Galaxy Rise

"Galaxy Rise"

If I were to say that I like astronomy, I'd be lying. I'm not even sure that "love" would be a strong enough word. I suppose that everyone has that one thing that they absolutely live for when it comes to hobbies. I live for the sky. The universe encompasses me, and I'm forever filled with wonder, awe and questions. Just the simple thought that I have the ability to look back in time millions of years across such a vast and seemingly endless amount of space sends chills down my spine and makes me yearn for answers to all of the secrets out there.

That being said, I'm lucky enough to live in an area where I have the ability to step outside and look up to view a million stars without the worry of city lights or pollution. This photo was taken in July of 2014, while the Milky Way Galaxy was rising into the sky. If you look closely, you can spot Scorpius in the bottom left, and also Sagittarius on the bottom left. Sagittarius shows us the center of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. The bright band is our galaxy's arms spiraling outwards into the universe, with the center being bright because of the enormous number of stars. Even if you're not a stargazer, the night sky is absolutely something to experience free of light and sky pollutants. If you're lucky, you may even see a "shooting star" like I've captured here.

If you would like to purchase this photo, please visit etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. You can also find me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. I invite you to like my page, look through my photos and share your thoughts! Your shares, comments, likes and follows are so important to me!

Photo Details:

Canon EOS 70D

Lens: Rokinon Ultra Wide Lens

Focal Length: 14mm

Aperture: f/2.8

ISO: 6400

Exposure: 30 seconds

Other places you can find me:

Instagram: Smileygirl469

ViewBug: viewbug.com/member/smileygirl469

Flickr: flickr.com/photos/shaidphotography

500px: 500px.com/shaidphotography

Twitter: ShaidPhoto

email: shanna@shaidphotography.com

Ocean Force

"Ocean Force"

Do you know those moments when something captivates you so deeply that time seems frozen in that very second? This was my experience over and over again at the beginning of 2014, when I had the joy of visiting the Pacific Ocean at Morro Bay, California. As always when I go to the coast, my favorite thing to do is sit on the beach and capture the waves. On this particular time though, I had a special treat. There was going to be a storm coming into California, and not only was it high tide, but a high surf warning was also issued. I stopped at one beach so that I could take pictures of the Elephant Seals that were traveling through the area, and decided to walk out to the pier to see the view of the beach. I happened to notice a person trying to snap a picture of one of the seals while the waves were growing in size. It was the perfect time to catch the shear size of the ocean's force. I started taking photos of the waves, and all of a sudden, a huge wave rolled in, crashing on a lone rock. The man on the beach looks dwarfed by the size of the powerful water burst. These are the moments in nature that take my breath away.

If you would like to purchase this photo, please visit etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. You can also find me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. I invite you to like my page, look through my photos, and share what you think.  Your shares, comments, likes and follows are so important to me!

Photo Details:

Canon EOS 70D

Lens: 18-135mm

Focal Length: 135mm

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 160

Exposure: 1/1600

Other places you can find me:

Instagram: Smileygirl469

ViewBug: viewbug.com/member/smileygirl469

Flickr: flickr.com/photos/shaidphotography/
500px: 500px.com/shaidphotography
email: shanna@shaidphotography.com

Touch Down

"Touch Down"

I've always loved looking out the window of an airplane while flying. The different view of our world astonishes me to no end. With that being said, I have spent countless hours while in flight trying to capture these special views of the planet. Out of every view, one I had never been able to save the one moment that I find most intriguing. Time and time again, when landing, I have listened, felt and watched as the airplane once again meets up with the ground. In that moment, you can truly see and feel the force that is used to make such travel possible. In the sky, you travel hundreds of miles per hour, and barely feel the motion at all, other than the occasional turbulence from the weather. Unknowingly, I had taken it upon myself to freeze that crucial moment in time. That moment when you're seat belt is fastened, your seats are in the upright position, and you descent. Suddenly, you are enveloped by the sheer strength of your speed you hardly noticed. Now I can finally say that I have Touch Down.

I invite you to view and like my page at facebook.com/shaidphotography. You can find all of my photos here, and I'd love to hear your thoughts!

This photo is also available for purchase at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography.