One of the more photogenic lighthouses is the Split Rock Lighthouse, which is perched a top a 130 foot cliff that historically stands in a watchful manner over the Lake Superior. This is an all season’s photographer’s dream location, though winter shooting could be treacherous due to the cold and the slippery conditions. But fall brings a level of fabulous memorable autumn colors that are hard to replicate at any other location on the North Shore.
Here are five locations that could offer photographers an increased probability of return with an exceptional photo that anyone would want to have on their wall. The above map numbers these points along the shoreline starting with the closest point to the lighthouse and finishing with a point on the Western edge of Pebble Beach close to Ellingson Island within Little Two Harbors cove. To help you envision what this location can offer, I am including a photo taken in at that location.
Point 1: Rocky shoreline adjacent to Split Rock Historic Pump House.
This is the shoreline at the bottom of the pumphouse steps gets you to the closest shooting area on the shoreline. Hides the other buildings that are part of the lighthouse park. This is a great area to capture the fall foliage that dominates the cliff. This is a wide angle lens location or a portrait oriented shot that you frame up as shown in this photo. At this location, you are able to hide the outbuildings onto the cliff. Special note: This is where you can find the reflection pool popularized in Greg Lundgren’s photo Split Rock Lighthouse Reflection and the featured photo in this post.
Point 2: East Bedrock on the Shoreline.
This is a great location to frame waves splashing against a narrow rocky shoreline next to a colorful variety of trees, bushes, and vegetation. This location allows the addition of an outcropping of the shoreline between 1 and 2 points in the middle ground. During fall you get some dramatic red next to a green pine. This particular shooting spot offered some rocks that provide a nice leading line that points to the lighthouse. This frames up very nicely in a portrait orientation. Landscape orientation is also a suitable option. This location is popular at sunrise and sunset. It looks to be accessible during winter, but very slippery.
Point 3: West Bedrock on the Shoreline.
This closest point to the trail point. This location offers a shot that frames trees on each side. Most photographers seem to like to enter onto the bedrock from the trail head parking lot at this location, then would look for a shooting location between points 2 and 3. You can use the bedrock to help frame the foreground or move forward to the edge to capture a nice landscape framed composition as shown in this sunrise shot.
Point 4: Middle of South Pebble Beach.
This shooting location is along the Southern shoreline of pebble beach. You will know this location by a large rock outcropping that gives an elevated shooting position, but just to South are some large boulders that offer a nice setting option to shoot from this location. When you’re at the shoreline location the bedrock accessible from points 2 and 3 offer a nice middle ground terrain feature into your composition. It also offers the potential to add recreators in the water or on the bedrock. This is a popular point for a milky way, sunrise, and moon shot. This is a telephoto shooting location. It is also the current default picture in Google Maps for this location.
Point 5: West Pebble Beach.
West pebble beach point offers the opportunity to add the North ridgeline of Ellingson Island on the right edge of your composition. It is also a telephoto shooting location.
Provided here are five examples of shooting location that offer some different compositional options in your pursuit to get a memorable shot. Should this post interest you and you are considering making the trip to try your luck, consider downloading this photography guide.
