Nobbys Lighthouse at Night

I watch the stars shineOver the oceanWhile waves crashAnd the wind roars

I took this photo a couple of weeks ago while on a photowalk in Newcastle. I'd started to pack up my gear after getting a few shots of the sunset over the Newcastle ocean baths and with night setting in, there didn't seem like much point hanging around.

On my way back, though, I stopped to look at Nobbys Lighthouse for a while. I've always liked the lighthouse but whenever I've tried to photograph it I've often struggled to get a photo I've been happy with, one that feels unique.

Looking at the scene now though, with the stars out and the water reflecting the light, I thought it looked quite striking and might make for a really interesting and different photograph. So I quickly set up my tripod to take a few shots.

Shooting at night, particularly with a moving subject, is often tricky as you need to balance quite a few factors to get your composition and exposure right, most notably your aperture and ISO. I find it takes some experimenting to get it right and it took me quite a few shots to get the effect I was looking for.

I like the result though. The colours and the contrast with the dark sky really make the image pop for me and I find it very peaceful, which was what I was hoping to capture. I'm definitely glad I stopped!

Photo and haiqua © CJ Levinson 2017