Blind Beach Star Scape

With virtually no ambient light for thousands of miles off the Pacific coastline we frequently get a full view of the Milky Way. Even with a light coastal haze you can still experience the universe in all its glory, even at Goat Rock State Beach.

Milky Way Over Historic Bodega, CA

Alfred Hitchcock made the Potter Schoolhouse famous in the 1963 film, The Birds and Ansel Adams photographed St. Teresa of Avila in the 1953 while passing through. Since then, both buildings have become Sonoma County treasures. Despite being photographed countless times, this one of a kind perspective was taken from the apex of my rooftop, on a widow’s walk half a mile away. I shot the photo at night because the stars in Bodega are incredible, and it better tells the historical tale of these 1800’s structures. This is a single exposure image, no overlay, bracketing or HDR. This photograph was first published in "The Press Democrat" on December 18, 2012, accompanied by a full page article written by Andrea Granahan. In July 2013 it won first place in Congressman Jared Huffman's 2nd District Landscape Photo Competition.

2018 New Year Supermoon

NASA called this the largest lunar perigee (proximity to earth) of 2018 and it happened on New Years Day. It appeared up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than a typical full moon as it reached the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit around our planet. The New Year’s Day moon was the closest to Earth of the three supermoons — the biggest and brightest moon of 2018.

Super Moon on Cloud Nine

(July 13, 2014) - I only had time to shoot about a dozen frames before this lunar rise got too high above the horizon. This frame, shot at 480mm, caught a passing cloud structure that appeared to look like a spinal cord -creating the illusion that the moon laid in front of clouds (which impossibly would have put the clouds out in space behind the moon). A supermoon is when a full moon is the closest to the Earth on its elliptical orbit, resulting in the largest apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth. The technical name is the perigee-syzygy. The term "supermoon" is not astronomical, but originated in modern astrology.

Tahoe Cove Moonrise

By day, Tahoe is miraculously beautiful; by night, the same. Here is a 3/4 moon just cresting the hill on the Nevada side amidst a cloud covered sky with a sailboat in the foreground who's found a rather tranquil anchorage to watch the show.

Shooting Stars

The Milky Way on the West coast in late summer is awesome. Dream big.

Starlight Over Bodega Bay

In the wee hours of October 21, 2019 I went out trying to eek out a meteor photo from the Orionid shower. I wanted to compose an image that had an urban foreground which proved difficult since the meteors were radiating from the southeast, which for me faces San Francisco and a ton of ambient light pollution. In addition the moon would soon rise further lowering the chances of a darkened sky. A few little ones came across while my shutter was open (bottom right) but not much chance to see them on film. I still like the result on this calm night, hope you do too.

Milky Way Over Coastal Oaks

I've always loved oak trees. They remind me of home back on Long Island, NY but they also represent strength, warmth and seasonal change. At this particular location you can see this black oak perched on a cliff edge with the coast in the distance and the glorious Milky Way in true form overhead.

Tahoe Beach Starscape

The western shore of Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite places in all of California. The dark skies, sandy white beaches, pine aroma and incredible blue tones of the Lake make it world class by any comparison. In this shot the Milky Way in the western sky over the tops of a Lodgepole and Tamarac pines are intoxicatingly serene.

Milky Way Over the Tuolumne River

It's no secret how much I love Yosemite. Because of my work leading teens on wilderness trips I have had the opportunity to visit the park dozens of times. On this trip, long after the students were snuggled in their tents and my co-leaders were on watch - I hiked out into the dark night seeking scenes like this to shoot. The Milky Way was plainly visible and the Tuolumne River flowed gently and clear which allowed me to light it with my headlamp, illuminating the submerged river rocks.

Arch Rock

The process of photographing well known locations is intimidating for me. I have spent many years (20 to be exact) visiting this Sonoma Coast location and as a result have a huge respect for its power and beauty. I have seen a lot of great work done here by other photographers and I wasn't willing to show up and repeat their good ideas. In general I try and find my unique voice in daily life and hopefully accomplished that with this arching starscape over the aquatic arch. This is a single long exposure, no HDR - just time and experimentation.

Blood Moon - October 2014

This is the October 8, 2014 'Blood Moon' - It's called that because, when viewed from certain angles during a total lunar eclipse, the color red is refracted across the face of the Moon and causes it to take on an eerie, red glow when observed from Earth. There is no color alteration here, just the purple afterglow of the recently set sun. More commonly known as the "Harvest Moon" which is a full moon occurring in autumn, in the Northern Hemisphere usually in September and October respectively. The "Harvest Moon" is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox (22 or 23 September), and the "Hunter's Moon" is the one following it.

