Watch the entire video at youtu.be/_zFjcU5WSms

After teaching you how I shoot some EPIC waves, I struggle with feelings of inadequacy when I see the size of Michael Shaiunblums new vlogging rig and Hollywood crew. How can I possibly compete with just a broken Spazmo Rocket and a dyslexic Gopro?

To Make things worse, my stalker ramps up the creep factor to dangerous levels but at least Michaels $50k camera ends up in pieces. I finally get my way by confiscating his appropriate footwear.

Thanks for watching
Gavin Hardcastle

Tags:   Fototripper thors well shore acres oregon coast michael shainblum sean bagshaw

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It's one thing to capture mesmerizing clouds, it's another thing to capture them over a geological marvel such as Smith Rock.

A bit of luck, a whole lot of planning and even more driving paid off.

To watch the full video of the creation of this image, head over to the Fototripper Youtube channel.

Thanks for looking
Gavin Hardcastle

Tags:   michael shainblum smith rock oregon storm clouds sunset stormy desert summer epic hanks Robin

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A most electrifying evening was enjoyed by myself and Michael Shainblum during this August moonset at Smith Rock in Oregon.

After a spectacular sunset, we hunkered down under the stars to await the appearance of the Milky Way.

We had to wait for the moon to set over the horizon before we had any chance of if it being dark enough for astrophotography.

Neither one of us was expecting the wait to be the highlight of the evening. As we sat there under the moonlight staring off into the distance scoffing copious quantities of chocolate, we both noticed a dramatic flash way off on the far horizon.

There isn't much in this life that make me put down a half devoured bar of chocolate. Lightning is one of those things.

We both sprang into action and began frantically setting up our compositions. As the lightning was so unpredictable and I had no idea how long it would last. I didn't dare stop shooting.

The ideal would have been to switch my camera into 'timelapse' interval shooting mode but I knew that would take at least a couple of minutes to set up.

That's two minutes I didn't want to risk loosing the perfect moment.

For the next hour we both stood transfixed, never taking our fingers off the shutter as we rattled off continuous thirty second exposures.

This final image contains a few different exposures that I blended together to show the more interesting moments of lightning, cloud positions and that gorgeous setting moon.

I feel that the final image accurately conveys how exhilarating it felt that night to be standing atop such a magnificent ridge.

At about two AM we hiked back down the hill and parted to go our separate ways. Michael had to head back home to San Francisco and I had to tackle the long ride back home to Canada.

We both had a huge distance to cover but I can promise you that we ate those miles with huge grins on our tired and crumpled faces.


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Download our Milk Way Made Easy Photography course here www.fototripper.com/milky-way-made-easy-online-photograph...

For the last couple of months I've been working on a big project with Michael Shainblum.

You'll soon be able to watch some hilarious but inspirational vlogs from our adventures under the night skies of Oregon.

Watch out for cameo appearances from Nick Page and Andrew Studer who just happens to do the best Peter Mckinnon impersonation I have ever witnessed.

Thanks for looking
Gavin Hardcastle

Tags:   smith rock oregon moonset lightening misery ridge Fototripper michael shainblum milky way made easy

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There's nothing more satisfying than realizing an idea. The idea came for this shot several years ago when I first visited this sea cave on the South West coast of Vancouver Island.

Upon entering the cave, my first thought was ''I bet the Milky Way passes through that opening in the summer''.

I knew I wanted to capture that shot but wouldn't it be so much cooler if I could place a stargazer in that shot?

I filed it away in memory and years later I got the opportunity to turn the idea into reality with Amanda.

When we ventured into the sea cave at Mystic Beach with this shot in mind, I wasn't entirely sure that the stars would align.

The chances of getting clear skies on the last day of September with zero wind... well, we got very lucky.

I put this image together using several exposures that were shot over a 30 minute period and obviously had to focus stack my model Amanda and then blend that exposure with the background.

As soon as I saw those first exposures on the back of the camera I knew I'd nailed it. Amanda was able to keep perfectly still during those long exposures while I did some light painting using just a headlamp.

It was the perfect end to the perfect day. One that I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

Thanks for looking
Gavin Hardcastle - Fototripper

Tags:   mystic beach juan de fuca trail sea cave milky way astrophotography galactic core Vancouver Island michael shainblum

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