Another Sunrise Lighthouse Photography cruise is in the books and we have the photos to prove it. Weather had been a concern considering the thunderstorms and heavy fog that have been lingering in the region but instead folks aboard were treated to a beautiful sunrise at sea as well as some of the best light bathing the lighthouses that we went to see. In all the years we have been doing this Sunrise cruise, the weather has always been very cooperative.

Most Maine Lighthouses face East and since the sun rises in the East it is natural that morning is the very best time to see and photograph lighthouses along the coast of Maine. In addition to the local lights Burnt Island, Cuckolds light and Ram Island the attendees aboard also got to see Pemaquid Light from the ocean for the very first time in this Sunrise cruise. The vessel Balmy Days was captained by Bill Campbell who maneuvered the boat to get the very best look angles of all of the lights including the “two-for-one” shot of the Ram Island light and the Cuckolds in the distance nicely framed under the catwalk. This year a local lobsterman ended up getting the picture which added a nice element to the scene.

While cameras are not a requirement to join the photography cruise most people aboard did have some form of camera and they all got to see and to make some spectacular shots of the lighthouses under some very nice morning light. About 30 people joined including a handful of folks who were also participating in a Down East magazine daylong photo retreat what was also hosted by Mike Leonard. After the cruise those folks continued on to make pictures in the region and then later in the afternoon Leonard conducted an Adobe Photoshop processing session using the participants image files.

A mention of doing this cruise again next year has already been spoken and if you missed this one mark your calendar now for what is typically the 2nd Saturday in September which coincides with Maine Open Lighthouse Day. Just remember the boat leaves the dock at 6 a.m. sharp.

Also, if lighthouses are an attraction for you, Mike Leonard is the host photographer aboard the Friendship V out of Bar Harbor on Sept. 24 for what is being called a Grand Slam Lighthouse tour where participants will get to see 20 lighthouses in about eight hours. Many of the lights on this cruise are only able to be seen by boat and because this is also a photography cruise you will be able see and make your best shot of all of these lights. The boat will stop at each light for about 10 minutes and will rotate around to insure you get the best view and you make your best shot of each light. Tickets are available for that day long cruise by calling 207-460-9575.

You can see other photography happenings that Mike is doing including a WorldWide Photo Walk on the morning of Oct. 7 in New Gloucester by visiting his website www.phototourismbymike.com and by clicking on the Photo Events tab.

Mike Leonard is a frequent photo contributor to the Boothbay Register and enjoys taking pictures of many different subjects including lightning, aurora and landscapes.

The LSU Museum of Art has a new exhibition centered on the beauty of drag and drag queens. 

On Aug. 31, award-winning photographer Jerry Siegel kicked off the show with a gallery talk on his new work, an exploration of queerness entitled “Reveal.” 

At the talk, Siegel wore a black button down tucked into jeans, a white goatee and a warm smile. He gestured with his hands as he spoke, drawing ideas in the air. 

“My interest in drag artists and the transformation they make as performance artists goes back to the late 90s,” said Siegel, discussing his inspiration for the show, “I have always been interested in how we all use costumes of a sort and how drag artists take that a step further outside their daily routine.” 

When beginning his work, Siegel got to know the performers before taking any photos. “I have benefited from the interactions and conversations with all the drag artists. I would ask very pointed and direct questions because it was important to me to better understand their point of view,” Siegel said.

Siegel also commented on his gratitude to the drag artists who collaborated with him for the project. 

“I appreciated that they were open to having those conversations with me, a straight cisgender male,” he said. 

With “Reveal,” Siegel said that he “wanted to make work that would be interesting visually to the viewer, but would also make you think and help create dialogue about gender identity and expression.”

Siegel’s work comes at a time when there’s heavy discourse centered around queer expressions of art (like drag), gender expression and what it means to be transgender in America. 

In recent years, 20 states have created laws banning gender-affirming care. This June, Louisiana joined them, passing a bill to ban gender-affirming care specifically for minors, which will take effect in January 2024. 

South Dakota and Kansas have passed laws restricting which bathrooms transgender students can use in schools, and a new Florida statute prohibits transgender people from using government-owned public restrooms if the gender on the door does not match the gender assigned to them at birth. 

Many of the same states are also attempting to ban drag shows. Arkansas, Texas and others have passed varied anti-drag legislation. In March, Tennessee became the first state to ban drag performances in public places. The bill, which would have taken effect on April 1, was blocked by a federal judge and ruled an “unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech.”

