Ah, what a beautiful Lighthouse. An icon for Long Beach Island and all of the beachgoers that inhabit the place every summer. Being atop the ever so tall structure must feel as though you own the island. It must be incredible.
But, why exactly is pointing a telephoto lens straight up at the top the best way of capturing the lighthouse? The answer is, it's not. In fact, this isn't a picture of a lighthouse at all. It's a picture of an even more important icon to the island.
It's a picture of a peregrine falcon. It's a picture of a beautiful, monstrous, irreplaceable predator to all of the island's ecosystems. Most importantly, it's a picture of a year-round LBI local.
No matter how gray and damp and rainy the days may be, that figure, miles up on the lighthouse will always be symbolic. For it is he who rules the island.
So the next time you find yourself standing atop Barnegat Light, try looking up. Perhaps you won't be the only one enjoying an incredible view.