Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the most picturesque and photographed lighthouses on the California coast.  It is located along CA highway 1 between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz.  It is an fun and easy subject to capture.  Here’s how:

There are numerous places to stop along the road to make various compositions.  The iconic (and I think best) composition is made from the very large dirt turnout a half mile south of the lighthouse.

In the cover photo, I added a Singh Ray Variable neutral density filter to slow down the water and give it a misty smooth look.

Mary and I used our short 70-200 MM telephotos.  We also used a Lensbaby.  Finally we shot in both color and infrared (converted to black and white).

This composition was made on the side-road north of the lighthouse.  Just as we were leaving, a fog bank clung to the coast and we were able to make a few images before the fog moved on.  This can be a destination spot or better yet, stop here on your way down to Santa Cruz and Big Sur.

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