Marblehead lighthouse reflection

[Dennis Bishop]

The Marblehead lighthouse, which is on Ohio's Marblehead Peninsula, started up in 1822 and is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes. The original keeper's house is about a mile away. A new one was built next to the lighthouse in the 1880s, and this sunrise reflection was caught on one of its first floor windows. It was necessary to get very low and very close to capture this much of the lighthouse, so the shots were severely keystoned, and it took a lot of pulling and prodding in Photoshop to make the sides of the window frame parallel.

Nikon D3s, ISO 400, f/16, seven-exposure HDR at 1 EV intervals, zoom lens at 32mm

processing highlights

• Topaz Simplify -- saved watercolor preset, masked
• Alien Skin Snap Art -- saved watercolor wash preset, Color blend mode, 46% opacity
• five masked textures -- various blend modes and opacities; Belle Fleur, Flypaper Textures, and one of unknown origin. The house has been resided. Peeling paint was added with one of the textures, but the red ornament above the window really looks like that; (the peeling texture was masked off of it).
• two masked photo filter adjustment layers -- cooling LBB, 49%, masked off of the window glass; warming 81, 100%, masked to the glass only
• three Fractalius black & white layers -- Multiply blend mode, various opacities
• Snap Art -- black & white line art preset, Multiply, 21%
• Simplify -- black & white edges preset, Multiply, 100%
• The light is​ actually green but artistic license was used to show it as a beam

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Like a window, into a window, and the final window with the lighthouse reflection. Windows into the past. The processing is wonderful, and I love the burgundy accent above the window and the peeling paint. Well executed and thought out, and good job restoring the perspective. The light beam is the icing on the cake. Very creative Dennis.

[Anita Bower]

A creative perspective. I like it! The colors of the sunrise drew me right in. I like how the colors of the house--off white and red--are picked up in the lighthouse. Beautiful weathered texture on the house, creating a contrasting frame for the smooth glass reflection. Your processing works beautifully. I am seeing a faint line, starting in the greenery on the left side of the lighthouse and going up into the sky--the colors on one side seem to be duller, especially in the greenery. Not a bit thing, but I noticed it.

[Dennis Bishop]

. . . I am seeing a faint line, starting in the greenery on the left side of the lighthouse and going up into the sky--the colors on one side seem to be duller, especially in the greenery. . . .

I know what you're talking about, Anita. It and several other lines are in the original shots. If I remember, next time I'm there, I'm going to check the window to see if there's an inner and outer pane. Thanks for your comments.

[gary ellwein]

Dennis, as always, most impressed with the technique. I like the depth of the image and the soft colors.

[Mitch Carucci]

The subject creates a wonderful mood by itself, but your technical ability is impressive. The color contrasts, but blends and the textures all work in this image!

[Paul Lagasi]

Another Bishop creation, you are certainly creating your own style. This image is very nice...well done

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Dennis, I agree with all the nice comments above - another example of your amazing filter and layer work. I find that my eye longs to see the bottom of the window frame to complete the framing element for the lighthouse. Do you use Lightroom? It has some pretty amazing geometry corrections available.

[Dennis Bishop]

. . . I find that my eye longs to see the bottom of the window frame to complete the framing element for the lighthouse. Do you use Lightroom? It has some pretty amazing geometry corrections available.

Thanks for your comments, Kerry. You're right about the bottom of the window frame, and I have no idea why I didn't include it. This shot is the untouched middle one from the HDR sequence used for the image. If I were going to redo it, and I might in spite of all the work, I'd include the bottom of that pane, and I'd stretch everything vertically so the proportions of the lighthouse are closer to the truth. As I looked at this, I saw what I think is the reason for the duller area that Anita pointed out. It's probably because of whatever is inside the pane -- likely the wall.

I never had Lightroom until it came along for the ride when I subscribed to Photoshop CC. A couple of the local photographers I talk with have told me that it's useful to them, but they haven't convinced me that it makes sense for what I do.