ISO 500, f/5.0, 1/640 sec, Canon EOS 7D, EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

The last trip we took to the Outer Banks, we went on a dolphin watch cruise. It is very hard to catch the dolphins as they are coming out of the water. By the time you focus the camera and snap a few photos, they are already on their way back under the surface. I took several hundred photos on the cruise, and almost all of them are of the backs of the dolphins with their heads under the water. I need to get a faster lens and more experience trying to anticipate where the dolphins will surface.

Anyways, one of the few photos where you can actually see the head of a dolphin is above. My mom loves dolphins, so this is for her.

If any of my sisters are reading this.... Favorite!

Wallpapers: iPad iPhone

ISO 200, f/7.1, 30 sec, Canon EOS 7D, EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

Here is another shot of the Kitty Hawk Pier, only at night this time. This was a long exposure (30sec), and you can see the pilings at the end of the pier in this shot.

I really enjoy photography at night. This is probably my favorite photo from our last OBX trip. We might get it printed and hang it in the house.

This photo is mostly right out of the camera. I did add a bit of fill light in Lightroom 3 to show more of the beach, but other than that, not much else was done to the photo.

Wallpapers: iPad iPhone

ISO 200, f/10.0, 1/250 sec, Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi, EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

I know I've posted a lot of lighthouse photos on this site before, but I don't think I've posted many of the Ocracoke Lighthouse. It's the oldest continually operating lighthouse in the state of North Carolina, and has a lot of history that can be traced back to the days of Blackbeard the pirate.

The lighthouse itself is a short lighthouse at only around 100ft tall, but part of the charm of the lighthouse is the surrounding island. Ocracoke is an isolated island that can only be reached via boat or car ferry. There are a lot of small shops and restaurants, and the locals speak with a unique accent that you won't hear elsewhere.

Wallpapers: iPad iPhone

ISO 200, f/5.6, 8 sec, Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi, EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

The Elizabeth II is a replica of a 16th century sailing ship that is docked at Festival Park on Roanoke Island. The replica boat offers tours and activities for children so they could see what life on a ship in the 16th century would be like.

We went on a ghost tour in Manteo, and one of the stops was at a gazeebo where you could clearly see the Elizabeth II lit up at night. After the ghost tour, I came back with a tripod and snapped this shot.

This photo is pretty much as shot. I did a bit of sharpening and a little bit of noise reduction in Lightroom 3.

Wallpapers: iPad iPhone

ISO 100, f/4.0, 1/500 sec, Canon EOS 7D, EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

On a recent trip to the Outer Banks, I took this photo of the Kitty Hawk Fishing Pier. The pier used to be much longer, but storms and hurricanes have reduced the length quite a bit. From the pier itself, you can see the old pilings still further out past the end of the pier.

I added a sepia tone and a bit of edge vignette in Lightroom 3. I had taken several photos from this spot, but this is the only one that didn't have a shadow of myself in it. I need to get better about catching those on the small LCD on the back of the camera.

Wallpapers: iPad iPhone

ISO 200, f/3.5, 1/1000sec

When I walked past these boats on the pier in Manteo NC, I knew right away they would make a great photo. Just like I love lighthouses, I love the water, boats, and anything nautical. Of course the beautiful colors of these boats caught my eye, but their surroundings attracted me as well.

I did add a bit of 'vibrance' to this photo in Lightroom, but other than that, it's straight out of the camera. I was going to bring this photo into Topaz Adjust, but my trial key has expired. I really need to buy that program.

ISO 200, f/10, 1/200sec

One of my very first posts on this blog was a picture of the porch of the Whalehead Club in North Carolina. Today, I bring you a black & white shot of the entire club, as seen from the top of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.

There is a lot of history surrounding the Whalehead Club. It was a private residence when it was built and since then has been a boys school as well as a site for building rockets. The peninsula you see at the top right corner of the photo is part of a runway which was used when the club was a hunting site. The building itself was in complete disrepair and flooded before it was rescued. It would have been lost to the elements if it hadn't been saved.

Check out the Whalehead Club website for more information.