Making Art in the Dark

Join Valles Caldera Artist-in-Residence Paul Atkinson as he shares his approach to night sky landscape photography. Hear about his experiences making art under Valles Caldera National Preserve’s dark night skies, and learn about the growing threat of light pollution. This talk focuses on Paul’s personal journey in night photography and growing awareness of the negative effects of light pollution. He will share not only his artistic approach and philosophy, but also personal stories and experiences, all with his own photographic examples to show participants. He will discuss the park-specific challenges he faced and how that shapes his art. He will illustrate light pollution’s impact on his art and outline its harmful effects on the environment, wildlife, and our own health. He will close with simple steps participants can put into action at home to minimize their own light pollution footprint.