Light Painting 101: How to illuminate an abandoned plane in three easy steps

Light painting abandoned airplanes has some special challenges. Here’s how you can use a handheld light to illuminate an airplane in three easy steps.

Although this was near a full moon, the clouds were moving in quickly.  I wanted to capture some of the beauty of the incoming clouds. But I had to work quickly. Just two or three minutes after I took this photo, the entire sky was completely covered in thick clouds.

What is light painting?

Light painting is a term that is often used loosely to describe any addition of light to a night photograph. Really, though, light painting is a technique that uses a handheld light source (or two!) to illuminate a scene during a long exposure.

To light paint, you set the camera on a tripod. Then, you open the camera shutter for a long time, sometimes for several minutes. While the shutter is open, you can walk around with a handheld flashlight and illuminate the scene. I use one that is capable of producing different colors. This process is called “light painting.” Why? Because you are using the flashlight as a paint brush, “brushing” on light instead of paint. During the exposure, all the light you shine on the subject is cumulative. 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. Night photographers have used this technique for over a hundred years!

Abandoned airplane, Kansas. I used a handheld light to light paint this airplane during the exposure.

Step one: The challenge of light painting a very reflective exterior

I wanted to illuminate the exterior of the plane with a warm white light to make it pop out more from the rest of the photo. However, it was very reflective. To avoid lots of white reflective spots, I stood to the left of the Lockheed Lodestar. I managed to get the plane a little brighter and bring out a little of the detail without a lot of reflections.

Step two: Light painting the interior of the airplane

I chose a teal-colored light, a color that Tim Little developed that looks beautiful in a variety of situations. Here, I thought it would also look slightly weird and mysterious.

If I had tried to use stationary LED panels or something similar to light up the interior, it would have taken quite a few panels to create illumination this evenly distributed throughout the interior. If I had used a single stationary LED panel, it would have been brighter in one area than the other.

Instead, I used a handheld light for light painting. To make it look natural, I held the light above my head and near the ceiling so it would not shine through the windows and create a streak. Then I simply walked toward the cockpit, shined the light into the cockpit, and then walked back, again holding the light above my head. The light was reflecting off the ceiling and on to everything else. This created an evenly distributed light that also looks like it is coming from the ceiling and shining below. With light painting, you don’t always have to shine your light directly on the surface. You can reflect the light instead.

Step three: Creating texture in the grassy foreground

I emerged from the plane. I then walked to camera left and “swept” a warm white light across the grass several times. Why? I wanted to create just a little bit of texture in the grass without making it really bright or detracting from the airplane.

Why do you not show up in the photo when you are walking through the scene?

Great question. I turn invisible due to the long exposure of the photo. If you want to find out more, read this article about this amazing superpower of invisibility that night photographers have!

What can I use for handheld light painting subjects?

There are many handheld lights that you can use for light painting subjects. The most common is simply to use a flashlight, preferably an LED flashlight. I wrote an article that covers some of the best light painting tools, all the way from inexpensive to more expensive options.

You can also use an LED light panel, but instead of using it as a stationary light, simply handhold it. This is especially handy when you want to illuminate a large area evenly. I’ve been using a Lume Cube RGB Panel Pro 2.0 for handheld light painting.

If you want to illuminate a really large area evenly, you can even use an LED tube light or LED wand! I’ve used a Zhiyun LED light tube for this as well as other purposes. 

Have fun and be creative!

Light painting is not a random affair, although it might sometimes feel like it at first. It might feel like trial and error at first, but good light painting can be very consistent and methodical while still being extremely creative. After all, you are choosing what to leave in shadow and what to illuminate, much like a movie producer.

If you have any questions about light painting subjects, I encourage you to leave them in the comments below.

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

AI’s crystal ball: Predicting future camera features in 2034

What features will cameras have ten years from now that cameras do not have now? I asked Gemini AI. Here are the answers.

AI’s Crystal Ball – Predicting future camera features in 2034. Image by Justin Clark from Unsplash.

I don’t know that AI – our new buzzword for what is largely machine learning – has a crystal ball. But Google’s Gemini is pretty good at scraping the internet for information and ideas. I asked what we might see in ten years.

Actually, what I did was ask it several times. Then I combined some of the more interesting answers into this article. Gemini divided its answers into similar categories each time it answered. I kept its categories and answers verbatim, all as headers. Then I added additional explanations or thoughts below the headers.

The future looks bright. Image by Elena Koycheva from Unsplash.

Sensor advancements

Photograph by Alexander Andrews from Unsplash.

Quantum sensors: Sensors inspired by quantum mechanics, offering significantly improved low-light performance and sensitivity.

Quantum dots are already used in TVs. They’re very small, light-sensitive dots that can be tuned to specific colors to capture them better—and without the need for a color filter. The promise is that they capture a wider range of colors. For us night photographers, this is music to our ears. They would potentially absorb more light, which would improve low-light performance while reducing noise. Bring them on!

Metamaterials: Lenses made from metamaterials could achieve incredible focusing capabilities and zoom ranges without bulky traditional lenses.

Metalenses, as some call them, use techniques borrowed from the semi-conductor industry to make ultra-thin lenses. They’re made of a silicon-on-glass substrate. What’s the benefit? Decreased aberrations, meaning they would produce sharper, clearer images. They can also be completely flat, making it possible to be even thinner. Additionally, they can be designed to filter specific wavelengths or create complex optical effects.

Could these eventually be used to photograph magnetic field sensing, radiation detection, or sound? Could they aid in fool-proof facial detection technology? Determine whether a stone in a ring is diamond or glass? Offer insightful information to health professionals?

This sounds intriguing, although if you thought your Z-Mount lenses were expensive, just wait!

Gemini AI’s depiction of a night photographer one hundred years in the future. Not ten, but one hundred. Why not?

Multi-spectral sensors: Capturing additional information beyond the visible spectrum, like infrared or ultraviolet, for more comprehensive data and creative possibilities.

Would these work hand-in-hand with metalenses? Regardless, the possibility for scientific research such as detecting diseases, studying geological formations, looking for lost cities in the jungle, or determining crop health seems fantastic. Of course, as you might readily imagine, this would also have many military applications, such as target tracking, land mine detection, ballistic missile detection, and more.

Bio-inspired sensors: Mimicking the human eye’s ability to adapt to different lighting conditions.

If the other crystal ball predictions seemed futuristic, this really pushes it into the realm of “Star Trek”. Bio-inspired sensors would mimic the way our eyes work, adapting to different lighting or changes in the scene. They would also be able to capture details in both bright and dark areas simultaneously. Would these ever be used for photography?

They may have some uses in robotics or driverless cars. While I’m not super-excited about driverless cars at the moment, the application for autonomous scenarios is certainly intriguing. And they could be used to warn drivers as well.

Computational photography

Advanced AI-powered editing: Built-in AI could offer real-time editing suggestions, noise reduction, and even object removal or replacement.

In April 2021, I wrote an April Fools Day article about Sony AI, a groundbreaking artificial intelligence camera that used a positronic neural network to offer suggestions such as posing people in a flattering manner. This camera was also equipped with Anti-Cliche AI, which would automatically drain the battery if the user photographed people on a couch in a field, sitting on train tracks, pointing flashlights at the Milky Way or taking selfie photos of feet at the beach.

If Gemini AI is correct, you can begin referring to me as “Photostradamus.”

Compositional assistance: AI suggesting optimal framing and composition for different scenes.

See above!

Automatic editing and storytelling: Cameras automatically generating edited photos or even short videos with music and transitions.

Luminar Neo and iPhone’s Memory Mixes, introduced with iOS 15, somewhat approach this already.

Connectivity and interactivity

Drone. Photography by Dose Media on Unsplash.

Seamless integration with other devices: Cameras seamlessly connected to AR/VR headsets for immersive photography experiences or drones for aerial shots controlled directly from the camera.

This almost seems like a certainty.

Live streaming and editing: Cameras with built-in capabilities for live streaming and on-the-fly editing, perfect for content creators.

This also seems like a certainty. With TikTok driving so much of what people do, I don’t see how this could not happen. Unless, of course, ten years from now, everyone is so sick of social media that we’ve reverted back to telling stories around the campfire. It would feel revolutionary. It would be similar to how, after listening to tons of pop music, someone singing while playing an acoustic guitar seems fresh.

Interactive features: Cameras incorporating gesture control or voice commands for hands-free operation.

I can’t wait to issue my camera a command to bring me a sandwich or walk over and attach itself to my tripod.

Hardware and design

Wearables. Photography by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash.

Modular cameras: Flexible systems where different components like lenses and sensors can be swapped easily

Modular cameras already exist. Also, various Kickstarter campaigns and manufacturers have flirted with this idea for a while. I’m not sure if we will see major camera manufacturers getting on board with this any time soon. On the other hand, if in ten years we have metalenses, bio-inspired sensors, and quantum dot sensors working alongside “vintage” CMOS sensors, maybe they could surprise us!

Foldable or wearable cameras: Compact and convenient cameras that integrate seamlessly with clothing or accessories

Google, Meta, and others have been developing and flirting with wearable cameras for years. Remember Google Glasses?

If a professional camera can be folded up to fit in a pocket, that’s intriguing. We might even be able to get some strange shooting angles with this! However, wearable cameras, particularly ones that can be integrated into clothing or accessories, seem ready for abuse.

Brain-computer interfaces: Cameras controlled directly by thought, allowing for hands-free operation and intuitive interaction

If this ever occurs, I hope the connection is more reliable than Bluetooth. If we thought that bio-inspired sensors were approaching the stuff of “Star Trek”, this plants two feet firmly in that universe.

No buttons. No touchscreens. You control the camera by focusing your mind on specific actions such as taking a picture, zooming, or adjusting settings.

This currently needs some more steps to become reality. Current brain-computer interfaces are large and bulky.

3D and holographic capture: Cameras capturing realistic 3D models or even holographic projections of objects and scenes

Gemini closed with a mention of something that I have fantasized about for years: holographic photography. These cameras would record complex data about a scene and generate 3D models of objects or scenes, which could be viewed from various angles. This might be a possibility for virtual reality applications if Apple and Meta eventually have their way.

