Scituate Lighthouse and Harbor, Scituate, Massachusetts, USA

A big storm was coming so I thought a trip to Scituate Lighthouse and Harbor would make an interesting visit. I was hoping for a dramatic sky to go with the strong winds.



It was hot and humid even under the mostly overcast sky.



Here folks are returning from a sail out at sea.



A paddle boarder with some black and white special effects.

Many boats in the harbor.

Storm clouds roll in over the harbor.



There was a nice touch of color on the parking lot side of the lighthouse whipping around in the wind. Congress voted $4,000 to build it in 1810 and it opened in 1811. The keeper, his wife, and their nine children lived in the attached house.

Evolution of an Image, Scituate Lighthouse, Scituate, Massachusetts, USA

I didn't plan to go to Scituate today but, I had a spare hour, I was in the general area, the sky was glorious and I thought that maybe I could find a great image. As I approached the curve of the bay with the lighthouse at the far side of the arc, I knew there was a great image there hiding in plain sight - I just had to find it - the game is on.



My last visit here had been in warm weather and I had lucked out then with the serendipitous appearance of a woman in a colorfull dress to use as a subject. Not so today - it was cold and windy - nobody out and about except me.



This is a good angle but, the shady side is not quite what I had in mind although the red ribbon on the wreath was a welcome subject element.



The sun flare is a nice touch but, still not quite right.



I definitely like this sunny side view better but still, not quite right. The regular houses in the background are not desirable elements to me today.



Even by making the lighthouse whiter and brighter it is still not what I want.



I think I will focus here. This angle view has full light on the lighthouse, is not cluttered with other houses, but at first glance, it is somewhat flat and not strongly interesting.



Stepping back a bit, the flagpole without a flag is not good but I like the extra visual reach uncluttered on that side of the light keeper's house. I think I will try..........



.......bending the horizon with my super-human powers............



......then remove the flagpole and saturate the blue color in the sky a touch more......



....and lastly, add a texture overlay and vignette. Eureka! I like it. Creative photographic mission accomplished - and best of all was being outdoors in the bright sunshine - always a winner in beautiful southeast Massachusetts.

Scituate Lighthouse, Scituate, Massachusetts, USA

The Scituate Lighthouse is easily accessible and visited by many over the course of a year. I knew it would be difficult to create an image that hadn't been done thousands of times before.



The harbor was also bustling with nautical activity including these young sailors being towed outside the breakwater to enjoy the fresh breeze.



So, what can I do to make an interesting image?



How about all black and white? Nope, not quite right.



And then, as if on cue, this woman in a brightly colored dress happened into my frame. Having her in the black and white frame and adding an additional texture and I have it! Is it too contrived?  Perhaps, but I like it anyway.

Scituate Lighthouse, Scituate, Massachusetts, USA

This was one of those summer days when the wind is hot and strong, the sky is painfully blue, and the clouds start to boil into thunderstorms.  A day when I thought - this sky needs a lighthouse in front of it. So I went to Scituate to see what I could see.

It was built in 1810 and opened the following year.

The view across part of the harbor. Lighthouses have protected ships along the New England coastline for centuries. The State of Massachusetts by itself has dozens of them.