Dark Skies, Warm Nights :: VT

Dark Skies, Warm Nights :: VT

 

It’s snowing and sleeting here today, so I spent my time daydreaming of warmer nights under the stars. ✨🌙❤

This was taken in lower VT, and is the first night sky photography trip that I brought the dogs along for. I wasn’t sure if they would be good, to be honest, but they surprised me by being patient and well mannered to whole night (which is quite an accomplishment for the younger dog).

The only time they started growling was after everyone else had left, and something big started moving in the woods behind us. It didn’t take long for whatever it was to move along.

Who’s a good dog? My dog! (Sometimes.) 🐶

For those of you looking to learn a bit more about star trails, you can check out my article in Light & Landscape (Issue 31), or wait for the upcoming book on night sky photography! 🙂  Want to know more about that?  Sign up for my newsletter, and follow me on social media for the latest updates.

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A Million Thanks

My heart is full of gratitude today. I’m wrapping up the print sale shipping/delivery, and *we* raised over $730 for Liam. ❤️ I’m so proud of my tribe today. I’m so thankful for all of your help, and I know Liam’s family is too. Cancer is such a difficult thing to face, but truly, the support, the hugs and prayers helps. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart, and have a happy & healthy Thanksgiving. 😘

The Stars Rain Down :: ME

The Stars Rain Down :: ME

The Stars Rain Down :: ME “Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.” -Rumi
My newest article, a basic guide to star trails came out in Light & Landscape Magazine . If you’ve ever thought you wanted to try to capture the movement between the planet and the stars (on purpose 😋), then you need to read this instructional guide! 📸🌠🌌 This photo is several exposures, stacked for the stars. Some friends and I went to Nubble lighthouse in Maine looking for northern lights , but the kp died down before we got there. Ah well…at least the stars were pretty. ❤️ Taken with a Nikon d810.

Path of Least Resistance :: CT

Path of Least Resistance :: CT

Access to clean water is something most Americans take for granted. However, globally there are approximately 783 million people without clean water and approximately 2.5 billion without adequate sanitation. This results in death and disease, impacts food yield, causes conflicts, reduces available time spent on education, promotes gender inequality and holds impoverished communities back. In other words, clean water is LIFE. What are you doing to protect it? 💦

Guide Us Home :: RI

Guide Us Home :: RI

In Connecticut, dark sky areas are almost non-existent, due to our dense population and the light pollution that comes with it.  That makes capturing the Milky Way very difficult.  To truly have a sky that is dark enough to see detail in the Milky Way core, I need to either drive to Rhode Island (where the is a tiny oasis of dark sky along our shared border) or north and/or northwest towards Massachusetts, Vermont or upstate New York.

So besides the inconvenience of needing to travel, why is light pollution a problem?  Because it isn’t just light.  It’s light that affects everything.

There is evidence that too much night-light will effect trees’ seasonal clocks.  It’s shown that the bright lights of human cities can disrupt migration patterns of birds, the ability of newly hatched sea turtles to find the safety of the water, the hunting and territory patterns of opportunistic animals…. and researchers are beginning to think that the disruption to our – humans – natural circadian cycles is a risk factor for higher incidences of cancer.

“The health effects of light pollution have not been as well defined for humans as for wildlife, although a compelling amount of epidemiologic evidence points to a consistent association between exposure to indoor artificial nighttime light and health problems such as breast cancer, says George Brainard, a professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.” (here)

So about those pockets of darkness near Connecticut?  Well, Beavertail Light in Rhode Island is along the edge of one.  When my friend Tony Curado, who is working on a Galactic 50 project (capturing the Milky Way in all 50 states!), suggested he wanted to chase stars in my neighborhood, I knew exactly what location to try.

The night finally arrived, and as I sat there under the stars with Tony and Kyle (another local photographer), I felt grateful. There I was, watching the universe do its thing, the sounds of the waves kissing the land, and good friends to share it with.

Night Lights :: RI

Night Lights :: RI

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” -Og  Mandino

I’ve recently been spending a lot of time under the stars with my camera. There is a peacefulness that comes from just watching the Milky Way move across the sky, reminding us we are just a small part of something infinitely larger than our daily schedules and obligations. If you find a spare moment on any given evening, I urge to look up and find some perspective. ❤️

Stargazing :: RI

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting up with an awesome group of photographers from CT and RI. It’s cheesy, but it was exactly the reason I love photography so much…we started as strangers and before the night was done, we were joking as if we were old friends. Old, under caffeinated, sleep deprived friends. 😋

 

Nerdy Stuff: This is a focus stack of two frames, one for the monocular and one for the Milky Way. Want to know more about shooting the stars or focus stacks? Just ask!