Lighthouses of Martha’s Vineyard
We'll start in western Cape Cod, with 2 nights of private access to a privately owned lighthouse, then we'll ferry over to Martha's Vineyard to embrace island life with bright blue skies, plenty of sandy beaches, the smell of fresh seafood and of course more lighthouses to photograph! For an additional 4 days and nights, we'll explore the island and photograph four of its iconic and historic beacons.
Workshop Details
April 28-May 4, 2024 — Completed
This is a 6-night, 6-day workshop. Your adventure begins on the morning of April 28, and ends after your ferry ride back to the mainland on the morning of May 4.
$2,895 + applicable taxes.
Skill level
Intermediate and above. Participants should have a firm grasp of the basic principles of photography and of their cameras, and have a comfortable understanding of night photography fundamentals.
Group size
14, with 2 instructors — 7:1 ratio
Workshop Leaders
Registration
This event has passed. Thanks for your interest!
| • Deposit of $600 is required to reserve your spot at the workshop. |
| • Balance of $2,295 is due on January 31, 2024. → Pay balance here. |
| • You may choose the “Pay in Full” ticket if you desire to pay all at once. |
| • Last day for a cancellation request is January 30, 2024. (see cancellation and refund policy) |
| • The workshop fee does not include lodging, food, airfare, entrance fees, or transportation to or during the workshop. |
The Lighthouses of Martha’s Vineyard Experience
Kicking things off in the Upper Cape, just after you cross the canal, we’ve … well, rented a lighthouse! We will have complete, unique, private access to Wing’s Neck Lighthouse during the day and night at the beginning of the workshop. We are also a beacon’s light away from one of the most classic lighthouses, Nobska Light.
We will then test our sea legs and take the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard to embrace island life with bright blue skies, plenty of sandy beaches, the smell of fresh seafood, and of course more lighthouses to photograph! Besides immersing ourselves in all things Martha’s Vineyard, we’ll spend 4 nights photographing these four lighthouses:
East Chop. A neighborhood lighthouse that aligns both the Milky Way and North Star perfectly, depending on which side you set up on.
Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse. This one provides a variety of vantage points to photograph from: wide and take in the whole harbor, move in closer and get the reflection in the water, or move in closer still and align a tight shot with the stars.
Gay Head Lighthouse. The first lighthouse built on Martha’s Vineyard is epic and tricky to shoot. It rests right up against the Aquinnah Cliffs, making for a dramatic wide shot, but the rotating red and white light can be tricky to balance. You’ll need to lean on all the skills you’ll learn in this workshop to capture this one!
Cape Poge Light. We’ll take the quickest ferry you’ve ever been on and then be driven over a couple of miles of sand dunes to get here. We have been granted special night access to this remote lighthouse on the neighboring island Chappaquiddick (or simply, Chappy). There are some very nice sand dunes, pools of water and south-facing views for Milky Way shots.
During our time in the Vineyard we will be staying at the The iconic Summercamp Hotel in Oak Bluffs. This hotel is the grande dame of the island and has been open since 1879. The Victorian hotel went through a major renovation in 2016 and has been the most sought-after place to stay in Martha’s Vineyard. It is also situated right in front of the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association (MVCMA), which is made up of 300 of the most photographic Fairytale Victorian Gingerbread Cottages.
So let’s kick off the season and live the Cape life!
What You Should Know
This workshop caters to knowledgeable photographers with an intermediate or higher skill set. Participants should have a firm grasp of the basic principles of photography and of their cameras, and have a comfortable understanding of night photography fundamentals. We will be happy to offer advice and answer questions about both day and night photography, but the focus of the formal education will be on photographing lighthouses at night.
If you would like to attend this workshop but are unsure whether you have adequate night photography skills, we can offer pre-workshop tutoring to get you ready for your adventure with us. Alternatively or additionally, a few of us have written books that may be productive pre-workshop reads.
What You Will Learn
We hope to push you to step outside your comfort zone—to test the limits of what you and your camera can do.
