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Capturedbymilligan

@capturedbymilligan

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Utah nightscapes shaped by light, land & wonder
Milky Way workshops • Fine-art prints
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America’s Birthday, Written in Moonlight At 2 a.m. on July 4th, I went looking for a little darkness and maybe a hint of aurora. What I found felt like nature’s own fireworks show. A nearly full moon lit the mountains, the sky opened in violet and green, and only later did I notice the small purple flowers in the foreground, almost like they were placed there for the moment. Quiet. Unexpected. Almost unreal. Nature had its own way of celebrating. taken in Logan Canyon by @capturedbymilligan
12
3 months ago
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➡️ Swipe through to see what this Milky Way workshop is all about! Or click: https://uncharted.net/events/milky-way-photography-for-beginners/ 📸 Ever wanted to capture the Milky Way — and learn to think like an innovator? I’m teaching a **hands-on beginner-friendly Milky Way photography class** under some of the darkest skies in the West — Bortle Class 2, Franklin Basin, Utah. 🗓️ **May 23, 2025** 📍 **Franklin Basin, Utah** 🌌 **Bortle Class 2 skies** 🎒 DSLR / Mirrorless welcome 🔥 Optional campfire + overnight shoot This isn’t just a photo class. I’m also sharing **innovation frameworks I learned at MIT** and have used over a 20-year R&D career to solve tough problems and unlock creativity. 🎧 Want the backstory? I talk about it all on the **Uncharted Podcast** here: 🔗 https://uncharted.net/podcasts/ 🎟️ Sign up & workshop info: 🔗 https://uncharted.net/.../milky-way-photography-for.../ Limited spots. Let’s shoot the stars. #milkywayphotography #milkywayworkshop #nightphotography #dslrphotography #mirrorlessphotography #astrophotography #cachevalley #franklinbasin #shootthestars #unchartedpodcast #beginnerphotography #milkywaychasers #innovationmindset #unchartedadventures taken in Franklin Basin by @capturedbymilligan
1
a year ago
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A Moment I'll Never Forget , The Taj Mahal Standing before the Taj Mahal, I felt something I can hardly put into words. It wasn't just awe, it was a quiet hum deep inside, a sense that I was witnessing more than architecture. I was standing inside one of the greatest love stories ever lived. I was incredibly lucky to be given special permission to capture this moment, a rare opportunity not always granted. The early light, the perfect reflection, the soft stillness in the air, it all came together like it was meant to be. The Taj Mahal is a place where grief was turned into beauty, where love became something the world could see and feel centuries later. Taking this image was more than photography. It was being part of a love story that refuses to fade. Some places you visit. Some places visit you. This was one of those places. #TajMahal #MonumentToLove #OnceInALifetime #WondersOfTheWorld #IncredibleIndia #HistoricLove #TravelPhotography #CapturedMoments #LoveBeyondTime taken in Taj Mahal, Agra City by @capturedbymilligan
7
a year ago
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Aurora Color Explosion – KP 9.5 at Mid-Latitude This was one of the most awe-inspiring aurora displays I’ve ever seen. With the KP index hitting 9.5, the Northern Lights stretched far beyond their usual range, reaching deep into southern Idaho, a rare sight at this latitude. The colors were electric, but what the photo doesn’t show is the energy pulsing through the sky. It wasn’t just light, it felt alive. What is the KP Index? The KP index measures geomagnetic storm strength on a scale from 0 to 9. A KP 9+ event is an extreme geomagnetic storm, meaning the aurora can be seen farther south than usual. At this level, the lights danced in fast-moving waves, shifting in color and intensity in ways that felt otherworldly. Have you ever seen an aurora storm like this? #AuroraBorealis #KP9 #NorthernLights #Astrophotography #SpaceWeather #IdahoSkies #CosmicWonders #CelestialMagic #AuroraStorm by @capturedbymilligan
5
2 years ago
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Northern Lights, The View Behind Me The old saying "Look behind you" couldn’t have been more true on this night. The aurora faded from the northern sky, but just as I turned around, the southern sky lit up, framed perfectly by the towering pines. Bear River Range High Country, Utah Deep in the remote high country of the Bear River Range, far from city lights, the Northern Lights made a rare and unexpected appearance. The surreal purple and magenta hues painted the sky in a way I had never seen before. Chasing the Aurora The Northern Lights are unpredictable. Sometimes, the best view isn’t where you expect it, it’s behind you, waiting to be noticed. #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #Astrophotography #ChasingLight #CosmicWonders #BearRiverRange #ExploreUtah #DarkSky #SkyGazing #CelestialMagic taken in Tony Grove Lake by @capturedbymilligan
9
2 years ago
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A Moment of Stillness Under the Milky Way This wasn’t a posed shot, it just happened. My niece’s tent, glowing softly from the inside, filled with stuffed animals and lit by their nightlight, sitting quietly beneath the vastness of the universe. Franklin Basin, Utah Nestled below a high mountain ridge, surrounded by comb-like aspens, this place is a world away from city lights. The Milky Way, emerging from its winter hibernation, rose behind the silhouetted trees, subtly illuminated with low-level lighting in Royce Bair’s style. The Feeling of the Cosmos There’s something indescribable about nights like this. The Milky Way stretches infinitely, and yet, under it, you feel both incredibly small and deeply significant at the same time. How much peace can one feel under the Milky Way? Maybe as unknown as how it all formed and why we are here. Have you ever had a moment like this? Drop a thought in the comments if you’ve experienced the magic of the night sky! #Astrophotography #CampingUnderTheStars #MilkyWay #DarkSky #NaturePhotography #ExploreUtah #LowLevelLighting #WildernessVibes #StarryNights by @capturedbymilligan
5
2 years ago
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Comet NEOWISE – A Once-in-a-Lifetime View This is Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3), captured during its incredible journey through our skies. For a brief moment, this cosmic traveler put on a spectacular show, with its long ion tail and glowing nucleus shining against the dark expanse of space. \Fast Facts About NEOWISE: Discovered in March 2020, NEOWISE became visible to the naked eye in July. This comet won’t return for another 6,800 years, meaning this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime sight. Its bright cyan-colored core comes from ionized carbon, while the dual tails are made of gas and dust pushed by solar wind. Capturing this was a surreal experience, knowing that this was a fleeting moment in cosmic time. Did you get to see NEOWISE? Drop a word in the comments if you caught this rare celestial event! #CometNEOWISE #Astrophotography #Cosmos #SpacePhotography #DeepSky #NightSky #Stargazing #CosmicWonders #LongExposure #CelestialEvent by @capturedbymilligan
1
2 years ago
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Logan River in Fall... This spot, nestled deep in Logan Canyon, is one of my favorite places, especially in autumn. The Logan River, framed by sheer cliffs and vibrant golden leaves, makes this one of the best locations to experience Utah’s fall colors. 🍁 Fun Facts About Logan Canyon: 🔹 The Logan River stretches over 53 miles, carving through some of the most rugged terrain in northern Utah. 🔹 The canyon is part of the Bear River Range, with limestone cliffs that are millions of years old. 🔹 Fall foliage peaks between late September and mid-October, with aspens, maples, and willows turning brilliant shades of gold, red, and orange. Whether it’s hiking, fly fishing, or just sitting by the rushing water, this place never gets old. #LoganCanyon #UtahFall #FallColors #LoganRiver #MountainPhotography #NatureLover #AutumnVibes #WaterfallWednesday #ExploreUtah #LandscapePhotography by @capturedbymilligan
3
2 years ago
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NEOWISE Over Tony Grove Lake I often shoot at Tony Grove Lake, but this time I wasn’t alone, Comet NEOWISE was there, lighting up the sky. The rugged landscape of the Tony Grove area, with Mt. Magog anchoring the right side, made the perfect backdrop for this once-in-a-lifetime celestial event. One of the best parts of this night? The lake was so still that it created a perfect mirror reflection of the stars and the comet itself. About Comet NEOWISE: NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) was a long-period comet that became visible to the naked eye in July 2020. It won’t return for another 6,800 years, so this was a moment that truly won’t come again. Its bright ion and dust tails were visible across the Northern Hemisphere, making it one of the most spectacular comets in recent memory. This was a special night, one where the universe felt a little closer. Did you get to see NEOWISE? Drop a photo in the comments if you caught it, or if you’re waiting for the next great comet! #Astrophotography #CometNEOWISE #TonyGroveLake #Stargazing #NightScape #LongExposure #UtahPhotography #CanonPhotography #Cosmos #Reflections taken in Tony Grove Lake by @capturedbymilligan
2
2 years ago
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🚢 Golden Hour in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam A perfect sunrise over Ha Long Bay, one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World. This stunning bay, located in northern Vietnam, is famous for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands, each shaped by millions of years of erosion. This boat, floating just beside my own cruise, was illuminated perfectly as the morning sun broke through the misty karsts. A peaceful moment, with the sound of gentle waves and the occasional call of seabirds. Fun Facts About Ha Long Bay: 🔹 The name "Ha Long" means "Descending Dragon", based on a legend where dragons were sent to protect Vietnam by creating these islands. 🔹 It’s home to over 1,600 limestone islands and islets, many with hidden caves and floating fishing villages. 🔹 A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was also named one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World. Ha Long Bay is one of those bucket-list destinations that’s even better in person than in pictures. #HaLongBay #VietnamTravel #GoldenHour #CruiseLife #NaturalWonder #UNESCO #LandscapePhotography #TravelPhotography #SunriseMagic #BoatLife taken in Halong Bay, Vietnam by @capturedbymilligan
1
2 years ago
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Just a short, easy hike off Highway 89 near Kanab, this surreal desert landscape is home to the Toadstool Hoodoos, rock formations that seem to defy gravity. This spot, bathed in low-level lighting, made for an incredible night under the Milky Way. 📷 Single exposure: Canon 6D | 14mm | ISO 6400 | f/2.8 🔸 How Hoodoos Form: These towering rock formations are the result of millions of years of erosion. The harder caprock protects the softer sandstone column below it, creating the toadstool-like shape. Over time, wind and water continue sculpting these alien landscapes. Night photography here is magical, a perfect combination of geology and astrophotography. The clear desert air makes for some of the darkest skies in the Southwest, revealing the Milky Way’s rich structure against the hoodoos’ silhouette. 🚶‍♂️ If you visit, bring a flashlight and respect the delicate formations! #Astrophotography #MilkyWay #ToadstoolHoodoo #LowLevelLighting #DesertSky #LongExposure #CanonPhotography #UtahLandscapes #Geology #NightPhotography taken in Toadstool Hoodoos by @capturedbymilligan
3
2 years ago
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Northern, Arizona Tucked away in the remote desert about 2.5 hours from Kanab, this place is nothing short of otherworldly. Getting here? Not Subaru-friendly unless the sand it frozen. It required deep sand driving, careful navigation, and the right tires, but the solitude and the night sky made every challenge worth it. I spent most of the night watching the Milky Way slowly move across the sky, using Royce Bair’s low-level lighting technique to bring out the foreground without overpowering the stars. This is a single 25-second exposure (f/2.8, ISO 6400, 14mm) on my Canon 6D. No blending, just patience. Places like this remind me that some of the best experiences come from the effort it takes to get there. There’s something about sitting under a sky like this—just you, the stars, and the silence of the desert. #Astrophotography #MilkyWay #WhitePocket #LowLevelLighting #DesertSky #NightScape #LongExposure #CanonPhotography #ArizonaNights #DarkSky taken in Northern Arizona by @capturedbymilligan
0
2 years ago
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