There’s nothing quite like embarking on an adventure with your family and loved ones, especially if that adventure is truly unique. For the last five years, using a selection of techniques and high-grade equipment I’ve been offering photoshoots under the incredible expanse of the Milky Way at select locations around Okinawa.

An amazing family moment. To be sat under the expanse of the Milky Way on a beach in Okinawa. It doesn't get any better...

I spent most of 2017 on dates that coincided with optimum Milky Way photography potential seeking out locations throughout the whole of Okinawa. Some locations are atop hills, in open plains, and by the Ocean. There is one however far from the shores of the main island, a place that can only be reached after a 1hr walk through the jungles on the island of Iriomote, by the incredible setting of the Sangara Waterfall on the island of Iriomote.

Towards the tail end of 2018, I started offering photoshoots under the stars. When I then planned the 2019 schedule, the dates were quickly snapped up. Happy to say we had awesome weather and great conditions on the majority of the booked dates with clients grinning like the ‘Cats that got the Cream’ with the results. The years pass by so fast out here, and as the 2023 season comes to an end, I now start looking at planning for the next season.

Having already been asked for slots for 2024 I have prepped this schedule for dates moving forward. Thus far this is the tentative schedule for the 2024 Milky Way Photo Season. Depending on dates you’ll see timings and the number of shoots available vary from month to month.

Photoshoot Price - Milky Way Photoshoots are priced at US$295. For the Months of June and July there will be an additional option for a Panorama photograph. As opposed to just one photograph a panorama is a composite of seven images stitched together to create a much wider and encompassing image. Months, when that shot is possible, are marked in the dates scheduled below.

Panorama Photographs - There is an additional fee of US$35 for this shot as it requires the application of a lengthy technique as well as an intricate and dedicated editing process.

Duration - The physical photoshoot generally lasts between 60 to 75min. Sometimes the weather is crystal clear, and we can work diligently through the shoot. On the other hand, please note that there are times when we have to wait for passing clouds or unannounced showers. Adventure isn’t always straightforward!

What to Bring? - Please bring the following accessories
Ground Blanket
Headlamp / Flashlight
Bug Spray normally from Spring through Summer

What to Wear? - Feel free to wear pretty much anything, except black! Blacks or very dark-colored items as that will result in the aesthetic of a disjointed model. Imagine photographing a black tee-shirt-clad model against a black sky. The resulting ‘floating’ head may do more to scare the viewer than attract them to the image. Pastels work well; whites are cool, but try to avoid white sports socks, as these again can clash with some of the locations and poses that I use.

What NOT to wear! - Please be mindful not to wear anything Black! As mentioned above, this can, if the item is a tee shirt or shirt, give the impression of a floating head depending on the angle the photographs may be taken. Likewise, please also avoid anything, dress-wise, that may have reflective elements such as sequins, etc. Toddlers should not wear those shoes that squeak with each step as invariably they also have LED lights that would deteriorate the image. Any light source will also have an adverse effect on the overall image aesthetic. Watches with reflective hands, tablets, and cell devices all emit light which can be detrimental to the overall image and are best left in the car while shooting.

Weather - This is Okinawa, and we all know the weather can be a mule sometimes. This bears true in this case as the 'Milky Way season' also coincides with the Typhoon Season here in Okinawa. There will be days when we may have no option but to reschedule and even cancel the shoot in the event the client has no rescheduling options available. Thus far, the shoot with the record number of reschedules stands at seven! This included rolling over dates from one season to the next. But we got the shots in the end! For your shoot, we WILL get it; there are times when a bit of flexibility may be required. My goal, as always, is to give you a quality product. That may take some doing, and a few attempts, but in the end, it will be something that you will be very proud of. As the saying goes, "If it were easy, everyone would be doing it"...

Communication - If you book a shoot that is six months out, please do not be alarmed if you do not hear from me until a few days before your shoot. I have everything set in my Calendar, so I will contact you directly with a logistics briefing within a minimum of three days before your shoot. I leave it until that timeframe so as to be sure to have the best idea of what the weather conditions will be for the shoot.

