Milky Way Astrophotography in Sequoia! Engagement Photography with Stars | Nancy + Jon

So when we met with Nancy and Jon, they threw out the idea of doing Sequoia engagement photography, which we got really excited about.  Not only is Sequoia National Park a BEAUTIFUL place, but there is almost no light pollution at all.  Light pollution is the biggest enemy of nighttime astrophotography of the Milky Way, since only the brightest of stars will show.  But when you are out in the middle of nowhere, all of the little stars come out and you can finally see the Magellanic clouds of the Milky Way.  So we started the shoot in Sequoia, hitting up many of the amazing sequoia trees.  

Here’s a teaser of what we did that night. It’s astrophotography during an engagement photo session with the Milky Way. It’s NOT photoshopped (edited, but not manipulated, composited, or stacked).

We actually scouted out the park the day before (all good wedding and engagement photographers scout locations as part of their job) and found many photogenic locations to shoot at, from scenic glens surrounded by towering trees to roots hanging out of a fallen behemoth of a tree trunk.  After that we headed to Moro Rock to get some sunset photos.  Then we got dinner with Nancy and Jon to pass the time (to give time for the Milky Way to rise), after which we were able to get some astrophotography with the Milky Way! So look below for Sequoia National Park engagement photos!

Starting the Sequoia Engagement Photography

There are plenty of large sequoia trees that have fallen and have beautiful exposed roots, making for some amazing engagement photos.

Even during the daylight we can use a little strobed lighting to enhance our engagement photography.

Just look at how super tall these sequoia trees are!

Here is our cute couple walking through an idyllic glen.

And here is a burned out tree, where the fire burned the exposed inside of the tree, but couldn’t burn the crazy thick bark of the sequoia tree.

And talk about using a fallen log for an engagement photo.

Tunnel Log in Sequoia Park

This is a fallen sequoia tree that is hollowed out as a tunnel for vehicles to pass under, known as tunnel log.

Sunset at Moro Rock

We caught the sunset at Moro Rock.

Low Light Night Engagement Photos

Engagement Photography with the Milky Way (Astrophotography)

We did wide field astrophotography with the milky way in the background of the engagement photos. We do these with a single exposure, meaning no photoshop, no stacking, and no compositing.

Here is my couple holding up a focusable flashlight. I told him to hold it up and point it at a star for the 20 second duration and this is what really came out from the exposure!

Sequoia Engagement Photography

For more scenic travel destination engagement photography, check out the rest of our blog.  This session was at Sequoia National Park, Moro Rock, and Three Rivers, CA. It showcases astrophotography with the Milky Way, using light painting and other techniques to pull out the couple amongst the stars.

Sequoia is an ideal location for astrophotography due to it’s remote location, which makes it less afflicted by light pollution from urban areas. It similar to other “dark” areas, such as Joshua Tree, the Mojave Desert, Death Valley, and the Salton Sea. When getting photos of the Milky Way, this is one of the major considerations and factors in executing the shoot.

Here is what it looks like over an hour of doing astrophotography during a session in Joshua Tree:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BalvKpxBMYE/

If you are interested in booking us for an astrophotography engagement session, check out our engagement photography pricing page first.