TOPICS COVERED WILL INCLUDE:
balancing the exposure of a bright lantern in a dark environment
timing a lighthouse flash with an exposure
compositional concerns
controlling perspective distortion in the field and in post-processing
creating a “beam” effect
star trails with a lighthouse
and more …
This workshop will have both field and limited classroom instruction. We will be exploring Martha’s Vineyard during the day and out in the field at different locations each night.
Night Conditions
Logistics & General Info
Travel
Cape Cod is easy to get to, though it does require a bit of time in the car. You are responsible for arranging and paying for your own transportation, including the ferry ride to and from Martha’s Vineyard.
Nearby Airports:
Boston (BOS) — 1 hour, 30 minutes from Wing’s Neck Light
Rental Car
You will need a rental car, but you don’t necessarily need to bring it on the ferry. Martha’s Vineyard is easy to get around, so as long as a few attendees have cars, we should be good. Totally your call.
There is no need for four-wheel-drive.
If you are interested in carpooling or sharing a rental car, let us know and we will try to connect you with another attendee looking for the same.
You are responsible for arranging and paying for your own transportation.
Lodging & Food
You are responsible for arranging and paying for your own accommodations and meals.
Lodging
The workshop will have two hotels in two locations. One (TBA) in the Falmouth/Bourne at the beginning, and the second will be Summercamp on Martha’s Vineyard.
You are not required to stay at the official workshop lodging, however there will be limited options on Martha’s Vineyard. Info and group code will be sent when our lodging partners are ready to begin taking reservations.
Food
Varying food options are abundant, mostly at locally owned eateries, and as you might suspect, the seafood is excellent.
When on the night shoots, you may wish to bring snack food or a sandwich and plenty of water.
Weather
Expect daytime highs in the 60s F, lows in the 40s.
Recommended Attire
Cool springtime wear: pants, layers with long sleeves.
A sweatshirt and medium-weight jacket will likely be useful, and a base layer might not be a waste of packing space. Layers are good.
Comfortable and protective shoes are recommended for getting around. There won’t be long hikes, but we will walking, so quality trails shoes or hiking boots would be optimal.
Exertion Level
The exertion level of this workshop is Easy. (See more about our classifications.)
No vigorous activity will be required during the workshop, but please consider your physical abilities prior to registering. There won’t be any long hikes, but there will be walking, and you should be comfortable carrying your own equipment over uneven ground in the dark.
Considerations
IMPORTANT: We encourage reading our FAQs section for more information about skill and gear requirements, and other information that pertains to all our workshops.
If you have questions, please contact us—we're happy to talk it over with you.
Time on the Island with Mom …
“The summer season had just ended and the locals were incredibly friendly sharing their stories, shops and chowder.”
I grew up on Cape Cod. Full-time resident from age 4 to 4th grade. The first island I ever went to was Martha’s Vineyard. We’d take the huge car ferry over, and boy was that a treat! I definitely get the hearty New England “edge of the world” vibe.
I’ve longed to go back, so I planned a nostalgic trip with my Mom to visit our old stomping grounds on the Cape and to visit the Vineyard.
The focus would be the five lighthouses of Martha’s Vineyard and, well, eating a lot of seafood! Our trip did not disappoint. My Mom and I felt like we were on assignment for National Parks at Night and had such a fun time researching and photographing the lighthouses.
Each of the lighthouses is so unique and in quite different “atmospheres.” Two are very residential, which I had never experienced, and I had one of the quietest night shoots so as not to disturb the locals. The other three are what you’d expect in a lighthouse: beacons of light by the seashore.
Gay Head is the most dramatic, perched above the whale blood-stained Aquinnah Cliffs. This rotating red and white lighthouse offers epic views and is one of trickiest lighthouses to capture.
Edgartown Lighthouse is the exact opposite. This beautiful lighthouse is easily accessible and offers plenty of different views around the beach and harbor.
Cape Poge is the most remote and requires special permitting and dune vehicles to reach.
It was fun to return to a nostalgic place and make new memories. The summer season had just ended and the locals were incredibly friendly sharing their stories, shops and chowder. The skies were dark and the evenings were quiet. I often had the lighthouses to myself. Watching the Milky Way rise next to many of these beacons was a spiritual experience.
It was a homecoming of sorts, but more like a discovery of something so familiar and seen in a new way.
