How to Photograph the Milky Way

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The Milky Way from Horseshoe Park, Rocky Mountain National Park

The Milky Way from Horseshoe Park, Rocky Mountain National Park. The golden glow is from Denver city lights 70 miles away. The blue hues of late twilight are fading in the west. Click for a larger image.

On all of my weekend nature photography workshops, weather permitting I take everyone out once or twice to photograph the night sky. For those who haven’t tried it before, it kicks down the door to a whole new realm of photographic possibilities, and not just for night photography. Once a photographer tries one thing that is totally new and different and ends up with beautiful images they are proud of, they are ready to try all kinds of new things.

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Deer in the Headlights – Literally

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Deer in the headlights. Yosemite Valley.

“Deer in the headlights” photographed through a car windshield. Yosemite Valley.

A “deer in the headlights look” is a common euphemism so I couldn’t resist taking some pictures when a deer was literally in my headlights. I was driving around Yosemite Valley taking pictures in the moonlight when I came upon two bucks browsing on the side of the road.

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In a Photo Rich Environment: Be Prepared

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Front seat camera gear.

Front seat camera gear. Canon 5D Mark III with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 lens. Canon 7D Mark II with Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens.

You probably recognize the scout motto: “Be Prepared!” It also applies to photography. When I am in a photo rich environment, especially if there is a possibility of seeing wildlife, I usually have two cameras and lenses on the front seat next to me, all ready to go.

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POTD: Stars Trails Over El Capitan

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Stars over El Capitan with climbers on the granite cliffs. Yosemite Valley.

Stars over El Capitan with climbers on the granite cliffs. Yosemite Valley. This is a stacked image combing 8 separate exposures. Click to see a larger version.

El Capitan is a splendid sight in Yosemite Valley. Small wonder that for decades photographers have been showing up in droves to photographic the iconic granite cliffs. It is the largest block of exposed granite on our planet.

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How to Create a Stacked Image of the Night Sky

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Night sky with airplane lights, Fremont, California

Venus, Jupiter, stars, and airplane lights. Fremont, California. 27 separate images stacked together. Click to see a larger version.

It is a handy thing to know how to stack multiple night sky images into one photo. It allows you to create one stacked image covering a long period of time (using multiple photos) when it is not possible to make one long exposure of the night sky. What is a stacked image? Several images taken over a period of time which are combined to create one image fro the whole time period. This tutorial will show you how to create one.

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Panorama: Yosemite Valley in the Moonlight

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Yosemite Valley at Night. Eagle Peak, Yosemite Point, and North

Yosemite Valley at Night with Eagle Peak, Yosemite Point, and North Dome. The vertical light near the center is one of two planes that ended up in this image. Click to see a larger version.

Night photography has its own unique charms, whether it is a dark night with no moon and thousands of crystal clear stars, or with plenty of moonlight which (if you choose) you can turn night into day. And it isn’t all that complicated to do. With the addition of the right gear, you can turn your night time vista into a panoramic photo.

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Preferences Part Two: Shutter Speeds and ISO Settings

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Folder opened with Adobe Bridge.

Folder opened with Adobe Bridge. You are looking at 128 images out of over 1800 images in the folder. Click to see a larger version.

I was asked recently if I have a favorite focal length, lens, or aperture setting (see Preferences Part One). And I have also been asked if I have favorite shutter speeds and ISO Settings. So I decided to open a folder with over 1800 of my images (a little of everything) and take a look at my shooting preferences from a statistical point of view. I chose a folder that has a wide variety of subject matter and a high number of images. I used Adobe Bridge for the way it gathers metadata statistics (see the prior article).

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Preferences Part One: Focal Lengths, Lenses, and Apertures

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Adobe Bridge screen capture

Folder opened with Adobe Bridge. You are looking at 128 images out of over 1800 images in the folder. Click to see a larger version.

I was asked recently if I have a favorite focal length, lens, or aperture setting. And I have also been asked if I have favorite shutter speeds and ISO Settings (see Preferences Part Two). So I decided to open a folder with over 1800 of my images (a little of everything) and take a statistical look at what I do.

