Bass Head Light

Until a few years ago if you wanted to photograph Bass Head Light from a flattering angle, you had to risk life and limb climbing down a cliff to the shelving rocks above the surf. The park service put in a stair, and that makes the photographer’s life much easier, and safer. Now you don’t have risk life and limb until you get to the shelving rocks above the surf. The best vantages are still a scramble.

On a cloudy Saturday morning, fairly early, I had the place to myself. In fact, I debated making the drive down to the light, as the day did not look promising. Turns out the flat light, along with just enough interest in the cloud cover, made for some of my best shots of Bass Head to date.

Canon SX20IS at 28mm equivalent. F4.0 @ 1/800th @ ISO 80. Landscape program.

In Lightroom 3, Recovery for the sky, Fill Light to balance the foreground, just a touch of Blackpoint right, added Clarity and a smidge of Vibrance, Sharpen narrow edges preset.

From Acadia 2010.

And the vertical view.