Nick Koehler

Story Behind the Image 6: Medicine Bow Milky Way

March 30, 2023 in Story Behind the Image

This story is one for the books, truly, as I’ll also be adding this image to my book when I can finally get it complete. Taken within the Snowy Mountain Range in Eastern Wyoming, Medicine Bow peak stands tall at 12,018ft. The goal was to capture this stunning “wave-structured” peak in the Wyoming wilderness with the Milky Way galaxy shooting out of the top whilst showcasing the many alpine lakes below.

It took me two attempts to get the shot I had in mind. First attempt was quite wild while the second was more relaxed and much comfortable. The total hike was 4mi round trip with about 1,000ft of elevation gain. And of course this shot had to be done at night to get the milky way in prime viewing.

The first attempt (Image 1): After some research to get to the trail I had to get onto and the amount I’d be hiking, I arrived around 11pm and made my way to the trail. After adventuring on the trail for about .25mi my flashlights died. Yes, both my flashlights were useless surrounding in miles of wilderness that I was most likely alone in to only try and avoid the Mountain Lions, Moose, Elk, Cows and Bears! So after contemplating about moving forward for a few minutes, as I still had 1.5mi left of my hike to the get to the view, I decided to go ahead and use my phone flashlight as the only light which garnered me about 10ft of view distance. Using my ears and keeping my head on a swivel for stalking Mountain Lions and plenty of switchbacks. I made it to the spot, and although beautiful, there was one problem. I was late, the Milky Way had already made its way behind Medicine Bow and was tilting out of frame, and if you have noticed in my photography, I love symmetry and balance. So after taking a few photos I decided it was no longer worth it and trekked back down the 2mi and thankfully got back to my car without encountering any wildlife, that I know of. So that takes me to attempt two.

Attempt 2 (2nd and 3rd images): Two nights passed of clouds and I decided it was time to try again and see if I could accomplish the shot I wanted. This time I left a little earlier. At around 9pm I made it to the trailhead and started the 2mi hike. With new batteries in the flashlights and carrying my good ole 40lbs photography bag I made my way up the 1,000ft climb. This time it was a little darker out as the Moon hadn’t risen above the horizon yet. So after taking time to navigate and understand where I was I set up shop. After a little bit of trial and error with focus, I got what I had gone there for. The Milky Way, standing up tall, over Medicine Bow, with the alpine lakes below. This shot was super rewarding not only because of failing the first night but because my plan was exact. I was able to have plenty of time to get different views and different compositions below the stars. Definitely my favorite Milky Way shot from 2022 and I can’t wait to see what I can capture this coming year.

Attempt 1: The Milky Way can be seen behind Medicine Bow Peak with some crazy hues in the sky as well. And the ridgeline of mountains that reach out to the peak as well.

Attempt 2 Image 1: The Milky Way exactly where I had envisioned and even created a stunning reflection in the water of the lakes below. The long exposure brought out just enough detail in the mountains for this compelling shot.

Attempt 2 Image 2: A little rotation in the Milky Way but that’s better than it being straight up for this image. It had some balance to the alright right heavy frame and balanced nicely along the Alpine Lakes.

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Thank you for reading and plenty more blogs to come!

Superior Shredding

February 15, 2021

Lake Superior - 6 degrees, 12mph wind, Cloudy

"It would be awesome to see someone surfing out on those waves." What I said to my self when I arrived to Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula (The U.P.) of Michigan. It was 10am in the morning and I was going to go on a hike through the woods and to explore the coastline. I sat in my car enjoying the scenery when I saw a car pull in to the parking lot with surfboard on top. I saw a man get out with headphones on and he started to walk along the lake and enjoying the view as well. I gave him some time and then grabbed my camera and walked toward him fast, but not too fast, so I didn't look weird but also so I didn't miss the chance to talk to him. He turned around and saw me coming his way and took off his headphones.

I introduced myself and found out his name was John. I asked John if he was looking to surf and if I could photograph him. He explained how he was going to come surf later around 3pm when the swell would be stronger, along with that it would be his last time to surf with the winter weather. So we exchanged phone numbers and I went on my hike and John went to a meeting he had at work. 3pm came around and John showed up with his surfboard and people were amazed he was about to get in and surf. Then after he was ready we proceeded to a point he used before to enter the water.

John then paddled out to where the waves were breaking and waited until a good one came and took off. It was crazy to see because he explained earlier how he had been a big surfer than stopped for 9 years and then got back into it about a year ago. This passion for surfing could be seen in his eyes and I felt honored to be able to capture him that cold Saturday.

The first ride was a success, but John didn’t make it as far as he would have liked. So he kept catching waves (which I chased him up and down the shore capturing imagery) until he made it to the beach and was able to restart again and walked back to the launching point. John explained to me how the ice blocks in the water were hard to avoid especially if he hit one he’d fall right off the board. Then the second ride came along and the wave decided it was its turn to ride John. After John recovered he was able to catch a few more waves until he made it back to shore. After surfing a few more times and the sun going down, John got out of the water and said he was done for the day.

