This is part 2 of our Outer Banks adventure….you can watch and read part 1 here…
With the summer crowds out in force MrsFaceless and I had to be nimble to find quiet locations for our shoots. One such was a Coquina beach. Here there are a series of concrete blocks marking what I presume to be a storm drain or similar. Having found such a quiet spot, MrsFaceless decided she would stand right next to me. We did the tripod shuffle so we could both have a go. Now, shooting this type of long exposure image is not something I do very often, if at all. But the sun was high in the sky, crowds were out and we were taking the time to relax a bit, so whay not try?
Bodie Island Light House
Next stop was Bodie Island Light House, or Light Station to give it its proper designation. Sadly there was no sunrise opportunity with little to no cloud once more. We were still there early enough to get some shots and check out exactly where we’d need to be for later. There’s a lot of bugs here, again. It’s a common theme when in the Outer Banks.
We’d wandered out along the wooden walkway to a raised platform over the marsh. We were the only ones out here for quite some time. MrsFaceless was happy with the shots she’d taken so when people started to appear we headed back to the lighthouse itself with the intention of going inside. Unfortunately, the doors had opened a short while earlier and there was already a queue forming. The stairs to the top are narrow and don’t allow for ease of passing, hence there are limits on the number of people allowed in at a time. So we added that to the list of things to do when we go back in the future.
I returned to Bodie later that evening without MrsFaceless. There was still a few people milling around so i took the shots that i could, but there was still one i wanted. Again the sky was lacking any clouds or texture, but i did get some nice black and white pics anyway. I then sat in the car, on my own for a couple of hours as i waited for it to get dark.
Despite bug spray, covering up and not being out too long, i still got eaten alive. All for the cause. But the wait and suffering was definitely worth it as I managed to get a couple of images. More nightime shots are definitely on the agenda.
Doing Your Homework
As a rule, I spend quite a lot of time looking at maps and scouring the areas we are travelling to. This trip was no different as i hunted the coastline for something different. To wit, I’d come across the Bob Perry Boat Ramp. This is not something that would normally jump out to a tourist so i was pretty sure it would be quiet….and it was. There is a jetty pointing straight out into the water with marsh and trees around. We figured all we needed was some clouds in the right place. For a very interesting high contrast black and white, especially with a longer exposure to smooth the water. Is that to much to ask for?
When we arrived there was some activity with some boats being launched as well as kayaks and paddle boards taking to the water. We were in no rush – it was the middle of the day. I started a timelapse going and settled down on a bench to enjoy some well earned sustenance as we watched the clouds start to form….and they were starting to form, as you can see…hoping they’d move to the right so they’d be past the end of the jetty…..
And then we watched them dissipate….and form. Rinse and repeat. The clouds were there, just not in the right place. Anyway, it didn’t work out That’s how it goes sometimes with landscape photography. After the lack of success at the boat ramp i really wanted to get my final Bodie image. So we headed back there in the late afternoon. The crowds had thinned and i was able to get my shot, a pano taken from the back of the Light Keeper’s house taking in the symmetric paths. I was even blessed with a little bit of cloud!!
We hope you have enjoyed our little journey together – the story and the video; if so please head over and leave a comment on youtube – and a like and subscribe is always much appreciated!
Until next time…..