The Starseed Lure

11/2006 -- This won the News & Observer's 2006 photo contest in the "North Carolina" category. Cool.

www.newsobserver.com/438/story/514818.html

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Comments

southpaw20 says:

me likey...
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Devar says:

Unreal!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Godi says:

wow!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

jonbradbury says:

Very nice, great exposure
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

pilz8 says:

Awesome!!!!!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

ngai says:

This is amazing!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

(fez) says:

What a great shot. I was at cape hatteras about 9 years ago. I visited this lighthouse during the day. It's much more impressive at night.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

julies517 says:

wow! amazingly awesome! ;)
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

airport sleeper says:

Wow! I've never seen a sky like that before.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Miracle Man says:

This is not even cool. We are all going to have these shots pressuring us now for our OB trip this weekend. Thanks dude!!!!

Oh, this rocks by the way.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Daniel N says:

Super Cool!

Your tags say tokina 1224, but your EXIF says 30mm f1.4?

Amazing sharpness and depth at 1.4.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

_mpd_ says:

@MM: It looks like you are going to have an almost full moon down there. Should make for some good night shooting on the beach. I wanted the beach in this shot as I remembered it 12 years ago... but some crazy dude moved the lighthouse! Check out the Currituck light too if you get time, it's also climbable and there's a nice park around there.

@DanielN: Tags fixed, it's the Sigma 30mm 1.4. Good catch.

Thanks everyone!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Fishtail@Taipei says:

WOW ... amazingly beautiful .... a fave ~~~
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

base10 says:

/me's jaw drops.

DAMN.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

5by5 says:

Sweet!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

LucaPicciau says:

A dream!!!

(seen on explore)
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

df1hx says:

Awesome night shot. epecially the 'balance' between the stars and the bright light.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

mossko says:

absolutely amazing shot. how did you capture the stars so brightly and not overexpose the light and light on the side of the lighthouse?
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Senor Kingsley [deleted] says:

Great shot! Give me a very scifi sort of feel (like the lighthouse could take off at any moment to explore the heavens) Fave'd
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Jorge Sato says:

beautiful!!!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

45street | www.victorpuig.com says:

Stunning light. Beautiful picture. Brilliant composition.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Clovers of Ireland says:

This is really great! are these 2 different shots?
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

_mpd_ says:

@clovers: this was done in one shot blocking the camera lens at certain points to generate more light along the desired "beam path". From the EXIF data, you can see this exposure is longer than 20 seconds, yet the lighthouse rotates around at 33 rpm. I would estimate there's only about 8 seconds worth of actual meaningful exposure in this shot -- so the light passed the "beam points" around 4 times.

@mossko: The stars are bright probably because the exposure is at f/1.4. I can't remember if I planned that or not, so that might have just been luck.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Timothy Schenck says:

all-around wonderful shot...i love it!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Daniel N says:

Neat trick, I'll have to remember that the next time I'm out shooting lighthouses at night.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

fengschwing says:

Best.
Title.
Ever.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Anna Di Prospero (Di P'anna) says:

..unreal!..so beautiful!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Matt Cline says:

Fantastic! I think this is my favorite lighthouse shot of all time. Grand!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

onelungbreathin says:

incredbile! great job!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

fotolobo says:

Excellent shot...
awesome!

a fave
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

TommyOshima says:

Amazing!:)
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

portobello_belle says:

Great shot :) Beautiful...
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Bahman. says:

amazing Night Image !
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

~ Liberty Images says:

Wow! What a stunner!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

unstinted says:

nice!

seen in JPG Club
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

adrianadesigner says:

Holy WOW! Did you use the astro 20D for that?
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

_mpd_ says:

Thanks everyone.

