The first time I captured, not to mention witnessed, the Milky Way is an experience I won’t ever forget. After being awake for nearly 24 hours, having arrived into Los Angeles from our respective home bases around the country, 3 photographer friends and I embarked on an adventure rife with potential hazards.

We arrived at the Air Force base around 1:30 am and hiked a mile through a maze of quicksand, cacti, and a variety of other prickly foliage - without GPS. Once the planes were spotted, we set up our gear and started shooting. One member of our group was brave enough to climb on top of the abandoned B-52 wreckage, giving us more photo opportunities.

At one point, a pack of coyotes howled in the distance. We packed up and made our way back to our cars. I was at the tail end of our pack, being a naturally slow walker. I heard some strange otherwordly chirping sounds followed by what sounded like heaving breathing behind me. I wasn’t sure if it was real, or delirium finally kicking in, but I called on the guys ahead of me to wait up.

In the distance, our group noticed siren lights flash and ducked down. Was it police? Were our cars, parked on the side of the road, about to be towed? We weren’t sure and stayed put until the lights eventually disappeared.

After I posted my first image, I got messages telling me that Military Police were known to patrol the area and not only arrest trespassers but confiscate memory cards from cameras. Alien sightings were common and a mysterious Big Foot-type creature was photographed on the grounds at one point.

Needless to say, none of this information phased me. Would I go back? Absolutely. After beating cancer and surviving the lockdowns, I’m all about taking calculated risks to capture the best shots imaginable. I hope you enjoy my first-ever astrophotography photo. This was captured with a Sony a7 iii and 20mm f/1.8 lens.

Why the title? 'Under the Milky Way,' by The Church, is one of my favorite songs. You would think I would have tried to witness it sooner in my life. Why this particular number of editions at this price? 23 has been lucky for me in more ways than I could possibly explain here. The number 8 represents my ability to make beneficial decisions in my life, including the one that led to this photo.