"Imperator Furiosa"—1950s Ford F-350 in Joshua Tree at night. I perched my camera on a tripod, opened the shutter for a long time, and then walked around lighting the truck with a handheld LED light. Photos, books, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com (Plate 5423) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. 4 September 2025. #kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #LightPaintingPhotography #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #LongExposure #humanmade #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1

When We Salute the Moon

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I love seeing Joshua Trees. If I'm traveling and I see them, it means that I'm home. And Joshua Tree National Park? It's my spiritual home for night photography. Here's a cluster of Joshua Trees near Ryan Ranch. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 1012) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. January 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #ProtoMachines #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Mojave #JoshuaTreeNationalPark #JoshuaTree

Pigeon-Toed

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A vintage automobile that looks like it needs an alignment during a beautiful Mojave Desert evening. I illuminated the scene with warm white light from a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light during the long exposure. In this case, the mountains were dark, so I used the light to "rim" the interior and define it more as well as the exterior to "lift" it from the background more. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. It's more fun than AI-generated art this way. This photo may appear in my fourth book of night photography, history, and stories. Photographed during a night photography workshop that we taught in the Nevada desert.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 9936) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. 2 minutes f/8 ISO 200. May 2023.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #urbanexploration #automobile

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One Tree Hill

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Among photographers, there's this adage that you should look in back of your camera, not just in front. That was the case here. While photographing beautiful Convict Lake at night, I looked in back. This is the northern part of the Milky Way, the part that photographers routinely ignore. But I personally think it's beautiful, gazing at the ancient light from the "arm" our Milky Way that began its journey 26,000 years ago. As a bonus, you can also see the Andromeda galaxy. I say yessss! Convict Lake, CA, named for a group of convicts that escaped from Carson City, NV and were eventually cornered at the lake by locals. It's also one of our favorite places to kayak.

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Books, photos, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 4544) Nikon D750/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. September 2023.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #mammothlakes #easternsierra #owensvalley #california #stars #milkyway #convictlake

Karvan Shabaneh

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This so makes me want to do some night camping underneath the starry skies. Friends, fun, stories, tacos and beer. Rusty Ford and a cool camper. And a bicycle. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting." Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. This was photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada and Goffs, CA, along Route 66.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 7684) Nikon D750 DSLR/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. October 2024. 254 second exposure.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nelson #NelsonGhostTown

Imagine Whirled Peas

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Mojave Desert, CA. Yes, the enormous letters are actually real. Perhaps like the world, they've seen better days. The long exposure shows the movement of the stars over 31 minutes of time. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paintbrush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3711) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. November 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #MojaveDesert #TheEnd

A Wing and a Prayer

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The title reflects how I felt a little nervous standing on the wing on a cold night. This was compounded by the fact that I had some old hiking boots with soles that were beginning to peel off. Thankfully, I didn't trip or slip off, and now, I am able to share this unusual photo with you. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld flashlight capable of producing different colors and illuminated the plane with warm white and red light. I walked cautiously around the interior of the plane with the red light. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. Abandoned Douglas DC-4 airplane, Kansas.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 4802) Nikon D750/Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. October 2023.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #urbanexploration #kansas #douglas #douglasdc4 #fisheye #airplane

The Mystery of Pinnacle Island

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Sometimes night photography is all about the stillness of the night. And other times, it's very social. I ran out to meet up with Josh Madison and photograph the Milky Way at Trona Pinnacles. I also met Susan Magnano, who was there with her night photography workshop group. Beautiful May night. This photo is from a setup that I also used to photograph a time-lapse, which I hope to share with you someday. The light illuminating the tufas from the left are from Susan's group, shining flashlights while walking around. Sometimes it's okay to let people do the light painting for you! ;) The yellow light from the right in the horizon is light pollution, probably from the Barstow area and elsewhere. The Milky Way is beginning to rise to the left, just before the moon began rising. I listened to podcasts and ate leftover pizza on the drive home, getting home after 4 am.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 6274) Nikon D750/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. 26 May 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #ProtoMachines #urbex #Nikon #california #Trona #TronaPinnacles #MilkyWay