This, of course, veers into holodeck territory, which exists in, once again, “Star Trek”. I had always thought that if holodecks of that sort existed, no one would ever come out of there.

Bing AI’s depiction of a holo-simulation. Could we be inching toward this in the future?

Regardless, beyond the creative or odd aspects, there could be a lot of potential in the fields of science, education, and health care.

Gemini AI’s depiction of a camera ten years in the future.

What say you?

Gemini AI’s depiction of photographers one hundred years in the future. Apparently, the future one hundred years from now is very blue and hazy. That’s what I’m getting from these depictions!

What predicted technologies would you love to see implemented in cameras of the future? What do you foresee in cameras of the future? In what ways are you excited or concerned about future camera technologies? Leave your comments below!

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

Night photography made easy: Answering the most popular questions (Part II)

I continue to answer your most popular questions about night photography. I’ll answer what you’ve asked most recently. This time? Filters, ghosts, and light painting.

Do bear in mind that I am answering these questions from the perspective of a night photographer who largely photographs on or near a full moon. While I do high-ISO Milky Way photography, it’s not my primary form of night photography.

I answered some of your night photography questions previously here.

Have you ever seen a ghost?

Ghost, Topanga, California. The ghost is an example of light drawing, using E-Wire and a red headlamp for the eyes, all done during the exposure.

Asking if I’ve seen a ghost is one of the most common questions I am asked about my night photography. I think that people who photograph abandoned locations are probably asked about this more often than someone who only does deep sky or nightscapes.

No, I have never seen a ghost. I might be interested in photographing one if I can avoid the ectoplasmic goo (just kidding). It would be interesting to see whether it would register in my photos.

I have done night photography in some very creepy, unsettling locations. In these locations, I have felt uneasy. But actually seeing a ghost? No.

Why do use a handheld light instead of stands to light your subjects?

REO F-22 work truck, California desert. I used a handheld light to light paint from numerous angles during the exposure. Would you be able to light the headlights and interior with red light and light the exterior with warm white light using stationary lights in two minutes?

Handheld lights are extremely flexible. I have complete control over where I want to shine the light. I also have control over the color and duration. But perhaps the greatest reason is that I can be very flexible in what angles I light paint, moving the light around subtly to achieve the exact look that I want. I can also block part of the light with my arm or with light modifiers swiftly and easily.

Handheld lights are also nice and small. They fit in my pocket, taking up very little space.

They are considerably faster to use. I can light paint a subject in a fraction of the time it takes someone to set up stands with mounted LED panels. I can also use one light for numerous angles instead of having to set up a stand for each angle.

Douglas DC-4 airplane, rural Kansas. I used a handheld light to light paint from numerous angles during the exposure.

Do you use filters for night photography?

An abandoned church, rural Kansas. I used a handheld light to light paint from numerous angles during the exposure.

I have been asked this question numerous times. Most of the time, the person asking does not specify what kind of filters.

Regardless, the answer is that I use no filters for night photography.

UV filters

UV filters were popular when most people photographed with 35mm film. In bright sunlight, photographs sometimes had a slightly blue cast or were washed out. This is no longer an issue with digital cameras.

However, some people like to use UV filters for protection. This is often the topic of hot debate. Do UV filters actually offer much protection? If they shatter, they could scratch the glass. I’d like to think that they do offer some level of protection. Regardless, I don’t like that they introduce another chance for lens flares.

If I were to use a UV filter, I would get the highest quality filter possible. After all, why purchase a beautiful, sharp lens costing hundreds of dollars and then stuff a cheap UV filter in the front? 

Light painting a vintage Buick using a handheld light.

Light pollution filters

Irix, Haida, Hoya, NiSi, and other lens filter manufacturers make light pollution filters. I don’t use these, although I do have a mild curiosity about them. Under the right circumstances, they can produce stunning results.

However, I’ve never tried one. 

There are several reasons for this. Many, if not most, light pollution filters are made for astrophotography, or deep sky photography, as some people call it. They don’t fare so well with ultra wide-angle lenses, which is what I frequently use. They can cause distortion (deformity) in the shapes of the stars.

Another reason is that many light pollution filters are created to combat the orange light from sodium vapor lights. With many places adopting LED lights, this is no longer so much of an issue. This results in you blocking some of the light of the Milky Way without the advantage of blocking light pollution nearly as much. I also do a lot of light painting, and I don’t really want the color of my light painting to be altered.

And finally, as you might guess, light pollution filters are reducing the amount of light entering your lens.

There are some good reasons for using light pollution filters. They’re just not something that interests me much.

Monument Rocks, Kansas. I used a handheld light to light paint from numerous angles during the exposure.

Neutral density filters

Interestingly, people ask if I use a neutral density filter most often.

A neutral density filter is sort of like sunglasses for your lens. They reduce the amount of light coming into the lens.

And just like you are unlikely to wear sunglasses at night, I suppose the reason for not using one is similar. If I want to reduce the amount of light entering the lens, I could either reduce the length of the exposure or use a smaller aperture.

