Lighthouse Addiction

<c>Richard Asarisi (2000)

Being a photographer you soon learn that you can't take those great shots if you don't have the camera with you. So when I started to spend more and more time hiking, I quickly realized that I not only needed to hike but to bring my equipment with me.

This is how the lighthouse addiction began, I was on holiday in Hawaii for a few weeks and I decided to do some hiking on the western side of Oahu, the maps showed that there is a light house on that side of the island with only a trail leading to it. I gather up the gear and headed off to the other side of the island. That was the beginning of the lighthouse addiction that now has become an obsession.

Cape Elizabeth

With this obsession one becomes determined to see as many lighthouses as humanly possible in some set amount of time. Of course having something to capture the images on is a major requirement. So the D1 comes along on all lighthouse excursions. This leads to another catch 22, since the D1 is digital and requires no film to be processed, you tend to shoot more frames to make sure you get that great shot. This requires that you have pockets full of "media" to capture the images on. The more "media" you have the more images you tend to capture. Get the idea?

Pemaquid

This obsession also leads you to forego all your past fears of any type of travel or unsafe practice you once believed, in favor of getting the shot! I once was hesitant to get on a boat and spend all day on the water for pleasure. However, now I find people with boats and ask them to take me to the lighthouses so I can get those shots. I find myself racing across miles of water for that photo shoot near some island. Or I am hung over the side of a boat, dodging the sun glare trying to get just the right angle. Do we forget about falling overboard? Or what happen to motion sickness?

Portland Head

As if that wasn't enough, there are many other things related to lighthouses that I never really gave much thought to, such as books and collectables. I have to admit I am now a collector of the Harbour Lights lighthouse editions. Oh and just because you find that the ones you really want are discontinued, don't fret, you can find the ones you want on Ebay most of the time!

Spring Point Ledge

I now have books on my shelf about lighthouses on the east coast, west coast, Islands, etc. I have placemats, paintings, and other trinkets that show the lighthouse the

Obsessed with lighthouses? Yes I guess I am. But I wouldn't change it!

Richard Asarisi

And here you find more Asarisi Lighthouses

Technical Details:

Nikon D1 + Nikon AF-S 80-200 f/2.8 (NEF format converted with Bibble)