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I’ve only had the good fortune to take one of Brad’s workshops, which was back in 2016. I cringe at some of my early efforts back then, but I think I’ve improved since then. I remember Brad emphasizing that while it was important to consider the forecast, it was only a forecast. It’s almost always worth taking a chance.
I finally moved back to my home state of Colorado last year. I had this shot in mind for a while even though I had never been to the location. It was late September, near the end of the Milky Way Season, and I had one evening where my schedule would allow me to give it a go. All week long, the forecast was for cloudy skies. But on my one day off, the forecast looked more favorable. I decided to throw everything in the SUV and begin the two-hour journey. I had not done tons of planning for this shot but I had it in my mind’s eye. I decided to take my chances.
It was still light when I arrived, so I set up a rough composition. As dusk set in, the stars came out, and I started to recognize the ones familiar to me that I use to locate the Milky Way, beginning with Antares in Scorpio. I refined my composition a bit. The water was so calm, that I could now see the mirror-like reflection of Scorpio in the water. I had never been able to capture a reflection I was really thrilled with, but it looked like tonight might be the night.
This image is the end result of that night. I hope you like it.
