Shooting a lighthouse by day and night

Being self employed, it feels like a rare event that I actually take some leave of absence. Only self employed people will understand the need to keep the foot on the gas and pushing for work and cash. So when you get invited to a short stay in a lighthouse in Scotland it was with some trepidation I accepted.

Corsewall Lighthouse in Scotland way past Stranraer in the county of Dumfries And Galloway is a long drive even though it's only 270 miles from home. The peninsula leading up to the lighthouse has only minor roads and the traffic trundles along at 40mph making it a trek and a half to get there.

According to Wikipedia, Corsewall Lighthouse was first lit in 1817. The definition of the name Corsewall is the place or well of the Cross. Corsewall Lighthouse was exhibited in 1817 but that year, the Principal Keeper at Corsewall was reported for incompetence after falling asleep on duty as the revolving apparatus of the light had stopped for a certain period. They suspended him and he was to never chiefly monitor a lighthouse again and was demoted as an assistant at Bell Rock.

In November 1970, Concorde reportedly flew over the lighthouse on a trial flight and shattered panes of glass on the lighthouse.

Although the lighthouse is still operated by the Northern Lighthouse Board, since automation in 1994 the rest of Corsewall Lighthouse has been converted into the Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel in which I was staying.

The coastline around the Lighthouse was slightly dangerous looking and I decided to recce the area in daylight to check the lay of the land. This turned out to be a smart move later in the dark!

Shooting lighthouses in the dark

On the first evening after my arrival, I ventured out to shoot the lighthouse in the dark. It would have been nice to have clear skies to shoot star trails or if not clear then misty to catch the beams emitted by the big light.

Let the big light do the lightpainting

I noticed the foreground was being lit up momentarily as the lighthouse lens spun around.

Up at the crack of dawn

It's not often you find me out of bed at 530am on a Monday morning but despite looking like death warmed up, I managed to grab a sunrise. Here it was getting a little pink, maybe not as good as I would have liked but I'll take this.

You can't always get what you want

It's kind of a curse being a landscape photographer especially a part time one. Being in the right place at the right time isn't easy and here I would loved it if there were more clouds to catch the rising sun.

Suffering for my art

To get to this point amongst the rocky coast line, I had to wade through salty marshy ground up to my ankles in mud. It was worth the effort but I didn't appreciate the ruined trousers!

Imagine my surprise after shooting the above image when I saw this set of stairs leading back home without having to trudge through mud! Noted for next time!

Don't go chasing waterfalls!

The pop group, TLC, once sang about not chasing waterfalls. I now agree after falling "A" over "T' on the climb back up the cliff after chasing this waterfall. Result: 1 x ruined pair of trousers and 1 x bruised ego!

This waterfall was located a few miles away from the lighthouse but despite falling over again, it was worth the risk!

It pays to look in the other direction

A little disappointed with the sunrise, over my shoulder looked a little better.

In need of some attention!

On the peninsula leading to the lighthouse I spotted this abandoned sailboat looking sorry for itself. Whoever owns this boat must have vision I don't possess because I can't see this thing ever floating again!

About me:
I usually specialise in shooting lightpainting images but occasionally dabble in urbex, landscape and artistic model photography. I'm always on the lookout for someone to collaborate with; the social side of photography is always good!

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