Category Archives: Photography

Dylann & Owen’s Wedding

Bodie decided he wanted to rejoin the festivities after walking down the aisle with his brother, Bentley earlier in the ceremony. As the best man ran into the farmhouse to grab the rings, both dogs made their escape from the house and sprinted through. the ceremony before settling down with one of the bridesmaids.

I feel very blessed to witness the little girl I first met when Amy and I just began dating now truly grown up, taking her vows with her true love, Owen. Along with their rambunctious pups. And Eric Handelman, who, at the happy couples’ request, served as the officiant.

It was a lovely crisp day in Skaneateles, NY near one of the many Finger Lakes south of Rochester. Not only was it an occasion where all four of our immediate family were able to come together, but to bring a multitude of generations in the Handelman-Hogan clan together for this beautiful event.

Let me just say – Dylann is an amazing person – an entrepreneur, a mom and a wife with an amazing drive to get it done – whatever the task. And Owen’s already a great father and will no doubt be a great husband too.

Click more to see the gallery of 100+ photos I took during the event with my brand-spanking new Sony A7V, the first full-frame camera I’ve bought in over a decade.

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Bode’s Galaxy and the Cigar: A Deep Dive into Ursa Major’s Cosmic Neighborhood

Some targets earn their reputation. M81 and M82 — Bode’s Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy — are staples of the spring sky, the kind of pair that shows up in every beginner’s first light report and every veteran’s “I need to do this one properly” list. I finally got around to doing it properly.

A Galaxy Group in the Cosmic Neighborhood

What you’re looking at in this image isn’t just two famous galaxies. It’s a whole gravitational family, the M81 Group, a collection of around 40 galaxies bound together by mutual gravity, sitting roughly 12 million light-years from Earth. That sounds impossibly far, but in the grand scheme of the universe, it makes them close neighbors. Our own Milky Way belongs to a similar family called the Local Group, which includes Andromeda, the Triangulum Galaxy, and a few dozen smaller satellites. The M81 Group and our Local Group aren’t gravitationally bound to each other, but they’re near-neighbors in the same larger cosmic structure, the Virgo Supercluster. Think of them as two small towns in the same county.

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My journey into deep space

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When you view my astrophotography on Facebook and Instagram, do you wonder how the heck I’m doing this? Well, more than a few of you have asked, so I thought I’d write a short bit of background on the process. If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out to me via my socials!

I dove headfirst into this hobby during the summer of 2017 when a total lunar eclipse cut across North Georgia. I picked up a used Celestron reflector telescope, one I’d lusted for as a preteen in all those gift catalogs. I finally owned one! And with that purchase, the descent began.

I’ve often said this is the hardest hobby I’ve ever had. It requires patience first and foremost, but also software, hardware, mechanical, weather, design, and more skills. But I’ve only recently found it rewarding. The tipping point was our new backyard. In our old place, there was simply no view of the sky unobstructed by trees unless I hauled my gear to Grant Park and hung out there into questionable hours of the night with my expensive gear. But our new place has a backyard garden with very clear views of much of the sky. And behind a secure gate, I can leave my gear up all night while I sleep.

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How I got lost in space

When you view my astrophotography on Facebook and Instagram, have you ever wondered how the heck I’m doing this? Well, more than a few of you have asked, so I thought I’d write a short bit of background on the process. If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out.

I dove headfirst into this hobby during the summer of 2017 when a total lunar eclipse cut across North Georgia. I picked up a used Celestron reflector telescope, one I’d lusted for as a preteen in all those gift catalogs. And almost 50 years later, and I finally owned one! And with that purchase, the descent into AAS (astronomy acquisition syndrome) began.

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