(This article was originally written Nov. 11, 2015 and revised Nov. 13, 2015.)

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How to Photograph Stars from a Plane

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The Big Dipper from a Jet plane

The Big Dipper from a Jet Airplane. Click to see a larger version.

Theoretically, it is difficult if not impossible to photograph stars from a moving plane. And for most flights that is true. Star photography usually means a steady tripod (on the ground, of course), exposures that are around 15-30 seconds in length, and an ISO around 400-1600 depending on the amount of sky fog at your shooting location. That just won’t work on a plane. Plus most plane rides are just too bumpy or unsteady, not to mention engine vibrations that are transmitted through the airframe. But it can be done with just the right conditions.

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Jay’s Rock – Finding the Prime Location

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Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake. Jay on his rock, Jay's wife, me, and other photographers.

First sunlight on the Maroon Bells at Maroon Lake. Jay on his rock, Jay’s wife, me, and other photographers. Photo © Bob Walker.

In photography, as in real estate, sometimes it is all about “location, location, location”. As the old photographic saying goes: “f/8 and be there.” In the fall that is especially true of mornings at the Maroon Bells. Arrive too late and you will get a less than prime spot and you will have other photographers in your photo instead of a pristine view of just the peaks and Maroon Lake.

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Garden Photography Interview for the Akron Beacon Journal

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iPhone Photo: Bee and Blanket Flower (click to see a larger version)

iPhone Photo: Bee and Blanket Flower (click to see a larger version)

It all started October 9 with an email from Mary Beth Breckenridge, asking if she could interview me early this week for an article in the Akron Beacon Journal. She wanted to interview several photographers and get our suggestions for creating garden photos with a camera phone.

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Create Great Yard and Garden Photos With A Camera Phone

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Balloon Flower Closeup, iPhone 4S with Olloclip closeup lens

Balloon Flower Closeup, iPhone 4S with Olloclip closeup lens

Fall is in the air and it isn’t too late to grab your camera phone and take some pictures in your garden. Here are some tips for creating some memorable photos. All of the images in this article were created with an iPhone 4S, which means more recent iPhones and Android phones should be capable of doing everything you see in this article (plus one simple accessory for a few of these photos). Continue reading →

October 7-8: Photograph the Northern Lights Tonight!

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Planetary Kp Index Map for the U.S. and Canada

Planetary Kp Index Map for the U.S. and Canada. Click for a larger version.

The planetary Kp index tonight (October 7 into the early hours of October 8) is projected to be 7. That is one of the highest readings in months. If you live north of the yellow line on the map above, your odds of seeing the Northern Lights are good. Of course you need clear, dark skies. That means little or no clouds, no moon, and you need to be far away from big city lights.

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Figure Studies in Northern Michigan

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Sarah, Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan UP.

Sarah, Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Sooner or later a lot of serious artists turn their attention to the artistic portrayal of the human figure. For me that happened when I did some simple figures studies in the studio for a class illustration at the art institute. When you teach at the art institute, it goes with the territory.  It did not occur to me at the time that I would ever do figure studies in the landscape.

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POTD: The Maroon Bells by Moonlight

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The Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake by Moonlight with the Milky Way. Colorado.

The Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake by Moonlight with the Milky Way. Colorado. Click to see a larger version.

The Maroon Bells deserve their reputation as one of the best photo locations in the state of Colorado, especially in the fall. They look just as spectacular by moonlight. It is an added bonus if you get a hint of the Milky Way in the frame (left side of the image). It won’t be as sharp and defined as on a dark night without the moon, but it will be there.

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Colorado Fall Color Travel Guide

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Aspen and Evergreens, Marshall Pass, Colorado. September 25, 1990

Aspen and Evergreens, Marshall Pass, Colorado. September 25, 1990

This article is updated and re-posted every year. To find the most recent version, go to the Favorites/Most Popular page and look for the name of this article.

Welcome to my first Colorado fall color travel guide with 100 photos and 17 maps. I cover some of the best known fall color locations in Colorado, and one real gem of a road that is mostly unknown to photographers and leaf peepers. Spend anywhere from two days to two weeks exploring the beautiful Colorado Rockies at a gorgeous time of year.

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