I do use neutral density filters occasionally during the day. However, I usually do this for a certain kind of effect, such as getting whooshing clouds or making water movement from the ocean or waterfalls more dreamy and silky. But even for this purpose, I am often likely to reach for a circular polarizing filter instead, as I have the bonus of having control over reflections as well as reducing the amount of incoming light.

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

Night photography: Light painting Joshua Tree’s ghosts

I will describe how I light painted the Ryan Ranch ruins in Joshua Tree National Park. Hopefully it inspires you to try light painting yourself!

Ryan Ranch night photo with handheld light painting, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

What is light painting?

Light painting is a term that is often used loosely to describe any addition of light to a night photograph. Really, though, light painting is a technique that uses a handheld light source to illuminate a scene during a long exposure. Your flashlight is your paint brush, and you are quite literally painting the scene with light. Similar to a film director, you control what you illuminate, and what you keep in shadow using your handheld light. Night photographers have used this technique for many decades.

Let’s see how I went about light painting this iconic ranch.

Three steps to light painting Ryan Ranch in Joshua Tree National Park

One of the amazing creative aspects of light painting is that you can control what you illuminate, and what you keep in shadow. I wanted to leave much of the wall in shadow, in part to create a lot of negative space, but also to accentuate the curvy edge, which I found attractive. I also wanted to draw your eye through the frame. Therefore, it made more sense to light paint the wall in the back to make it brighter since the eye is naturally drawn to brighter scenes in the composition.

Step one: Accentuating the curvy edge

After opening the shutter for a two-minute exposure, I walked to camera left. With my ProtoMachines LED2 handheld light, I illuminated the edge, making sure that I did not illuminate the wall in front. While doing this, I also held the light low to illuminate some of the ground to give it texture.

Step two: Illuminating the back wall

While illuminating some of the ground, I also angled my light to illuminate the wall. This would create some texture on the wall since I was close to a 90-degree angle to the wall. It also made this wall brighter so our eyes would be drawn through the composition to the wall beyond.

Step three: Illuminating the edge of the U-shaped window in the back

I walked to the back of the building. I illuminated the edge of the right side of the U-shaped window. I did this to pull the window more to the front, but also to create one more edge to match the curvy edge of the wall in the front.

Creating layers

The composition has three layers: the close curvy wall, the wall in the back, and the landscape beyond. I suppose you could say it has four layers since the sky is beyond that.

The light painting that I chose to do supports the layers, making it more likely that your eye is drawn through the composition to the back. Ideally, light painting should be done with intention and thought toward the composition, and not just simply to “light up” something.

If you want to learn more about night photography and light painting…

Joshua Tree / Borrego Springs night photography workshop adventure June 2024

…keep reading here. I’ve written numerous articles over the years on night photography and light painting, including “Stop your light painting from looking flat and dull right now” and “Light painting angles“.

Also, consider signing up for one of my workshops. Generally, you may find out more about my upcoming workshops on my Ken Lee Photography website. We do have a night photography workshop in Joshua Tree National Park and Borrego Springs in June 2024.

Joshua Tree / Borrego Springs night photography workshop adventure June 2024

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

Night photography on a budget: High-quality gear under $600

Is it possible to purchase a high-quality camera, lens and even a tripod with a budget of under $600? The answer might surprise you!

To do this, I chose to purchase used items. The prices for the equipment I mention are all from reputable companies such as KEH, MPB, B&H Photo and Video, Adorama, and Used Photo Pro. These companies thoroughly check their gear and offer warranties. You will most likely be able to purchase these items used on eBay and elsewhere from private parties.

Camera

Nikon D700 DSLR full frame camera, one of the old classic cameras by Nikon.

I looked for a professional camera that would still be able to take outstanding night photography photos. I knew I had to find one that was a little long in the tooth to fit the bill. The Nikon D700 fit the bill, although you may be able to find some others. The Nikon D700 full-frame DSLR offers a robust weather-sealed magnesium alloy body, two SD card slots and much more. I used to meet photojournalists who used this because they said that it would never fail them.

Yes, it’s only 12.1 MP. The upside of this is that it does very well in low light. With 12.1 MP, you can still have enough resolution to create large poster-sized prints. I’ve seen night photography prints taken with this camera at poster size, and they looked fine.

As of this writing, I was able to find used Nikon D700s for sale under $200 at reputable companies.

What other cameras can I use?

You may use many other cameras. It doesn’t have to have professional features or full frame, and it doesn’t have to have dual SD slots or a robust build. It does, however, need to have manual controls. Many DSLR or mirrorless cameras have manual controls.

Lens

Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 ultra wide angle lens.

Because I selected a Nikon D700, I chose a full frame lens, a Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC (with AE Chip) Manual Focus Lens. Although inexpensive, it’s surprisingly sharp. It has a wide aperture, perfect if you wish to do high-ISO Milky Way photos. Many night photographers love to capture an enormous part of the night sky, so this ultra wide lens fits the bill quite well.

The lens is manual focus. However, this is not unusual, as most night photographers don’t use auto-focus. The stars are too dim for almost all cameras to focus. Not to worry, there’s numerous ways to focus manually.

For focusing on subjects, you could use auto-focus, of course. But here, you’ll have to light up the subject and focus on it or use several other methods of focusing at night to get your subject good and sharp.

