Ricky McNichols Photography

Ricky McNichols Photography What started as a hobby has become my passion. I try to bring you into my photographs as if you were there standing next to me. Digital prints for sale.

I specialize in shooting rockets, landscape, cityscape, astrophotography and all things at night.

This next launch was a Space X Starlink launch on 5/4/2023. These were taken by the Cocoa Beach Pier with the pier in t...
05/19/2025

This next launch was a Space X Starlink launch on 5/4/2023. These were taken by the Cocoa Beach Pier with the pier in the foreground. Included are 2 long exposures and some telephoto shots.

Space X certainly leads the space race with capable rockets and their vision is to pioneer uncharted territory and be su...
05/18/2025

Space X certainly leads the space race with capable rockets and their vision is to pioneer uncharted territory and be successful at it. With the advent and testing of Starship, the hype to witness history and watch the first launch from Boca Chica, Texas was overwhelming for many. I could not resist and traveled to view the launch of IFT-1 of Starship. It was supposed to launch on 4/16/2023, but unfortunately scrubbed that morning due to a technical issue. I unfortunately couldn't stay for the next launch opportunity which was the next day, but i was able to take some pretty stellar pictures of it around the launchpad. Unlike Kennedy Space Center, the public can get pretty close to the rocket from around a 270 degree view. The other 90 degrees is covered by tidal waters. This rocket is MASSIVE and impressive. When it finally did liftoff, it had a RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly) where both booster and Starship were lost. Enjoy these shots...I will go back and see it liftoff in person!

Next up is Relativity Space's maiden launch of Terran 1: Good Luck Have Fun that launched on 3/22/2023. For most maiden...
05/17/2025

Next up is Relativity Space's maiden launch of Terran 1: Good Luck Have Fun that launched on 3/22/2023. For most maiden launches, the expectation is usually pretty low for it to be successful and it's more likely a serious problem will occur such as a RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly)...otherwise it blew up! This was the first time a rocket was also going up that was primarily (85%) 3D printed. The Aeon engines use a different propellant called Methalox which is a combination of liquid methane (or LNG) and liquid oxygen (LOX). This fuel is becoming more popular and is being used in Space X Starship, Vulcan Centaur and Blue Origin's New Glenn. This type of fuel produces wild and vivid colors from red, orange, blue and purple. It also produces shock diamonds visible to the eye which are diamond shapes in the flame exhaust. The launch itself was spectacular...but sadly the 2nd stage didn't make it to orbit. Still quite the feat for Relativity that it did have a very successful 1st stage. The possibility of firsts by Relativity truly beat the odds and the hope of any company is that with each launch, they learn and get better and better. Enjoy these shots taken from the Port Canaveral public boat ramp.

This is the Space X SES 18-19 Mission on 3/17/2023. Included are some great telephoto pics of the rocket, especially af...
05/14/2025

This is the Space X SES 18-19 Mission on 3/17/2023. Included are some great telephoto pics of the rocket, especially after booster separation and second engine start-up (SES). Depending on time of day, particularly launches that occur 45 minutes to 1 hour before sunrise or 30-45 minutes after sunset will produce a space jellyfish, where the sun is refracting lights off of the ice crystals in the exhaust plume. You can initially see the booster doing its flip maneuver for its boost back return in the second to last picture. In the last photo, you can see the 2nd stage continuing with the larger object to the rear being the booster and the 2 smaller pieces are the farings that have separated. The booster and farings will be recovered to be used on future missions.

The next launch was the Space X CRS mission on 3/14/2023. I shot this from Ponce Inlet and this was a Northeast traject...
05/12/2025

The next launch was the Space X CRS mission on 3/14/2023. I shot this from Ponce Inlet and this was a Northeast trajectory with a nebula and RTLS. Unfortunately my focus was just slightly off on the telephoto shots so my nebula pictures were blurry and not worthy of posting. I also was using my camera as a handheld, which is very difficult to shoot the nebula if you aren't using a tripod. The foreground though is perfect for the long exposure shot and this is one of my favorite locations to go, but it is also one of the furthest away.

Besides rockets, I love anything aviation, especially military and commercial aviation. I occasionally will go plane sp...
05/11/2025

Besides rockets, I love anything aviation, especially military and commercial aviation. I occasionally will go plane spotting and get some cool shots. Here are a few sunrise takeoffs from March 2023.

This next launch was the Space X Crew 6 taken on 3/2/2023. I was extremely fortunate to be invited by a friend to shoot...
05/11/2025

This next launch was the Space X Crew 6 taken on 3/2/2023. I was extremely fortunate to be invited by a friend to shoot from the Nasa Press Site. This was an exceptional experience being only about 4 miles away from the launchpad. The rocket at this distance is extremely loud and was something I can't really describe if you weren't there yourself. So many different senses hitting you all at once while trying to focus on getting the photographs but but at the same time watch the launch without being behind the lens. I got to see/meet several fellow photographers that I admire. One day I really hope to get back and be able to get access like this regularly.

This was the Space X Hispasat Amazonas Nexus launch on 2/6/2023. I always try to make it to the Spacecoast for launches...
05/06/2025

This was the Space X Hispasat Amazonas Nexus launch on 2/6/2023. I always try to make it to the Spacecoast for launches, but having to work late, did not give me enough time to drive over. This was taken from Orlando, which is about 45 miles away from the launchpad. If the weather is clear, you can actually see launches from from Tampa which is about about 100 miles away.

This was a Space X Starlink launch on 2/2/2023. This is the same spot I went to for the previous pictures I took on 1/2...
05/06/2025

This was a Space X Starlink launch on 2/2/2023. This is the same spot I went to for the previous pictures I took on 1/26/2023 at Rotary Riverfront Park as I really wanted a redo. To capture this shot, I wanted to get as low as I could so I actually put my tripods in about 1 foot of water at the bank of the Indian River. Risky, but the water was calm and well worth the effort. This is probably one of my most favorite long exposure captures as the weather conditions were perfect and the river was like glass which is very rare.

This was a Space X Starlink launch on 1/26/2023. Most launches give you a magnificent show, but sometimes Mother Nature...
05/06/2025

This was a Space X Starlink launch on 1/26/2023. Most launches give you a magnificent show, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans and this is one of those times. The cloud ceiling was very low and only about 20 seconds of the launch was visible before it disappeared. Nevertheless, it still gives you the opportunity to capture something unique. Short lived but beautiful regardless.

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