Milky Way Reflections

Milky Way Reflections occupies a special place in Nathan's heart. Like many of his favorite images, this one will forever connect him to one of the most significant people in his life—his oldest daughter.

He and his daughter created this image together on one of the first family camping trips his children could join him on and, although it is less than perfect, there's a strange and beautiful balance in the way the light plays out in this image.

For instance, the light pollution spilling onto and around layers of traveling clouds give extra definition to the tree line while a thin band of mist denotes the water's edge. Last but certainly not least, the curious way the stars reflected on the water adds a fascinating element that Nathan enjoys not understanding the science behind.

Why do the stars appear brighter and more stable in their reflections than in the sky? Nathan doesn't ever want to know, and no matter where else photography takes him, this photograph will always bring him back to when his little girl wanted nothing more than to spend a few minutes sharing time with her dad.