I have always enjoyed photographing lighthouses because most are uniquely interesting subjects with their own unique history associated with them. Photographically however, some present challenges in terms of gaining access and others from the standpoint of leaving out all the physical obstructions such as power lines, cell towers or crowds of people. Even more challenging is creating an image that has not been done a million times before you and yet remains pleasing to view.
A few years ago, Cape Hatteras lighthouse was moved inland far enough to save it from the ocean’s erosive properties. While access remained a non-issue, other obstacles were created as a result of the move. It took quite awhile to work around them. As I walked the beach scouting vantage points and envisioning compositions, I was thrilled to discover this striking piece of driftwood. Weathered by years of wind and saltwater, its tentacle like roots add great interest to the image while subtly directing ones eye to the trademark black and white spiraled Hatteras light in the distance. I traveled there to create an image of just the lighthouse but returned with something I hope you feel surpasses it.