Wonderland of Clouds

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We heard there was a Kp index of 7. Excited about the possibility of photographing auroras, my wife and I ventured into Joshua Tree National Park. The aurora was a no-show, but the clouds showed up. To create this night photo, I placed the camera on a tripod. Then my wife and I lit the scene with handheld flashlights while the camera shutter was open for a long time. This is called "light painting." It's more fun than AI-generated images. Single exposure. After this photo, we went to a local jazz club in town.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 8010). Nikon D750/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. 22 March 2025.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #mylensrental #nightscaper #astrophotography #longexposure #humanmade #ProtoMachines #urbex #Nikon #Irix #ambientnightsmag

Here Comes the Grain Again

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A long exposure photo of an immense grain elevator rising high above the prairie of Kansas. Photo taken during the Nightaxians Journey to the Center of the Country Night Photography Trip. Tim had a fun idea that we would make this our Nightaxians lair, putting it on wheels. It could happen. For now, however, it will remain stationary. The long streaks in the sky? Star trails, showing the apparent movement of stars over 32 minutes.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 0569) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. October 2023.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #urbanexploration #kansas #grainelevator

A photo of Malacca Straits Mosque located in Malacca CBD. For more info feel free to visit my page www.facebook.com/MunzerPhotography

Do not use or reproduce this image without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved.

cheers Dave! - a good kiwi ripple.

"Old School Glamping" - A row of stone cabins, part of a nearly hundred-year-old dude ranch in the mountains of California. I perched my camera on a tripod, opened the shutter for 200 seconds, and then walked around lighting the stone structure with a handheld light. Photos, books, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com (Plate 5057) May 2025. #kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #LightPaintingPhotography #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #LongExposure #humanmade #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nikon

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Antikythera

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I photographed this on a hot evening in Joshua Tree National Park. I had just delivered 28 night photos to La Quinta Museum for my upcoming Abandoned Planes Trains and Automobiles" exhibit. After this, my friend Natalie and I headed over to the Park. I was also reviewing a new RGB Critter BT LED flashlight for Photofocus, this one controlled by an app and is capable of producing different colors. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I used the handheld RGB Critter to illuminate the Joshua Tree with warm white and red light. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 2796) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.35-5.6 lens. 24 minutes total "stacked". Each individual photo 2 minutes f/5.6 ISO 800. 12 July 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #ProtoMachines #urbex #Pentax #california #JoshuaTreeNationalPark #JoshuaTree #StarTrails #RGBCritter #RGBCritterBT #AntsOnAMelon

beautiful golden sky

Time Enough for Love

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A peaceful, beautiful evening in Joshua Tree National Park? How can we say no? Photographed Heart Rock during dark skies just after a new moon. I perched my camera on a tripod, opened the shutter for a long time, and then walked around lighting Heart Rock with a handheld LED light with warm white light. This photo shows the perceived movement of the stars over 33 minutes of time, called "star trails." You can also see an iridium flare ("satellite flare") or two.

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Photos, books, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 8036) Nikon D750/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. 27 May 2025. 33 minutes total "stacked." Each photo 1 minute f/2.8 ISO 1000.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #LightPaintingPhotography #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #LongExposure #humanmade #joshuatree #joshuatreenationalpark #heartrock #StarTrails

Canyon Express

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Who went to summer camp as a kid? This stretch car must have taken many there. To create this night photo, I placed the camera on a tripod. Then I lit the scene with a handheld flashlight while the camera shutter was open for a long time. This is called "light painting." It's more fun than AI-generated images. Photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 4547) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. April 2025.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #mylensrental #nightscaper #astrophotography #longexposure #humanmade #ProtoMachines #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nelson #NelsonGhostTown #ambientnightsmag

