Beauty of Dark Skies Revealed in Time-Lapse Film

Ron Risman may be recognized as the photographer who incredibly captured the same singular moment as a nearby shutterbug, but his specialty is typically far more time consuming. Risman, a time-lapse photography educator, recently released his latest video, a "Love Letter to the Night Sky," a collection of stunning time-lapse scenes from around the country.

Risman timed the release of his "Love Letter" to coincide wth the start of International Dark Sky Week, April 15 to April 21, and the film beautifully displays the enormity and grand motion of the night sky over many picturesque locations. Anyone who has ever taken the time to look up into the star-filled sky above them will appreciate the gorgeous vistas and deep sky views in the film. 

Risman, who leads workshops in dark-sky locations including Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, the Wind River area of Wyoming, and Lake Powell, Kanab, and Bryce Canyon in Utah, said his six years of working in such locations has fundamentally changed him. He notes that after leading workshops at a conference in Las Vegas recently, he couldn't wait to get away from the bustle and bright lights of Sin City. 

"The congestion, noise and light pollution made me feel as if I was being trampled by people, noise, and flashing lights," he says in a story on his Vimeo channel. "I couldn’t think, and it felt suffocating and stressful. I was surprised at how it affected me since I used to be a person that enjoyed that experience. I have been to Las Vegas well over 40 times in my lifetime and I used to think that it energized me. That is how profound the change has been for me ever since discovering the night sky."

It's easy to see why these locations have had such a profound effect on him after watching his video. 

Are you a night sky shooter? Drop a comment about what draws you to shooting while most other people are sleeping. 

Video and images used with permission of Ron Risman. 

For more, check out his website.