Photog Adventures Podcast: A Landscape Photography and Astrophotography Podcast

I have some hard news: the Faroe Islands have changed. A lot of it is just bad for me as a workshop leader plenty of it points to more restrictions in the future making going as a photographer better now than it might be in the future. This was very likely my last time running a workshop out there. It's getting blocked off in areas it never was and monetized in ways making it way more costly. Hang with me for an hour so I can tell you exactly what changed so you know what you are walking into.

Before I sound all doom and gloom, it really is not all bad news. Most of the changes are making it so that there IS a Faroes Island Photography scene in the future. Humans are selfish and idiotic and the more humans annoy the landowners, the less likely we will be welcome there. So these changes prolong our relationship with the Faroes and SAVES the Faroes. But some of it just plain sucks.

In this one I break down where the puffins actually are worth your time, why it's so hard to catch a sunset over the water in July no matter how sunny it is. One guy in my group got a puffin shot he never dreamed he could get, and the other guy just barely missed it, let's learn together so that you are able to get that dream puffin portrait when you get out there next!

Utah's 2026 drought turned a road I have driven many times into a completely different beast. In the first half I tell the story of what happened out there and why after a dry winter you probably should double-check conditions before deciding to drive dusty roads you maybe have driven JUST LAST YEAR which may have changed entirely. This road was mostly a medium challenge six times in a row...not this time! Here are the DOs and DONTs of sandy driving that kept me from getting stuck in the middle of nowhere.

After the break I walk you through my favorite steps for capturing a portfolio worthy image at the Sand Cave. From picking your position around the dune, to getting your sky before the important stars leave the window of the cave and then finally the foreground captures that bring the whole image together in post. You will also get the honest truth about my opinion on stacking sky images again but this time I will explain the two situations where it actually makes a difference versus the one where you are just wasting your time.

PSA: Anyone planning a trip to Devil's Garden in Escalante. Hole in the Rock Road is now getting paved! It already has ten miles and goes nearly through to Devil's Garden. It's so amazing to experience the drive out there being so incredibly smooth. It's a million times better experience than it has ever been. If you have been putting off this trip, your excuse just got a lot weaker!

In today's episode I talk about last week's night out at Devil's Garden and how I could have better planned for the moon and why going impromptu on moon photography is a lesson you only need to learn once. You will also be reminded about mastering your camera's quirks! These issues only reveal themselves when you are standing under the stars at 2am. Get out often to help you find yours BEFORE your next big trip rather than during it.

In the second half I share my absolute favorite compositions at Devil's Garden from my favorite Adventure Pinnacles to Metate Arch and its very specific window of opportunity you need to nail the best composition at the Arch. With a smooth ride all the way to the Devil's Garden parking turnoff, you don't have any excuses to get out there and have an Escalante Adventure asap!

I’m counting down my top five favorite Milky Way shots of all time - up to now at least. Each one’s a story of what went well and what could have gone better chasing the stars at these brilliant locations. Sometimes an image is in my Top Ten because of my work nailing the perfect frame and learning from the times I totally botched it. But sometimes these images are in the Top Ten just thanks to where they are and how easy it is to get something amazing there!

From the wild southern skies of New Zealand to the rugged canyons of Utah, these locations have shaped how I see the night sky through my lens. You’ll get the highs and lows of each shoot, plus some solid tips to help you snag your own killer Milky Way pic.

Oh, and if these spots get you stoked, my upcoming eBook "Photog Adventures' Milky Way Field Guide has ALL of my favorite locations and helpful tips on how to get there. Tune in for the full scoop or click here when ready to grab your copy: https://bit.ly/45YC4FL

In this one, I dive into what went well nailing Aurora shots even with low-KP activity and what could’ve gone better waiting for that perfect light to hit. You’ll get my first impression favorite spots, stories on dealing with Lofoten’s fast-moving clouds and the reality of Lofoten Islands' limited pathways & parking.

This podcast is all about scouting this jaw-dropping Arctic spot, chasing the Aurora Borealis and seeing some unreal landscapes celebrating the wondrous look of Norwegian Fjords. Think near-misses over Hamnoy Bridge’s iconic red buildings balanced with pure wins like stumbling on the green grass water pools off Havveringen Road. This episode is packed with the highs and lows of photographing in a place that DEFINITELY needs to remain on your Bucket List!

Hear what it was like going to New Zealand and seeing the Southern Hemisphere Milky Way sky for my VERY FIRST TIME! The Southern Island of New Zealand has no shortage of beautiful views but what if the most iconic locations are covered in clouds? In this episode, you will hear the successes and challenges we met while hunting for compositions in a world entirely new to us, a milky way orientation incredible but foreign to us and how we dealt with the weather keeping us away from the expected main targets.

This week on the podcast I am joined by my first guest in a very long time, Jeroen Linnenkamp! Jeroen and I were talking about star color and he had the question about whether shutter could ruin star color the way that high ISO will blow out star color. I wasn't sure if there was a threshold when the exposure would start clipping the star color by shutter alone and so Jeroen did an experiment and shared the results with me for Milky Way Wednesday and today he talks about what those results mean to him.

Along with that Jeroen shares adventures of Milky Way Photography from the Netherlands and a story about a beast that could have killed him while out enjoying fields of heather. Whether you are in the southwest of the United States or the low lands of Holland, Astrophotographers are always risking life and limb for the shot!

Say thanks to Jeroen for joining the podcast by subscribing to his YouTube channel and following his instagram! Links below!

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StarScaperPhoto

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeroenlin/

This week on Milky Way Wednesday I was joined by Clarence Spencer of SpencersCamera.com to answer all questions about Astro-modified cameras that the Milky Way Wednesday crowd could think up! In case you missed it and thousands of you most certainly did, here is a replay of the awesome breadth of knowledge that Clarence shared with my YouTube audience!

This winter we all have been challenged to capture a Winter Milky Way Panorama and one of the most critical steps to a successful one is using an Astro-modded camera. Thanks to Clarence's business SpencersCamera.com we all have an affordable way to get that camera to use this winter!

In between questions from the audience, Clarence also showed us how he edits his astro-modded images to give you a head-start once you capture your own astro-modded Milky Way image!

Link to YouTube Video Version:

https://youtu.be/OBblwHSoEYM

This week on the Photog Adventures Podcast I give you the FIVE TIPS you need for Winter Milky Way Panoramas! I won't tell what they are here so you still have to listen to me :D but I cover everything from the perfect window of opportunity for panorama as well as what hours during the night you can expect to be out there to be able to capture that perfect panorama window.

The absolute best news is what is happening in February and March and what incredible fun challenge those months are bringing! I hope you will all join me in taking on the challenge of Winter Milky Way and what we get to do in February and March!

The challenges and successes of Milky Way Photography in North Carolina! I just got back from my first Milky Way Workshop out on the East Coast and enjoyed some successes and crazy stories while out there!

In this episode, I will go over FIVE THINGS:

1- Depressing Meal

2- First Night Near Fatal

3- Blue Ridge Parkway Milky Way "The Good and the Bad"

4- Rocks at Fort Fisher Milky Way "The Good and the Bad"

5- Final Goodbye to the Milky Way core at Caswell Beach

Next week's episode: Winter Milky Way Panorama!