The annual Sunrise Lighthouse Photography cruise aboard the Balmy Days is this coming Saturday Sept. 10 leaving Pier 8 at 6 a.m.

This cruise features the opportunity you to make your best shots of the area local lighthouses with the rising sunlight. Lighthouses in Maine mostly face East and with the low angle of the rising sun in the East the local lights are bathed in some really beautiful light that is perfect for viewing and for photography.

Captain Bill Campbell maneuvers his vessel, the Balmy Days, in such a fashion to be able to make photos of some perfect look angles of the local lighthouses which include Burnt Island, The Cuckolds, Ram Island and Hendricks head.

DSLR users, traditional film users and people who use cell phone cameras are especially  encouraged to come and make their best shots of the local lights and scenery.  People with Android and Apple phones should consider coming aboard as there is no requirement to have any special or expensive camera to make some truly beautiful images.

While you can make pictures in the full Auto or Green mode better pictures can usually be made by making some easy adjustments that will be covered while underway.  Users with Apple cell phones are encouraged to download and install a free app called Adobe Lightroom which restores some important camera settings that Apple removed like the ability to set White Balance, exposure, and in some phones the ability to capture in Camera Raw mode [DNG or Digital Negative] that is a mode that collects the most details in a capture. Most Android camera phones already have these abilities and more - look for the Pro Mode or Advanced mode to find these settings that you can use to improve your images.  It’s best to experiment with any phone camera application well before the cruise to gain familiarity and a comfort level with the controls. 

Tickets are still available online by visiting the Balmy Days Cruises website www.balmydayscruises.com and by phone at 207-633-2284.  This is a rain or shine event so plan accordingly to protect your camera.  Even in rain or fog wonderful images can still be made of the lighthouses in the region.

And on Sunday, Sept. 11, Mike is hosting another Make your Best shot seminar at the Ocean Point Inn in East Boothbay at 5 p.m.  The cost of this seminar is $10 per person or $15 for couples and payment can be made at the door.  In this session you will learn what the different functions are used for in your DSLR camera and if you have a Cell phone camera you will learn about apps that will be useful for making your best shot.  This session covers a lot of points that you should have read about in your camera manual - but maybe didn’t.  The session runs just over an hour and afterward will adjourn to apply the tips to capture a sunset if the weather is cooperative.

Mike Leonard is a local photographer who is a contributor to various media outlets including this newspaper.  Mikes work can be seen in local tourist guides, magazines, and nationally on TV in weather segments on The Weather Channel.  You can visit his website at www.phototourismbymike.com to learn more about photography events coming up.