In response to the new laws, Siegel said he was, “concerned, disappointed [and] mad. Legislators are not doing their job of working for their constituents. They are playing to the lowest common denominator of their base and using fear to gain and retain power. It is not at all about what is right, what the majority is interested in or wants. I am very concerned about freedom of expression. Many in power are arguing for freedom of thought and expression, but only as it pertains to them and their beliefs.” 

For Siegel, “freedom of speech and expression, making art, should be free from control. We should all be allowed to use our voices to speak about what we believe and to voice our support for whatever is important to us individually. Freedom of expression should be given to all equally.”

Siegel has been acclaimed as a photographer for excelling in bringing out the extraordinary qualities of anyone he works with, and he continued that ethos in “Reveal,” Siegel took the culture and beauty of drag and displayed the art, with all of its humanity. He presented the glamor of drag and the craftsmanship behind it. 

“Reveal” will be on display at the LSU Museum of Art until Nov. 12. General admission is $5, but university students with a valid school ID, veterans, their families, and children 12 and under can visit the museum for free. 

A photographer documenting a tropical storm in Puerto Rico captured three gigantic jets of lightning shooting above the clouds.

The upward-moving lightning bolts are extremely rare and have only been recently confirmed by science. Gigantic jets only occur 1,000 times a year and are 50 times more powerful than a regular lightning bolt.

Frankie Lucena used two cameras to capture the phenomenon, a black and white Watec 902HU designed for light sensitivity. And a Sony A7s astrophotography mirrorless camera that also performs well in low light situations.

The tropical storm that Lucena was capturing on August 20 developed into Hurricane Franklin. The gigantic jets that his cameras saw are red because they made contact with the Earth’s ionosphere which is 50 to 400 miles above sea level. Scientists believe most gigantic jets occur during thunderstorms above the open ocean.

Lucena, who regularly photographs rare weather phenomena, was looking southeast from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico when the gigantic jets occurred early in the morning around 03:00.

According to the Daily Mail, it is not the first time Lucena has documented the gigantic jets. In 2017, Lucena noticed gigantic jets recorded by the Gemini Cloudcam mounted to the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii.

Lucena told SpaceWeather in a 2017 interview that gigantic jets are related to lightning sprites but are “more powerful and easier to see with the naked eye.”

Gigantic Jet Mystery

Scientists have yet to uncover the reason why gigantic jets shoot upward rather than down like typical lightning bolts. Live Science reports that it could be because of some sort of blockage that prevents the lightning from exiting the bottom of the cloud but researchers remain unsure.

In 2017, an astronaut on board the International Space Station (ISS) managed to capture footage of the phenomenon that allowed scientists to gain a new perspective on the electrical activity that takes place on top of tropical thunderstorms.

More of Lucena’s work can be found on his X, YouTube, Instagram, and Flickr.

Image credits: All photos by Frankie Lucena.

Getting out under the canopy of stars is always a great treat for me. Using a fair amount of iPhone apps helps in my quest for Milky Way and other night sky phenomenon. There’s a drawback that can be overcome from their use. Read on for some night sky photography tips!

Night vision

Eyes are amazing tools with which we work. They do their job automatically and we hardly even notice. Until you get under the night sky and try to watch the stars in all their glory. In darkness, pupils dilate, allowing you to see more detail in the world. Pupils in your eyes contract when presented with bright light. Even if you have the brightness on your phone turned low, white light will show as very bright in relation to the surrounding darkness. “So, what’s the problem? Pupils dilate again once the light is turned off, right?” Not as quickly as you would like. They need time to adjust and open wide again affecting your night vision for about 15 — 20 minutes. How to deal with that?

Red light

Without going deep into the science of rods and cones and which receptors do what, let me show you a solution. Red light allows you to see without the pupils getting squeezed down. When you use the red you can see what you need to without causing problems. You still want this light to be subdued, but you do not need a lot of light to make the small adjustments which you need. As a side tip, practice making all the adjustments on your camera by feel. Often, I will sit with my camera and close my eyes and practice finding buttons and changing settings by feel. Our minds are amazing tools and we can program them to help us in many ways.

Headlamp

There are various lights which we need to work in our night sky photography. I highly recommend having a headlamp. A headlamp makes it easier to carry your gear leaving your hands free. Most headlamps come with multiple settings for white and red light. White for walking to your location and possibly your initial setup. Red for once you are in place and need a quick peek at something without destroying your night vision.

