Pigeon Point Lighthouse Anniversary Lighting

I wasn't planning on going since I was there earlier that day, but was talked into doing so by a friend who was leaving town. So.... I called another friend and we went. I was extremely tired when I couldn't figure out how to operate the lock on a door and decided that he should drive instead.

Unlike most people who planned, scouted, prepped, carefully picked lenses, my equipment consisted of gear for a walk around for a day in San Francisco -- 10-22, general walk around, 70-200 and a fisheye. Given a choice, I would have packed my fast primes and probably thrown in the 24mm T&S.

For about five minutes a year the Fresnel lens at the lighthouse is lit, it remains still and it doesn't rotate; I believe they let it rotate for two hours afterwards. Unlike most years, this was an incredible warm day with amazingly clear skies; I've never seen it so clear and warm.

It was truly an amazing sight to see! I can't believe I saw the points of light as well as stars in the sky.

Compared to everyone else, my settings were completely different since most people were on bulb mode taking two minute exposures. I snapped off a few frames of various exposures, but nothing turned out, and then I ended going to this by bumping up the ISO. And one frame after this, the lights starting moving. My five minutes of panic was over.

I honestly think I did better once the light started rotating.