromise. With all the cloud detail I would love to keep as much of it as I could!

Roman,
Okay, that range is clear. Will do that the next time. Thx.
Will post a vertical from the same lighthouse and same capture details, and would like your opinion with that composition.

[Clemens Vanderwerf]

Clemens- I really like your image, but I was wonering what it might look like as a pano and fooled around with the crop and this is what I came up with and thought I would share it with you. Hope yopu don't mind. I like mine, but maybe like yours better.

Mac

Mac,
I like your pano too. It puts the lighthouse off center. The clouds are still providing some dramatic feeling.
Thx.

[Morkel Erasmus]

nice scene and gorgeous clouds here - I concur with placing the lighthouse a bit off-center but I really do like Wheeler's pano repost too :)