Christine Kenyon Photography (2024)

17/05/2024

Hey everyone, hope all of you are doing fantastic! Wanted you to know that for the next 48 hours I’ll be taking over the Instagram account, and I am grateful for this opportunity to bring you along with me on a road trip journey from Salt Lake City to Flagstaff, Arizona for Overland Expo West. It’s my first time at the event, and I’m excited to share with you my expo experience, and to pay a visit to the Really Right Stuff booth.

Along the way, I’ll be sure to drop some knowledge, especially as it relates to Milky Way and nightscape photography, and also how us photographers can more safely and comfortably navigate the back roads to our favorite destinations.

You will find out why I chose RRS to meet my camera support needs, and find out what’s in my astro bag. In this post, I have shared several of my images taken throughout the western U.S.

My trusty sidekick Aspen, a yellow Lab, will accompany me, and she always makes any trip brighter!

Join me on this journey, as I post fresh content over the next two days, and hopefully you’ll find it entertaining and educational. So buckle up, here we go!

01/01/2022

Thank you for making these images my most popular of 2021! I am grateful for each and every one of you who follow me and appreciate my work.

Thank you to those who purchased my prints, joined in my workshops, signed up for my online digital darkroom, and supported my nonprofit Save a Star Foundation .

Here’s hoping that 2022 is a breath of fresh air — we all sure need it!

Aspen🐾 and I wish all of you a Happy New Year!✨

27/11/2021

“White on Red Rock” — I used to hate winter when I lived in the DC area of the U.S. east coast. I grew up there, so I know. Winter was mostly miserable, damp and boring. The dreaded “wintery mix” was on every weather forecasters lips. Translation: rain + snow + icemix + humid + cold = FRIGID. Loved it when it snowed, but that was not nearly often as I would have liked.

But I have recovered, having lived in Utah going on 15 years now. I enjoy lofty, fluffy, dry, mounds of delicious white, whipped-cream-style snow❄️ Here’s to the white stuff, I❤️U!

24/11/2021

“Desolation” — This shot was taken on my way home from an amazing road trip. I was really way too tired to stop, but I kept rubber-necking back at this scene developing out my passenger window. Well, my excitement got the better of me, and the next thing I knew I was off the exit, and barreling down some dirt road, in what hopefully was the right direction. The Dogs were bouncing around the back of the truck as if on a trampoline. It was a wild ride!But hey, I made it, and snagged a moment and a shot that capped off a wonderful week!

Gear: D810 and Nikkor glass; BH-40 and TVC-24L; 4Runner; and my dogs, who always keep it lively.
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23/11/2021

“Far Out” — I hit the road for some Perseid Meteor action a couple of years ago, and made my way to Yellowstone NP. Heavy upper atmospheric smoke blanketed the western skies, but with a little research, it looked like Wyoming was least impacted, so for one glorious night I had a clear view. By the next morning, a cool breeze brought with it thick smoke, so I hit the road.

Photo Tip: Use available apps to research and execute your mission: PhotoPills, Weatherbug, Weather Channel, Clear Outside, and in this case I found a “smoke tracker” website (wildfiretoday)that provided me with the latest info on where the smoke was heading plus the current levels of impact.

22/11/2021

“Morning Glory” — Crawling around the rocks, I found this little puddle, a little mirror reflecting the sky above. What a perfect vantage point to watch a sunrise, so big and grand.

Photo Tip: While circular polarizers may prove beneficial to your capture, always give it a spin to be sure it isn’t eliminating a desired reflection, and that it’s giving you a desirable effect. Note: CPLs do not work for every scene.

19/11/2021

Clouds prevented capturing this year’s event. So this is a blast from the past. The total lunar eclipse, as seen two years ago, from the woods in the Rocky Mountains.
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03/11/2021

“Powder Play” — With fall waning, my thoughts turn to blankets of white on nearby mountains. Storm chasing interests me more in the wintertime, and my goal is to take more winter road trips this season with my dog Aspen.🐾

Photo Tip: While it may seem obvious, be sure to expose the snow correctly so that you capture the full dynamic range of your scene. Remember that blown out highlights are, in most cases, a lost cause, as their is little to no image information to work with in post.