As of this writing, I was able to easily find used Rokinon 14mm lens for around $170.

Tripod

Manfrotto 190X 3-section aluminum tripod. It is shown here with the XPRO Fluid Head.

When you select a high-quality night photography setup, you never overlook a quality tripod. You are going to be fiddling with a tripod almost as much as the camera or lens.

A tripod must be rock solid, both to produce a sharp image as well as to keep your precious equipment safe. 

I went with a Manfrotto 190X 3-section aluminum tripod. This supports 15.4 pounds while still achieving a maximum height of 63 inches.

An aluminum tripod is a little heavier than carbon fiber tripods. However, this can be a good thing, especially in high-wind areas. And as a bonus, aluminum tripods are more inexpensive.

As of this writing, I was able to easily find a used Manfrotto 190X for under $130.

Ball head

Manfrotto 494 Center Ball Head with 200PL-PRO Quick Release Plate

While I was looking for the tripod, I was able to find some great deals when purchasing it with a ball head used. One place sold the Manfrotto 804RC2 ball head with the 190X for $130! If you can find a bargain like this, you could keep this entire night photography kit under $500!

If this isn’t possible, you can find decent ball heads for under $50, even brand new. A new Manfrotto 494 Center Ball Head is also inexpensive but has a load capacity of almost 20 pounds, which is decent.

More thoughts about our $600 night photography kit

The total price for the total price, including the new Manfrotto 494 ball head, is approximately $565. If you shop around or vary the items a bit, it’s possible to get this under $500.

In putting together this ridiculously inexpensive night photography kit, I assumed that you would want to photograph anything that the night threw your way. You would be able to use this to photograph the Milky Way in very dark skies. But you would also be able to use it for other scenarios, such as mixed light urban photography, light painting during full moon photography and anything in between. 

I also wanted it to be robust and offer professional features.

An abandoned church, rural Kansas. I used a handheld light to light paint from numerous angles during the exposure.

Are there other ways to purchase high-quality gear for around $600? Sure. You might be able to find a high-quality, full-frame Canon for around $200. I am not as familiar with Canon, but it’s almost assuredly possible. The Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 lens also comes in Canon mounts, so that would work as well.

And you would almost assuredly be able to find other lenses and tripods as well on the used market.

I have never owned any of the equipment I mentioned here. However, I have done night photography with people who have used this equipment and have seen a lot of photos produced with this equipment.

You probably would want to also purchase SD cards and a cheap remote shutter release. These were not included in the $600 limit, but would not cost too much more, and are things that you might already own anyway. Regardless, you would still be able to keep your budget under $600.

Unless you know the person selling the equipment or the person has a great reputation as a seller, the safest bet is to purchase from places such as KEH, MPB, Adorama, B&H Photo and Video, or Used Photo Pro.

A cold night in Lake Tahoe, California.

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

Your questions answered: Why the night sky may be blue and more!

I continue to answer your questions about night photography. I’ll answer what you’ve asked most recently. This time? All about the night sky!

I answered some of your night photography questions previously here and here.

Abandoned airplane, Kansas. I used a handheld light to light paint this airplane during the exposure.

Why are night photos often so bright?

There are several reasons for this. One is that the camera is more sensitive than our eyes at night during a long exposure image. I might set the camera at 20 seconds with a high ISO of 6400, and it’s going to show more than we can see with our own eyes in person.

However, there’s another reason, and it is more mundane. Printing a really dark image doesn’t typically work very well. And let’s face it, most of the time, the photos don’t look great when shared online either.

Why do some night photos look like they are in daylight?

Road Runner’s Retreat, CA. “Route 66 Abandoned: Under a Western Moon” by Ken Lee

Sometimes, you see them. They are relatively bright, the sky is blue, and you can see the background. They look like strange daylight photos.

Usually, if someone remarks that some photos look like they are in daylight, they are photos created near a full moon. As we know, the moon doesn’t create light of its own. It’s all reflected light. And that light is almost all reflected from the sun.

It so happens that sunlight often makes the sky blue. And if the moon is simply reflecting that light, it too is going to make the sky look blue.

Night selfie portrait with giant motel sign

Why does the sky look blue in night photos?

The bluest of the blue night photos are often created when the moon is out. The fuller the moon, the bluer the sky. Why? Because it’s reflecting more of the sunlight. As more of this sunlight passes through our atmosphere, it is scattered in all directions by the gases and particles in the air. This scattering is called Rayleigh scattering. Blue light is scattered the most because it travels in shorter, smaller waves, so we tend to see it the most.

When we set our camera for a very long exposure, it can be more sensitive to light than our eyes during a long exposure, just as mentioned above. And in this case, it can pick up even more blue in the sky than our eyes can see, especially since the camera is sensitive to all colors of the spectrum, unlike our eyes.

Milky Way, Trona Pinnacles.

Other night skies can look blue too. Sometimes, when the Milky Way is out, the sky might still appear blue even though there’s no sunlight. A true representation of the sky during this time is closer to black or really dark gray. However, some photographers might take some artistic liberties and set the White Balance of the camera to a cooler setting, such as 3200 or 3300K. This creates a blue sky, and can be done for artistic purposes. Many night photographers feel they are creating art, and find a slightly blue night sky can look quite pleasing. Other times, the photographer might choose to go with a black sky because it is more accurate and might fit the mood of the photo better.

