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.
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.
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.
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).
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.