You've probably heard this warning many times: don't leave a scene until the last light extinguishes! I was shooting the Oregon Inlet and newly constructed Marc Basnight Bridge in early January 2021. Winter's long night was fast approaching. The sky was gray and...
There are four types of Whelk shell that I run into when beachcombing Cape Hatteras National Seashore: the knobbed whelk, the pear whelk, the channel whelk, and the lightning whelk. This is a Lightning Whelk shell. Similar to knobbed whelks in appearance, it's only...
Maritime forest is a beautiful anomaly in the Outer Banks. Forests that are impacted by the ocean. Nags Head Woods is one of the largest examples. Owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Nags Head Woods Preserve has over eight miles of hiking trails open...
The forecast on this morning was for freezing ground fog. I couldn't recall a similar forecast. Consequently, I wasn't sure how to choose a sunrise location. So, I played it safe. By first light I was out behind the historic Bodie Island Lighthouse in South Nags...
What are the best conditions to photograph a lighthouse? Worthwhile question, or wrong question all together? I'm leaning towards this question being worthless. Every place--every subject--has different faces, different personalities and different characters at...
I was not prepared to photograph wildflowers during the month of January. I simply didn't think anything would be flowering at the Outer Banks in the heart of winter. Much to my surprise, however, whenever a warm day or two was in the forecast, the front yards of...
What the small village of Duck, North Carolina lacks in public beach access it tries to make up for with beautiful soundside parks. A one-mile, elevated wooden boardwalk snakes around the shores of the Currituck Sound and through retail shopping centers over an area...
The only way to naturally expose the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse as the brightest subject in the frame is to shoot the lighthouse during predawn, before the sky and the sun dominate the frame. Any subject photographed looking into the sun will be a silhouette....
When I first floated the idea of an extended winter stay in the Outer Banks, my primary curiosity was whether I'd be able to shoot worthwhile landscapes given the dormant landscape features. It turns out, everything on the ocean side looked similar. The soundside,...
I must admit, I was mildly obsessed with the Portuguese Man O' War when I found my first one on Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The pink and blue translucent colors on the sail, as well as the mesmerizing patterns within the individual tentacles...they grabbed my...
The obvious spot for sunset photography in Corolla, North Carolina is Historic Corolla Park and the Whalehead Club. The Whalehead Club is a 21,000 square foot art nouveau home built in the early 1920's, complete with it's own lagoon and boathouse. The entrance to...
A question I field regularly is whether I prefer incoming (push) or outgoing (pull) waves. The only way to answer that question is, it depends! Without situational context, I would tell you outgoing waves. Shooting with water in the frame generally means wet feet,...
The rust on the pilings of the Duck Research Pier fascinates me. Like many experimental photographs, this frame represents the early exploration of an idea that has yet to fully materialize. Color, texture, lines...somehow they could all be better arranged to create...
Tonight is the Full Wolf Moon. Here's the January 2019 Wolf Moon reflecting into Shallowbag Bay near the Elizabeth II replica ship in Manteo, North Carolina. The Elizabeth II is part of Roanoke Island Festival Park. The replica Elizabeth II ship is representative...
Not all seashells are pretty. This Knobbed Whelk shell was worn and battered, not to mention incredibly large, awkward, and heavy to carry around! However, I found the bright orange aperture--or opening--very striking against the virtually bone white coloring of the...
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is my comfort blanket. It's where I go when I want solitude. Above all, it is a place to be creative without purpose or plan. A thirteen mile stretch of barrier island absent development, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge was...
I don't make it a point to avoid popular destinations. My rule is simple: if I see other photographers/tripods at the location, I move on to a different location. I'm trying to avoid the feeling of being trapped. When other photographers are setup on and actively...
Knobbed Whelk shells are quite the prize for non-discriminate beachcombers. Non-discriminate because they are rather gratuitous in size! Their thick, strong shells allow many Knobbed Whelks to make it through the rough surf and onto the beaches of Cape Hatteras...
The Duck Research Pier is the toughest pier to find in the Outer Banks. By design. The structure is not open to the public. Established in 1977 by the United States Army Corp of Engineers, the purpose of the Duck Research Pier and Field Research Facility is to...
Bad weather is good weather for landscape photography. Bad weather is what drove me towards the Oregon Inlet Lifesaving Station on this particular evening. During January in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, bad weather means some sort of cold front. And cold...
The mystery of the sea is very much alive, for me, in the Outer Banks. One of the neatest ways to touch this mystery is to find a bright colored piece of sea glass in a pile of shell hash along the beach. Like a valuable jewel, the colors--electric green, cobalt...
I like to walk. It's a large part of how I develop a relationship with the land. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is a wonderful place to walk in the Outer Banks (OBX). There's no development, few people, and miles of beautiful sand and ocean. On a winter...
During a predawn beachcombing expedition along Cape Hatteras National Seashore I found this large chunk of coral. It measured probably twelve inches wide and weighed as much as a bowling ball. It was still dark when I dug it out of the wet, loosely packed shell hash...
There are advantages and disadvantages to setting up base camp at different locations throughout the Outer Banks. The purpose of the project is going to dictate optimal location. For me, however, all things equal, Manteo is the best of the best. The only...
Cypress trees along the shallow shorelines of the Currituck Sound are not unique. However, unlike the largely public beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, most soundside properties are privately owned. Thus, the real challenge is finding the right tree in the right...
Reflection photography is hit or miss with my clients and friends: they either love it or they don't get it! Obviously, I love it :-). The historic Whalehead Club--originally called Corolla Island-- is a 21,000 square foot Great Gatsbyesque mansion built in 1925 and...
One of the neatest things about beachcombing is the surprising combination of color, pattern and shape of individual shells. Winter is the perfect time to beachcomb. Walking keeps you warm and the cold temperatures--and often gusty winds--keep the crowds far from...