Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Lee.
Hi Ken, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 1999, I was walking down the boardwalk in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, when I stopped at a photographer’s booth. He was selling prints he had taken at night in Joshua Tree National Park, a surreal desert wonderland of bizarre rock formations. He had illuminated the rocks with a flashlight, casting dramatic shadows of hands and bodies across the stone. He explained that he used long exposures of up to 40 minutes, and then he said something that stopped me cold: “There is much more light at night than you think there is.”
That one sentence planted a seed. I had no idea how profoundly that brief conversation would change my life.
Fast forward to 2011. I traveled to the Atacama Desert in Chile, one of the darkest places on Earth. The stars were palpably present, feeling close enough to reach up, pluck from the sky, and hold in your hand. I didn’t know how to photograph the night sky yet, but I left the Atacama determined to learn.
I’ve never looked back. I now live near Joshua Tree National Park, where I run out to shoot at night constantly. I have published four books on history and night photography, been published in National Geographic Books, Omni Magazine, Westways Magazine, and the LA Times, write about night photography for FStoppers, and present at events like the Night Photo Summit and Nightscaper Conference. I also teach night photography workshops several times a year. That’s right, I now help others discover that there truly is much more light at night than you think.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No night photographer ever has a smooth road. But of course, how bad can it be when you are underneath a beautiful night sky?
That said, I’ve had my share of memorable mishaps. My camera has been whipped across the desert by insane gusts of wind. I’ve walked into what I thought were abandoned buildings, only to discover people sleeping inside. Terrified bats have flown straight at my head in the dark. Deer and burros have crept up behind me in total silence, nearly giving me a heart attack.
And I’ve had more than a few smashed lenses along the way. At one abandoned locale, I stepped on a wooden board, which raised another board, which in turn raised a third board that my tripod was resting on. This sent the entire rig tumbling, resulting in a smashed fisheye lens.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in all sorts of night photography, including not only photos with the Milky Way, but also light painting subjects, abandoned locations, night landscapes and astro-landscape, and more.
I have four books that are published through Arcadia Publishing. These books include history, stories, and night photographs of abandoned locations in regions of the United States, including Route 66, Southern California, and elsewhere in the Southwest.
I would say that I am most proud of being a good night photography workshop instructor. I feel really great when I see the “light bulb” go off in a night photography participant, or when they begin realizing that they can problem-solve for themselves, or when they grow excited because they see what they can create.
And the word “create” is important. When you are light painting a subject, illuminating it with a handheld flashlight during the long exposure night photo, you are actively creating a photograph. What other form of photography is this actively creative? You are like a film director, determining where the light goes, what to illuminate, what to keep in shadow, and what mood you want to convey.
I’m also proud of having my night photo of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in National Geographic Books “World’s Greatest Landscapes” publication. The surprising part, though, is that I am even more proud of winning a Reader’s Contest in the Travel Section for the Los Angeles Times newspaper. This is mostly because I used to pick up the LA Times Travel Section as a kid, look at all these wonderful photos of West Africa or India, exotic farflung landscapes, fascinating people, and more, hoping that someday I could visit some of these places. I loved the Lonely Planet Guides and National Geographic as well, as you might imagine!
And not only have I been able to make that happen, but I’ve also had photos that have won contests or been featured in LA Times! So that’s been especially exciting for me.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Utah is easily one of the most beautiful states in the country! What’s not to love about it? Great people who love to get outdoors. Add to that Zion, Arches, Canyonland, Capitol Reef, Bryce, Goblin Valley, Bonneville Salt Flats, Staircase-Escalante, White Pockets, and so much more, and what’s not to love? The only thing I “dislike” about Utah that I wish it were much closer to the Joshua Tree area!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kenleephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenleephotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kenleephotography/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KenLeePhotography
- Other: https://elevenshadows.bandcamp.com/
