Dave Chinn

I'm fascinated with lighthouses and always on the look out for them. Next week I will be traveling to Buffalo for a Navy reunion. After three days there I will be traveling up through Canada and headed to Portland, Maine to photograph a long awaited lighthouse, Portland Head Light. Hopefully, there will be other lighthouses along the way. I have add three lighthouses from my collection over the years. Feel free to add any lighthouses you may have.

I'm experimenting ... again. The 3 lighthouses have been processed through Nik Analog Efex Pro. I rather like the effect, but maybe because its new to me, and could always change.

'Cana Island Lighthouse' Wisconsin

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'Asylum Point Lighthouse', Wisconsin

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'Pigeon Point Lighthouse', California

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uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl

There are 65 Lighthouses along the coast of Maine, google Maine lighthouses for locations and info. Have a safe and enjoyable trip.
Paul

Dave Chinn

Thanks Paul !!! I don't think there is anyway for me to visit all 65, but I would certainly try at some point .... maybe. Yes, I knew Google would be my friend and will use it at all costs. I appreciate you commenting.
Dave

uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl

I'm not sure but I think you can tour only a few. We were in Maine last Sept and it was very foggy, I couldn't get great photos. Got to go back.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

How cool you're heading to my home state, Dave! Will you have a lobstah roll for me, please?

For subject, composition and processing, I'm drawn to #2 of this series. Can't wait to hear how you enjoyed your trip and to see your results.

What is your route from Canada to Portland?

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

It's growing on me. I like all three shots. There is a bit of a haloing effect that appears strongest in #3. I can't pick a favorite.

Dave Chinn

Thanks again Paul, I'm really not interested in touring them anyway. Just photographing and to make an attempt to have my timing correct when visiting. I want to avoid midday lighting.
Dave

Dave Chinn

Yes I'm heading in that direction. I had to Google lobstah, even though I had an idea what you were referring to, but wasn't 100% sure. To answer you, yes I will. I am amazed at the different types of lingo in various parts of the country, I find it interesting and always wonder about it.

My intentions on a route is not set in stone, but plans are to travel along Lake Ontario on the Canadian side, crossing back over to the states in Vermont. Then heading towards Portland. I have been wanting shots of Portland Head Light for years.

Thanks for commenting on the lighthouses. The one you are drawn to is in Oshkosh, WI. I took that almost 9 years ago to the day. http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=576
Dave

Dave Chinn

Thanks Frank !!! No need to worry about picking a favorite as I struggle with it too. Yea, I knew about the haloing and refused to do anything about it as this was a quick edit experimenting with something different. I'm not 100% sure that I even like them myself. I thought I would throw it out there to see what reaction would come back. I have edited all of my lighthouses in various ways. Some I like, some I don't. I just experiment with them all just to see what comes up. Thats my learning process.
Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Thanks for the link; interesting!

I got a good chuckle out of your Googling lobstah If you meet any true Downeast characters you'll note that there are no words that end in R. Pahked my cah in Bah Hahbah! (parked my car in Bar Harbor)

I asked about your route because you mentioned maybe seeing lighthouses before you got to Portland, and I knew you wouldn't find ocean if you took the most direct route. I LOVE Vermont! It's a bit different from the rest of New England. Should be a beautiful drive.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I love lighthouses, and chase them down wherever I go along a coastal area. Of course, we are pretty bereft of lighthouses in Mississippi so I have no place to practice so mine seldom turn out well, but that doesn't keep me from trying.

The grand lights like Portland Head are pretty fun and often have good viewpoints that allow for relatively easy shooting if you can work your way past the throng of tourists. I actually like the nearby Nubble light better because the tourists can't get out there to it but it's still close enough to shoot easily, and because the restaurant across from the light had great lobster and mussels. Maine is full of wonderful lights, many uniquely designed. The Bass Harbor light out on Mt Desert is another good one but more a struggle to shoot and really needs good light. My own favorite is the humble Monhegan light because it is personal to me. I spend a week every fall beneath its comforting beacon, and it makes me feel watched over.

I really really like the middle image and the 1905 look you've given it. Which of the Analog efex filters did you use? It came out great.

I'll add a few in hopes that others will do the same. Great topic, hope to see more lighthouses!

Swallowtail, Grand Manan, New Brunswick

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Monhegan Island, Maine

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Nubble light, York, Maine

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Dave Chinn

Thank you Minnie !!! I have enjoyed viewing your lighthouses along with your short stories. My main goal lighthouse is the Portland Head and hoping for others. Can the Monhegan Island Light be seen from the shore, or do you have to take a boat tour? Hopefully there won't be many tourist while I'm there. I'm hoping for a possible sunrise shot of the sort but I won't be all that disappointed if it doesn't occur.

The Analog Efex filter I used was camera classic 9 with the very first dirt & scratches from the organic. Although, Analog was the last process. I also converted to B&W but reduced the opacity to have very subtle color. Even though I have had the program for sometime, this is a first time use for me. A rather quick edit and I need to get more familiar and use it more often.
Dave

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Both Monhegan and Manan require ferries, and no cars on the Monhegan ferry. Nubble is easy to drive to, as is Bass Harbor and the other lights in Acadia NP. If you do the Acadia lights, don't forget the Schoodic side, my favorite, because its got great working fishing villages and no tourists, plus a nice light.

You'll have to share your findings, I'll be headed to Buffalo in Oct, and rambling about in Ontario for a week.

Thanks for the info about how you used Analog filters, I'm still finding my way with them but like them a lot.

Dave Chinn

Thanks for the info on the other lighthouses.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is another one I have been wanting to see. I had forgotten about that one. I will have to change my route now because at first we hadn't planned on going any further north than Portland, but now have decided to go to Bass Harbor first then head down to Portland so not to back track.
Dave

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Dave, you invited other lighthouses. I have never met the lighthouse I did not want to photograph. The ones I'm presenting here are all (I hope) unusual in some respect, in at least one case because I was only able to get a little piece of a beloved lighthouse of my youth, Block Island's iconic Southeast Light. For several years I was lucky enough to be taken along on my grandparents annual 2-week vacation on Block Island, which at the time nobody had ever heard of (gee thanks Kennedy family). In a classic case of you-can't-go-home-again, after an absence of over 50 years I managed to get back to my beloved Island for one lousy day, the 5th of July 2013. We managed to get a taxi tour but the tour was limited and we were only allowed out of the taxi once, on the great Mohican Bluffs, where I managed the below shot of the upper half of the Southeast Light a long, long way away. So it's unusual. I think.

Block Island Southeast Light (1875), seen from the Mohican Bluffs

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Pequot Light (inactive) 1801. Now owned by the New London Maritime Society. The current octagonal tower, designed by Abisha Woodward, was constructed of brownstone in 1801. New London Harbor Light was one of the earliest American lighthouses.

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Crossing Block Island Sound to Orient Point on Long Island, the fog rolled in. This is Orient Point Light (1899), a cast iron "sparkplug"-type lighthouse off Orient Point, New York.

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Drawing Closer the fog lifted somewhat. Orient Point Light (1899) is a cast iron "sparkplug"-type lighthouse off Orient Point, New York.

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The New London Ledge Lighthouse, built in 1909 on the Southwest Ledge, is said to be haunted by the ghost of an early keeper, called "Ernie."

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So on the Cross Sound Ferry I was bored in the fog and made the picture looking aft, but it needed something looming out of the fog. It needed...a lighthouse!

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