Yosemite Falls By Starlight

I shot this during a full moon - which is why the rock face and waterfall are so lit-up. Generally, full moons are the last thing you want for star photos but in the case of Yosemite National Park - everything is awesome all the time.

Road to Oblivion

Shot near an ancient redwood grove in Sonoma County, CA on August 10, 2013 during the Perseid meteor shower, on a completely black night. The Milky Way was visible to the naked eye. I chose to compose the gravel road and grasslands into the shot to make it seem more like the photo went off into nothingness.

Star Trails Over Honolua

Star Trails over Honolua - One of my favorite places on Earth, H-Bay faces the dark north Pacific and it's outer sister island, Molokai. The stars are immense and the perfection of this place is unmatched. I lit the sign with the lights from my jeep.

Star Trails Over The Potter Schoolhouse

This photo was taken the evening of January 1, 2014 during a very rare celestial event, New Moon on New Years Day. Built in 1873, the house was originally the Potter Schoolhouse, then a local community center, an inn, a restaurant, and a guesthouse. It’s now a private residence, Hitchcock saved the property in 1963 with the filming of "The Birds". The redwood building had been abandoned the year before he decided to film. The bright lights to the right side of the frame are from downtown Bodega, CA. The darker sky to the top left is the Milky Way.

Buddha at the Mala

In Lahaina, Maui sits the largest sitting bronzed Buddha in North America. He faces the ocean, looking over a 'local's only' surf spot and Molokai. This was a very difficult shot to get because there is so much light noise filtering in from Front Street and there was an ocean breeze ruffling the palm tree. I love the incredibly sharp focus of the statue as he sits watching his celestial view.

Purple Haze

A few nights a year the winds, swell and tides mellow to a crawl and allow for the rare waterfront long exposure. Long exposures soften water instead of freezing it in place as a fast shutter speed would. The viscous movement of the water renders it blurry and creates a nice separation from the stationary features in the shot located near the moving water. The long exposure also allows for more color to be absorbed by the camera sensor but even a fractional shake of the camera in the wind, makes the whole shot look blurry and unusable. Nights like these I take full advantage of because the camera sits entirely still, and allows for crisp and colorful moments.

Eastern Sierra Summer Skies

Near Bishop, CA the night skies are super dark. Far from any ambient light of surrounding big cities, being on the Eastside is around the best places to be during a new moon.

St Teresa of Avila Full Moon Rise

There is definitely something to be said for working with the same subject over and over, even inanimate ones. It really is similar to getting to know people in that the more unique conditions you see them respond to over time, the more reliable and trustworthy they become. I live close by St. Teresa of Avila and it is such a proud structure that beckons itself to be photographed. On this night, 8/29/15 the full moon was rising amidst calm winds and patchy flowing clouds. This allowed me to hide the moon and make a single 6 second exposure that would properly expose the whole scene. If the clouds weren't present - the moon would have dominated with its brightness and the church would been immersed in shadow, basically blacked out.

Front Street Night Lights

This is Front Street in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. Front Street was named among America's best walking streets due to its welcoming shops, great food a robust art galleries. Due to the generosity of some friends who were in need of a house sitter, my family and I got to spend about 6 months living near here. The trip of a lifetime. (2:1 Panoramic Crop Ratio)

Star Trails At Eagle's Nest

On a private 215 acre redwood grove in Northern California I have some great friends who steward the land and allow me access for photographing. You are seeing a mixed forest of Douglas Fir and redwood, draped in moss. All of my images, this one included is a single exposure, no 'HDR' or Photoshop. The colors are there, you just can't see them with the naked eye and the turquoise smudge at the top left is actually the edge of the Milky Way as seen due to the long exposure.

Nor Cal Star Shower

It rains stars on the Sonoma Coast but only a few nights a year. Finding the calm conditions, low humidity, low moisture in the air, plus clear skies and total darkness takes some patience. I wait and wait but when the conditions give it up, I'm there. This ultra wide angle, single exposure photograph was taken at around 3:30 AM. I fell asleep while it was happening but my timer alarm woke me up, :).

Super Moon Over Santa Rosa

November 14, 2016.

Super Moon Over Bodega Harbour Golf Links

The last time the moon orbited this close to Earth was on Jan. 26, 1948, when it ventured 30 miles closer than the November 2016 full moon. The next time the moon will be this close is in 18 years - Nov. 24, 2034, when the distance between the Earth and Moon will be 40 miles closer. Bodega Harbour Golf Links seen in the distance sits in Bodega Bay on the Pacific coast of Sonoma County, CA. A beautiful foreground for such a special celestial event.