Double Arch, Arches National Park, Utah. Nikon camera.

Bonus: the Milky Way actually look like it does in most photos?

Find out more about this interesting question by reading this short article about how the Milky Way appears to us in person.

If you have any more questions, please leave them in the comments! Thanks!

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

Behind the scenes: Creating a museum exhibit of night photography

What are some of the behind-the-scenes in creating a museum exhibit of night photography? This is how the “Abandoned Planes Trains and Automobiles” museum exhibit at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley, CA came together.

The museum is situated close to the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, which attracts over 3 million visitors a year to its otherworldly, enchanting desertscapes. It’s a popular place for night as well as day photographers.

Night photo of an abandoned airplane. Handheld lighting during the exposure.

Submitting a proposal

Most museums will have a proposal process. This is your pitch. Here, you describe what the exhibit is about, how many photos you have, what sizes they are, and other information. Quite often, there’s a very short form, which they can either email to you or have on their website. 

While I did submit a proposal, my particular situation was easy. They were already familiar with my book “Abandoned Planes Trains and Automobiles: California Revealed”, published by Arcadia Publishing. They knew what it was about already. This made the proposal easier. I simply copied the description of the book, among other things, in the proposal.

Douglas DC-4 airplane, rural Kansas. I used a handheld light to light paint from numerous angles during the exposure.

Planning the exhibit

We discussed the exhibit at length, both in person and by email. The Museum Supervisor sent photos of other exhibits to give me an idea, also suggesting the amount of photos that might fit nicely in that space and the various sizes. I had a great deal of latitude in what sort of print I could create.

Locomotive train at night with handheld light painting.

Signing the contract

After the museum accepted the proposal, they sent over a contract. This covered the dates that the exhibit would run, which would be about ten months later. The contract also discussed how they would care for the exhibit while it was in their care, finances, and other aspects you would anticipate to find in a contract. I signed this electronically and emailed it back, although I certainly could have signed it in person.

After the contract, I submitted an invoice for 25% of the total. They sent a check back within a few days.

Passenger train at night with handheld light painting during the exposure.

Creating the prints

I was going to print up to 30 prints. I settled on 28, all different sizes, the largest ones being 20″ x 30″. They seemed to look good as matted color prints. Since the theme was planes, trains, and automobiles, I thought I would have at least one of each of these be the largest to serve as establishing photos. One plane, one train, and one automobile.

REO F-22 work truck, California desert. I used a handheld light to light paint from numerous angles during the exposure.

The printing goes awry

I had tested one printer already, and was satisfied with the work that they did. However, when it came time to print, nothing on their website worked. It would just hang and do nothing. This was extremely frustrating. I contacted them, and they suggested several different approaches. Nothing worked.

I began searching to find another printer. I found Canvas Discount, which did all the printing in the United States and had strong reviews. They seemed to create quality prints while remaining within my budget. They didn’t offer a lot of options. For instance, they only offered acrylic glass, which is a little more prone to scratching. Still, the reviews were fantastic.

Thankfully, I had begun to attempt the prints well in advance of when I would need to get them to the museum. I still had some time.

I did two test prints with the new printer. They showed up just a few days later. The colors were beautiful and true, not too dull, but not too saturated either.

Night photo with handheld light painting during the exposure, Nelson Ghost Town, NV.

A clever idea

“Why don’t you create QR Codes and put them on the signs in the exhibit?” Tim Little offered this fantastic idea. I thought that was brilliant. I included them on three of the signs. The QR Codes led back to my website, where I had created a special gallery for the “Abandoned Planes Trains and Automobiles” exhibit.

Setting up the exhibit

This is probably the easiest part of this entire process. I had Canvas Discount mail all the photo prints to the museum. The Museum Supervisor had also asked about how I wanted the exhibit to appear and if I had any special requests. Their previous exhibits had looked great, so I said, “I think it would look best if I give you carte blanche. You have years of experience creating fantastic looking exhibits, and I do not.”

This follows a general philosophy that I have. Whether it was teaching, hiring people, or whatever, my philosophy has generally been, “Hire the best people, let them do their job, and stay out of their way.”

Opening Night

The extremely enjoyable opening night was on the 12th of January in 2024. I wrote some notes for my presentation, but would use them as reminders and launching points so I could speak more freely and spontaneously. The room was full of very friendly, inquisitive people, many of whom had traveled many miles to be there. This included my family. The people asked very astute, thoughtful questions. I even included short segments on how one light paints subjects, the general process of finding some of the locations, and more. 

The audience as well as everyone at the museum were beyond friendly. The museum was extremely friendly and professional. This was about as great of an experience as I could have ever hoped for.

Museum Exhibit

Abandoned Planes Trains and Automobiles Museum Exhibit, Hi-Desert Nature Museum, Yucca Valley, CA 2024.

