Renting a home in the waterfront town of Manteo, North Carolina for several winters has been a wonderful experience.  To be able to access subject matter without the car and at any time of day is beyond convenient; it’s beautiful.  The most obvious photo subject is the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse on Shallowbag Bay along the town’s waterfront.  I’ve photographed this tiny light in just about every condition imaginable.

The Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse is a replica, built in 2004.  It serves as one of many beautiful reminders of the maritime history of this area–the Outer Banks and Roanoke Island.

Roanoke Marshes Light is an obvious sunrise photograph, the sun coming over the horizon just over the left shoulder of the structure.  However, like any shot looking into the sun, once the fireball crests the horizon the lighthouse becomes a silhouette.  Dark.  Without detail.  This doesn’t seem to bother today’s computer-enhanced photographers; I routinely see bright, fiery skies seemingly without effect on an equally bright white Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse!   Technology :-).

I prefer a more natural approach, so I tend towards photographing Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse before first light.  Blue Hour.  Dawn.  Or stormy afternoons.  Or fog.  Each set of conditions allows the lighthouse to naturally remain the bright focal point of the frame.  The skies serve as secondary environmental information.  Complimentary. 

Camera:  Nikon D850
Lens:  Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 @34mm
Tripod:  Really Right Stuff TVC-33

Date taken:  Janaury 19, 2024
Settings:  f14, 30.0 seconds, iso 200