Rusty - I'm assuming you are using a digital camera.
Use a tripod
Set the function to T (Shutter Priority)
Set the shutter to the longest time possible - maybe it goes to 30 seconds, maybe more, or less
If you can control the exposure (perhaps through a menu), set the exposure to -2 stops (otherwise the camera will try to make the photo look like it was daytime.) If your menu has an option to bracket the photos, trying using that feature to give you 3 options on each press of the shutter.
Hold a black card over the lens, press the shutter release, immediately remove the black card. (Avoids vibration of the camera from pushing the shutter release.)
Depending on the longest time possible on your shutter, you may not get a full rotation of the lens.
Best kind of night to shoot is one that's a bit misty; on those crystal clear nights, the beam may not be as visible.
Experiment with the menu-forced exposure setting maybe using more or less underexposure.
With the tower illuminated, you may want to try just zooming in the the lantern room itself, shoot with a medium telephoto setting from across the street and closer to the shoreline. But don't zoom in so close that the rays of the beam don't appear.
Thank goodness for digital images, you can see the results, reset and reshoot until you get it just right!
This is a tough shot, especially if the beam from the beacon shines directly into the lens - as opposed to shooting up at the lantern room from below and trying to catch the rays without seeing the bulb.
Share your photos!
