I knew I had mastered the ability of melting into the darkness when I began scaring coyotes. Such is the life of a night photographer, travelling under the cover of darkness unseen by visitors, residents and wildlife. I’m also very lucky to live in one of New England’s most picturesque retreats, Cape Cod.
Cape Night Photography was born out of the desire to photograph familiar places in unfamiliar ways. Long after the light of the sun fades behind the horizon, the camera captures deep and vibrant colors in the night, often unseen by the human eye. The light of a full moon, and the stillness that accompanies the night reveal the other side of Cape Cod, the one that most people sleep through and only a handful photograph.
Many people don’t visit Cape Cod in the winter, and they are missing out. The various town holiday displays are very well-done and snow covered, small town main streets present a classic New England feel.
Some of the easiest and most rewarding places to shoot or at least visit at night are lighthouses. I live near Nobska Light, and from there I can easily catch a moonrise over Martha’s Vineyard or a sunset over Woods Hole from this incredible location.
Night photography is also about capturing the motion of the seemingly stationary. Stars, for example, move across the sky faster than you may think. If you’ve got the time and patience to wait it out, the stars will really put on a show for you as they parade across the sky for your camera. Couple that with a lighthouse, and you’ve really got something special. Most lighthouses are surrounded by wide-open skies, especially Nauset Light and Cape Cod Light on the outer Cape. A late night visit to either one will make you feel like you’ve stepped into an alternate universe.
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