Michelle Kimura Photography

09/03/2026

From big prints to small things, the smell of ink, glue and resin permeates the air. Lots to do, CASA here I come!

08/29/2026

Have I said before that I love flowers? Next to a starry sky it brings the most joy to my world. There is a peace to something that starts from a seed, transforms into something lovely, that gives a home to tiny things. To see straw flowers standing tall under a starry sky is a special kind of joy. This is Starflower.

08/27/2026

A visit to one of my favorite places this summer gave me a boost to my soul. A hailstorm went through my town a few days before and caused significant damage to my own blossoms. My time among the flowers and stars made my inner child dance with joy. The scent and beauty of flowers has always been important to me. I remember my mom fussing over her flowers, picking off spent blooms from the impatients she planted along the front of the veranda. There were always pots of geraniums on the railing and the bean pot of flowers in their yard was a source of pride for both my parents. Dad was part of the group that introduced the bean pots in my home town of Bow Island. They were a hit and could be found in many places around town, filled with blooms all summer long. Every place I have lived since has been planted with flowers, I like to think my parents are looking down from their porch in the sky at my blooms with a smile on their face. I know I remember them when I among the flowers. This is Gomphrena.

08/16/2026

Ready, set, aim. Go away smoke, wind and clouds. I have a date with the stars.

08/11/2026

Are you missing clear skies as much as I am? It seems we have been under a smokey haze for weeks now. This week is the New Moon and Perseids Meteor shower. Looking at my astrophotography apps, the outlook for August photography isn't looking good.

I am scheduled to return to this lovely spot this week, but I am beginning to think it might not happen.

However, you can see what so entranced me about Riverbrink Floral Estates as Star Blossoms is currently on display at the Gem Of the West Museum.

15x20 print, laminated, and mounted onto mdf board. Pricing is available at michellekimuraphotography.com

08/11/2026

I would love to stand out in the dark this week, but I think the smoke has other ideas!

08/03/2026

When you take a trip to the Gem Of the West Museum you will find this iconic building in the gallery. This is St. Henry Church. It can be seen on the way to Waterton National Park. I love the scenery we have around here and the stories that accompany those scenes. To be able to say that I get to live in such a beautiful part of Canada is a blessing. This country accepts all and only asks that we allow everyone to be themselves and that we respect them. I have always believed that Tolerance for everyone is key. Imagine what we could learn from others if we open our hearts and minds. Technically this is a composite, I was there too early in the day for a night shot, but it has been blended with a shot from the same day. It is too smokey to recreate this one right now, but when the smoke disappears I plan to return. 16x20 print, laminated, mounted onto mdf board and framed. All prints are available for purchase on my webpage. Michellekimuraphotography.com

07/31/2026

On the darkest night at the darkest location resides a lonely church. One can't help but think about the lives that built the building. How this church must have been a beacon of prayer, weddings, funerals and baptisms in it's day. Now the building slumbers and slowly crumbles. The surrounding area was surprisingly quiet. While we were there there was no wildlife noises heard, just the rustling of the breeze through the trees. One could almost feel the church settling into Quietude, knowing it had done it's job well over the years.

07/19/2026

Waiting for dark.

07/14/2026

While I am not one to promote anything with AI, there's a lot of good information in this post. Tonight is the darkest night of July and if you have clear skies where you are, take time to go outside, find somewhere with minimal lighting and look up. Take time to unplug and feel the wonder of the night.

THE PEOPLE WHO SEE THE MOST STARS NEVER DRIVE TO THE DESERT.

And here's the part most sky-watching guides quietly skip over. The biggest barrier between you and a genuinely spectacular night sky is not light pollution. It is something far simpler, and fixing it costs nothing.

Every eye needs roughly 20 to 30 minutes in full darkness to reach peak sensitivity. That window is called dark adaptation, and most people abandon the sky before it ever happens. They step outside, see a washed-out sky from their backyard or a parking lot, and conclude the view is hopeless. It is not.

Here is what actually changes everything. A backyard, a park, a quiet street with one tree blocking the nearest streetlight. That is genuinely enough to begin. Once your eyes fully adapt, the sky multiplies. Stars that seemed invisible start to separate. The Milky Way becomes a smear across familiar constellations rather than a rumour.

Tonight (July 13) is the New Moon, meaning zero moonlight interference from dusk to dawn. The darkest sky of this entire lunar month arrives at exactly the moment your eyes need it most. You do not need a remote location. You need dark-adapted eyes and a clear view overhead.

The technique to remember: no phone screens, no white flashlights for at least 20 minutes before you look up. One accidental glance at a bright screen resets your adaptation entirely. Use a red-light torch if you need to check a chart.

This is the kind of thing you do not forget once you actually try it. Send this to the person in your life who always says the sky is too bright where they live.

Have you ever stood outside at night, let your eyes fully settle, and felt that moment when the sky suddenly opened up, more stars than you expected, in a place you thought was too bright for it? Tell me where you were and what you saw.