Time Schedule - Due to the rotation of the Earth and the synchronicity of the Milky Way the start of the season means that the time to photograph it will be later into the night, at times into the small hours of the day. These bookings are better suited for those without curfew restrictions. As the year progresses, the time slot thus becomes earlier opening up the sessions to a wider potential audience. If you wish to book take a look at the time slots displayed for each month and plan accordingly.

Bookings - If you want to look at booking your date, please contact me first to confirm the dates. If I am away from the office and someone books a specific time slot I may not be able to immediately update the booking calendar, or this file, in order to convey that. I endeavor to keep the schedule as current as possible at any given time, but that is sometimes not viable. Once your slot is confirmed, expect that to be indicated here on this page, if not immediately, within two to four hours.

A totally unique setting for that all-important question.

*Deposits & Balance Payments - To secure your shoot, I request a US$95 deposit to be paid to my PayPal, the address to which I will send once a photoshoot date has been confirmed between us. Once that deposit has cleared, I will confirm both the receipt of funds plus your shoot date and time slot with you. The remaining balance of US$200 is then required to be settled at least 1 day before the shoot date again via PayPal. If the balance payment is not received before the shoot, the shoot will be canceled, and the client forfeits their deposit. Please see the cancellation policy outline further in these details.

How Many Images Do You Get? - Clients should expect to receive anywhere from 8 to 12 images from their shoot; sometimes, they get more. They are free to select as many as they wish from the proofing gallery.

How Do I Get My Images? - A couple of days after your shoot I will contact you with the login and Password details for an online proofing gallery hosted here on my website. These will, at that time, be lightly edited. I don’t know how many of the images you would like to take from the shoot from those that ‘make the grade’. Once you select your images, I will then edit those. Expect the edit to take up to three days.

Imagery and Editing
Please understand that these images are not standard photographs. They require a specific technique to shoot, one that allows very little leeway with regard to retaining clarity and focus. This is especially true in facial details, hair, and clothing. If we're shooting on a night with any amount of wind, there is always the potential for motion blur. This may result in some blurred and sometimes ghosted regions on areas that have moved during the long exposure required to take the shot. It is difficult to generate filling for these areas if they are prominent. Some images may have varying levels of motion blur depending on the amount of movement made during the exposure. I do show most of the images on the night immediately after taking them as I also have to check to ensure they are useable for the edits. If they are not then I shoot them a second or third time. Editing of waistlines, facial features, ears, or other limbs are generally not an aspect of the edits for these images.

During the shoots, I give you a briefing on how to pose and, hopefully, smile in time for that to be conveyed in the photograph. If people are uncomfortable with the pose, I request they let me know as that discomfort can be conveyed via the photograph. It is too late once the shoot is done, and I've submitted the imagery for the clients to select their masters to be told they were not happy with the poses and lack of smiles. Smiling is hopefully the part of the deal the client brings to the table.

READ CAREFULLY - Once the images have been edited, they will be placed into a  folder hosted on the DropBox platform, access to this is through email invite only. I will email you the link to this folder so you will have access to it. These images will be hosted at this location for a period of 6 months maximum during which time you will be required to download them to your own storage device/computer. This folder will be removed from DropBox once the retention period has expired.

Should clients fail to download their master files within the six-month hosting window, there will be a small $25 fee levied for their reposting and hosting on DropBox. Additionally, as I retain all master files on archived drives, I can reissue a set of master files in the event of files being lost, a hard drive failure or another event that renders the images lost. There is a small archive retrieval fee of US$35 associated with all such re-issue requests.

Will You Be Able See Your Faces? - Yes, I use a specific technique that will render your faces recognizable in your imagery.

Motion Blur - Small children and pets are very welcome on this shoot. I've even shot babies in cribs under the stars so again, that would be an idea to think about. Feel free to bring pets too but please also note the potential for motion blur, due to excessive movement. I normally employ a technique with a studio-grade strobe to freeze the action. If young children or pets are included in the shots, then I will only be able to emit a single strobe to avoid the potential of motion blur. We can review the imagery at the time of shooting to gauge the effectiveness of the photoshoot with regard to pets specifically. That said there is always the potential for motion blur due to the movement of any human or animal subject in the photograph. This cannot be edited after the fact.

