How to Prepare Now

Milky Way season always sneaks up faster than people expect. One minute it’s winter, the nights feel long and quiet, and the idea of waking up stupid early sounds downright disrespectful. The next thing you know, the dark horse nebula is trotting across the sky and suddenly everyone is scrambling, realizing they’re unprepared for the night sky they’ve been waiting months to photograph.

The truth? The best Milky Way images aren’t made by photographers who rush in at the last minute. They’re made by the ones who prepare before the season officially begins.

When Milky Way Season Really Begins

In much of the U.S., Milky Way season starts ramping up in late February and March, with the galactic core becoming visible in the early morning hours. By spring and summer, it rises earlier and stays longer, but those early-season windows are golden for photographers who plan ahead.

Preparation now means confidence later. When the stars show up, you’ll already know exactly what to do.

Get Comfortable With Your Camera Settings

One of the biggest stressors for beginners is fumbling with settings in the dark. Late winter is the perfect time to practice without pressure.

Start dialing in:

• Manual mode
• Wide aperture (usually f/2–f/2.8)
• ISO range and noise tolerance
• Shutter speeds that balance sharp stars and light

You don’t need perfect conditions to practice…clear nights, even without the Milky Way, are enough to build muscle memory. Just grab my free Milky Way Cheat Sheet and start somewhere today.

Learn the Sky Before You Chase It

Knowing where and when the Milky Way appears is just as important as knowing your camera.

Spend time now:

• Using star apps to understand rise times
• Watching how the sky shifts through the night
• Learning how moon phases affect visibility

When the season arrives, you won’t be guessing—you’ll be intentional. That’s why I created my Arkansas Milky Way Locations Guide to help you find the best spots around the natural state.

Scout Locations Early

Spring brings growth, crowds, and changing conditions. Scouting locations now helps you:

• Find safe access points
• Plan compositions in daylight
• Identify foregrounds that will work later

You’ll spend less time searching and more time creating when the stars are out.

Build Confidence Before You Go Big

Milky Way photography can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Preparation turns uncertainty into excitement.

Whether that means learning through a guide, practicing locally, or joining a workshop, investing time now saves frustration later.

Milky Way season doesn’t reward panic, it rewards intention.

Ready for the Stars

If capturing the Milky Way is on your list this year, don’t wait for the perfect night to start learning. The quiet months are where confidence is built, and the work you put in now will show up in every frame later.

The stars are coming. Make sure you’re ready.

EDITING IS HALF THE BATTLE

Capturing the Milky Way in-camera is only part of the process. Editing is where your image truly comes to life. A well-exposed file can still fall flat without thoughtful processing, while a sold edit can reveal color, contrast, and detail you didn’t realize you captured in the field.

Preparing for the season also means understanding how to confidently bring it to life once you’re back at your computer. Grab my Milky Way Photography Guide today and learn about stacking, blending, and editing the stars and how to get the most out of your histogram.

MY DIGITAL MILKY WAY PRODUCTS

I have dedicated most of my photography career teaching others how to capture the cosmos, which is why I created the following digital products to help you along your stellar journey. Be sure to check them out and see if one or all could work for you.

Free Milky Way Cheat Sheet

Milky Way Made Simple E-Guide

Arkansas Milky Way Locations E-Guide

Milky Way Photography E-Guide

The first of every year, the same pattern shows up.  New cameras. New lenses. New gear lists.  And the quiet belief that this upgrade will finally make the photos better. 

It’s an easy trap to fall into. Marketing tells us faster, sharper, and newer equals the best. Social media reinforces it with behind-the-scenes shots of expensive setups and perfectly curated camera bags from influencers. And that’s when we start to believe that our growth is tied to what we own rather than to how we see the world. But here’s the truth, most photographers learn the hard way…

Great images don’t come from gear. They come from intention.

When you shoot this way, photography naturally slows you down. You’re no longer reacting to everything in front of you or firing off frames like throwing spaghetti against the wall – spraying and praying.  Shooting from intention means asking why before asking how and leaning into the art, not just the science. Why am I drawn to this scene?  What do I want the viewer to feel?  What story am I trying to tell?  Intentional photography slows you down.  It forces you to pay attention to light, composition, timing, mood, and emotion; things that no new piece of gear can replicate.  

There’s nothing wrong with getting fun gear, and in fact, in today’s technology-driven society, it’s necessary to upgrade occasionally.  It’s constantly evolving, and using equipment that supports your workflow can absolutely be beneficial.  The problem starts when the gear becomes your identity instead of your vision.  The most growth happens when you learn how light behaves before upgrading lenses and understanding exposure before the specs.  The gear is merely a tool to help serve the idea. 

A new year does not require a new camera or lens.  It just requires a new way of seeing things.  When you shift your focus from equipment to awareness, photography becomes less about proving something and more about expressing something. And that’s where the real transformation begins. New Year. New Photographer.

