Why is the web site so dark?  I like the look of my images against a black background.  It kind of gives the "slide show in a dark room" look.  The colors really stand out this way. 

How do I request the use of these photographs? I will entertain requests for publication in print media or other special interest web sites.  I do not grant special permission to use these images for slide shows or personal use. 

Can I have a high resolution copy of one of these images to use as a background on my computer or as a screen saver?  No, I do not send high resolution copies for such use.  I just don't have time. 

How did you take the "Rainbow at Elam Bend" photo?   The Elam Bend rainbow photos were dumb luck as are many of my photos.  I went to Elam Bend to photograph the sunset and got more than I could have ever hoped.   Visit the web page HERE for my comments. 

Do you digitally manipulate or fake any of your images?   Changes are made only in Brightness, Sharpness, Color Correction, Cropping, Straightening, Dust/Artifact Removal, etc. 

I recently got an e-mail chain letter that had your "Rainbow at Elam Bend" photo attached to it.  Did you start that chain letter?  I did not start the e-mail chain letter.  I am not sure who did.  It has been an amazing experience, however.  I've had more than 15 million hits to that one web page dedicated to the Elam Bend Rainbow.  This closed down my web site for a day or so as I ran out of bandwidth and Network Solutions wanted more money. 
 

Where did you get the name "Missouri Skies"?  Back in the late 90's and early 2000's  I wrote a weekly article for our local newspaper (Albany Ledger) called "What's Up in Missouri Skies".  It was a short article about astronomy and things that could be seen in the nighttime sky from here in Missouri.  I took the name from that article title.  Coincidently there is an album by a talented musician named Pat Metheny called "Beyond the Missouri Sky".   Some think that I got the name from this album but I did not. 

When did you start this web site?  Missouri Skies has been  a web site since the end of 1997. 

What kind of camera do you use?  I want to take photos like these.   I use Nikon Digital photographic equipment but any camera can be used to capture interesting sky photos.   Mastering the camera equipment and computer processing is easy.   It's being in the right place at the right time that is the hard part.  Not all photos taken are winners either.  For every image on this web site there are many more that didn't come out good or were out of focus or just plain unattractive. 

Why do Missouri Skies look prettier than the skies where I live?  They don't.  Most  locations have vivid sunsets and interesting weather at some point during the year.  You just have to know when to look.  Sunrise and sunset is usually the best time to look.  It has been said that the best times to take photographs of the landscape and sky are when most people are sleeping in the morning or eating in the evening.

Isn't it a little strange to take so many photos from a cemetery?  Not to me.  Cemeteries are a good public place from which to take photos of the sky.  Every now and then I include the actual cemetery itself but for the most part the sky is still my main subject. 

How many people have  visited this web site?  At the height of the "Rainbow" episode I was getting around 5000 per day.  Now it has settled down to around 200 to 500 visitors per day.  Total visits to my homepage are over 250,000.  Total visits to the "Rainbow at Elam Bend" web page are over 15 million. 

How do you take the photos of planes in front of the moon?  I use astronomical telescopes to take photos of planes in front of the moon.  I focus the telescope on the moon and wait for the aircraft to pass between.  This happens more often than one would think.   The trick is to time the exposure just as the plane passes in front of the moon.  I have missed quite a few shots and have hit a few dead on.  It's fun to try. 

Have you had any of your images published?  I have had a few photographs used in various projects such as CD and book covers and some other book projects.  I usually don't go looking for publishers to use my work but some projects I am proud to be part of.   I do submit my work frequently to special interest web sites such as Spaceweather.com and Earth & Sky.  I have had 2 photos published on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day. 

Are you a professional photographer?  No.  I don't consider myself a professional photographer.  I enjoy my amateur status.  Otherwise it would take the fun out of it if I had to do this for a living.

Aren't there enough photos of  sunsets circulating on the Internet?  Yes, there are plenty of sunrise and sunset photos found on the Internet but  just like snowflakes there are no two alike.   I treat my photos as a scientific record of their occurrence.  Sunrise and sunset photography has been going on in my family for many years.  Just check out the sunset gallery and you'll see.