Phone apps

Apps on your phone are an integral part of night sky photography. Weather, Sky apps for finding constellations, and Augmented Reality all assist in knowing where to point your camera and when. But your phone is white light-based and using these tools can mess with that night vision. Unless you set your phone to a red light mode. Here’s how. You’ll need to dig into your settings and find “Accessibility.” On the iPhone, the next menu item is “Display & Text Size.” Scroll down to Color Filters and click the “On” button. Tick the Color Tint check. Select the red pencil at the top to choose the color.

Once red is selected, you can go to your main settings and lower the brightness. Note that at the end of the night you might want to return your settings to white and regular brightness. Why? Because the next morning, in the full light of day, your phone may be so dark you have trouble reading your screen. I thought my phone had died until I figured that out! I don’t have the exact directions for setting Android phones but I understand it is similar to the iPhone settings.

Let me know your tips and tricks for working under the night sky canopy. I’m always looking for ideas to share with my readers and night sky workshop students.

Yours in Creative Photography, Bob

As a seasoned seascape photographer, I’ve learned that capturing the beauty of the ocean is a thrilling yet unpredictable pursuit. Each time I venture to one of my favorite locations, Ballycotton Lighthouse, I’m reminded of the gamble that is seascape photography.

It’s a game where nature holds all the cards, and the outcome is never guaranteed. However, when it all comes together, the rewards are beyond measure, making every risky moment worthwhile.

Ballycotton Lighthouse, nestled on the southern coast of Ireland, has been a muse for countless photographers, including myself. Its unusual black façade rising out of the tumultuous waters of the Celtic Sea creates a mesmerizing contrast, a beacon of serenity amidst the chaos of nature. On this particular trip, my anticipation was heightened. I had heard whispers of an approaching Saharan dust storm, promising to infuse the air with a surreal and ethereal quality. The potential for otherworldly photographs was tantalizing, and I couldn’t resist the urge to make the journey once again.

The Unpredictable Elements

As I arrived at Ballycotton, I was met with a sight that both excited and concerned me. The lighthouse stood tall against the vibrant blue sky, a far cry from the expected hazy atmosphere created by the Sahara dust. Nature had thrown a curveball, and I found myself at the mercy of its whims. This unexpected twist in the weather was a stark reminder of the gamble inherent in seascape photography. Despite meticulous planning and research, Mother Nature has the final say. Weather forecasts can only provide a glimpse of what might be, leaving photographers like me to rely on instinct and experience to adapt to the ever-changing conditions. This is particularly true here in Ireland as our weather forecasts can change minutes before what was predicted.

Setting the Stage

Undeterred by the absence of the anticipated Sahara dust, I decided to proceed with my planned compositions. The lighthouse, perched on the horizon, on the rocky shoreline, still held its timeless allure. I knew that even without the unique atmospheric conditions, there was a chance to capture something special. I set up my camera, carefully considering the composition. The lighthouse served as the focal point, and I left just enough space in the frame for the incoming tide to play its part. Seascape photography often requires patience, as the perfect shot can take time to materialize. I was prepared to wait, to witness the transformation as the water gradually filled the blank space, creating a dynamic and captivating scene.

The Magic of Long Exposures

As the tide began to rise, I turned my attention to long exposures — a technique that has become one of my signatures in seascape photography. With the camera mounted on my sturdy tripod and a neutral density filter attached to the lens, I allowed for extended exposure times. This artistic choice creates a mesmerizing effect, smoothing out the water’s surface and blurring the movement of the clouds (if any), resulting in dreamlike, almost surreal images.

I dialed in the settings, calculating the perfect balance of shutter speed and aperture. It was a delicate dance between capturing the motion of the ocean and maintaining the sharpness of the lighthouse. Each click of the shutter was a calculated risk, an attempt to freeze a moment in time that would never occur again in quite the same way.

Embracing the Unpredictable

As I waited, capturing long exposure shots, I couldn’t help but reflect on the unpredictable nature of seascape photography. In this pursuit, patience is not just a virtue—it’s a necessity. The tides ebb and flow, the clouds shift and disperse, and the light evolves with each passing minute. Every frame I captured was a testament to the dynamic and ever-changing environment that is the ocean. Using the jagged rocks that thankfully grace the shoreline, I was able to capture some nice shots even before I had any light as such.

The Gamble Pays Off

As the sun began its descent toward the horizon behind me, I shifted my approach. I switched to shorter exposures, around 0.5 seconds, to capture the fast-moving waves crashing against the rocks. Composing my shots in advance of any approaching water was a key item here. I had some great textures and colors in the scene — the rocks looked like they belonged on a different planet.