Use the code NEWME at checkout to save 5% on ALL of my workshops for 2026.

There’s something unmistakably magical about Eureka Springs in the fall. The air turns crisp, the hillsides glow gold, and the town’s eclectic charm feels even more alive. This year’s Fall For Eureka retreat captured that magic in every possible way—from long-exposure light trails to early-morning wildlife and everything in between.

✨ Day 1: Blue Springs & Bright Lights

We kicked things off on Friday afternoon with a peaceful golden hour stroll through Blue Spring Heritage Center. The gardens were lit with late-season color, and the spring itself shimmered with that perfect pre-dusk glow. It was the ideal warm-up for a creative weekend ahead.

Once the sun dipped, we shifted gears—literally and artistically—by heading first to the Beaver Bridge for sunset, and then downtown for long-exposure car trails. Eureka’s winding streets and vintage architecture created the perfect canvas as we captured ribbons of light weaving through the curves of town. It was a beautiful blend of chaos, color, and control, and everyone settled into the rhythm of night photography quickly.

🌅 Day 2: Sunrise Calm & Small-Town Stories

Saturday began at Lake Leatherwood, where reflections danced across the water just as the first light broke over the treeline. With light fog lifting and the lake slowly waking up, it was one of those serene mornings that makes you fall in love with photography all over again.

From there, we enjoyed breakfast at a favorite local spot before diving into a downtown street-photography walkabout. The blend of quirky storefronts, textures, bold color, and friendly faces made it the perfect playground for spotting stories in the everyday.

As golden hour approached, we made our way to the East Mountain Gazebo for sunset. The sweeping views of Eureka Springs, framed by glowing foliage, created a picture-perfect end to the daylight hours.

But our day wasn’t done yet! After dark, we explored more nighttime creativity with long-exposure zoom pulls under the old neon lights—a fun, experimental session that pushed everyone’s creativity in a whole new direction.

🐾 Day 3: Wild Hearts & Final Touches

Sunday morning brought one of the most special experiences of the retreat: an exclusive pre-opening walk at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. With the refuge quiet and the animals just beginning to stir, we had rare opportunities to photograph big cats and residents of the sanctuary in peaceful, natural moments.

We then enjoyed breakfast together before wrapping up the weekend with a Luminar editing course, diving into techniques to elevate the images captured throughout the retreat. By the time we said our goodbyes, memory cards were full—but hearts were even fuller.

This year’s Fall For Eureka was the perfect mix of adventure, creativity, and community. Each participant brought their own spark to the group, making for an unforgettable weekend in one of Arkansas’s most charming towns.

There’s something truly special about spending a weekend surrounded by wild mustangs, wide-open skies, and good company — and our recent Mowdy Mustang Ranch Photo Retreat was no exception.

From the moment we arrived on Friday, the weekend promised adventure, creativity, and connection. The lodging accommodations were absolutely beautiful — spacious, cozy, and the perfect place to unwind after a long day on the ranch. Each participant had their own private room, allowing everyone to settle in comfortably before the fun began.

By late afternoon, we loaded up the ATVs and set out in search of the herds for golden hour. The experience of watching these majestic mustangs roam freely under the soft glow of sunset was something none of us will forget. After capturing the evening light, we gathered for dinner featuring some delicious local cuisine before heading back out to photograph the stars over the remnants of the historic teacher’s home on the property — a perfect end to our first night beneath the Oklahoma sky.

Day two began bright and early — or rather, before the sun even rose. We ventured out to the fields just as the mustangs stirred awake, watching them drink from the pond as the first light of day reflected across the water. The sunrise seemed to last forever, filling the horizon with color and dramatic clouds that eventually rolled into a full-on downpour.

When the storm hit, the electricity at the homestead went out for a few hours, but that didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. We kicked back, listened to the rain, and enjoyed the slower pace that comes with ranch life. By afternoon, the skies cleared, giving us just enough time to dive into an editing course before heading out for another golden hour session.

That evening’s ATV ride was something straight out of a Western film — herds gathered around us as the sun dipped low, painting the landscape in warm, glowing tones. As night fell, we gathered around the fire pit, sharing stories and searching the heavens for Comet Lemmon and a few constellations peeking through the clouds.

Our final morning on the ranch came too soon, but we made the most of it with one last ATV ride along the ridge trail, chasing the morning light and capturing a few final compositions of the mustangs grazing below. We wrapped up our cowboy time with a hearty breakfast together before parting ways in the mid-morning sun — tired, fulfilled, and already talking about when we’d return.

This weekend was a perfect blend of photography, adventure, and peaceful connection with nature. Between the wild mustangs, stormy skies, and star-filled nights, Mowdy Mustang Ranch reminded us why we do what we do — to chase beauty, share stories, and create lasting memories behind the lens. So much so, I have already scheduled not one, but TWO, repeat events for 2026! Check out Frost & Stardust or the Milky Way Roundup and join us here in 2026!