This is an homage to the infamous Mojave Phone Booth, the phone booth in the middle of nowhere. The original no longer exists, but this recreation in Goffs remains. You may see it at their outdoor museum, located along historic Route 66. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for 20 seconds. With the shutter open, Cam flew a drone, "light painting" the scene from above. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. This was photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada and Goffs, CA, along Route 66.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3199) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nelson #NelsonGhostTown #Goffs #Route66

The Secret Whitney Portal

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Mobius Arch, a night portal of sorts to Mt. Whitney, which you can see in the middle of the archway. As a kid, my Dad would drive us up to Whitney Portal to cool off at the waterfall after working on the house in Lone Pine...so that was the real Whitney Portal. This evening was special, seeing the Milky Way, a comet, and the arch. It's moments like this that can lift your spirits, even when things are stressful or you are in pain. This is Comet C/2023 A3 as seen on 22 October 2024 from Alabama Hills in Owens Valley, CA near the Sierra Nevadas. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. This was actually a test shot to make sure everything was good and sharp, so I didn't light paint the arch. I like the mood it has, dark and mysterious. I'm also surprised at how much detail this image has, even in the shadows. These old 2014 DSLRs still get the job done!

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 7465) Nikon D750 DSLR/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #AlabamaHills #LonePine #MobiusArch #Comet #cometc2023a3 #OwensValley #SierraNevadas

Meet Me at the Moondeck

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Abandoned homes in the high desert are commonplace. Abandoned beautiful modern homes, maybe not so much. With large floor-to-ceiling windows, a beautiful deck with a fire pit table, and much more, this was once someone's dream home. To create this night photo, I lit the subject with a handheld LED flashlight while the camera shutter was open for a long time during this long exposure. So yes, this is a real single-exposure photo.

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Photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3996) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. February 2025.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #MorongoBasin

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a6000 with Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS

Granja Lanterna

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Near the top of a rise is an immense barn, rising up out of the Mojave Desert amidst the canyon and the cactus, where the stars shine more brightly on moonless nights. And sometimes, if you are a night photographer and you ask really nicely, you could enter the barn and shoot light out from every crack. I was such a night photographer. Dusty but grinning from ear to ear, I walked through the cavernous two-story structure, throwing out warm beams of light with my faithful handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light. This is long exposure photography. And it's more fun typing out AI-generated images! This was photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada and Goffs, CA, along Route 66.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 7707) Nikon D750 DSLR/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nelson #NelsonGhostTown #Goffs #Route66 #barn

