Above :: RI

Me: Babe, what are we naming the trees?
Him: Oscar, Alfred, Freddy…
Me: Okay, that’s the name of the photo now.
Him: No, those are the trees.
Me: So what are we naming the photo?
Him: I don’t know.
Me: That seems like an even worse name.

Naming photos is probably one of the worst parts of being a photographer. lol

In February, we treated ourselves to a helicopter ride over Rhode Island (one of the only states we can travel to at the moment) and ate way too much delicious food–fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, cocktails and fresh lobster bisque. Honestly, it was a little chilly to be sitting outside eating food, but with COVID being what it is, we were happy just to get out of the house. Despite the cold, we had a lovely day. The bird’s eye view of things is pretty spectacular, and I’m feeling relaxed after our belated Valentine’s date.

For those wondering, we used Newport Helicopter Tours in Middletown, RI. They have plexiglass dividing the us from the cockpit, so we had our own space. Masks, of course, are still required and the cabin was cleaned between each set of guests. Our pilot pointed out notable spots, gave us some history about the area, and was an all around nice guy.

View, On the Rocks :: RI

Shaken, not stirred.

On Saturday, we treated ourselves to a helicopter ride over Rhode Island (one of the only states we can travel to at the moment) and ate way too much delicious food–fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, cocktails and fresh lobster bisque. Honestly, it was a little chilly to be sitting outside eating food, but with COVID being what it is, we were happy just to get out of the house. Despite the cold, we had a lovely day. The bird’s eye view of things is pretty spectacular, and I’m feeling relaxed after our belated Valentine’s date.

For those wondering, we used Newport Helicopter Tours in Middletown, RI. They have plexiglass dividing the us from the cockpit, so we had our own space. Masks, of course, are still required and the cabin was cleaned between each set of guests. Our pilot pointed out notable spots, gave us some history about the area, and was an all around nice guy.

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome :: RI

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome :: RI

 

That time I drove and hour and a half, pre-pandemic, to see a sunset. You can tell this is sunset, right?  Right!!??

Do you think they’ll start labeling time in Pandemic terms?  “The year 2024 PP (Post Pandemic)”

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!