To this point, all my attemps at Milky Way photography have been done in the desert. But while planning for my recent Sierra hike, it was brought to my attention that we might want to attempt capturing the MW over beautiful Sierra mountain peaks and alpine lakes. That was certainly a motivator for me, so I packed my heavy DSLR and tripod, even though I knew I was going to have a hard time lugging it up mountain trails. It also turned out that our hike coincided with the new moon, so I figured it was certainly worth a try!
Using the PhotoPills app on my phone, I figured this area on Long Lake would be a good spot. I have to give Mitch credit as well. He had the original "vision" of the MW spilling into Long Lake, and that ignited my interest. According to PhotoPills, the MW should be over the center of the mountain peaks and also over the center of the lake around 10:30-11PM. I was worried about the clouds blocking out the stars, but I figured I would set my alarm for about 10:15PM, step out of my tent, and assess the situation. If I see clouds, I'll just crawl back into my sleeping bag! I'll be camped at this location for two nights, so there's always tomorrow night.Ring-ring-ring. 10:15PM alarm. Getting in and out of an ultrilight one-person tent is harder than you might think. There's barely room to sit up at one end of the tent. Shimmying out of a sleeping bag takes me a while, then pivoting around to exit the tent feet-first takes gymnastic moves my old joints just can'd do anymore! Eventually I crawl out from my tent and know instantly it's going to be a great night. Big smile. The MW is very visible, no clouds, and probably the darkest sky I have ever seen!
Exactly what I was hoping for! A beautiful MW over the Sierra peaks, with stars reflected off the water. It was a perfectly calm night with no breeze, so the stars were reflected beautifully. Initially I fumbled around for a while. It was so dark that I couldn't see anything through my viewfinder, which means I couldn't frame the photo. Solution: Point the camera, take a photo, and adjust as needed. This took a while, but eventually I was satisfied with the composition. This is just my camera, tripod, and a single image. No blending or taking multiple images. When the sky is this dark, it makes things easier!Vertical format, with the stars spilling into Long Lake. Beautiful! This was taken at 11:11PM. After this photo, I knew it was a good night. I hiked back up to my tent and slept soundly until daybreak.
The next morning I could tell Mitch was anxious to find out how things went. I think he was convinced the cloud cover would ruin things, so he elected to sleep in and wait for night #2. When I told him it was really a good night, I know he was kicking himself for not joining me!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Day Two at Long Lake
Day two was even cloudier than day one, but we figured that, just like the first night, it would eventually clear (fingers crossed).
We set our alarms for 10:15PM. When I got up, I could tell Mitch was upset about something. Turns out the "head" on his tripod (which connects tripod to camera) was missing, and he had no way to use his tripod. No tripod means no MW photos. It was a huge disappointment, but he elected to get up anyway and join me at the lake's edge under the stars. I told him one of my "photo visions" was for him to be sitting in my camp chair, back to the camera, so it would appear he was sitting under a beautiful MW sky contemplating the universe.
It turned out to be my favorite photo from the trip!
Preciosa las imágnes que has captado. Muy buen trabajo.
ReplyDeleteSaludos.
Beautiful photos. ❤️ Good thing you were prepared for mosquitoes 🦟 😤
ReplyDeleteamazing photos
ReplyDeleteOne word Stunning
ReplyDeleteYou have created beautiful photo work again during this hike.
ReplyDelete...you sure are a lot more rugged that I am! And I thank you for taking me along to see these fabulous sights. I couldn't have done it without your help!!!
ReplyDeleteYou have the artistic vision and the technical know how to get these shots. All of them spectacular but that last one is special.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly suffered for your art lugging your camera and tripod on your hiking.
Beautiful shots.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou’ve captured not just the Milky Way, but the magic and determination behind the shot
ReplyDeleteOh wow, that last photo really works. How long did he have to sit there still for it to work? You really lucked out with the clear skies. And the timing of the hike.
ReplyDeleteI don't say this often with photography but your photos this time are breathtaking!
ReplyDeletewow ! is right ~ awesome MW photos over the lake and love the one with Mitch in the photo ~ another great adventure in photos and life ~ thanks,
ReplyDeletean artist reflects
Wow! Incredible MW shots. That shot of Mitch with his back to the camera is amazing. Kudos to you for staying up to get shots like this. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, that last photo of Mitch by the lake under the canopy of twinkling stars is super. In fact all those photos are super. Aren't you a lucky chap to be able to capture such stunning views. So carrying the heavy photo equipment was worth it. I hope Mitch finds his missing piece.
ReplyDeleteLove all the shots but the last is special!
ReplyDeleteYou put so much effort into this trio and lugging the beast that you deserve these treasures.
ReplyDeleteThese photos are amazing! Great job!
ReplyDeleteFantastic scenery. The last photo is superb.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous captures and the self portrait!
ReplyDeleteI saw a couple of these on... one of the socials we're on. Super pictures! The self portrait is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteFantastic shots again. Thank you for showing us.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely wonderful to see
ReplyDeleteA wonderful nature and photo
Absolutely stunning! An amazing reward for carrying the heavy gear. The MW is impressive but I'm not sure I would want to bump into the black and white character, any time of day!
ReplyDeleteTruly Amazing series of photos , Great post. Greetings
ReplyDeleteFantastisc mood in each shot.
ReplyDeleteHOW GREAT IS THIS!! We are amazed at how you KNOW HOW to set this up, much less the talent and ability to catch these. The shots are amazing as. Love this, I do KNOW of one thing you said, MOSQUITOS! LOL Take care. Sending the best from the first coast.... Again love the idea and reality of the MW reflections!
ReplyDeleteYour MW pics are amazing as always! Totally agree about that last shot — the orange against the dark sky looks incredible.
ReplyDeleteKlasse Bilder auch die Reflexion ist super.
ReplyDeleteGruß
Noke
Wow! Absolutely amazing. You need to enter them in a photo contest :-)
ReplyDeleteThese deserve a big "wow" . They are worthy of entering in some contest, not that I know any. I wish I did.
ReplyDeleteI admire your skill with photography. The last one is a classic.
ReplyDeleteFantastic images! I like the mosquito headgear, and Mitch’s red jacket is perfect!
ReplyDeleteThese are astounding and the last one with Mitch and the orange jacket---wow! But the first nights', the reflections in the lake are wonderful. These photos should win awards!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pics! LOL. At Wave Rock, Western Australia, we had such nets, too (well, we brought them from Germany and used them often). People wanted to buy them off our heads. It was impossible to change a camera lens so many flies (Blowies)..... Thank you for the memory!
ReplyDeleteWow these are stunning :-D
ReplyDeleteWith Mitch wearing a red jacket it really MADE the photograph. Thumbs up!
ReplyDeleteWow! You really master this subject matter. Plus, I haven't seen that anti-mosquito gadget before.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Skywatch Friday!
Worth a Thousand Words
Oh wow, these are spectacular photos! The one with Mitch is my favorite too. What a difference the complete darkness makes. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an incredible adventure! The Sierras must have been an amazing backdrop for Milky Way photography—totally worth the extra weight. New moon darkness and alpine scenery? Perfect conditions! 🌌🏔️
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
ReplyDelete"Stunning shot! Love how you embraced the challenge of the dark and used trial and error to nail the composition. The reflection is absolutely magical—proof that patience pays off. Beautiful work!" 🌟📷
ReplyDeleteOh wow.. that is magnificent.
ReplyDelete