28/10/2021

CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS!
We‘re delighted to announce the launch of a Astro2021: A NEW
International Nightscape and Astronomy Photo Competition
for professional and amateur photographers!

ENTER NOW: From Oct 25th - Nov 29, 2021
Link in bio to enter TODAY!

100+ Awards and Merits across 8 Categories!
OVER $8000 in Prizes and Awards from industry leading
co-sponsors and brands, including:

Really Right Stuff ()
Pictureline ()
Spencer‘s Camera & Photo ()
Irix Lens USA ()
Tenba ()
PhotoPills ()
Aputure (.lighting)
Bay Photo Lab ()
Hahnemühle ()
Adobe ()
.. with generous support from
and

**Must be 18 years of age or older to enter**
—
Astro2021: The Competition is hosted by the 501(c)3 nonprofit
Save a Star Foundation () — an AstroAdvocacy
Organization Dedicated to Preserving and Reclaiming Dark
Skies in the Western United States.

To learn more, visit: WWW.SAVEASTAR.NET

Hi there! Go to www.saveastar.net/astro2021 to enter!✨

21/10/2021

All roads lead to adventure! Or at least most of the roads I choose to travel. A wonderful dog, or two, a capable vehicle and a couple of days to explore, and you never know what you might discover. Here’s to the open road — western style!

Photo Tip: Exploring is one of the best ways to find your own unique locations and ultimately your own distinct compositions. Sure, you can play tourist, but you can almost as easily blaze your own trail. Recreate responsibly.
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03/10/2021

Autumn: The best time of the year! At least for me :) Just thought I would share a few images from the past, and some recent BTS with my dog Aspen as we are enjoying all the beautiful Aspens bursting with color here in Utah.

Word problem of the day: If Aspen leaves are yellow in fall, and Yellow Labs are, well you know, yellow🤓, then Aspen my dog is yellow. Simply stated: She is wearing the perfect outfit!

I’m out in the field in Colorado on a workshop this week, and always so excited to share my love of the mountain west and the joy of photography with others. Should be epic!

I’m also testing out some gear that has kindly lent me, and I’ll be sure to pass along my thoughts. Shout out to for making it happen!

🍁

04/09/2021

“Solitude” — On this morning, ice had formed around the edge of the pond, and as the sun rose, the reflection of the mountains soon became framed by the frosty waters. Not long after, a pair of Moose sauntered nearby, enjoying the days first meal. I can still feel the warmth of the suns rays as they grazed my face. All those beautiful moments as I stood at the feet of majesty.

Photo Tip: A frame within your frame is a dynamic element that can enhance your composition and contain the viewer’s eye to your subject.
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01/09/2021

“Misty Morning” — Crisp cool days and woodlands bursting with color. Despite the drought, hopefully this is a preview of coming attractions. On a hike with my dogs, a couple of years ago, I came across this scene. At first I didn’t see a composition, simply a beautiful place, but as I moved about, this view emerged, and it caught my eye. I then found myself immersed capturing this scene, and now I gladly share it with you. Fall is my favorite season, so I can’t wait to hop in the truck and hunting for some color!

What is your favorite season?

Photo Tip: Take the time to Previsualize your scene. The steps taken before you capture an image are far more important than the post processing, because without a descent shot, it will be difficult to create a good final image. Previsualization can be looked at as two steps: First, a mental task where, in your minds eye, you envision a final image, and second, the physical act of moving your camera into position in order to capture that vision. Practicing such a routine can markedly improve your photography.

26/08/2021

Today is International Dog Day! How great is that?! Pretty great I’d say, and so I thought I would share my girls from over 29 years (wow, how time flies). They are Blazer, Alta, Honey, Tuffy, and Aspen. All of them with such unique personalities, and all of them bringing an abundance of joy to my life. As Roger Caras once said, “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” And there is much truth in that. For those of my girls who have passed, I miss you terribly, and one day we will be reunited, which is my heartfelt prayer. And I have a sense that it will prove true, since God is a loving Heavenly Father. But until then, I will continue to be a dog Mom, as long as I walk this earth.