It was in those moments that the gamble of seascape photography began to pay off. Despite the absence of the Saharan dust and the unpredictable weather, the raw beauty of Ballycotton Lighthouse shone through. The incoming water arrived just in the nick of time, before the light faded and prevented me from catching a crashing wave right at my feet at my preferred exposure time of 0.5 seconds. Each frame told a story, a testament to my perseverance and a reminder that nature’s unpredictability can yield unexpected treasures.

The Rewards of Seascape Photography

The gamble had turned into a victory. The photographs I had captured—both long exposures and short ones—were a testament to the ever-changing, unpredictable, and awe-inspiring nature of seascape photography. The rewards of seascape photography are not just in the images themselves but in the journey to capture them. It’s about immersing oneself in the elements, embracing the uncertainty, and finding beauty in the unexpected. It’s about honing one’s skills, trusting one’s instincts, and seizing the fleeting moments when the elements align just right. Even when the conditions don’t play the game you had hoped, there was still a game as such and just being there was enough for me.

Conclusion

In the world of seascape photography, every trip is a gamble, an adventure into the unknown where nature holds the cards. As a seasoned seascape photographer, I’ve learned to accept this unpredictability as an integral part of the craft. It’s a reminder that even the best-laid plans can be disrupted by the ever-changing forces of the ocean and the sky.

But it’s precisely this unpredictability that makes seascape photography so rewarding. When it works out, when the elements align in that perfect moment, the resulting images are a testament to the beauty and power of the natural world. Each photograph becomes a piece of art as such, a frozen slice of time that captures the essence of the ocean’s ever-shifting moods.

So, as I packed up my gear and headed back from Ballycotton Lighthouse that evening, I couldn’t help but smile. The gamble had paid off, and I had a collection of stunning photographs to show for it. It was a reminder that in the world of seascape photography, the risk is part of the thrill, and the rewards are worth every roll of the dice. This is why I love it I guess.

The more you improve as a photographer, the harder it becomes to take photographs you’re happy with. This is an unfortunate paradox most creatives have to endure as they hone their craft, and the psychology can impede your progress if you don’t re-evaluate and manage your expectations along the way.

As this video from Adrien Sanguinetti discusses, the Dunning-Kruger effect partly explains the phenomenon of feeling less competent as your photographic skills improve. Essentially, the Dunning-Kruger effect describes a cognitive bias where people with limited competence overestimate their abilities.

As you start to make early progress, it’s easy to think you’ve cracked photography until you learn enough about composition, lighting, timing, etc. to understand how little you really know. Suddenly, the flaws jump out in every image you take, and you feel disproportionately small compared to the inflated ego you briefly enjoyed through no fault of your own.

The more you learn about photography, the more you realize there is still yet to learn. This can be overwhelming, but it’s a sign that you’re making progress as a photographer and still have room to improve. While it’s easier said than done, the trick is to keep your focus on the progress itself, so you can keep going out, shoot as often as possible, and continue improving.

How do you manage your own expectations as your photography improves and your perspective of what makes a successful image changes?

For astrophotographers, there is a huge need for finding an important balance between the landscape or foreground, and the amazing interest in the sky. Whether you are photographing the Milky Way, Aurora Borealis, or the Winter Circle, the fundamentals of composition are still just as important as they are in normal landscape photography. In this video by Jeroen Linnenkamp, he provides three tips that will help you improve your compositions. 

When choosing a subject in astrophotography, an argument can be made for the stars themselves to be the subject, but in reality, you need that anchor in the image such as an interesting building, tree, or object to first capture the audience’s eye. 

To add balance in the image, a good tip is to use the rule of thirds. The four points around the frame are where the human eye tends to go first when viewing an image, so you can use the rule to compose your image by having an element of interest in these intersections. 

Lastly, we have depth, which you can use by trying to find leading lines such as a path, river, or road that leads you further into the image and increases that depth. Patterns can also work well and creates that 3D effect which can elevate your image. 

These tips from Jeroen are not just helpful for astrophotography, but can be used in many other styles of photography too. I highly recommend watching the video, and you can let us know in the comments below if you have any additional tips.

In today’s digital age, there are numerous apps available that can significantly enhance your landscape photography experience. In this article, I want to take a look at the six apps that have proven invaluable for my own landscape photography.