Mobius Sky Lanterns

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How inspiring is it to see the Milky Way, a comet, and the famous Mobius Arch during a beautiful Mojave evening? It's moments like this that can lift your spirits, even when things are stressful or you are in pain. This is Comet C/2023 A3 as seen on 22 October 2024 from Alabama Hills in Owens Valley, CA, near the Sierra Nevadas. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting." Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.

~~~~~

For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 7473) Nikon D750 DSLR/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #AlabamaHills #LonePine #MobiusArch #Comet #cometc2023a3 #OwensValley #SierraNevadas

The mining of the Ōya stone completely reshaped a large area.

Der Abbau des Ōya Gesteins formte ein riesiges Gebiet zu einer Kulturlandschaft.

大谷石の採掘により、広大な地域が一変した。

Tochigi, Japan

栃木県, 日本

Giving the Side-Eye

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A 1934 Chevrolet truck, owned by John Riley Bembry, who used this to drive to his claims in the Ivanpah Mountains. To create this night photo, I placed the camera on a tripod. Then I lit the scene with a handheld flashlight while the camera shutter was open for a long time. This is called "light painting." It's more fun than AI-generated images. Single-exposure image photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Goffs, along historic Route 66, in Nevada.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 4855) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. April 2025.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #mylensrental #nightscaper #astrophotography #longexposure #humanmade #ProtoMachines #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Goffs #Route66 #MDHCA #ambientnightsmag

Nevada Area 51

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An otherworldly vintage automobile on a beautiful Mojave Desert night. I illuminated the vehicle with warm white light from a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light during the long exposure. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. Photographed during a night photography workshop that we taught in the Nevada desert.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 9930) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. 2 minutes f/8 ISO 200. May 2023.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #urbanexploration #automobile

Lubrication

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This gas station in Nelson Ghost Town appeared briefly in "3000 Miles to Graceland" with Kevin Costner. Here, it's lit up rather strangely at night. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting." Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. This was photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada and Goffs, CA, along Route 66.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 7733) Nikon D750 DSLR/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nelson #NelsonGhostTown

A very photogenic location. AND Red, blue and yellow all in the same frame! This is a wider version, 5994 pixels, so it qualifies for the "Panorama" group. The earlier 4299 X 2284 edit doesn't meet group requirements. I can follow rules. :^)

Shaka, When the Walls Fell

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Our beautiful Milky Way, showing the center of our Milky Way (right side) as seen in Joshua Tree National Park, CA, at Ryan Ranch. I used a Luxli Fiddle perched inside the walls, which one of our night photography workshop participants, Lori, had set up. Speaking of Lori, she pointed out this beautiful scene to me, although I put a Dutch angle on it just for fun.

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Photos, books, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 8361) Nikon D750/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. 22 June 2025.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #LightPaintingPhotography #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #LongExposure #humanmade #joshuatree #joshuatreenationalpark #milkyway #Astrolandscape #RyanRanch

Listening to Infinity

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Comet C/2023a. Milky Way. Radio Telescopes. Sierra Nevadas. Wow. Unfortunately, a lot of my memories of this evening had to do with overcoming major elbow pain in both elbows and technical difficulties to photograph this, so the inspiration came a little later this evening. This long exposure photo shows the apparent movement of the stars over a long period of time. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked to the front of the radio telescope and shined the light in back of me so I'd be backlit. You can see me in the very front. This sort of light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. Yes, I had special permission to be here.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3585) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #OwensValley #radiotelescope #MilkyWay #Comet #cometc2023a3

Commander of the Clag

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A fisheye night photo of a Studebaker Commander. I sometimes use construction kneepads to go easy on my knees when I take low-perspective photos like this. This ended up being very good. I mistakenly knelt in mud, and felt myself slipping and sliding toward the vehicle. It took me about ten minutes to clean those kneepads. However, it kept me from being totally caked in mud. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 4851) Nikon D750/Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. January 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #ProtoMachines #urbex #Studebaker

Tales from Topographic Deserts

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Sometimes night photography is all about the stillness of the night. And other times, it's very social. I ran out to meet up with Josh Madison and photograph the Milky Way at Trona Pinnacles, CA. I also met Susan Magnano, who was there with her night photography workshop group. Beautiful May night. You can still see our faint Milky Way despite a waning gibbous moon with 91% illumination rose around 11 pm, bathing Trona Pinnacles below in beautiful light. Trona really feels like an alien world. In this case, I did not illuminate the landscape with my handheld light. Nope, that's all moonlight. As many of you know, I love creating night photographs under the moonlight. And the whole creative process is a whole lot more fun than typing keyprompts for AI-generated images.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 6471) Nikon D750/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. 26 May 2024. Single exposure.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #ProtoMachines #urbex #Nikon #california #Trona #TronaPinnacles #tufas

"The Crooked Silence"—A lone Juniper Tree underneath the Milky Way, Joshua Tree National Park, CA. I perched my camera on a tripod, opened the shutter for a long time, and then walked around lighting the scene with a handheld LED light. Photos, books, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com (Plate 6000_1) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. 23 Sept 2025. #kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #LightPaintingPhotography #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #LongExposure #humanmade #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #JTNP #JoshuaTree #JoshuaTreeNationalPark

