Nocturne of the Oaks

Viridian Lookingglass

Windows to Time

NewYorkLand

Unknown Shores

Duality

Venice Abstract

Roadside Aurora

Waterfall World

Planetary Guardian

Galactic Guardian

Camping Planet

Astral Vineyard

Stars and Stones

Monolith Ablaze

Eagle Tree

Sorcerer's Stone

Moonstone Arch

Oaken Ascension

Milky Marsset

Galactic Emissions

Amethyst Skies

Galactic Fireworks

Teton Spectacular

Starlit Cove

Stellar Field

Thorny Skies

Milky Forest Warp

Cosmic Spray

Vibrant Heavens

Grand Prism

Waterfall Walkway

Scorpius Rising

Night Watchman

Dark Tentacles

Dark Tentacles (crop)

Under the Dome

Amethyst Arc

Ursa Maris

Emerald Window

Underwater Aliens

SkekBad's Land

Underwater Aliens (crop)

Chaos Orb

Tetrad of Blood

Winter's Crown

Pirate's Cove

Midnight Hot Springs

Teton Milky Rainbow (untitled)

Rainbow Road (alternate version)

Dreadnought (wide crop)

Dreadnought

Fire on the Mountain

Valley of Jupiter

Cosmic Fireworks

Barrage of Color

Rockfish

Teeth of the Night

Infrared Lupines (untitled)

Moonstone Reflecting Pool (untitled)

Bouquet

Twin Rocks Blood Moon (untitled)

Nocturne of the OaksIntense airglow adorns the sky during a one-night break between winter storms. Having hiked into this location, usually accessible by road, I dropped my pack and scouted around for a shot. I've always liked this lone stand of oaks, and though they were illuminated by overzealous outdoor lighting, they still stood as a dark contrast against the vibrantly lit thermosphere. This fantastical snowy hillside was captured in Humboldt County California.

Viridian LookingglassI found this lake by looking at satellite imagery, and was intrigued by the small island. It's well off-trail in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness in central Oregon. Getting this shot involved hiking a mile back and forth through dense forest in pitch black. As luck would have it the great conditions held out and there was no wind, giving me perfect reflections of the stars.

Windows to TimeOur galaxy bears witness as time first buries then reveals our landscape. I captured this wondrous sky on a short foray into Utah between art shows in Arizona. Snow had fallen the week before, leaving traces of white scattered throughout the towering columns of clay. Though no more was coming down, it was still in the high teens when I captured this image, and I spent the better part of the night stomping back and forth trying to keep warm. These unmistakable red hoodoos are found in Bryce Canyon National Park. This is the highest 'step' in the Grand Staircase, an expose of geological time.

NewYorkLandThis is one of the most technically challenging images I've created. This is a composite of nearly 300 photos from Times Square and the top of a nearby building in downtown Manhattan. Painstakingly aligned and projected to create a seemless image that presents the city as its own little planet.

Unknown ShoresObscured by darkness, the rugged Oregon coast hosts the Milky Way. This magical scene was as fleeting as it was stunning. Starting with a fully fogged in sunset the air cleared just as the last of the light faded, leaving just enough to catch the red glow of the fading light. Within minutes of finishing a panorama, the fog rolled back in, thick, shrouding the sky. I wound up with a shot during each of these phases, creating an interesting series.

DualityLight and dark, Earth and sky, finite and infinite; dualities duel in this image of our planet floating in space. Captured in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Venice AbstractGetting weird in Venice Italy. This is the Campo Sant'Anzolo, one of many piazze found in this wonderful city. Shockingly deserted after midnight, I had the streets to myself as I took in the nighttime air.

Roadside AuroraUnable to drive while distracted by the ghostly whisps of the northern lights, we pulled our rented Fiat Panda over on a deserted stretch of road west of Reykjavík Iceland. The in car thermometer read -12C! Fighting to retain control over numb fingers, I shot this 360* panorama and then jumped back in the car and cranked the heater.

Waterfall WorldThis impressive network of falls looks fine during the day, but in the dark with long exposures it gives it a much softer feel. I had to sneak back into the park at night, climbing through a cave on the way, to get this shot. Though it may not look it, the myriad falls produced an impressive din. I am used to near-silence when shooting nightscapes, so it was quite disconcerting as I wouldn't have been able to hear anyone, or an animal, approaching. These artful wooden walkways snake their way through several miles of trail, and past hundreds of waterfalls, at Plitvice National Park in Croatia.