The abundance of photography-related apps can make it challenging to choose the most suitable ones for your needs. From straightforward depth-of-field calculators to comprehensive planning tools, the options are vast. 

Given the sheer abundance of available apps, it can be challenging to pinpoint the most valuable ones. Often, there’s a strong emphasis on visually appealing designs that add little real value or information that’s presented in a cluttered manner, making it hard to decipher. 

For me, a good app should provide the necessary information without unnecessary clutter and visuals. The information should be easily accessible, easy to read, and the app must be reliable. While I prefer apps that are free of charge, I understand that developing these apps requires time and effort. That’s why I don’t mind paying for an app, as long as the price is reasonable and not tied to a monthly subscription.

I’ve tried a lot of apps in recent years and I’ve concluded there are only six that have proven to be invaluable for me as a landscape photographer. These six apps provide a wealth of information that is mostly focused on photography. This includes weather conditions of course. But also timetables for sun, moon, and tides. They can guide you to specific locations or help you discover the most interesting spots for your landscape photography.

Although there are plenty of other apps that appear to give even more information, often this is already covered in the six apps I use. Let’s take a look at the ones I can recommend to every landscape photographer out there.

1. Photopills

This is widely recognized as the go-to app for landscape photographers. Photopills offers a plethora of features, which include depth of field calculations, field of view information, hyperfocal distance tables, time-lapse assistance, star trail planning, and much more. 

It also provides detailed planning tools for Sun, Moon, Milky Way, and meteor showers. You can even create a list of points of interest, which is a feature in Photopills that is often overlooked. 

The app is so extensive that you need to read the available manual or follow the instruction videos to fully understand its potential. While Photopills is not free, its reasonable cost is well worth the investment. 

2. Tides

For photographers spending a lot of time near the coastline, knowing the tides is essential. The app Tides is a simple yet effective app that provides the necessary tide information for safely photographing at the shoreline. 

Although it does display some advertisements, these can be removed with a small fee. The app is user-friendly, has a simple interface, and it uses GPS coordinates for the nearest tide information station. Although there are more detailed apps available, these are often designed with naval use in mind and come with monthly subscription plans. 

The app Tides is made by 7th Gear, in case you have difficulties finding it.

3. Clear Outside

Unlike typical weather apps that provide basic temperature and precipitation forecasts, Clear Outside offers detailed weather information, specially designed with photographers in mind. It includes cloud cover at various altitudes, temperature data, dew point, fog probability, and much more. 

There are no fancy icons and animations, which makes it perhaps less appealing compared to many other weather apps. The app shows a simple table with probabilities, which serves its purpose effectively. 

One small caveat is that it defaults to a location in Alphington, Devon, UK, so you’ll need to set your own location before using it, unless you happen to be in Devon, of course. Fortunately, it only requires one touch of the button Current Location to set the app to your specific location.

4. Yr.no

Although Clear Outside works for weather forecasts, a normal weather forecast app offers a fast indication of what to expect. Especially in situations when you don’t need the detailed information that Clear Outside offers.

Yr.no is a straightforward weather forecasting app with a clean and uncluttered design. While its accuracy depends on various weather forecast stations, it generally provides reliable information. Additionally, it offers extra warning alerts, which can be particularly useful.

5. Maps.me

While Google Maps is excellent for typical navigation, it falls short when it comes to off-road or hiking adventures. Maps.me, on the other hand, is a great choice for such situations. 

The app doesn’t make use of online maps. You need to download the map of the area you’re in, making it possible to use the app when you’re completely offline. This makes it a valuable tool for exploring remote areas, as long as you have GPS available. 

The app also allows you to set points of interest and allows you to add additional information. Because it also displays hiking trails, you can use it for navigation purposes while hiking.

6. SpaceWeather Live

Aurora forecasting apps often prioritize visual appeal over providing precise information. SpaceWeather Live takes a different approach, offering a simple Kp index forecast along with detailed graphs illustrating solar activity and magnetic field measurements. 

While it requires a bit of diving into the details, this app provides a deeper understanding of the predictions.

How About Other Apps?

The world of smartphone apps for landscape photographers is vast and continually evolving. While these six apps have proven indispensable in my photography journey, there may be other hidden gems out there that I’m not aware of. For instance, I’m searching for a good detailed light pollution app without unnecessary clutter.

If you know of any no-nonsense photography apps that have greatly benefited your work, please share them in the comments below. Describe their purpose and what makes them great for your landscape photography. I’m looking forward to your suggestions.