Night Shoot Interrupted

I was planning on a run over to the Paradox Valley this evening to work on some night photography. It is the dark of the moon, and the Milky Way is up. I was out there a week ago to take some test shots. I have a new camera system, so I needed some experience with the setup. Much to learn. More on the gear in a later post. I have inserted a shot below from that evening. I ended up with several out-of-focus images because I hadn't established a workflow as I moved the camera for a different composition. The lens slipped out of infinity focus and I didn't check. I was working between sunset and moonrise, which gave me a couple of hours to work.

I hesitate to call it work. It was hot in the Valley, but I was utterly alone. There is a town over in Castle Valley on the other side of Castleton Ridge, and a ranch a couple of miles away. There was no one in the campground because of the heat. I did pass a trailer on one of the sites along the Colorado River with a generator running or an A/C. Other than that, all I heard was a crow off in the distance and the sand bouncing off my truck when the wind came up. So just me, the camera, and a lovely evening watching the shadows come up and the stars come out. I left at moonrise. It was 11:30 PM, and I still had an 80 mph drive back on I-70 to Colorado.

Image inserted below.

Moving In

Welcome

I will be sharing a series of narratives that detail my travels, photography planning, geological findings, musings, and, most importantly, my photography. These posts will be structured like storyboards used in filmmaking, game design, and other creative pursuits. The purpose is twofold: to create a medium for organizing my thoughts as I follow my creative instincts and to share them with those who are interested.

In this space, you’ll find my thoughts, intentions, processes, mistakes, and personal development as I navigate my photography goals and geological discoveries. I will document my travels throughout the Western United States as I explore and photograph this world-class, unique terrain.

My background includes degrees in Geology, Information Systems, and Software Engineering. I studied the Physical Sciences as an undergraduate, funded by the GI Bill. There is an interesting story behind how I became a Geologist, which I will share in future posts. My interests span Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy, Meteorology, Chemistry, and Geology. I pursued graduate studies in Information Science and Software Engineering, which have enhanced both my marketable skills and, more importantly, my capabilities as a Geologist.

I hope you find something of interest here, and I also hope you enjoy the results of my photography as much as I do. My photographs are captured through a geological perspective, serving to document both the moment and the memory.

One more note, feel free to use the comments to critique anything I post. I inform criticism and hope to improve on what I present. If you have questions I'll do my best to answer them, if you want me to go photograph an area you plan on visiting out here for vaction I"ll try an fit it in. Just give me the who, when, and what your interest is. There is a comment section below and I've provided and email for your use. Also, I once again invite you to visit my web page:

buzzshawphoto.com

Dewey Bridge Member of the Navajo Sandstone. Unedited cell phone image.
Hot afternoon on 21 August 2025