25/08/2021

“Time Will Tell” — During the NightScaper Conference in Kanab this year, I had a chance to shoot a rather historic location. Kim, , my amazing vet friend, suggested we shoot some astro at a place she earlier scouted. So off we went, and this place is definitely higher on the list of creepy cool, wouldn’t you say? A couple of .lighting MCs provided the perfect fill light.

Photo Tip: Originally, I had planned to create a blend of foreground and sky, but in the end, the longer exposure foreground produced these perfectly eerie star trails that complement this macabre scene. Always remain open to changing your creative direction.

23/08/2021

“Some Like it Hot!” — The geothermal spectacles in Yellowstone N.P. are simply amazing! I sat at this location for quite some time snapping shots as steam danced with the morning sun. I watched alone, an audience of one on the bleachers that would later team with families and children straining to catch a glimpse of this natural wonder. The hypnotic hiss, gurgling and splashes nearly lulled me into a trance. So peaceful, such bliss . . .

Photo Tip: For those newer to photography, switching your exposure mode from Auto to Aperture Priority gives you an opportunity to capture sun stars such as this. Choose an aperture of f/16 or smaller (i.e., f/22, etc.) to achieve various sizes and sharpness levels of the star points. If you ever wondered what makes the points, or why some stars have a different number of points, well, it directly relates to the blades in the lens that open and close to create the apertures (light opening sizes). Lenses generally have five to nine blades, with the higher number often associated with more expensive offerings. The number of aperture blades in your lens will determine the number of points in your star. So get out there and make some stars!

20/08/2021

“Passages in Time” — Cold and damp, left an impression on me that night. Could hardy feel my hands by the end of it, and it took several hours to thaw my inner chill. But it was worth the temporary discomfort. For the record, I received special permission from the owners to make this shot. It is otherwise trespassing to be in this location.

Photo Tip: Without the app PTGui, this two shot pano would have proved impossible to stitch, due to the close foreground objects, and my not packing the pano gimbal head (oops). I highly recommend this app for tricky panos.

18/08/2021

“A Teton Morning” — It doesn’t matter how many times I visit certain places, the feeling is always fresh, always renewed. And on this particular morning the experience was again exhilarating. I am always grateful to be blessed with just such moments.

Photo Tip: On cloud free days, consider cropping in to emphasize the subject. No need to call attention to empty space and divert the viewers eye into no-mans land. Keep people focused on where you want them to look, what attracted you to the shot in the first place.

09/08/2021

“Magnifique” — I don’t know about you, but when I sit back and look at the stunning presence of the Milky Way, I don’t really need a foreground. I mean it’s perfect! It’s the exclamation point at the end of a sentence. It’s the standing ovation after a tour de force. I never cease to be amazed.
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Let me know in the comments what you think of the Milky Way as the subject, or does it always need accompaniment.
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Photo Tip: This image was shot using a Sky Watcher, Star Adventurer star tracker. This is a single 3 minute tracked exposure. Consider tracking to bring out detail otherwise lost.

06/08/2021

“Shiprock Trails” — This can be one of the more exciting forms of astrophotography. Especially if you dare take that full one hour long exposure, and then wait another hour for your long exposure noise reduction to process; all the while expectantly awaiting the results. It’s probably the closest that today’s digital photogs will get to waiting for film and prints like back in the good ol’ days. Have at it!

Photo TIp: Some ambient light on your foreground can yield pleasing results, as is the case here, where light from a nearby town is providing the glow. So whether it’s a little moonlight, blue hour, or another form of ambient light, the results will be star trails that are a bit softer, and a bit more ethereal than what you can expect from pitch darkness.

P.S. Always hire a local Navajo guide for touring these sacred areas. I highly recommend !