Planetary GuardianA lone oak stands guard over the Earth in this scene captured in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Galactic GuardianThis oak stands at the ready under the vast arch of the Milky Way. Captured in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Camping PlanetSpending leisure time wisely while on a rock floating through space. Captured in Joshua Tree National Park in southern California.

Astral VineyardThis vineyard in Napa California tries in vain to absorb light from the stars. Unfortunately, light pollution is rampant near cities, to the degree that the stars themselves are nearly obscured from view behind a luminous veil of our own creation. Turn off the lights!

Stars and StonesA sight to behold: Half Dome under the stars. The light pollution from California's central valley attenuates the stars only slightly, and adds a colorful haze on the horizon. This vantage point can only be obtained through a serious hike, followed by a steep climb. Though hard to reach, this point, "the Diving Board", is well known. This location was immortalized in Ansel Adams 1927 photograph "Monolith".

Monolith AblazeHalf Dome basks under the the radiative glow of the fiery belt of our galaxy. This vantage point can only be obtained through a serious hike, followed by a steep climb. Though hard to reach, this point, "the Diving Board", is well known. This location was immortalized in Ansel Adams 1927 photograph "Monolith".

Eagle TreeThis wolf tree presides over the night, surrounded by the Milky Way. This was captured in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Sorcerer's StoneA magical device found amongst the rocks and pools of Moonstone Beach in Northern California.

Moonstone ArchThe winter Milky Way displaying its full splendor over Moonstone Beach in Northern California.

Oaken AscensionThe Milky Way streams out of a large oak tree in Humboldt County California.

Milky MarssetMars sets on the eastern horizon as the Milky Way arcs across the sky in this shot from the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Galactic EmissionsThis prominent oak tree stands on a hillside in the hills of Humboldt County California.

Amethyst SkiesMatching magentas with the stars above, this field of lupines holds its own. Each year, around May, the Bald Hills area of Redwood National Park in California explodes with vibrant colors as the flowers spring to life.

Galactic FireworksA wintertime image of the Milky Way complimented by the appearance of the comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy). Captured in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Teton SpectacularIt's hard to know what to expect from the sky. Standing in the cold, listening to a nocturne of coyote calls, I was surprised to find the aurora glowing red on the northern horizon! The Milky Way rises over the Grand Teton Mountains in Wyoming.

Starlit CoveNature's decorations; captured on Christmas Eve in Fort Bragg California, this image shows the Milky Way erupting from the Pacific Ocean.

Stellar FieldEach night the stars are taken out to pasture. This sky was captured in the coastal hills of Humboldt County California.

Thorny SkiesShot while watching the Perseid meteor shower, this panorama managed only to catch a few. Instead, starthistle dominates the eastern (upper) horizon of this shot captured in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Milky Forest WarpThe forest envelopes the sky as the moon hides in the shadow of the Earth. I woke up at 4am for this shot, but with good reason. This early April morning was a full eclipse of the moon. Knowing that the coast would likely be fogged in at this time of the morning, I headed inland and up into the hills. After driving a ways out a dirt mountain road I found a likely looking spot, hopped a fence, ran through dew-covered grass, and then stood in the same place for half an hour. Although I did shoot some telephoto shots of the moon being eclipsed, the star of the show was the temporarily revealed Milky Way arching across the sky. Fortunately I started this panorama from the top down, because by the time I finished shooting the ground, clouds had rolled in and covered the whole sky.

Cosmic SprayThe stars pour forth from Twin Rocks, a local landmark in Mendocino County California.

Vibrant HeavensBands of atmospheric airglow combined with some hydrogen-alpha emisions from deep space objects combine to create a wondrous view. This beautiful spectacle was captured over the inland hills of Mendocino County in Northern California.

Grand PrismWhen I left my camp site the skies were completely clear. Just over an hour later I had arrived and was nearly finished setting up to shoot. I had scouted the location earlier in the day and knew the galactic core was aligned near perfectly with Grand Prismatic Spring. As I took my first few images, I noticed some clouds rolling in fast. Working fast (no such thing with long exposures), I started shooting my panorama. Within minutes, nearly the whole sky was blotted out. I decided to shoot a few really long exposures for star trails, and after a white noted that the clouds were thinning a bit. I shot a second panorama of the sky, hoping that between the two, I could get a clean shot of the sky. Many, many, hours of selective masking later, I achieved just that. This magical scene was captured at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

Waterfall WalkwayThis impressive network of falls looks fine during the day, but in the dark with long exposures it gives it a much softer feel. I had to sneak back into the park at night, climbing through a cave on the way, to get this shot. Though it may not look it, the myriad falls produced an impressive din. I am used to near-silence when shooting nightscapes, so it was quite disconcerting as I wouldn't have been able to hear anyone, or an animal, approaching. These artful wooden walkways snake their way through several miles of trail, and past hundreds of waterfalls, at Plitvice National Park in Croatia.