The exhibit runs through the 16th of March 2024.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum

7090 29 Palms Highway

Yucca Valley CA

Abandoned Planes Trains and Automobiles Museum Exhibit, Hi-Desert Nature Museum, Yucca Valley, CA 2024.

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

Four easy ways of improving your photos instantly

Want to easily improve your photos instantly? Read about these easy, simple tips that you can do right away to improve your images.

Squeeze instead of tap

Gently, gently squeezing that shutter button. Photo by Sonnie Hiles on Unsplash.

Don’t tap. Don’t push. Squeeze. Gently squeeze.

This is true whether using a “big” camera like a mirrorless or DSLR, a point-and-shoot, or a mobile phone. Why? So you’re far less likely to move the camera or phone by jarring it and making everything blurry. Gently squeezing it is a great way of keeping the camera still and having everything come out beautifully sharp.

B-b-but how do I squeeze on a mobile phone?

I’m glad you asked.

I’ve noticed that when people take photos, they tap the shutter button. Doink! Unless done very carefully, this tap moves your smartphone at the very time when the camera should be still.

Many mobile phones allow you to take photos by squeezing the volume button. Try it and see if your phone takes photos this way. If you only did this, your images could already dramatically improve.

Keep it steady

I rested an iPhone 6 against the table for this nice, clear photo.

Steady the camera whenever possible. You want to keep it as still as possible, so be conscious of that. Rest it against a railing, rock, tree, table or even use a small tripod.

I rested my elbows on the table to take a photo of this plate of food. iPhone 6. I’m purposely mixing in examples of old phone images to show you that you don’t always need the latest, greatest phone to take decent photos.

Also, relaxing and holding your arms still with your elbows in and slowly squeezing the volume button (if that’s an option) to trigger the camera can result in much sharper images. To take this image above, I steadied my iPhone 6 on the table.

Us night photographers take this so seriously that we always photograph with a tripod. And typically, a good sturdy, quality tripod. Keep it steady.

Night photo with star two-hour trails, Utah. If you are going to photograph something for two hours, the camera had better remain still.

Keep it eye level

Jake Carroll. Photo by Mike Martin.

When you watch people taking photos, they typically take photos standing, rarely varying their height. If you want better, more engaging photos, take your photos of people or animals at eye level more often. Whether taking photos of children, pets, people sitting at a table, people sitting on a floor, or whatever, vary your camera so that it is on the same plane as their eyes. I think you’ll be much happier with your photos.

Can you take effective photos that are not at eye level? Sure! But more often than not, eye level is the most engaging.

Using Portrait Mode for people … and more!

Not only Portrait Mode but using black and white too. Selfie with my wife, iPhone SE 2020.

Some phones, such as newer iPhones, have Portrait Mode. This blurs the background of your photos, allowing your subject to stand out. This is often done with more expensive lenses and cameras. However, many newer phones can do this with computational photography. 

Some newer phones take this a step further. This feature can be used when it’s not a person. Blurring the background can be great for other subjects as well, such as flowers and more.

Learn what options you have with your phone

I would encourage you to poke around on your camera app. Experiment with some of the other functions. I really enjoy creating time-lapse videos or slow-motion videos. You can really have quite a lot of fun — and create great images or videos — with something that is “just a phone.” Enjoy!

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

Nocturnal echoes: Photographing abandoned beauty in Kansas nights

What did we find to photograph at night in Kansas? It turns out quite a lot. Abandoned airplanes, historic limestone schoolhouses, strange and ancient geologic formations, and more. We explored the Sunflower State to find fascinating subjects.

Is Kansas as flat as a pancake?

When you tell people you are going on a nocturnal photographic journey to Kansas, they frequently mention how flat it is. While it’s hardly mountainous, Kansas is not even in the top five, according to this University of Kansas article. The honor for the flattest state? Florida.

Night photo with light painting, Monument Rocks, Kansas.

Besides flatness, people usually mention barbecue and sunflowers. I knew it from things I loved from childhood: The Wizard of Oz, Clark Kent and Smallville, and the legend of Wilt Chamberlain. But I quickly discovered that Lawrence was a gorgeous cultural college town with great eats and charming homes. I also found the burnt ends at Joe’s BBQ to be fantastic. And there was more.

The Kansas sky was enormous. I saw magical prairies lit by the setting Midwestern sun. Punctuating this were tall silos and dignified farms basking in this glow. And I loved how you could find a Mexican taqueria in even the smallest towns.

Along the way, we discovered some amazing treasures for night photography. My traveling companions? Fellow Nightaxians Mike Cooper, a former resident of Kansas, and Tim Little from Cape Cod. Mike knew many of the best locations, and drove us throughout the state.

Abandoned airplanes in a grassy field

Night photography, abandoned plane, rural Kansas.

If you love to photograph abandoned things at night, you know that it doesn’t get much better than abandoned airplanes. The first evening of our trip, it rained heavily. That was a no-go. However, we managed to return for several nights of night photography magic, even if my boots became soaked from the puddles and tall wet grass the first night. The man who owns the property was a former pilot. We were given special permission to photograph there at night.

Night photography, abandoned plane, rural Kansas.

Prairie Castles

Night photography, abandoned grain elevator, rural Kansas.

