A clear break between storms provided a marvellous night in the mountains to shoot nightscapes.
Every year I travel to Waterton Lakes National Park in southwest Alberta to deliver public talks and photo workshops, usually as part of one of the festivals held each year. I was there June 15 to 17 to participate in the annual Wildflower Festival.
Two photographers and participants at my June 17, 2018 Night Photography Workshop in Waterton Lakes National Park, at Maskinonge, in the evening twilight, with the twilight colours over the lake. Two swans are in the distance. This was a magical evening.
A single exposure with the Sigma 20mm lens and Nikon D750.
A photographer and participant at my June 17, 2018 Night Photography Workshop in Waterton Lakes National Park, at Maskinonge, in the evening twilight, with the clouds lit by the setting Sun.
A single exposure with the Sigma 20mm lens and Nikon D750.
On Sunday, June 17 skies cleared to allow my workshop group to travel to one of my favourite spots, Maskinonge, to practice nightscape shooting techniques. The sunset was stunning, then as skies darkened the Moon and Venus over Waterton River provided the scene.
Two photographers and participants at my June 17 Night Photography Workshop in Waterton Lakes National Park, at Maskinonge, in the evening twilight, with the waxing crescent Moon (at centre) and noctilucent clouds (at right).
A single exposure with the Sigma 20mm lens and Nikon D750.
The waxing crescent Moon, and Venus (just above the mountain ridge) and, to the right, noctilucent clouds glowing low in the north over the Waterton River at the Maskinonge picnic area in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta on June 17, 2018. The Moon is beside Regulus in Leo.
There was no wind this night, rare for Waterton.
This is a high dynamic range stack of 5 exposures from dark to light, blended with Adobe Camera Raw. Taken with the Nikon D750 and Sigma 20mm lens. Additional contrast enhancement applied using Zone System Express 5 Photoshop extension and “Enhanced Contrast” function.
As twilight deepened, a display of noctilucent clouds appeared to the north, my first sighting of the season for this unusual northern sky phenomenon. These clouds at the edge of space are lit by sunlight even at local midnight and form only around summer solstice over the Arctic.
Noctilucent clouds glowing low in the north over the Waterton River at the Maskinonge picnic area in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta on June 17, 2018. Cassiopeia (the “W”) is at right.
This is a high dynamic range stack of 5 exposures from dark to light, blended with Adobe Camera Raw. Taken with the Nikon D750 and Sigma 20mm lens. Additional contrast enhancement applied using Zone System Express 5 Photoshop extension and “Enhanced Contrast” function.
Noctilucent clouds glowing low in the north and reflected in unsually calm waters of the Waterton River at the Maskinonge picnic area in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta on June 17, 2018. There was no wind this night, rare for Waterton.
This is a high dynamic range stack of 5 exposures from dark to light, blended with Adobe Camera Raw. Taken with the Nikon D750 and Sigma 20mm lens. Additional contrast enhancement applied using Zone System Express 5 Photoshop extension and “Enhanced Contrast” function.
As the sky slowly darkened and the Moon set, the Milky Way appeared arching across the east and down into the south. The sky was never “astronomically dark,” but even with perpetual twilight illuminating the sky, the Milky Way still made a superb subject, especially this night with it reflected in the calm waters on this unusually windless night for Waterton.
The Milky Way over Maskinonge Lake at Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada, on June 17/18, 2018. This was an unusually calm night, allowing the reflections of the stars in the lake waters. Jupiter is in Libra at far right. Saturn is Sagittarius in the Milky Way at left of centre. Scorpius is in between. The sky is deep blue from solstice twilight.
The Maskinonge area is a sacred site to the Blackfoot Nation.
This is a two-section panorama, with the ground a stack of 5 exposures for each section to smooth noise, with the sky and stellar reflections coming from one exposure for each segment to minimize trailing. All 25 seconds at f/2.2 with the 20mm Sigma Art lens and Nikon D750 at ISO 3200. Stiching with Photoshop Photomerge.
Jupiter (at right) and Saturn (at left) shining brightly in the sky and reflected in the still waters of Maskinonge Lake at Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, on June 17/18, 2018. The Milky Way is at left, Scorpius is at centre, and two satellite trails are at top. The sky is blue with solstice twilight. The trees on the opposite shore are charred from the Kenow Fire in September 2017. In the distance are Sofa Mountain and Viny Peak.
This is a stack of 10 exposures for the ground, mean combined to smooth noise, and one exposure for the sky and stellar reflections. All 20 seconds at f/2.2 with the Sigma 20mm Art lens and Nikon D750 at ISO 3200.
On the way back to town, I stopped at another favourite spot, Driftwood Beach on Middle Waterton Lake, to take more images of the Milky Way over Waterton, including the lead image at top.
It was a perfect night in Waterton for shooting the stars and enjoying the night sky. By morning it was raining again!
The Amazing Sky 
Thank you all and happy solstice!
Thank you so much for sharing this beauty. I’m reminded of Psalm 19: The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament shows His handiwork.
Wow Allen that is beautiful!
Avis
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Wow!!! Ah…mazing sky!