In planning this photograph, I first searched for locations looking to the East for a Moon-rise since that would occur in the evening.

It’s not that I mind getting up early, but, well, you know. I went to various sites the day before to search out just the right shot. Alas, I found no clear locations so I focused on an oceanside view and prepared for an early morning adventure.

With the Atlantic Ocean at my back and a downhill slope from the narrow dunes to the forest in front, there was little choice as to location and distance for the shot.  The height of the dunes provided a very nice view. The lighthouse is in a large open field with the relocated keeper's house and other historic buildings, yet from this perspective it appears to be alone rising from the dense coastal forest.

With apps such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris, you can plan the location and timing of a shot such as this to an amazing degree of accuracy. As the Moon sets it follows a slope down and to the right so you have to be ready to move to one side or the other. As it neared I decided to quickly pick up the tripod and camera and move left about 15 feet. The goal was not to get the Moon perfectly centered, but rather to be slightly offset to one side. Yes, I took one centered as well, just as a celebration. The Hatteras Light by the Full-Moon-Light was taken from a distance of 1,554 feet with a 200mm focal length. 

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is located in Buxton on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  For more information about the Hatteras lighthouse visit the US Park Service website.