Captured In The Stars!

There is nothing more spectacular than the night sky on a clear night. There is so much to see in the sky no matter which direction you look. To the North, the Big and Little Dipper and the North Star. To the South, the Milky Way. There is wonder and awe in the night sky. And what we don’t see while we are sleeping is the connection between the earth and sky. I want to share with you some of the images and stories that I have been working on this year.

Starlight Over Palouse Falls

I had dreamed of photographing Palouse Falls under the Milky Way for quite some time. Just two hours from home, this iconic waterfall is also a designated Dark Sky location, meaning there’s very little light pollution to interfere with the stars. But as often happens, life had other plans—between weather, wildfire smoke, and daily responsibilities, the trip kept being postponed.

This past July, the stars finally aligned (pun intended). I found myself standing near the edge of the cliff, tripod set, camera ready. I began with a few blue hour images of the falls as twilight deepened, then settled in to wait for full darkness.

The moment I captured my very first frame of the Milky Way, I glanced at the back of my camera—and I couldn’t help but do a little happy dance right there on the cliff edge. The sky was clear, brilliant, and breathtaking. The Milky Way arched overhead, stretching all the way north, and I could see it easily with my naked eye.

I spent nearly two more hours photographing that incredible scene, savoring every moment. The excitement of standing beneath the galaxy was matched only by the anticipation of creating the final image once I got home. The result is the photograph you see here—a piece of the night sky, forever captured above the power and beauty of Palouse Falls.

Starlit Pastures

This image was not the one I had planned to capture. I was headed to another location, but sometimes the night offers you something unexpected. The peaceful cows grazing on pasture that felt more like a meadow caught my eye, framed by the barns and farmhouses on the hill. I decided to get a few images before moving on to the place I originally planned to shoot.

When I combined this scene with images of the Milky Way, it became one of my favorites of the year. It is a piece that speaks of life in the place that I live and a sign that sometimes you have to notice what is around you, not only to create but to enjoy life a little more

Galaxy Over Desert Shore

I had an unplanned extended stay in Utah in August, so I decided to make the drive from Salt Lake City out to Antelope Island as it is a one of Utah’s many dark sky locations.. Although the clouds didn’t allow me to get actual Milky Way images there, I did get some beautiful blue hour images and then combined them with Milky Way images I already had taken. The resulting image from White Rock Bay will always be a reminder to me that there is beauty and creativity even when a situation or circumstance is not ideal.

These are just a few of the images I have created this year. I love the whole process, the planning, the shooting, and the editing to get the final image just right. If you are interested these images and wish to speak to me about my work,, or purchase an image, feel free to e-mail me. If you would like to see more of my work, stay tuned. More images will be coming to the website soon.