John was wearing a 5mm Wetsuit, 7mm Gloves, and 5mm Booties. He surfed for 2 hours in the lake that the swell was called "The Zoo" because there used to be an old zoo near the lake. I was amazed at John’s endurance and motivation to continue surfing until it became dark. John then stopped surfing and got out of the water and we talked a little longer and he than sprinted into a bathroom by the parking lot to warm up. I then carried on my way and traveled to my next location.

Thank you so much for reading this blog post!

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Story Behind the Image: 6

August 11, 2020

This image was something I had thought about before. Never thinking about ever having the opportunity to take this photograph though. The idea came back when I was catching up with a friend when he started sharing about his flight experience in a Cessna C170B. Of course this conversation sparked my interest and I had to ask for a trip around downtown Pittsburgh. So then we started planning, he created a flight plan and I started researching angles I could possibly get from 3,000ft within the sky. This photograph however was the main one I wanted to capture throughout the whole flight. So when we went past Point State Park and the rest of downtown, the plane roll was a perfect spot to be able to capture the wing and the city within one frame from the window. The reflection on the wing was completely unexpected but brought another amazing detail to this frame.

I went about taking this photograph as how I would any take any photograph, figure out exposure, make any more adjustments and make sure I’m getting clear photographs through any possible obstacles such as the window I shot through for this frame. Once I have all of that figured out I just buckled down and started photographing as much as I could as we were moving pretty quickly around the downtown area. Being comfortable while taking photographs is not a must but it sure helps, with my fear of heights it took me some time to get over being suspended in air with mild turbulence, but after 20min or so I was comfortable with the discomfort and was able to capture some of my personal favorite images and perspectives I’ve been able to capture of downtown Pittsburgh.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and I look forward to sharing another photographic story, of course ask any questions you may think of and I’ll be sure to get back to you! Thank you for taking the time to read about this Pittsburgh aerial photograph!

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Ireland

October 21, 2019

Ireland quickly became a trip of adapt and create. From looking for new ways to get around to finding the best food around. There was not one day there was not a challenge to be conquered. These challenges easily slid aside when the green country-side revealed itself. This journey was significant for the amazing cliff-side views, cultural happenings, and exploring a country of friendly people. Starting off in Dublin there was a walk to a Hostel. From there it was time to explore and see what the Guinness Capitol had to offer. After was a trip to Belfast where the exploration of the Titanic Museum and Northern Coast happened. Then, puddle-hopped to Scotland and explored Edinburgh and met some fantastic people also along the way. Went back to Ireland to go to Galway and see the classic Cliffs of Moher, and then ventured down to Cork to create a home-point to explore the Dingle Peninsula and then make it back to Dublin for a final night of relaxation and final bucket-list-stops. Overall the trip was a success and brought many great images, memories, and sleeping after.

Dublin, Ireland: The Long-Room: A beautiful Library filled with 2000+ books.

Northern Ireland: Beautiful beach trees line a street in Northern Ireland.

Friendly sheep saying hello and posing for my photograph.

Edinburgh, Scotland: A crowded street in Edinburgh during an overcast day. Beautiful architecture lines both sides of the street.

Galway, Ireland: Streets of Galway, a colorful city.

Cliffs of Moher: The famous cliffs looking over the blue sea and blueish-grey life.

One of the stone walls in South Western Ireland showing off the years of history are packed into Ireland.

Dingle Town: A seagull walking away when I caught him stealing sharks from a fisherman.

Dingle Town: The Colorful town of Dingle still shining bright in the grey skies. A mountain pokes up behind.

Dublin, Ireland: People getting around a grey afternoon underneath to a beautiful sky-bridge.

Northern Ireland: Beautiful golden light hitting the side of the uniquely shaped basalt stacks.

Aerial: Ireland coastline and a small town complimented by the green landscape.

Edinburgh, Scotland: A beautiful tower dedicated to a famous historical figure.

Galway, Ireland: A blue and yellow house combining for great contrast on a Galway street.

Along the Dingle Peninsula this powerful wave crashes and erodes the rock.

Dingle Town: A representative of the fishing scene that Dingle has to be offer.

The Ireland Coastline from the Air. One of the most seas that meet with Coastlines I’ve seen.

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Story Behind the Image: 5

September 05, 2019

This is one of my favorite images I’ve ever captured. Going to Iceland was something I had wanted to do for awhile to explore the country and see what I could capture there photographically. One of the things I really wanted to photograph was the Iceland Horses that roamed the vast landscapes. So, when I arrived to Iceland one of my first stops happened to be a farm where I was able to experience my first group of Horses. I pulled off the side of the road and started walking closer to get the photos I could only dream of capturing for years until this particular day. I was enjoying photographing these horses, they were so friendly (I assume because they thought I would feed them).

