Galactic Turtle
This is a single photo, taken along Kauai’s Na Pali Coast. The location is only accessible by boat, and only for a part of the year. Scuba Tom kayaks to this beach and camps here frequently while working on photos and enjoying some off-grid time. The many nights spent camping here allowed Tom to study and prepare for this shot. He waited for the correct time of year where the Milky Way is not obscured by the mountains. He waited for the new moon, to minimize light pollution. He set an alarm to wake up in the middle of the night, when the Milky Way would be very low on the horizon. He also waited for all of these factors to align with the annual Perseid Meteor shower. (did you notice the two meteors in the photo?)
Originally, Tom planned to photograph the stars reflecting over a nearby river, but when he noticed a turtle sleeping near the planned shot he adjusted his concept. The turtle was sleeping, not nesting, and she was a fabulous model. She slept through the hours-long photoshoot which kept her very still during each 30 second exposure. Tom wrapped his headlamp in several layers of his shirt and used this gentle diffused light to illuminate the sleeping turtle so that she could be seen in the foreground.
Of the countless photographs captured by Scuba Tom over the years, this one stands out as his favorite.
Sea Turtle and Milky Way photo by Scuba Tom.
Astrophotography with sea turtle. Kauai night sky photograph.