Is There in Truth No Beauty

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Nighttime falls on the beautiful curves of "Truth Arrives in Slanted Beams," a Desert X art installation by artist Sarah Meyohas. I perched my camera on a tripod, opened the shutter for 70 seconds, and then walked around lighting this subject with a handheld light.

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Photos, books, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 5015) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. May 2025. Single exposure.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #LightPaintingPhotography #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #LongExposure #humanmade #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #CoachellaValley #ambientnightsmag #DesertX #artinstallation

Rolling in the Hay

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In late January, it snowed in Pioneertown. And elsewhere, that meant that Los Angeles got rain to help the firefighters battle the apocalyptic fires. To create this night photo, I lit the subject with a handheld flashlight while the camera shutter was open for a long time.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3936) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. January 2025.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #Pioneertown #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1

"An Eye Pressed to Heaven's Window"—The Milky Way under Sky's the Limit Observatory in 29 Palms, near Joshua Tree National Park. I perched my camera on a tripod, opened the shutter for a long time, and then walked around lighting the observatory with a handheld LED light. Photos, books, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com (Plate 5765) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. September 2025. #kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #LightPaintingPhotography #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #LongExposure #humanmade #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nikon

Purple Haze

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There's just something super cool about old trucks. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the interior of the truck as well as the exterior from camera right. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting." Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. This was photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada and Goffs, CA, along Route 66.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3006) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nelson #NelsonGhostTown #ambientnightsmag

This looks like a photoshop work, but it isn´t... as a coincident I used to go to school right next to the ruin...

Adelaide

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Cold Spring Tavern began operating as a stagecoach stop in 1868. The original structure is believed to have been built in 1860. The same family has owned it since 1941. It's still a fantastic place to stop off to have chili or a cold beer when making your way through the rugged San Marcos Pass near Santa Barbara, CA. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the building with warm white and red light. This was challenging to do since it was already lit with various exterior lights. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting." Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light instead of paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 2905) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. August 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #ProtoMachines #mojave #urbex #urbanexploration #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #PentaxAustralia #ColdSpringTavern

The Year Lot Longyear Became a Joshua Tree

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Half the Park is After Dark. A magical winter night in Joshua Tree National Park. I love partially cloudy nights. To create this night photo, I lit the subject with a handheld LED flashlight while the camera shutter was open for a long time. So yes, this is a real single-exposure photo. And Lot Longyear is thought to be the bent figure on the cover of "Led Zeppelin IV."

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Photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3954) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. February 2025.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #JoshuaTree #JoshuaTreeNationalPark

This is an homage to the infamous Mojave Phone Booth, the phone booth in the middle of nowhere. The original no longer exists, but this recreation in Goffs, along historic Route 66, remains. You may see it at their outdoor museum, located along historic Route 66. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for 20 seconds. With the shutter open, Cam flew a drone, "light painting" the scene from above. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. This was photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada and Goffs, CA, along Route 66.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3199) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nelson #NelsonGhostTown #Goffs #Route66

District 34

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The Midwestern night falls on this one-room limestone schoolhouse, built to last in 1896 in rural Kansas. The first teacher was paid $40 per month. I'm happy to say that teachers make a little bit more than that now. She taught eight French families ranging from five to nineteen years of age. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld flashlight capable of producing different colors and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. The streaks in the sky are the apparent movement of the stars during the long exposure of 18 minutes.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 0619) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. October 2023.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #urbanexploration #kansas #schoolhouse

Listening to the Center of Heaven

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These magnificent radio telescopes are sort of my muse. I am always inspired by them. I did have to overcome some major elbow pain in both elbows and technical difficulties to photograph this, so the inspiration came a little later this evening. This long exposure photo shows the apparent movement of the stars over a long period of time. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. This was photographed with Tim Little and George Loo after a night photography workshop in Nelson Ghost Town and Goffs, along historic Route 66.

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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com

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(Plate 3562) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. October 2024.

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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #OwensValley #StarTrails