@adrianadesigner: Just the regular one...
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

Dave Horne says:

So cool! Has to be one of the best lighthouse photos I've seen!
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

lukasd2009 [deleted] says:

WOW! Amazing!!
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

Glenn Loos-Austin says:

Love the title!
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

jah~ says:

Ah, I remember reading about this but I wasn't sure how you did it. Must have been the meme planted in my subconscious that brought about the black panning idea: www.flickr.com/photos/jahdakinebrah/290533894 /

Rock!
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

RoninVision says:

I totally missed this before. Nicely done, Mike!
Posted 37 months ago. ( permalink )

base10 says:

Big congratulations on your publication. Well done.
Posted 37 months ago. ( permalink )

keistersmom says:

Beautiful!
Posted 37 months ago. ( permalink )

MartyDev says:

Lovely. Skillfully done!
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

petecarr says:

Fantastic.
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

The Naked Artisan says:

Congratulations on the recognition. You deserved it!
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

Benny Vision says:

love this shot, very clever in camera technique!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Peter M+ says:

eye-catching shot, I love it.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

tjeerdoo says:

wow, awesome shot...i'm thinking about buying a Sigma 30mm f/1.4
it seems to be a really good lens...

--
Found in a search. (?)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

_mpd_ says:

It's very sharp, a reasonable focal length, and a good deal. The bokeh at f/1.4 is a bit rough, but that's minor. FWIW, I now have a Canon 24mm f/1.4L instead -- wanted something a bit wider.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Sherry Glassman says:

This is outrageously cool. A beacon of wonder, so to speak.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

reallivewoman11 says:

Stunning!
Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )

ian han says:

Fabulous
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Carolina Shots (Cricket) says:

Simply glorious! Well done!
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

danorbit. says:

wow!
amazing shot!
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

morten almqvist says:

Amazing, magic!!
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

Ashley Spurlin says:

Wow. That's all I have to say.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

jsnail17 says:

this is stunning. everything about it is magical :)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Jan Egil Kristiansen says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Lighthouses and their light, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

almassengale says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Kakalak, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Amazing. That is spectacular. I'll have to try that!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Carina Potts says:

this is amazing! it reminds me of how lucky i am to live in a beautiful place :)
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Focus on You! photographic creations says:

this is an incredible shot. i so want to get out to Hatteras now and try to do my own version of it! :-) love it!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

hugh900 says:

Superb photo, the stars add a lot of atmosphere to it
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Tilemahos Efthimiadis says:

It looks like a lolipop/candy cane. Amazing shot.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

tekart [deleted] says:

My gosh, that is frick'n unbelievable.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

.Naina says:

Omg!!! Brilliant... this is just amazing... actually theres no perfect word to describe how awesome this shot is. Wish I could be there
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

Twinclarinets says:

Glorious!!!
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

KarmenRose says:

Beautiful piece.
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

Crane1989 says:

Beautiful!!!
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

New Clear says:

Wow! One of my favourite shots of Hatteras! Beautiful. Congratulations!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Morbit Photography 2008 says:

wow...great shot..
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

( TM ) says:

Brilliant.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Fotosix says:

The composition is terrific
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

jpzr says:

Wow, nice!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

ZLamperti says:

great work! :)
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

DanieℓℓeCardin says:

You are truley gifted. This photo is amazing, and really has inspired me to take pictures of stars. And trust me I've been trying! But i could never get it right :[ I'm having difficulties with setting the aperture and exposure. It would be awesome if you would be able to give me some advice. :]
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

_mpd_ says:

The main thing is to get away from city lights. The EXIF data for this shot is here: www.flickr.com/photos/mpdehaan/260916077/meta /
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

AMyth. says:

Saw this on DPS - amazing shot!
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

kathy koch says:

Amazing capture. Beautifully photographed.
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

Camphoto614 says:

I've never seen the Hatteras Light photographed at night, this is a truely amazing shot! Amazing!
Posted 6 weeks ago. ( permalink )

sk8ell says:

Wow. The stars are gorgeous, but the warm light on the lighthouse tower itself is what makes it for me.
Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

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Additional Information

Taken in Hatteras, North Carolina (map)
Taken with a Canon EOS 20D.
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Taken on October 3, 2006
Viewed 11,446 times

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