South Stack Lighthouse

Lighthouse #29

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The story behind this image

It's dark, cold, windy and drizzling. Not what you would call ideal conditions for landscape photography.

However, some subjects just work in these sorts of conditions, with coastal scenics and lighthouses well up there.

This is South Stack lighthouse on Anglesey, just off the North Wales coast, and this is one of my 'go to' places for sunset whenever I'm in that area.

I've photographed South Stack under all sorts of lighting and weather conditions at various times of the year and hours of the day, but never before have I attempted a shoot in such dire conditions.

The sun had set, although I couldn't tell as there was no horizon to speak of, just heavy cloud and mist over the entire sky. I guess the sun had set as it was too dark to see anything except the lighthouse.

I was clinging to my tripod hanging over a wall trying to hold it still during the thirty second exposures I was making, wondering if any of these shots were going to come out at all.

Well, wasn't I pleasantly suprised on reviewing the images once I'd got out of the fog (my camera was dripping wet by this point), with dramatic images which captured the mood of the evening really well.

Of all the photos I took this one was the best, with the camera staying still for the duration of the exposure and the drizzle letting up a bit and not fogging up the lens.

Well worth getting wet and cold for!

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Image data

Filename - lighthouse 29.jpg

Camera - Canon 5D

Lens - 24-105mm zoom @ 35mm

Exposure - 30secs @ f11, ISO100

Location - South Stack, Anglesey

This image - 640x800px JPEG

Conversion - ACR & PS-CS2

Comments - Tripod, mirror lockup and cable release used to prevent camera movement.