But little did I know that I would capture this welcoming, calming, and funny photo. At first I didn’t realize I captured this moment, I was so excited to get back on the road I didn’t spend time reviewing my images and knew i would see more horses as I traveled around the Ring Road. It wasn’t till I got back home to the United States and I was looking through what I had captured from this amazing trip, that I noticed this frame. Now, one thing I have learned from photography is if you see the action in the viewfinder, you missed the shot… I most certainly did not see this moment happen and it took me a couple minutes to comprehend what I had captured from the week before. I was planning to photograph the one horse in the middle, but the second one jumped in and photobombed my frame with his pearly whites!

Ironically the photograph I thought I had I didn’t capture, but I definitely like this moment more than what I was thinking I’d capture that morning. This photo makes me feel like I am being welcomed to Iceland every time I look at it. These horses seemed so happy to be photographed and have this friendly photobomb portrait captured. I feel this photograph also captivates my energy in Iceland. I was like a kid in a candy store and I can’t wait till the next time I make it back!

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Alberta, Canada

July 16, 2019

Being able to return to Alberta was a refreshing experience. I was able to capture so many different animals and landscapes in the time I was there. Coming a month later this time it opened the opportunity to see more. Less roads are closed and less possibilities for roads to be closed due to little to no snowfall. Which it did snow on the drive into Banff National Park. Though it didn’t last long the snowballs were bigger than I’ve ever seen before. But past that the Canadian Rockies didn’t show themselves till the second day, but that didn’t stop photos from being taken in the moody weather. There were amazing canyon hikes along with just easy trails to see the smaller wildlife. Jasper National Park also offered some great views and continued the beautiful mountain ranges. I was able to photograph a lot of locations that were on my bucket-list this trip. It certainly brought more inspiration to see more landscapes and capture the amazing wildlife. The world is so big and there is so much to see. With its beauty, this should be just enough to conserve the rest of its beauty.

Thank you for reading and I hope your inspired to go see more of nature!

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Iceland

May 25, 2019

January I finally had my breaking point with wanting to go see Iceland. I finally booked my plane ticket to force myself to make it to my dream destination. February came along and it was time to travel to Iceland. Originally I wasn’t going to go to Iceland as a Solo-Trip. I scheduled it so quickly, I didn’t have any extra time to organize any travel buddies. So I landed in Iceland early morning and ventured to my rental car. Was able to get the rental car reasonably fast and off I was towards Reykjavik. The point of this trip was to discover a new destination, see the culture, landscape, and to hopefully have a chance at capturing the Northern Lights. To get around the country I rolled around in a Nissan SUV. While living in the car, I had to listen to the roaring Iceland wind at night. About 4 days into my 7 day trip there were 180km/h winds that prevented me from driving for half the day. I also got to explore a cave that was used in a scene of Game of Thrones. Along with meeting a lot of pleasant travelers on the way exploring the country too. The Ring-Road brought a lot of unexpected landscapes, I absolutely was stopping the car every 5 minutes to capture something completely different than the last 5 minutes. Well, here are my photos from my crazy cross-country Iceland trip.

Thank you for reading!

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New York City

January 12, 2019

I had never experienced New York City on a sunny day in any of the times I’ve been there. So I made it one of my goals this year to capture the city in all of it’s glory in early Fall and finally capture a sunny day. I was able to accomplish this goal out of the weather giving me all the luck. Can’t wait to go back and capture more in New York, New York.

The trip started out with what looked to be a busted sunset. But I lucked out and was able to capture this beautiful red sunset from the Top of the Rock. The next day was a cloudy morning. So I went to the Oculus to capture the beautiful white architecture throughout the train station. After that the clouds cleared up and I was able to capture a beautiful sunset. Then on the last day I was able to capture a gorgeous Golden Hour after a cloudy Sunrise in DUMBO. After I went to Grand Central Station to finally capture the classic shot of the amazing golden Terminal. Then I ventured to Central Park to photograph the beginning fall colors around the Bow Bridge.

Let me know what you think about these photos in the comments or any questions you have about my travels!

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San Francisco

December 18, 2018

After a lot of recovering and relaxation. I traveled back to San Francisco to enjoy the views and vacation there. Some of the cool locations were downtown San Francisco, V. Sattui Winery, along the Coast, and I met a sea lion. Here are some of the images!

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Cross Country

November 06, 2018

My Cross Country road trip was full of experience and amazing adventures. There are so many destinations I was able to set foot on and see for the first time and hopefully not the last. My favorite location is always Yosemite National Park or San Francisco, but I've been to both before. After this trip I think Joshua Tree was one of my favorite National Parks; the peacefulness just stuck out to me and the temperature was a perfect 100 (in May). Things I saw went from a huge slug, to a black bear. Or these amazing tree landscapes and then to see the red rock mountains of the South West. The uniqueness of the United States is impeccable with the different ecosystems and stories each place told. Here are some of my favorite images from this journey!