Scorpius RisingThe impressive Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex ornaments the head of the constellation Scorpius, leading its ascention into the night sky. This old wolf tree is located in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Night WatchmanPeering into the night between long exposures, searching for mythical beasts in the sky. Headlamp on, of course, only for dramatic effect. This whimsical self portrait was captured in the inland hills of Mendocino County.

Dark TentaclesSilhoutted oak branches reach menacingly for the stars. I had wanted a shot like this for a while, and spent a lot of time scouting for the right location. These malign trees were found in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Dark Tentacles (crop)Silhoutted oak branches reach menacingly for the stars. I had wanted a shot like this for a while, and spent a lot of time scouting for the right location. These malign trees were found in the inland hills of Mendocino County California.

Under the DomeA more interesting projection, just one of many, from the Diving Board. The iconic Half Dome is inverted in this shot looking down the valley. This vantage point, albeit in a more traditional composition, was made famous by Ansel Adams' photograph "Monolith".

Amethyst ArcMatching magentas with the stars above, this field of lupines holds its own. Each year, around May, the Bald Hills area of Redwood National Park in California explodes with vibrant colors as the flowers spring to life.

Ursa MarisUrsa Major (the Big Dipper) pales in comparison with this pareidolic bear. There are a myriad of interesting things visible in the sky on a winter's night, but perhaps most notable this evening was the comet 46P/Wirtanen, dubbed the "Christmas Comet". It glows a pale blue-green, and could be seen dimly with the naked eye. These tidepools adorn the rocks at Moonstone beach in Northern California.

Emerald WindowThe most technically complex picture I'd taken up to this point. This magnificent scene required the use of a piece of specialized equiptment called a star-tracker to shoot 90-second exposures without star trails. The Milky Way arches across the sky above Mendocino County California.

Underwater AliensThis magical scene was as fleeting as it was stunning. Starting with a fully fogged in sunset the air cleared just as the last of the light faded, leaving just enough to catch the red glow of the fading light. Within minutes of finishing a panorama, the fog rolled back in, thick, shrouding the sky. I wound up with a shot during each of these phases, creating an interesting series.

SkekBad's LandA malevolent creature watches over the badlands. Captured in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin wilderness in New Mexico. When I took this image the tempurature was well below freezing and this location is several miles into the wilderness, with no trails. Hiking through the badlands in the pitch black is not an experience I will soon forget.

Underwater Aliens (crop)This magical scene was as fleeting as it was stunning. Starting with a fully fogged in sunset the air cleared just as the last of the light faded, leaving just enough to catch the red glow of the fading light. Within minutes of finishing a panorama, the fog rolled back in, thick, shrouding the sky. The sky wasn't the only thing interesting though. While the panorama was shooting I was laying on the rocks watching the stars, I noticed a slight glow coming from under the water! Not wanting to disrupt the panorama (in case the fog came back), I had to just wait until the pano was finished to see what, if anything, the camera had captured. It was in there! Though the lights had started closer to shore, they had progressively moved out to sea, and by the time the camera was pointed in their direction, they were pretty far out. This mystical scene was shot on the southern Oregon coast.

Chaos OrbA dazzling display of stars shines through thin cloud cover to illuminate Mt Lassen. The volcanic giant is flanked on its left side by a series of lava domes known as Chaos Crags, and reflected in the waters of a lake formed by a violent rockslide caused by the collapse of one of the domes. This geologic wonderland is located in the northeast corner of California.

Tetrad of BloodThis series of images was captured during the course of a full lunar eclipse. The coloration is caused by the same phenomenon that causes the sunset to appear red. Sunlight passes through Earth's atmosphere where the blue light is striped away, leaving only the diffuse red light to bathe the moon in an eerie glow. This one of four 'blood moon' eclipses which occured in a series known as a tetrad, was observed from Northern California.

Winter's CrownA magnificent lunar corona over a snowy hillside. This phenomenon is caused by moonlight diffracting through an otherwise invisible haze of tiny ice crystals. This image involved an all-nighter wearing snowshoes in the inland hills of Northern California.

