Sometimes You Just Get Lucky: While on the N.C. Outer Banks last week, I caught this photo of the Ocracoke Lighthouse as the sun was going down. Most of my photographs are planned in advance with checks of weather, light expected, camera gear needed. This shot however, was completely spontaneous. It was taken on the day we arrived after a nine-hour drive and a ninety minute ferry ride. We had just gone to dinner and were on the way back to our room when I decided to swing by to scout the lighthouse in preparation for the following morning's shoot. As it turned out, the sun was setting and some clouds were beginning to catch the light. I had my camera in the car and jumped out quickly to grab this shot. This one was hand-held since I didn't have my tripod with me. I was still happy with the shot and liked both the sky colors as well as the soft sunset light falling on the lighthouse.

This lighthouse was built in 1823 and is the oldest lighthouse in N.C. and the second oldest in the nation. It is seventy-five feet tall and is short in comparison to most others. There are only around 57 stairs whereas Hatteras has 257. This lighthouse watches over the Ocracoke Inlet to the Pamlico Sound which was the only navigable passageway to the cities on the mainland of NC at that time. After numerous shipwrecks of English cargo ships, the Lighthouse, grounds and Lightkeeper's House were built for $11,359.

About this photo:

Camera was Nikon d810
Lens was 24-120 mm F4
Aperture F4
Shutter Speed 1/40 second
ISO was 64, lowest native ISO
Shot was hand-held with VR on