Tybee Lighthouse – Coastal Georgia
Tybee Island is a beautiful little gem off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. Tybee has long been a weekend getaway for citizens of Savannah (it was in fact renamed Savannah Beach for a time). Today, Tybee Island sees vacationers from much further away. One of a chain of barrier islands, Tybee Island has a history as long as the Georgia colony.
This picture is a piece of photo art from my own first time at Tybee Lighthouse. I arrived in Savannah in the late afternoon and by the time I was settled in, dusk was falling and on the spur of the moment, I made my way out to Tybee. I had fully intended to see see the Lighthouse while there but little did I know how much time I would end up spending on the island in those few days. I was mesmerized by the lighthouse at first sight. Of course it didn’t look quite like this, but this is my artistic rendering of that photo. I’ve added in a lot of layers going for the feel of a fantasy painting of Tybee Light. I’m really pleased and think this image speaks to the long history of the lighthouse and life on the island.
In 1732, Georgia’s founding father, James Edward Oglethorpe, ordered the construction of a lighthouse on Tybee Island. The light’s purpose was to guide ships safely into Savannah Harbor. The first three lighthouses were all lost to one disaster or another, in part because they were built nearer the sea than the current light. The current light was built in 1869. The light and its accessory buildings (now all restored) were donated to the Tybee Island Historical Society in the 1930’s as the light had become obsolete due to improved ship navigation systems.
Seen here is a picture of the Tybee Lighthouse and the caretaker’s cottage in the early morning sunlight. The emphasis in this photo is on the lovely little caretaker’s cottage. This was my second time at Tybee, literally the next morning. I got up before daylight to go out and photograph the marshes and of course the Lighthouse itself. I’m amazed at a city the size of Savannah having such beautiful places right on its doorstep. Arriving there in the morning before the site was even open to visitors was great for getting some peaceful photos of the lighthouse.
This last picture is a view of Tybee Light Station from the beach. I’ve added several layers to the image, including an old family letter (from my grandfather to my grandmother) and various layers to create a feeling of depth and age. That old letter provides both the text as well as the warm vintage feeling. The light station itself is left to stand out of the aged feeling a bit to creating a powerful image, a what for me is a warm reminder of a trip to Tybee Island. Of my three days in Savannah, I visited the light and beach at Tybee each day I was there. I saw enough of Savannah to know I want to return, but it was Tybee that made the most lasting mark on me. I have a feeling that many others who have experienced the magic of Tybee will have the same feelings I do looking at this image, a warm memory and a longing to return again.
If you enjoyed these images from Tybee Island, I have more pictures and photo art from in and around Tybee Island:
