Alan Stenback Photography

09/08/2026

09/05/2026

September is off to a beautiful start here in Colorado. Spent a bit of time in the Collegiate Peaks near Cottonwood Lake yesterday, along with a breathtaking sunset right here at home

Pictured here are Mt. Princeton, Mt. Yale, Mt. Sherman and Pennsylvania Mountain

Anyone else getting antsy for fall colors? 🍁

09/01/2026

Dumpstafunk at the Dillon Amphitheater. Awesome show! Especially given the circumstances aka cold, clouds and rain to start the show Dumpstaphunk Dillon Amphitheater

08/27/2026

Tonight’s partial lunar eclipse 🌕🌑

Photographers across Colorado and the greater Southwest have an interesting opportunity tonight. The eclipse will already be underway when the Moon rises.

That makes this a great opportunity to think beyond a tight shot of the Moon and plan a composition around moonrise. Mountains, ridgelines, desert formations or another recognizable landscape can make for a much more interesting image.

Using Denver as a reference:

🌕 7:29 PM MDT — Moonrise, east-southeast
🌑 8:33 PM — Partial eclipse begins
🌑 10:12 PM — Maximum eclipse, about 93.9%
🌕 11:51 PM — Partial eclipse ends
🌕 1:01 AM — Eclipse ends

Exact moonrise will vary by location and your local horizon.

A few photography tips:

• Scout your composition early and know where the Moon will rise
• Try 200–600mm if you want the Moon prominent within the landscape
• Shoot manual and adjust your exposure as the Moon darkens
• Watch your shutter speed at longer focal lengths to avoid motion blur
• Bracket exposures to capture the difference between the illuminated and shadowed portions of the Moon
• No solar filter or eclipse glasses are needed

These images are from a previous lunar eclipse I photographed.

If you’re heading out tonight, get there early and be ready before moonrise.

Clear skies!

08/26/2026

Today marks the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service

Coincidentally, I also received our Commercial Use Authorization from Big Bend today, meaning our workshop in the park this November is officially a go!

There are two spots left. If you’ve been thinking about joining us, now’s your chance

08/26/2026

08/24/2026

Colorado’s mountain views don’t end at sunset. Congratulations to Frisco on earning International Dark Sky Community certification recognizing its work to reduce light pollution, protect wildlife, and preserve our spectacular star-filled skies. This designation will also strengthen responsible tourism and help future generations experience Colorado’s natural beauty after dark.

Read more from Powder: https://www.powder.com/news/frisco-colorado-darksky-certification

08/24/2026

ASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY IN BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK

Big Bend National Park is one of those places that seems made for night sky photography

Located in the remote reaches of West Texas, the park protects a vast stretch of the Chihuahuan Desert along the Rio Grande. Its distance from major cities means exceptionally dark skies, expansive horizons and very little artificial light competing with the stars

I’ve photographed the night sky in a lot of places, but Big Bend continues to stand apart

08/23/2026

Cleared for takeoff. 🛸

Two airliner seats, a sky full of stars, and nothing but open desert in every direction. Inside the dome it glows purple and warm. Outside, Terlingua turns on the kind of star show most people only see in photos.

This is what a night in one of the darkest places on Earth actually looks like. Your window seat is waiting.

📸 Captured by Alan Stenback Photography, framing the dome under a perfect Terlingua sky.

Link in bio to book. 🤠

📍 Terlingua, TX · 11 min from Big Bend