Found this online while posting this morning's lighthouse links to our Facebook page. Thought it may be very helpful to many, (also has some awesome lighthouse photos, too!).

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/photographing_lighthouses.shtml

Thanks for the link Roland. REALLY enjoyed the photos or the non-US lights.

Here is a link to the author of that tutorial's gallery of lighthouse photos.
http://www.petercox.ie/tags/Lighthouses/

I love his photo inside Fastnet's lantern.

Thanks for both links! I didn't see the attendant at first Eric...once you see him you realize how large the lens is.

Thank you for the links. The Fastnet Rock light has always been a favorite of mine, and awesome only begins to describe it, and these photos of it!

Would someone please be willing to point me in the right direction, share some ideas or suggestions,(share some encouraging remarks, or something, about what might be a good choice of camera for the Alaska Cruise? An easy to use point and shoot, that takes wonderful in-focus pictures, would be a good start. I know that some of these lighthouses might not be real closeup. some of the point and shoot cameras that I have read reviews of seem to have alot of negative comments if the optical zoom number is real high. Every time I look and try to compare I get more confused. I have a Nikon Coolpix 4300 right now that is 7 1/2 yrs old and needs replaced. I also have a Nikon N70 film camera, but it's not going. "IF" the choice had to be an SLR it would probably have to be like a Nikon D3100 kit, and my ability to make better use of it than a good easy to use compact might be questionable LOL.I am willing to go the "camera school". Thanks in advance for any encourage remarks or advice. Kathleen

Here's a more recent version of the Canon Powershot S3 IS which I still keep as a backup camera. READ REVIEW

Long Zoom Range with digital add-on Smaller than an SLR, Image Stabilization. FULL AUTO mode, but you can also use manual settings.

This is the third Powershot IS I've owned. I now have a Nikon D5000 SLR with 2 lenses. But from your description, I'd recommend you check out the Powershot by Canon.

I'd be happy to lend it to you for a few weeks, if you want to try it out, Kathleen.

Heather took an IS3 to Australia with it. In about 3.5 months she shot 10000 pics with it, and it did very well for her. You have to learn to work within its parameters - things like a DSLR might freeze someone's hand moving, the compacts won't. Still a great camera. Unfortunately, it croaked this past fall.

The new Canon IS model is a 35x version, which is quite a range. I believe it also uses AA batteries, so you can always carry a spare set and should be able to find some just about anywhere. Heather had several sets of NiMH batteries and a compact rapid charger that she carried with her.

John, I would like to try your Power Shot out. That way maybe I will be able to see all these ads as just ads and be more able to better define what I want a camera to do. Thank you very much.
Kathleen