I am sometimes asked what my favorite subjects are to shoot. The short answer would be that I am wildly passionate about photographing lighthouses, although it goes much further than that. You see, I have so many subjects that I am passionate about in addition to lighthouses, but lighthouses do steal my heart. Maybe it’s because of the way we romanticize lighthouses, the history, the beauty of the surroundings, the overall feeling you get while standing in their presence. Generally, lighthouses are almost always in a beautiful place. Cape Neddick, Portland Head, South Monomoy, Sandy Neck, Nobska, Stage Harbor, Castle Hill. The majesty of these locations will take your breath away, and these are just some (in my opinion) of the best locations for photographing a beautiful scene. Some are better than others of course for certain shoots. For instance, Portland Head, which I mentioned earlier, is great for sunrise as well as sunset, and also is great for snow scenes. And sometimes, you can even combine a sunrise or sunset with a snow scene. So what are some of my other favorite subjects to shoot? I love shooting piers and boardwalks, although there really aren’t a whole lot of good ones to shoot, mainly because the position of the sun becomes a factor. Will the angle of the sun during sunrise or sunset really capture the beauty of the pier? Old Orchard Beach, Town Neck Beach in Sandwich Ma., Grey’s Beach Boardwalk in Yarmouth Port Ma., are some of my favorites, and if you’re up for the challenge, sunrise or sunset for these three can be fantastic, as well as, well, challenging. Mainly because of the angle of the sun, which isn’t always in the best position for a long pier or boardwalk, depending on the time of year. Which brings me to my third most favorite subject to shoot, and that would be beach scenes. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, can match a sunrise or a sunset at the shoreline. Sure, it helps to have an added subject, a dory, a large rock, a jetty, another shoreline in the distance. These things are all great, but not mandatory. Just the shoreline, a few rocks, maybe the reflection of the sun in the water just before you. And if you’re lucky, it will be low tide, and you can capture the reflection in the small puddles that are leftover from the retreating tide. Hopefully my inspiration will be your inspiration, and you will find your own favorite subjects to shoot. Keeping the with camera in hand. Namaste.
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