Nubbins III | Manistee Light The Manistee Light sees some big waves. On this day, it was windy but the waves were mellow. Note: I post an image everyday at hankconrad.com.
| 9/29/2016 | Manistee Light |
| Gear | Nikon 1 V3 with a 1 VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 |
| Exposure | 30mm (81mm) f/16 1/400s -0.33ev 400iso |
Outliers | Walkway to the Light Walking to the Manistee North Pierhead Light can be treacherous in the winter.
The Back Story Simple click after slipping and sliding while walking along the pier. Note: I post an image everyday at hankconrad.com.
Details…
| Event | Walking along the Pier | |
| Location | Manistee North Pierhead Light | |
| Date/Time | 12/30/2009 2:43pm Local Time | |
| Weather | Cloudy | 28°F | Light Winds | |
| Method | Simple click. | |
| Gear | Nikon D300 with an AF 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR lens | |
| Exposure | 135mm (202mm) f/20 1/60s 0ev 1600iso | |
| Post |
Nikon D3x Bread Sticks | Little Sable Light The Little Sable Light lies on the east shore of Lake Michigan in western Michigan.
The Back Story This image came from a simple click while walking along the beach. Note: I post an image everyday at hankconrad.com.
Details…
| Event | Driving Diversion |
| Location | Little Sable Light |
| Date/Time | 10/16/2011 4:42pm Local Time |
| Weather | Fair Skies | 57°F | Moderate Winds |
| Method | Simple click. |
| Gear | Nikon D3x with an AF-S PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED lens |
| Exposure | 24mm (24mm) f/9.5 1/1000s -0.5ev 400iso |
| Post |
Nikon 1 V3 Hodgepodge | Point Betsie The Point Betsie Lighthouse, located on the northeast shore of Lake Michigan, sees some pretty dramatic weather and rarely disappoints for a nice image. It really does not matter what time of the year, there’s plenty of good clouds, wind, and waves any time of the year. A little closer look at the Point Betsie Lighthouse reveals nice restoration work done over the last couple of years. The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse have restored the lighthouse and now operate it.
The Back Story This image is really a simple click after a short walk down the beach. Note: I post an image everyday at hankconrad.com.
Details…
| Event | Michigan Fall Color Drive |
| Location | Point Betsie Lighthouse |
| Date/Time | 10/13/2018 2:43pm Local Time |
| Weather | Partly Cloudy | 50°F | Moderate Winds |
| Method | Simple click. |
| Gear | Nikon 1 V3 with a 1 VR 10-30mm f/3.4-5.6 PD-Zoom |
| Exposure | 10mm (27mm) f/9 1/400s -0.33ev 160iso |
| Post | Strengthened contrast a bit. |
Nikon 1 V3 Hodgepodge | Timeless Manistee Light The Manistee Light looks so tranquil even though it’s a very windy day. For more Midwest seascapes, see Midwest Seascapes | a 7 Image Story.
The Back Story How do you get tranquility on a windy day! With wind gusts blowing at 25 knots, waves at 3 to 4 feet, and hard sun light, a long exposure seems near impossible. Enter a 6 stop neutral density filter and magic; a 6 second exposure tames those waves, calms the wind a bit, and takes those shadows out of the image. Tranquility at last! The only problem; keeping the camera still with all that wind and sand blowing in your face. A tripod helps, but only a little. Note: I post an image everyday at hankconrad.com.
Details…
| Event | Windy Day at the Manistee Lighthouse |
| Location | Manistee, MI |
| Date/Time | 9/29/2016 1:05pm Local Time |
| Weather | Fair Skies | 70°F | Moderate Winds with High Gusts |
| Method | Used a tripod on the beach and held it down due to high gusty winds. |
| Gear | Nikon 1 V3 with a 1 VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 lens plus a 6 stop ND filter on a tripod |
| Exposure | 31.9mm (86mm) f/16 6.0s 0ev 160iso |
| Post | Sharpened lighthouse a bit and smoothed clouds a bit. |
Fine Art Portfolio | Point Betsie Light The background dark storm clouds make great contrast against the crashing waves and wave whitecaps. The lighthouse compliments the drama in the waves and skies. You can almost feel the wind.
The Back Story The winds were really brisk for the walk along the beach north of the lighthouse. After choosing a position, setting up the tripod and keeping still turned out to be more than a little difficult. Really, it was impossible to keep the tripod from vibrating. Luckily, there was enough light to keep the shutter speed high. After repositioning three times, I finally got the right angle on the composition. Then, I waited until the wind, waves, and clouds lines up. I shot several 10-12 shot bursts to capture the wave crash at its maximum height.
Details…
| Event | Photo Stop for Lighthouse |
| Location | Point Betsie Light |
| Date/Time | 9/03/2010 10:23 am Local Time |
| Weather | Cloudy & Stormy | 63°F | High Winds |
| Method | Hike north from lighthouse parking area. Setup tripod. Wait for wind, waves, and clouds align. Clicks |
| Gear | Nikon D3x with 70-200mm lens |
Fine Art Portfolio | Manistee Light The shadows and a water over spray along the breakwater as well as the breakwater’s long, sharp lines against the sky provide perspective and depth. The light stands out even though it’s rather small in the image.
The Back Story The walk along the beach to the breakwater was nice. The Manistee Light was basking in midday sun. A B&W image will take advantage of the harsh light and sharp shadows. And, a little under exposure will increase the drama. Any way you look at it; it’s a nice day to be near the lake with a camera.
Details…
| Event | Photo Stop for Lighthouse |
| Location | Manistee Lighthouse |
| Date/Time | 9/29/2016 1:32 pm Local Time |
| Weather | Fair Skies | 70°F | Moderate Winds |
| Method | Walk along the beach to the breakwater, reposition for numerous clicks, use tripod to contract the wind. |
| Gear | Nikon 1 V3 with 30-110mm lens |
Midwest Seascapes | Point Betsie Point Betsie Lighthouse in northern Michigan sees some pretty dramatic weather. There’s plenty of good clouds, wind, and waves any time of the year. Too get the best views and images, a short hike north up the beach is usually necessary. Watch for wind surfers and sailboats; they can make rather interesting images. For the whole story with all images, see Midwest Seascapes | a 7 Image Story.
