Recent Photo Work
Content on this page changes often. Share widely.
Pinpoint focus, a prime lens, and blind luck. There’s nothing like it when all three come together. An experiment with a new-to-me 50mm Nikon lens brought “Aurora Postcard” to life, waving like a flag in the night. (The 50mm is essentially a zoom lens when it comes to dark sky photography which is often captured at 12-24mm.) At the same time, a full 90 degrees to the north, my wide angle 14-24mm lens caught the full aurora’s edge as it passed by & over a small group of silos in the corner of a farmer’s field, creating “Silo Symphony.” Note that some shoots are from the truck, some are on hikes in the back country, some while camping….all are fun.
Often overlooked, the moon can be a surprising challenging to capture. That’s because whenever the sun is shining on the moon (such as during a full moon), it lights up incredibly bright in the middle of a very dark sky. It can be like photographing a light bulb. Adjust settings to f8-11, 1/40-1/60th, 1200 ISO. The effects can be compounded easily during a lunar eclipse, as the moon suddenly dims to become orangish red with a bit of lighter edge, causing the photographer to switch settings again to a much dimmer, night sky subject.
I often don’t know what will come of an image until it appears. While I do plan and prepare as best as possible, I remain open to new discoveries based on the moment. Nature surprises.
Join me under the stars!
I’m always down to share my experience, tips, and techniques. Photographing and editing the Aurora Borealis, Milky Way, Comets, Meteors, AirGlow, the Moon, and more using little more than a DLSR and remote shutter control on a tripod (optional star tracker) is a blast. Let’s talk.
Horizontal or vertical? Yes.
Why shoot at night when it’s dark? It’s not dark to a camera.