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02/08/2021

“Up the Creek” — Not all NightScapes need the full Milky Way core, in all its epicness, to create beautiful nocturnal scenes. In this case, clouds interfered with seeing the core that night, however, lush spring wild flowers and the meandering stream made for a serene composition, along with the twinkling stars peaking out overhead. One might think this image was shot during blue hour, but in fact it was shot in the dead of night. The light was provided by a nearby city, creating a bit of artificial blue hour throughout the night. A touch of low level lighting was splashed across the foreground for added dimension and detail.

Photo Tip: Very little light goes a long way. If you plan to use artificial lighting in your scene, especially in a single long exposure, begin with very dim light and work your way up. The foreground in this image was illuminated for all of a second to achieve this lovely natural glow. Light Responsibly!

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09/07/2021

From a trip
With a dog
In a truck
On the road
To the desert.

Photo Tip: Sometimes a path takes you exactly where you need to be in that moment. Make your photography an extension of your artistic vision. Know your gear so well, that controlling it is second nature. So that while your mind focuses squarely on capturing the scene, you can effortlessly make technical adjustments to realize your creation.

07/07/2021

“Slumbering Beneath Stars” — It’s hard to imagine sleeping through this beauty, which is precisely why we didn’t. On my Capture the Southwest workshop last year, we were thrown off course by a wildfire in northern Arizona, so I called an audible, and we headed north to an area that would hopefully provide some relief from the smoke. Turned out to be the right decision, and while you can still see the orange glow of smoky light pollution in the distance, this location made for a great night under the stars and some mighty happy photographers.

Photo Tip: This is a blend of late golden hour, blue hour, and night. I liked the hint of warm light on the tower feature. Feel free to mix it up in post, and shoot enough variety in the field to put together your final scene.

04/07/2021

Happy Birthday America 🇺🇸 — What a beautiful country it is, and how grateful I am to be an American. While not perfect, the United States has been a beacon of freedom and sacrifice for many nations and people. I hope and pray that we come together and unite as brothers and sisters “under God, for liberty and justice for all.”

01/07/2021

“Toadstools” — Thanks to all of you for your amazing support! I just hit 7,000 followers and I don’t take any of your likes, or comments, or follows for granted. It’s a crowded field and you have limited time, so high fives and hugs from Utah, and Aspen sends her sloppy puppy kisses🐾.

P.S. is a great resource for tours in northern New Mexico!

Photo Tip: I used the feature in Lightroom that provides a luminosity mask in order to add some pop to the toadstools. Through their Color and Luminance Range Masking feature, Lightroom allows you to control your mask (selection), and limit the range of the Local Adjustment Tools either based on color choice or based on lights and darks. Your choice is generally guided by what will yield the best selection or mask for your edit. So in this case I chose luminosity. I then used the Range Sliders within the feature to limit the mask only to the very edges of the natural highlights found in the rocks, and then bumped up the Highlights slider to taste. Happy editing!

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MY GEAR
Z6II, D810; Nikkor S glass; BH-40 + TVC-24L + Leveling Base ; and my dogs of course!
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28/06/2021

“Desert Appeal” — Nothing compares to the silence of the desert at dawn. Then, just as the sun breaks free from the bonds of distant mountains, the light delicately grazes the silky dunes. Awash in the freshness of a new day, and before the heat takes hold, is a brief moment of renewal.

Photo Tip: You can find an unlimited number of compositions among the dunes, but in many cases, finding them requires a telephoto. These intimate landscapes are special, and the ever shifting sand makes each photograph unique.

30/05/2021

“Starry Night” — A little light brought this scene to life, and the rather monochromatic and neutral way the sensor captured the moment is pleasing to my eye. It’s the little surprises from impromptu playfulness that make cold nights warm with delight.

Photo Tip: Although I less frequently use artificial light, carrying a few small LED panels and mini tripods, can create moments like this (albeit responsibly). Be mindful of others, the wildlife, and park rules. Remember, you can usually get a more natural beauty without the lights.

Christine Kenyon Photography