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It’s an interesting feeling to be atop Haleakala, high above the South Pacific, with the feeling of being on top of the world. Atop Haleakala National Park you can see out for 50 miles in every direction when its cloud-free and you tower above the rest of Maui.  Yet when you take a star trail photo such as this you quickly realize that you were really on the side of our spinning globe. Star trail photos are alw

If and when you enter Yosemite National Park you’re likely to see an iconic painted sign welcoming you to the park. I’ve passed by this particular sign at the northwest entrance numerous time. The difference on my last trip was that it was getting a fresh coat of paint and being restored by artist Mark Switlik. I should clarify, while technically it was being restored, it was also being transformed to hav

This was taken on a trip a year back atop the peak of Haleakala. While many are lured to this location to see the sunrise one should not miss sunsets either. It’s not everyday you get to sit a top the world and see for up to 30 miles or more in every direction. While driving here with my son he wisely stated, “This volcano is too big!” It is gigantic (10,023 feet above sea level) and amazing even mo

Sometime ago I mentioned my favorite view on the island of Maui is the 30 mile shadow of Haleakala at sunset. This past year when I visited I was treated to an interesting display of anti-crepuscular rays converging on the horizon. This happened just before sunset and the perspective effect of the rays converging on the horizon was quite a mind bender. Remember this was seen with the sun to my back as the beams of li

When looking up in the night sky it can be an awe inspiring experience, but it can also be alarming. While many people focus on light pollution being an issue an equally alarming issue is FLight pollution (Flight + Light = FLight pollution). This doesn’t get much attention primarily because few photographers photograph and present sequences of images to highlight the problem. While much of my time  is spent clo

Last weekend I enjoyed one of my favorite locations and views atop the summit of Haleakalã on the island of Maui. This spot has one of the most fascinating views that is created when the sunsets, namely the amazingly long shadow of the 10,000+ peak of Haleakala that stretches across the Pacific Ocean. Every time I visit most people are facing the opposite direction to take in a glorious sunset, but I am always

Ancient petroglyphs are amazing to see, but one question that always comes to mind is, “What were their significance?” In the case of Sky Rock I’ve often wondered if they reflected an interest in the stars, represented every day things, told a story, or were the musings of someone who was just passing the time. It is this curiosity coupled with their distinct artistic and historical qualities that m

Day 1 of the partial U.S. government shutdown just happened to fall on the day I left for my fall photography and new moon astro-landscape trip. My first stop was Yosemite National Park which was a high profile casualty of the shutdown. All highways were open to the park so as to drive through, but visitors were asked to refrain from stopping. Quite ironic that the public was and still is being advised to avoid using