Pirate's CoveDark and foreboding by starlight, this cove regains its scenic beauty in the light of day. This is one of three very different images taken in succession during the ebb and flow of the coastal fog along the southern Oregon coastline.

Midnight Hot SpringsA beautiful creek winds idly through the desert, interupted by volcanic influence. Steam rises from twin fumaroles under the core of the Milky Way. On the left, you can see three planets aligned: Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. On the right, green atmospheric airglow can be seen. The orange light on the horizon is mostly distant light pollution, and behind the hill on the right the remnants of the setting moon. This image was captured in a brief window between moonset and sunrise in the eastern Sierras of central California.

Teton Milky Rainbow (untitled)From the valley east of the Tetons, a single pine protrudes from the sagebrush. The majestic Grand Teton and its sister peaks grace the horizon, dwarfed by the arc of the Milky Way above.

Rainbow Road (alternate version)A host of deep space oddities adorn the sky but the great comet of 2020, NEOWISE, takes center stage. Surrounded by the Milky Way, flanked on the left by Jupiter and Saturn and on the right by the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies. This artfully winding road and wonderfully dark sky are located in Humboldt County California.

Dreadnought (wide crop)Deep in the Superstitions, Battleship Mountain floats on a rocky berth ready to face any foe. Even here the Milky Way is partly obscured by light pollution from the nearby city of Phoenix. Our influence, unintentionally, reaches further than we might imagine.

DreadnoughtDeep in the Superstitions, Battleship Mountain floats on a rocky berth ready to face any foe. Even here the Milky Way is partly obscured by light pollution from the nearby city of Phoenix. Our influence, unintentionally, reaches further than we might imagine.

Fire on the MountainMany of the nebulae which punctuate our Milky Way galaxy shine brightly in infrared. Though these emissions are not visible to the naked eye, to a camera sensitive to those wavelengths they glow a fantastic magenta. These cosmic colors stand in stark contrast to the green springtime hillsides of Northern California.

Valley of JupiterOne of my favorite deep space gems, the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, rests at the end of a dark finger of intergallactic dust. On the other side of the dust trail, near the core of the Milky Way, the planet Jupiter glows brightly surrounded by a rainbow corona. Though I've many times seen coronae around the sun or moon, this is the first time I've seen it around a planet. The colorful ring is caused by fine ice particles in the atmosphere. This springtime scene was captured in the inland hills of Northern California.

Cosmic FireworksThe Perseid meteor shower is reliably one of the best of the year. I decided to dedicate quite a bit of time to documenting the shower this times around. This composite image was made from the meteors captured in over 2000 images of the sky taken over the course of 3 nights. This stunning display was witnessed in Humboldt County California.

Barrage of ColorThe Perseid meteor shower is reliably one of the best of the year. I decided to dedicate quite a bit of time to documenting the shower this times around. This composite image was made from the meteors captured in over 2000 images of the sky taken over the course of 3 nights. This stunning display was witnessed in Humboldt County California.

RockfishBryce Canyon's ancient residents are alive and well in this rather abstract view of the national park.

Teeth of the NightI found this lake by looking at satellite imagery, and was intrigued by the small island. It's well off-trail in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness in central Oregon. Getting this shot involved hiking a mile back and forth through dense forest in pitch black. As luck would have it the great conditions held out and there was no wind, giving me perfect reflections of the stars.

Infrared Lupines (untitled)A carpet of lupines covers the hillside, while the arch of the Milky Way crosses the sky. This image was captured in the infrared spectrum, in the hills of Humboldt County California.

Moonstone Reflecting Pool (untitled)A moonstone rises from a glistening pool of water; as the tide receeds, these gems are left scattered on the beach. Perhaps my favorite part of this image is the distorted reflection where the trickle of water coming into the pool disrupts the perfect mirror. This image was captured on the coast of Humboldt County California.

BouquetThese hills are always magical, but this spring was extraordinary. The lupines exploded to life, covering the hills in a blanket of purple. As soon as you near the area, through closed car windows, you can already catch the scent of the flowers. Standing in these fields at night, surrounded by darkness and the lupines sweet fragrance is something quite special. This incredible smell was captured in the hills of Northern California.

Twin Rocks Blood Moon (untitled)A total lunar eclipse illuminates the landscape in an eerie light. This image was captured in the inland hills of Northern California.

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