Shot on a cold night in October, 2012, this shot shows the famed Old Faithful geyser at my favorite lighting condition for geysers: a moonless night. During daylight you will find yourself fighting the crowds to get a shot like all the others. After the sun sets, the crowds disperse and you can catch some unobstructed views of Old Faithful. If you can set up the Milky Way or Ursa Major in the shot it adds more to the composition and the geyser appears larger in colder temperatures due to a greater temperature difference between the steam and the outside air.

You can capture this shot with a wide angle lens, a wide aperture, and a 20 second exposure. Get out there and see the icons of the West in a “new” light!