Black Lion Photography

10/22/2026

There’s something magical about wandering through a village before the world wakes up.

I had the chance to explore this little stone village in Ticino, Switzerland, completely on my own in the early morning hours. The only sounds were the nearby waterfall and my footsteps on the ancient stone steps as I wandered between weathered stone houses, dark slate rooftops, and little clusters of flowers adding splashes of color to the old stone walls.

As a photographer, these are the moments I’m always chasing. Having the freedom to slow down, notice the way the morning light falls across the stone, and discover compositions I might have missed if I were rushing through with a crowd. Sometimes, the best photographs come from simply being present long enough to see the beauty in the details.

Would you wake up before sunrise to explore a place like this with your camera, or do you prefer discovering a village once it comes to life? I’d love to hear your answer!

09/28/2026

Happy Milky Way Monday!

There’s something special about standing beneath a truly dark sky and watching the Milky Way rise above the landscape. It’s one of the reasons I keep coming back to the night sky—and why I love sharing these experiences with other photographers.

I’m already looking ahead to 2027, and we have some incredible astrophotography opportunities planned! ✨

📍 Florida’s Forgotten Coast — a 3-night workshop exploring some of the darkest skies and unique coastal landscapes Florida has to offer.

📍 Big Bend National Park — 4 nights under some of the darkest skies in the country, with plenty of time to photograph the Milky Way, incredible desert landscapes, and all the magic that Big Bend has to offer.

📍 North Alabama — several one-day astrophotography workshops for those who want to learn the fundamentals, improve their night-sky photography, and put those skills to work right here in our backyard.

Whether you’re just getting started with astrophotography or looking to take your night-sky images to the next level, these workshops are designed to be hands-on, immersive, and focused on actually creating great images in the field.

And of course, it’s about more than just photography. It’s about exploring amazing places, spending nights under the stars, and building a community of photographers who love this stuff as much as I do.

2027 workshop dates and registration details are live!

Who’s ready to chase the Milky Way with us? Click the link in the bio for more information or send me a DM!

08/20/2026

There are places where the landscape doesn’t just ask you to slow down—it demands it.

Hidden among the moss-covered forests and rushing waters of the Columbia River Gorge, this little corner of Washington feels almost untouched by time. The sound of the river, the deep greens of the forest, and the soft light filtering through the canopy create the kind of scene that reminds you why we chase these places with a camera in the first place.

Sometimes the best photographs aren’t found at the famous overlook. They’re found a little deeper in the woods, where the only soundtrack is water rushing over stone.

📍 Columbia River Gorge | Washington
*******************************************************************
Sony | Alpha a7rV
Sony | Alpha 24-105 G
SIRUI USA
*******************************************************************

08/18/2026

Super excited to announce a brand new workshop offerring for 2027! Join Michael Simmons Photography and I along Florida's Forgotten Coast for our 2027 Capturing the Cosmos: Forgotten Coast astrophotography workshop April 9-12, 2027! We be exploring locations such as the historic St. Marks lighthouse standing against the Milky Way, to secluded beaches and reflections along the Gulf. For more details please click the link below.

As always if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

An Astrophotography workshop in the darkest skies in the lower 48, Big Bend national Park.

08/17/2026

Happy Milky Way Monday!

There are some photographs you can simply stumble upon.

And then there are the ones you have to earn.

This lake was definitely one of the latter.

The hike was long, steep, and at more than one point had me questioning some of my life choices. 😅 But I had a vision for this scene before ever making the trek—and sometimes you just have to trust the vision and put in the work to make it happen.

When the planning, timing, conditions, composition, and ex*****on all come together, the struggle fades pretty quickly.

Standing there beneath the Milky Way, with the lake perfectly reflecting the mountains and wildflowers filling the foreground, I knew every exhausting step had been worth it.

The best images aren’t always the easiest ones to make. Sometimes, they’re the ones that make you work for them.
******************************************************************
Sony | Alpha a7rV
Sony | Alpha 24-105 foreground
SIGMA America 14-24 sky
SIRUI USA tripod
******************************************************************

08/13/2026

08/13/2026

Fall in the San Juan Mountains is something you have to experience to understand.

Golden aspens stretching across the mountainsides, rugged peaks catching the last light, crisp alpine evenings, and dark skies filled with the Milky Way.

Come tour the San Juans with us this October as Michael Simmons Photography and I lead an epic week of landscape and night photography, chasing the best fall color and the incredible night skies of southwest Colorado.

We have just 2 spots remaining for this year’s workshop.

If golden aspens + mountain landscapes + Milky Way nights sounds like your kind of adventure, this is your chance to join us.

📍 San Juan Mountains, Colorado
📅 Early October
📸 Landscape + astrophotography

DM me or head to the link in my bio for details and to reserve your spot.

08/12/2026

Hey there everyone! I had the great opportunity to give a presenatation to Linda Nickell's Happiness Hour group last week and I wanted to share it with you all. Every week Linda invites photographers on to give talks on a variety of topics and you can find more over on her YouTube channel. I'd love for you to check out my talk and give it a like and feel free to share.

I also spoke on episode #249 about night photography if that is of interest to you.

Thanks!

Beautiful places don't automatically make beautiful photographs. Th...

08/11/2026

Some places never get old. Big Bend is one of them.

I had the opportunity to lead another group of photographers through some of my favorite areas of the Big Bend region, and as always, the landscape had a surprise waiting for us.

As the sun began to set, the clouds opened just enough to let the light pour across the mountains and desert floor. Those dramatic rays stretched across the landscape, creating a scene that felt almost otherworldly.

It’s moments like this that make leading these workshops so rewarding—not just getting to photograph a place I love, but being able to share it with others and watch them experience that same sense of awe.

Big Bend. Big skies. Incredible light. And another sunset I won’t soon forget.
******************************************************************
Sony | Alpha a7rv
Sony | Alpha 24-105
SIRUI USA tripod
******************************************************************