Capture the Cosmos – April Workshop Recap

What a week…

It all kicked off before the workshop even began. My brother from another mother, Jason Perry (@jsn_pdog), made the long haul from Australia to join me out in West Texas. Anytime we get together, it’s guaranteed to be a good time, but this trip didn’t disappoint. We spent a few days scouting, chasing light, and just soaking in the desert before the group arrived. Those are the moments that remind me why I love what I do.

Then the workshop officially began, and we came out swinging.

Our meet and greet turned into a full-on pizza feast, complete with a surprise birthday celebration. Nothing like kicking things off with good food, good people, and a few laughs before diving into a week under the stars. West Texas greeted us with warm, welcoming temperatures……but it didn’t last

A cold front rolled through and brought clouds along with it. Now, if you’ve ever done astrophotography, you know clouds aren’t exactly what you’re hoping for. But here’s the thing, this group showed up ready, and we made the absolute most of it.

Instead of fighting the conditions, we leaned into them.

We spent our evenings chasing blue hour and working some of the most iconic locations in Big Bend:

• Terlingua Ghost Town

• Balanced Rock

• Mule Ears

Every night we kept checking the skies, watching, waiting… hoping for a break.

And then the last night came.

The clouds cleared for a small but fun window of stars. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better… we may have even spotted a few unexplained lights drifting across the sky

UFOs? Satellites? Something else?

Who knows… but it made for one unforgettable ending.

We wrapped the workshop with smiles, a few tired eyes, and that shared feeling you only get after spending time under a dark sky, wonder, curiosity, and maybe just a little bit of awe about what’s out there.

What’s Next?

If you’ve been thinking about joining us, there are still a few opportunities:

Capture the Cosmos – June (Big Bend) A few spots still available for those ready to experience dark skies and hands-on astrophotography.

Mountain Gold & Milky Way – Colorado (October) Peak fall colors, alpine landscapes, and the Milky Way over the Rockies. A few slots still open.

These workshops are about more than just photography. They’re about experience, connection, and stepping into places that remind you how big, and how incredible, this world really is.

Hope to see you out there under the stars.

—Michael