Stephen Li Photography

09/28/2026

09/14/2026

Blood Moon Over DTLA
8/27/26
The planning phase to get this shot was a bit challenging yet fun. I wanted it to be a bit more special, and I'm glad it worked out. I didn't want to be with the crowds at popular places to capture the eclipse since I know I need to focus and be more particular about the shoot, especially with the partial cloud cover. Maximizing the time on target was the priority.

Using my first telescope, Meade ETX-105 that I got at an estate sale at a Malibu cliffside home that overlooked the Pacific for $40 (a steal is an understatement) and the trusty refurbished Canon M6 Mark II for the video closeups, the Canon again but paired with the used 18-55mm and 55-250mm budget lens for the wider shots, I hope you enjoy these. After going through 300+ photos and 25GB of data, these were the keepers.

09/13/2026

Through the Skull
Using only data from my Rosette Nebula photos shot from my El Monte backyard to animate a spiral flight to the "fractured left temple" of the nicknamed Skull Nebula using math without AI.

Audio and proper speed works on Instagram. Not sure why it's glitching on Facebook
https://www.instagram.com/astro626photos

08/23/2026

Perseid Meteor Shower
August 12-13-2026
Mt. Pinos

Last year I had hardly saw three meteors with the Moon up but this time around with clear skies and a new Moon, the skies were much darker where I was able to see over 50 throughout the night. I had the Canon M6 II with an 18mm lens on a tripod shooting 10 sec exposures continuously hoping to capture some. Here is the first of two sets of photos. With 166 photos, three were from the radiant of the Perseids with one big bright one that was from a totally different direction perpendicular to them. Facing northwest, with the Milkyway overhead, prominent nebulae can be seen at the center, the North America Nebula, Pelican Nebula, Sadr Region, and less visible are the Crescent Nebula and the Cygnus Loop.

Follow me on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/astro626photos

Gear
Canon M6 II
18-55mm
Untracked on a tripod

EXIF
166x10 photos
18mm
f/3.5
ISO 3200

Processed in PixInsight

08/06/2026

I am excited to represent LA and the Los Angeles Astronomical Society for this event. I had attended the LAAS Centennial Party for New Members and met the Vice President of the Denver Astronomical Society

Since I arrived right before the party was over due to coming from the first ever LA Metro D Line Evening Market by LACMA and the Peterson Automotive Museum, with nothing for the potluck, I gave out signed art prints of my work to whoever was still there. She got the Ring Nebula I captured from Mt Wilson Observatory 60 inch with 4 minutes of data with my astronomy camera.

She mentioned since there was no speaker for August, I asked if I could volunteer to share my experiences from the challenges of LA astrophotography, getting into the LA art scene as well as connections with the rich space industry and community in the area. She was quite interested, so I'm excited and thankful for this first public presentation! One thing I've learned is that you never know where your passion will take you and what doors are open if you just ask.

I'll update with the YouTube link once it's recorded. It will be on their page.
https://www.denverastro.org/events/general-meeting-9/?occurrence=2026-08-10