Cancellation Policy - We all understand how things can, and often do, change in Okinawa. Should for whatever reason your booking become affected to a point where it requires cancellation then the following applies:

Deposit forfeiture for travel if the shoot is a rollover from a previous time slot when travel had been made but when said shoot had to be canceled for any reason.
Deposit forfeiture if notice for cancellation is received within 2 weeks of the booked shoot date.
Deposit and 25% forfeiture if notice for cancellation is received within 10 days of the booked shoot date.
Deposit and 50% forfeiture if notice for cancellation is received within 7 days of the booked shoot date.
Deposit and 75% forfeiture if notice for cancellation is received within 6 days, or less, of the shoot date.
100% forfeiture if the client cancels within two days before the agreed photoshoot.
100% forfeiture of deposit and photo shoot fee if the client is a no-show without communication until midnight of the night of the scheduled shoot.

Any Questions? Feel free to contact me at your discretion.

Available Dates for the 2024 Milky Way Photoshoot Season

June 2024 - Panorama Photograph Available

Sunday June 2nd at 2200hrs - Booked
Monday June 3rd at 2200hrs - Booked
Tuesday June 4th at 2200hrs - Booked
Wednesday June 5th at 2200hrs - Booked
Thursday June 6th at 2200hrs - Booked
Friday June 7th at 2200hrs - Booked
Saturday June 8th at 2200hrs - Booked
Sunday June 9th at 2200hrs - Booked
Monday June 10th at 2200hrs - Booked

July 2024 - Panorama Photograph Available

Monday July 1st at 2100hrs - Booked
Tuesday July 2nd at 2100hrs - Booked
Wednesday July 3rd at 2100hrs - Booked
Thursday July 4th at 2100hrs - Booked
Friday July 5th at 2100hrs - Booked
Saturday July 6th at 2100hrs - Booked
Sunday July 7th at 2100hrs - Booked
Monday July 8th at 2100hrs - Booked
Tuesday July 9th at 2100hrs - Booked
Wednesday July 10th at 2100hrs - Booked

August 2024 - No Panorama Possible

Tuesday July 30th at 1930hrs - Booked
Tuesday July 30th at 2100hrs - Booked
Wednesday July 31st at 1930hrs - Booked
Wednesday July 31st at 2100hrs - Booked
Thursday August 1st at 1930hrs -
Thursday August 1st at 2100hrs - Booked
Friday August 2nd at 1930hrs - Booked
Friday August 2nd at 2100hrs - Booked
Saturday August 3rd at 1930hrs - Booked
Saturday August 3rd at 2100hrs - Booked
Sunday August 4th at 1930hrs -
Sunday August 4th at 1930hrs -
Monday August 5th at 1930hrs -
Monday August 5th at 2100hrs -
Tuesday August 6th at 1930hrs -
Tuesday August 6th at 2100hrs -
Wednesday August 7th at 1930hrs -
Wednesday August 7th at 2100hrs -
Thursday August 8th at 1930hrs -
Thursday August 8th at 2100hrs -

September 2024 - No Panorama Available - ROLLOVER DATES ONLY
(Intended for rollover options when planned shoots cannot happen due to various reasons)

Wednesday August 28th at 2000hrs -
Thursday August 29th at 2000hrs -
Friday August 30th at 2000hrs - Booked
Saturday August 31st at 2000hrs -
Sunday September 1st at 2000hrs -
Monday September 2nd at 2000hrs -
Tuesday September 3rd at 2000hrs -
Wednesday September 4th at 2000hrs -
Thursday September 5th at 2000hrs -
Friday September 6th at 2000hrs - Booked
Saturday September 7th at 2000hrs -

Any Further Questions?

For any questions, especially those you may have about any aspect of this photoshoot, whether you want to tailor make it for a specific and special event, simply reach out and contact me via the contact page on this website.