After taking a wonderful and very insightful workshop with Brad Goldpaint I had the opportunity to capture the Milky Way in Maui, Hawaii. This is a single exposure and the foreground is lightpainted. The Milky Way perfectly lined up with the composition I wanted at this hidden beach, and it truly is beautiful to see the night sky in places that are not filled with light pollution.

There is a reason why it’s called Hurricane Ridge but on this summer’s night, there wasn’t one flag blowing in the wind nor a twinkle in a star. As I made my way up the windy mountainous road, I came upon about a dozen large telescopes. To my surprise, several members of the Bremerton Astronomy Club had set up their telescopes for the general public. I took a peek into each one as they focused on clusters millions of light year away. The clarity of the sky was one of the best I had ever seen and I enjoyed the other element that I wasn’t expecting.

This is favourite shot from 2017, it was from a trip to Joshua Tree back in April of this year. I didn’t manage to get out as often as I would have liked but this particular evening did not disappoint. I’ve always loved shooting Milky Way panoramas and was very happy with how this one came out.

The reason I love this one is because it marks the start of a whole new world of photography for me.  I loved the location (and can’t wait to return) which we lucked out on due to Arches NP being difficult.  It was an amazing night under the stars from start to finish and the beginning of a whole new obsession for me. Thank you both for jumping through hoops to make it happen!

Taken on the east coast of Key Largo, FL in February 2017.  Unfortunately, this property has since been destroyed by Hurricane Irma.

One of my favorite moments and learning times this year was day two at our Alumni class in Bisti because we got together as a group for a couple hours adding a few inside jokes along the way we stood along this ledge and learned how to composite a photo with the milkyway, moonrise and illumination of the foreground. By far a wonderful memory and favorite time because as a group we came together in this vast space to learn and get to enjoy Brad’s special coffee.

I love the story of hard work and creativity implied here. The alumni workshop was a step up: in challenge, in learning, in fun, and in inspiration. Thanks to you both for a wonderful workshop this year and for being so supportive as always.

This was the most challenging image that I took during 2017 … both in terms of capture and post-processing. I captured this panorama (6 images wide) on the way home from a Goldpaint workshop in Arches / Canyonlands, and was able to use all the techniques I learned during that workshop.

I chose this shot because it makes me happy. I love to shoot the stars but there is also something challenging about shooting a vibrant city in all its glory.  Light pollution where I live makes shooting the stars and Milky Way very difficult. I wanted to show off my east coast roots.  There is nothing more colorful and alive than the 4th of July fireworks in NYC.  I took this shot from the top of my daughter’s building where she lives.

This image is special to me because everything seemed to line up that night. Crystal clear skies, no wind at all, meteor showers, and mountain climbers heading up to summit made for a perfect evening. After I set up the composition and began shooting, I thought I had messed up the shot since I originally intended the north star to be in the photo. But I actually prefer it just outside the top of the frame.  I finally captured a star trail photo like I envisioned.