August 18, 2023
I’m finally in a new International Dark Sky Park… my 19th!! Great Basin National Park. Despite some clouds, I got some great astrophotography done as I laid in my tent. I have come to find the clicking of my intervalometer comforting as I am camping. The clouds then returned to Read more…
August 16, 2023
And night came at Cedar Breaks National Monument… along with its billions of stars. I spent most of the time of my night shoot in an empty parking lot near my campsite where it was a bit darker than my campsite. That’s my rental car up there. And a gorgeous Read more…
July 27, 2022
Looking at these shots from my evening at Joshua Tree National Park, I am grateful I pushed myself to darkness when my body was calling for a motel room. I had originally planned to camp near Mojave, where I spent the day in the sun. But the forecast for the Read more…
July 4, 2021
I really wanted to do this cosplay-astro shoot, a genre I may have invented as I have never seen other pictures fitting it… though admittedly I haven’t looked very hard. I wanted to battle my friend, galactic style. And so a portion of my suitcase contained the costume for this Read more…
June 30, 2021
Last time I was in Borrego Springs in February of 2020, it was the trial of my then-new camera base. Since then I have discovered that the settings were way off when I did my night shoot, resulting in disappointing shots. This time, much more exciting and dynamic shots near Read more…
June 28, 2021
I first visited Joshua Tree National Park in 2017 (see here). This time I’d camp in the park despite the excessive heat warning to see its dark skies, my 17th dark sky park. Things to know: The moon rises like the sun, just as powerful in my camera’s lens. Read more…
January 3, 2021
With my visit to Big Cypress National Preserve I would accomplish visiting both of Florida’s IDA-certified dark sky parks. Though the skies were plentiful in the preserve, the rise of a spectacularly bright moon, along with constant vehicle traffic, along with no time for daytime exploration to seek a spot Read more…
October 19, 2020
[Oh my.] The Orionids Meteor Shower will be peaking on my birthday. So naturally, I have to accept the sky’s invitation. I’d have to find the dark, program my camera, sit back and watch the show, hoping for better luck than when I attempted to catch the Perseids this time Read more…
August 22, 2020
I kind of dropped the ball with this night shoot. Though exhaustion and the heat during the day played a part in my not finding the right spot for my shoot, there was also construction, lots of traffic and nonstop visitor action… and my shooting with way too sensitive ISO Read more…
August 19, 2020
As thee first IDA-certified park ever, I was really looking forward to visiting Natural Bridges National Monument. One of the darkest skies of the National Park system, my daytime exploration would provide me with an evening plan. I wanted to talk with a Ranger and I wanted to secure a Read more…
August 18, 2020
I re-entered Arches National Park when the sky grew dark and found it to be just as busy as it was in the daytime. Perhaps it seemed more so as every passing vehicle would impact my every shot. I decided I’d go to the area called Wall Street for several Read more…
August 17, 2020
Even though true night would start hours later and because of dangerous cliffs and the prospect of losing my footing in the dark, I began shooting at the start of the Milky Way rise… 9:10 to be exact. Look how visible it is despite the sky still being very light-filled. Read more…
August 16, 2020
Another extraordinary sky fell upon this extraordinary landscape. And I had some big photo plans. First, I’d need the Milky Way. And boom, there it is. Next, I’d need a good spot. Yes, this would be perfect. Then–become a Galaxy Fighter! Yes, a weird idea I had on my couch Read more…
August 15, 2020
The Great Starry Way continues with my dark sky park number 10, Bryce Canyon National Park. Much like Cedar Breaks the previous night, this park also boasts a high altitude and pure deep, unadulterated darkness. Though I was skeptical that a sky could come close to last night’s, Bryce Canyon Read more…
August 14, 2020
The first of 9 IDA-certified Dark Sky parks I plan to shoot within on this journey, Cedar Breaks National Monument’s altitude sets it apart from any place I have shot in the dark. I’d be 10,000 feet closer to them. I know I say this a lot, but this night Read more…
July 24, 2020
My trip to Virginia’s dark sky parks was a good effort, but cloud cover was a big issue. In the brief sliver of time when the clouds opened up at James River State Park, I did mange some shots. Then the rain came again, bringing me back to my tent Read more…
July 21, 2020
If the weather cooperates in the evening, I will shoot at all of Virginia’s dark sky parks by the end of my trip. But that’s a big “if.” The mountains are tempestuous, already thwarting my first evening of camping. Though I am not proud of being in this motel room Read more…
July 1, 2020
Where once my couch housed my behind for a good portion of the week, today brought an old cemetery, an abandoned asylum and, in the evening, an astroshoot. Now if only of my vegan food leads would be successful (Damn Corona!), the day might have been the perfect combination of Read more…
February 19, 2020
I’d like to rest my heavy head tonight on a bed of California stars… I’d like to lay my weary bones tonight on a bed of California stars 🎶 I’d love to feel your hand touching mine and tell me why I must keep working on. Yes I’d give my Read more…
October 19, 2019
{It’s My Party 🎉, Part 2} Geauga Observatory Park is an IDA-certified International Dark Sky Park a quick hour from Cleveland. One of 56 dark sky parks in the country, it is my 3rd I have visited in an astrophotography capacity. Not bad considering it was less than a year Read more…
September 22, 2019
In finally looking through all the Milky Way shots from my summer vacation, I am bummed I live in such a light-polluted area. Though plenty of the shots have creeping invasive light sources, they’re nothing compared to New York City’s bright lights. And now I am hooked on capturing the Read more…
August 27, 2019
Animals, Asian Cuisines & Fusions, Beautiful Places Far Away, Eating Out, Nature, Photography, Wanderlust
The day would start in a place far from where it would end, in West Palm Beach’s budding downtown–within its brightly colored murals and instagram opportunities, its hip eateries. In the span of just a few hours I was within Florida’s “Prairie”–its cowboy apparel stores, fields of grazing cows who Read more…
August 16, 2019
Today would be day of driving, mostly. Its daylight hours started in North Carolina and ended in Georgia… in a cabin in a swamp. Which means tomorrow I’ll be in Florida! And maybe I’ll get some consistent sun? It seems everyday I’ve had erratic weather. Mostly because I spent these Read more…
August 14, 2019
At some point, as I sat in the vacant astronomy field across the street, the traffic in the parking lot of the public stargazing field of Cherry Spring State Park died down. There was darkness above, yes, but it was blanketed by a murky sheet of heavy overcast. Underneath it Read more…
August 6, 2019
With a few successful astrophotography shoots under my belt, mostly dealing with composition, I was ready to attempt to capture the : ::motion:: : of the sky–stars that shoot. The Perseid Meteor Shower, an annual display of displaced comet debris, offered such an opportunity. So I’d be packing up my Read more…
April 19, 2019
My second astrophotography excursion would be in Western Texas, within the deepest and darkest sky of the state–inside Big Bend National Park. As important as packing is some advance research regarding dark sky conditions at the time of my visit. I am sharing my resources here to help make the Read more…