It took a few attempts to get everything lined up for this one. This is a beautiful area to enjoy nature.
There were not too many thunderstorms in the winter during our stay in Carrabelle. There were at least two good ones but I have to admit that I slept through the first one realizing in the morning that I had missed an opportunity to capture something great. So, I was much better prepared when the next one came around and it did not disappoint.
During our stay in Florida, I had the opportunity to visit the small coastal town of Cape San Blas. The lighthouse is a prominent feature of the town and a great place to visit anytime of the day. The pond with lily leaves created an interesting foreground element.
We had the opportunity to spend a month near Arches National Park last year (2019). A lot of overcast days and rain reduced the days available for Milky Way photography. However, one of the weather events created some interesting possibilities. When I visited the park, there were small water puddles on the floor of the valley in Park Avenue. This puddle is actually pretty small but looks big due to the use of a wide angle the lens in close proximity to the ground. The Milky Way and reflection in the puddle are from 15 images stacked in Starry Landscape Stacker (ISO 6400/20sec/f2.8). The rock formations are blended in from a single exposure (ISO 800/395sec/f3.5).
I had a great time shooting the Milky Way over the beautiful coastline at Cape San Blas, FL right before the COVID-19 lockdowns. A short hike led to the Donna Kay, an abandoned shrimp boat that ran aground shortly before Hurricane Michael made landfall. Attempts to remove her have been unsuccessful; she may become a permanent fixture on this remote stretch of beach in the Florida Panhandle.
Equipped with a lens warmer this time, it was a much easier experience photographing the Milky Way in Florida.
Getting back to some of the MWs I took last year. Here is another one from somewhere in West Virginia.
It was supposed to be a Super Moon but it ended up not being a clear night. When the moon finally showed up it was dark and playing a quick hide and seek behind the clouds. So, had to come up with an alternative composition. Single exposure: ISO 320/30sec/f9
Another cool location on the coast of Maine. It required being here during high tide to catch the water reflections that had collected in the tide pool.
These trees and roots fascinated me each time I walked past them and I struggled how to get a decent composition. The Milky Way did line up nicely between the trees and the nearby light pollution helped light up the scene well.
An early season Milky Way capture from somewhere in Florida. It was tough due to the light pollution and low dewpoint conditions as the lens quickly kept getting fogged up.
We had the opportunity to make an unscheduled two week stop in West Virginia due to my truck breaking down and needing extensive repairs. It was a great opportunity to explore some of the beautiful waterfalls in the area. At Sandstone Falls, I had the place to myself after the few fisherman left for the evening. This is one of my favorites from the area.
The patterns in the sand would be different and quite amazing as low tide settled in. In this instance, the haze and light pollution were helpful in lighting up the foreground nicely for this Milky Way shot.
A wonderful night in Arches National Park with beautiful clear skies gracing the Balanced Rock monument. Techie Info: The Milky Way:15 images stacked in Starry Landscape Stacker (ISO 6400/20sec/f2.8). Foreground from a single exposure (ISO 1600/618sec/f4).
One of my first images from Maine. We had a two week delay reaching Maine as my truck down and needed a major resuscitation before we got on the road. Once we got here, we were blessed with some nice clear skies at the right time. This image is from the Monument Cove area in Acadia National Park.
It had been a cloudy week as the moon had finally dwindled enough for Milky Way photography. The forecast had been iffy but I figured it was still worth trying since this tree stump was not too far from our campsite. I stood for over an hour patiently waiting for the clouds to dissipate, wiping the inevitable dew drops off the lens. Finally, the Gods took pity on me and a small clearing happened for just enough time to capture this image.
A Milky Way image from the sleepy town of Carabelle taken during the lockdown period. Haze and light pollution are a significant issue even in this relatively remote location in Florida. Techie Info: The Milky Way: Tracked (ISO 1600/103sec/f2.8). Foreground from a single exposure (ISO 1600/60 sec/f4.0).
Milky Way captured above a pier during our stay in Florida. Haze and light pollution were a significant issue with capturing the night skies and single exposure or stacking did not yield satisfactory results. I felt that the tracker did a better job in capturing the night skies.
Ok, ok there are a gazillion images from Balanced Rock but this was my first time here. So cannot help posting another one from there. Techie Info: The Milky Way:15 images stacked in Starry Landscape Stacker (ISO 6400/20sec/f2.8). Foreground from a single exposure (ISO 1600/618sec/f4).
Another amazingly clear night happened as we arrived in Maine. This image if from a location in Schoodic Peninsula which is part of Acadia National Park. Not located on Mount Desert but on the mainland of Maine, it is much less frequented and a great place to enjoy the rugged beauty of the Maine coast in peace and solitude. This small pool of water happened to be in the right place and beautifully reflected the Milky Way that night.
These old trees presented themselves in the right orientation so I could resist capturing a Milky Way composition here.
The Milky Way rises over Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park. The skies here are stunningly dark, capable of being lost in as you lay and gaze at the ancient sights above.