Split Toning: A Portrait of the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse
The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse was built in 1862 by David Stevenson. Situated at the north of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, it also holds the Guinness Book of Records acolade as the windiest spot in the UK. The tower itself is 37m high and stands boldly against the sky, perched on the rugged coastline that faces North towards the Atantic Ocean.
I approached the lighthouse on what is known in the trade as a "flat light" day. The diffused sun occassionally increasing the brightness of the scene through the low cloud, but never adding significant shadow or dramatic contrast.
My intention therefore was to find a viewpoint that would make for a return visit, when the lighting and conditions were more favourable, or what photogaphers elusivley consider "perfect". However such diffuesed light does allow for capturing fine details and complimentary portraits so should not be easily dismissed as bad lighting.
As photographers we often have to work with the scene as it is presented and adapt from the image we had envisioned to create an alternative image. Luckily on this trip I do have the luxury of returning to this location should such perfect conditions present theselves!
I wanted to capture the form of the lighthouse against the sky, domininant and recognisable as it would be from passing ships navigating their way around the Isle. The absence of saturation and choice of posing the lighthouse as a semi-silhouette lends itself to a monotone image and so picking up the camera I approached it as such. Another tool in our kit can be found at the processing stage; that is split toning.
Split toning is simply a method of adding a hue to the shadow and highlight areas of an image. Split toning can utilise colour to influence the mood of an image, and done correctly it can add contrast and drama to a scene.
Using warm hues in the shadows is sympathetic to the red-orange hues of the brickwork, and enhances the silhouette of the lighthouse against the complimentary coolness of the sky reflecting the Atlantic Ocean below. As you view the image more closely (or even better, as a large print) the details of its weather-beaten facade are still visible. The brickwork standing strong to the countless storms weathered, in contrast to the scoured coastline on which it stands.