The Best of 2012

What a year… So many great times to look back on and so many opportunities coming in 2013. I spent most of the summer months teaching workshops here in the Pacific Northwest. In addition, I had a few opportunities to get out on my own and wrap up my first time-lapse film, ‘Within Two Worlds.’ I had such a great time meeting and teaching new clients, who quickly became friends. My favorite part of the workshop experience was sharing my passion for the night sky and enjoying the time spent with students under the stars.

Here are my 10 favorite images from 2012. Hope you enjoy!

Sibling Rivalry: My first image taken in the Pacific Northwest after moving here in January. This image was taken during a full moon in the Three Sisters Wilderness.

The Forest Calls: This area was knows for dark skies and pristine, remote wilderness, but I had to see it for myself. It was nothing short of magical.

Nocturne Eruption: It's almost impossible to capture the Milky Way in the middle of winter. A major storm system had passed through the night before and the Milky Way rose just before sunrise behind Mount Shasta. It was freezing cold, but absolutely magical.

Shared Alignment: Smith Rock State Park has some incredible rock formations that present some great opportunities to align with the night sky. As soon as I heard about the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus on March 18, 2012, I couldn't think of a better place. Here you see the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus with the Milky Way arcing over Smith Rock.

Beyond the Rim: In April, winter was still taking it's toll on the Pacific Northwest, but there was a great opportunity for clear skies during the peak time of the Lyrids meteor shower. This shoot was a great learning experience after having to snowshoe through 4 miles of soft, melting snow with a giant pack full of camera and camping gear. I was mainly concentrating on time-lapse during this particular evening, but as I was switching compositions I decided to shoot a 9 image panorama. While shooting these 9 images, BOOM! One of the brightest meteors I've seen pierces through the sky and I was lucky enough to capture it with my camera. This meteor was so bright, I actually heard it.

Labyrinth: This was another great snowshoe adventure. This particular lake gets very crowded in the summer months. If you want to enjoy this view by yourself, you have to hike in before cars have access; it gets a lot of snow. It was a pretty easy hike in snowshoes and well worth the freezing temps.

Wandering Light: One of the most iconic images I captured this year. It's not everyday you get to see the Northern Lights over Crater Lake. I usually don't shoot during my workshops so I can give my full attention to my clients, but after we saw this, all bets were off.

Distant Acquaintance: There's a magical moment that occurs when the day transforms into night. This location was one of many during my workshops in 2012.

Amplitudes of Time: Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness.  -Kahlil Gibran

Ambitious Dreams: This would have to be my favorite image from 2012 featuring the aurora borealis over Central Oregon's iconic Sparks Lake. Does it get better than this?

‘Within Two Worlds’ was released in September of 2012 and has already surpassed over a million views worldwide. It was featured on NBC News, Wired, Huffington Post, and more. It took 3 years to complete and I’m already looking forward to my next short film.

I want to thank my family, friends, and fans around the world. Without your encouragement, I wouldn’t have made it this far. This body of work is because of your support and I am truly grateful.

The trail is calling,

Brad