Grain elevators seem to rise up from the prairie floor, sometimes with the name of the town on its side. We photographed this especially large one, its fields still being used to create hay bales.

1800s limestone schoolhouse

Night photography, abandoned schoolhouse, rural Kansas.

Limestone. It’s easy to cut, but is incredibly durable, capable of lasting for hundreds of years. Consequently, limestone schoolhouses built in the 1800s are still standing strong today. This particular one-room school was completed in the 1890s, serving French immigrants who had settled in the area. The first teacher made $40 a month. She taught 19 children between five to nineteen, from eight French families. Schools were often taught by a single teacher in one-room schools throughout rural Kansas until the 1950s and 1960s, when they were consolidated.

The Great Chalk Pyramids of Kansas

Night photography, Monument Rocks (Chalk Pyramids), rural Kansas.

The Chalk Pyramids, otherwise known as Monument Rocks, are located in the Western part of Kansas. 80 million years ago, Kansas was underwater, part of the Western Interior Seaway, which split North America into two land masses. These enormous chalk formations in Monument Rocks are the remains of carbonate deposits. 

Monument Rocks is on private property. Mike obtained permission by contacting the owner.

BRRRRRRRRR!

While photographing here, the temperature plummeted to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-9.44 Celsius). This is unseasonably cold for October, where the norm is closer to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Throughout this trip, we encountered unusually cold weather and more rain than is typical for this time of year. We warmed our hands with Hot Hands, and our toes with Hot Hands Toe Warmers. At the end of the evening, my face was so cold that I was having some difficulty physically speaking as clearly as I would have liked. In the Southwest, I sometimes photograph at night in temperatures just below freezing. This was next-level cold, however!

Flap flap, flap flap, flap flap!

While staying in Western Kansas, my old boots finally gave way. Both soles separated from the rest of the boot, producing a comical flapping sound as I walked. This surely wouldn’t do. We went to a small shopping center so I could purchase some new boots.

Dr. Jones, I presume?

Night photo with light painting, abandoned house of Dr. W.B. Jones, Kansas.

Located in Flint Hills, Dr. W.B. Jones built this beautiful home in the 1870s. He and his wife Sarah only lived here for a few years. However, the house remains, standing alone and isolated in this beautiful setting. Dr. Jones practiced in Florence for much of his life while his children went to school. We found the setting of his house to be particularly beautiful and photogenic.

How us Nightaxians create the images

Pentax K-1 and 15-30mm f/2.8 lens, a beautiful and durable combination for high-quality night photography images.

All three of us Nightaxians use Pentax K-1 DSLR cameras. While they are a little long in the tooth, they continue to be outstanding cameras for night photography.

We create these photos by setting our cameras on tripods. We open the camera shutter for long periods of time. While the shutter is open, we walk around with a handheld flashlight capable of producing different colors. During the exposure, all the light we shine on the subject is 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. 

We photographed near a full moon. In this way, the moon illuminates some of the surrounding landscape. We can augment this moonlight in very subtle ways, or we can bring the weirdness by using different angles or even using different colors. We hold night photography workshops, which I post on my Ken Lee Photography website.

The best part of the journey

John Brown mural, Capitol Building, Topeka, Kansas, with Nightaxians Tim Little and Mike Cooper looking on.

We were rained out during the first night. However, we weren’t even upset about it because we were hanging out together. The main point is the friendship and the fun during the entire time we spend together. The long journeys across many miles are a lot of fun, with great conversations along the way. And in between are the fun times over barbecue, blueberry pancakes, and tacos.

Sure, night photography can be a solitary activity. We get to the location and often spread out, taking photos and doing our own thing. But we’re never far away from each other.

We drove across much of Kansas listening to Van Halen. This is in part because Van Halen is pretty great. However, it might also have something to do with Mike only having Van Halen CDs* in his vehicle.

*For history buffs, CDs are these shiny disks that people would slip into a thin slot to produce music. Whether exploring 1800s schoolhouses or using yesterday’s music media, Mike has a strong appreciation for history in so different ways.

Warning: This article was written under the influence of the first two Van Halen albums.

My museum exhibit: Abandoned Planes Trains and Automobiles in Joshua Tree

Abandoned Planes Trains and Automobiles
An Exhibition by Ken Lee

Hi-Desert Nature Museum
57090 29 Palms Highway
Yucca Valley CA

Opening night
12 January 2024 5-7 pm

The exhibit runs through the 16th of March 2024.

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

BOOKS AND PRINTS:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure prints and more.  My books are available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review, thanks!

NIGHTAXIANS VIDEO YOUTUBE PODCAST:

Night photographers Tim Little, Mike Cooper and I all use Pentax gear. We discuss this, gear, adventures, light painting, lenses, night photography, creativity, and more in this ongoing YouTube podcast. Subscribe and watch to the Nightaxians today!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

VIDEO PRESENTATION:

How We Got the Shots: Five Photographers, Five Stories – Night Photo Summit 2022

VIDEO INTERVIEW:

Ken Lee’s Abandoned Trains Planes and Automobiles with Tim Little of Cape Nights Photography
Conversation about night photography and my book with Lance Keimig of National Park At Night

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern California’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols