Excellent photo essay, James. Stars are something beyond my comprehension. Most of the places I have lived are simply filled with light pollution. I do see some of the more common constellations here in North America.
But the first time I remember being in complete Moonless darkness on a clear night was simply incredible. This was some years ago while I was out camping on the western coast of South Korea. That was a life-changing experience. I really had no words or thoughts to describe it. I simply stared in the night sky.
Thank you Neil. Stars always elude comprehension—the fact that they retain so much mystery adds to their value. That sounds like an incredible experience you had—the kind that will stick with you for decades.
Beautiful night photography James. I remember when I moved back to New England from L.A. and moved to Eastport, ME first. The stars we just so amazing. My daughter had never seen stars like we saw up in Eastport. I still marvel every time I go up there. Thank you for filling the void of my not going up this summer and for this wonderful read!
Thank you Pamela. LA & Eastport have starkly different skies id imagine. Must have been helpful to see stars in the midst of the big cross-country move.
The way we can sometimes feel alone in a crowd…and the way we can feel part of a greater whole—intrinsic and necessary—all alone under a night sky…how to hold onto our sense of belonging in this world we find ourselves in?
Thank you, Ann—I am glad you enjoyed this. Regardless what a person believes, religiously, the grandeur of the night sky provides a different type of faith & unity.
Beautiful piece James. It syncs up with exercises in perception I play with to see more clearly the multitude that is actually my body, expanding that thought outward to see the earth as a cell. I feel an importance in gazing at the stars, and it is more a feeling than something I have words for. I have read that in the distant past, people in the old classical world would be prescribed by their doctors to listen to attend certain concerts or symphonies in specific musical keys - there was an understanding about sound and its healing properties. In this day and age, a good prescription might be requisite star gazing. A means of coming back into our wholeness…healing.
Thank you Emma. Expanding outward is a great exercise in perception. The universe contains us, we are a component of a larger something, we are not the larger something. Doctors prescribing some appreciation of the stars would help a lot, I think. I always lean on Jeffers, but to deemphasize ourselves is central.
Beautiful photo essay, James, and it works on so many levels from the advocacy for dark night skies to the literary constellation of Whitman’s expansive poetry. My favorite photo here is the illuminated bird on a dark shore. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Heidi. I am glad you enjoyed and found it worthwhile. That photo is special to me--from when I made a habit of grabbing my tripod to go for night sky long exposures. I remember fumbling to get the shutter speed back up to bird levels in order to catch that gull in the moonlight, and I am so glad I did.
These photos of the moon are mesmerizing! Really beautiful shots to accompany your thoughts. It’s been too long since I’ve stargazed on a beach, this was a good reminder of what I’m missing.
Excellent photo essay, James. Stars are something beyond my comprehension. Most of the places I have lived are simply filled with light pollution. I do see some of the more common constellations here in North America.
But the first time I remember being in complete Moonless darkness on a clear night was simply incredible. This was some years ago while I was out camping on the western coast of South Korea. That was a life-changing experience. I really had no words or thoughts to describe it. I simply stared in the night sky.
Thank you Neil. Stars always elude comprehension—the fact that they retain so much mystery adds to their value. That sounds like an incredible experience you had—the kind that will stick with you for decades.
Beautiful night photography James. I remember when I moved back to New England from L.A. and moved to Eastport, ME first. The stars we just so amazing. My daughter had never seen stars like we saw up in Eastport. I still marvel every time I go up there. Thank you for filling the void of my not going up this summer and for this wonderful read!
Thank you Pamela. LA & Eastport have starkly different skies id imagine. Must have been helpful to see stars in the midst of the big cross-country move.
The way we can sometimes feel alone in a crowd…and the way we can feel part of a greater whole—intrinsic and necessary—all alone under a night sky…how to hold onto our sense of belonging in this world we find ourselves in?
This fed me, James.
Thank you, Ann—I am glad you enjoyed this. Regardless what a person believes, religiously, the grandeur of the night sky provides a different type of faith & unity.
It truly does.
The Walt Whitman quote is one of my favorites. And I really enjoy how you’ve expressed it here.
Your photography skills never cease to amaze me. Your ability to not only capture the fading of the day, but also the night sky awakening is gorgeous.
I love the night sky. We are all made of star dust.
Thank you, Teyani! This piece has reinvigorated my desire to do some astrophotography.
Beautiful piece James. It syncs up with exercises in perception I play with to see more clearly the multitude that is actually my body, expanding that thought outward to see the earth as a cell. I feel an importance in gazing at the stars, and it is more a feeling than something I have words for. I have read that in the distant past, people in the old classical world would be prescribed by their doctors to listen to attend certain concerts or symphonies in specific musical keys - there was an understanding about sound and its healing properties. In this day and age, a good prescription might be requisite star gazing. A means of coming back into our wholeness…healing.
Thank you Emma. Expanding outward is a great exercise in perception. The universe contains us, we are a component of a larger something, we are not the larger something. Doctors prescribing some appreciation of the stars would help a lot, I think. I always lean on Jeffers, but to deemphasize ourselves is central.
Beautiful photo essay, James, and it works on so many levels from the advocacy for dark night skies to the literary constellation of Whitman’s expansive poetry. My favorite photo here is the illuminated bird on a dark shore. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Heidi. I am glad you enjoyed and found it worthwhile. That photo is special to me--from when I made a habit of grabbing my tripod to go for night sky long exposures. I remember fumbling to get the shutter speed back up to bird levels in order to catch that gull in the moonlight, and I am so glad I did.
Thank you, James. It is a magical and beautiful photo. Love it!
Nice pics James, I especially like the one with the nighttime view of a sailboat :)
Thank you so much, Stephen! I’m glad you like that photo—one of my favorites
These photos of the moon are mesmerizing! Really beautiful shots to accompany your thoughts. It’s been too long since I’ve stargazed on a beach, this was a good reminder of what I’m missing.
Thank you very much, Victoria. Stars provide a dose of perspective—and are just pleasant to look at.
Love the shot of the moon reflecting on the surf!
Thank you Alex!