Category Archives: night photography

I D’s Island

Just a few hundred yards offshore of my property, sits a low marshy island in Pamlico Sound. On navigational maps it’s called Great Island, but I’ve always known it as I D’s Island, named for my late neighbor Mr. I D Midgett. I D’s Island has likely been owned by that same family since first settling on Hatteras a few hundred years ago.

Mapping surveys from the 1880’s by Lt. Francis Winslow showed Great Island to be considerably larger in those days, perhaps 2 or 3 times bigger. Today it’s not only smaller, but has been cut into segments. Wave action and rising waters continue to erode this pristine salt marsh. Once upon a time it must have been connected to the main body of Hatteras Island.

Sometimes I D would perform prescribed burns on the island. Burning off vegetation is said to improve plant and wildlife habitat. With a State permit in hand, he had to wait for certain conditions after a dry spell accompanied by a light northeasterly breeze.

On a September evening in 1991, I D Midgett with sons Dale and I D jr. began burning the island.

Fanned by an ocean breeze, flames spread with a setting sun backdrop.

Burning continued well in to the night.

I don’t think I’ll ever see anything quite like that again.

 

Harvest Moon

Even though Autumn has officially begun, temperatures have been unseasonably mild. Some of us that live here like to take advantage of it by savoring the final remnants of Summer.

A bon fire on the beach is one way to enjoy this special time, and they almost always happen spontaneously.

This past October 5th was no exception and it was enhanced by a rising Harvest Moon.

Indian Summer

With 2 tropical systems topping off our summer season, it’s been a relief to see the past several weeks of unusually warm, dry weather. I’ve always loved a nice Indian Summer. For those that live here, it means more time outdoors doing what we enjoy.

Right before the cold seasonal weather set in, I made my way out to the beach to take in the end of another beautiful day.

camperDriving out over Ramp 23 near Salvo, I was struck at the scene before me, and I had to take a picture. The beach was nearly empty, except for a couple with a camper out fishing. I’m sure for them, life was good.

time-exposureOnce the sun had completely set, I broke out my camera with a 30 mm lens on a tripod. I stopped down to f/22 and made some bracketed time exposures. This shot had the shutter open for 3 seconds.

Happy Thanksgiving, wish you were here.

 

 

Lovejoy

A few weeks ago, I started hearing a lot about a comet. It was first seen by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy last August. Officially called C/2014 Q2, the comet appears a dim, hazy ball to the naked eye. It’s not too difficult to find it with a decent pair of binoculars. There are some good sky charts online to help locate Comet Lovejoy.

Orion makes a good reference point. For me the comet was high in the sky during clear, dark conditions. Over a period of time, it’s movement is evident in it’s changing position in relationship to the stars.

I spotted it one cold night from my yard, and the next evening attempted some photographs. It was hard to line up at first, but I finally got it focused in my viewfinder for some time exposures.

comet sky

My first shot was taken with a 200mm telephoto and didn’t show a tail.

C2014 Q2

A week later, when I went to a 500mm lens and increased the exposure, the tail became apparent.

There’s still a week or so to see this spectacle. After that, Lovejoy’s next pass isn’t for another 8,000 years.