Russell Palmer
October 2026 - Terrace Cemetery
About the Image(s)
Nikon D850, Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G, ISO 10000 f/1.8 6.0 seconds
This was taken this past May out in the middle of nowhere in the west desert of northern Utah. It is what remains of an old railroad ghost town located near the Utah-Nevada border west of the Great Salt Lake. I came across this area a couple years ago while doing some surveying for my former employer and had a number of creepy experiences while out there which made me think this would be a good location for an astro shoot, so full disclosure, it took me a couple years to work up the nerve to go back out there all alone in the middle of the night. This is my first real attempt at astro, but with Halloween coming up I figured it was an appropriate time to show this image even though the actual landscape is minimal.
8 comments posted
Russell, thank you for sharing this. The story of returning to a place that once unsettled you - and doing it alone at night - gives the image a weight that goes beyond the technical. The contrast between the vast, indifferent sky and the small human sign is striking. The title "Terrace Cemetery" becomes almost a whisper in that context. I especially appreciate that you waited until you were ready. That patience shows.
And I'm curious: did the fear go away once you started shooting, or did it stay with you the whole time? Posted: 10/06/2026 10:11:29
And I'm curious: did the fear go away once you started shooting, or did it stay with you the whole time? Posted: 10/06/2026 10:11:29
Thank you very much for your comments. To answer your question, I was confident in my own faith that no harm to me would actually occur, however my nerves were unsettled throughout the night as I waited for the milky way to reach the position I was hoping for. I set my camera up at around 8 pm that evening and it was after 2:30 in the morning before it reached the position I was looking for. At one point I heard a couple branches snap in the nearby brush and I ended up locking myself up in my car as I continued to wait. All in all, I was very happy with myself to push through and have less fear of going out there again some other time. Posted: 10/07/2026 15:55:53
Wow, it's very creepy .. Night time at terrace cemetery.. ? OMG.. lol.. You make me jealous since I have not success to take milky way photo. Nice shoot.
You should send this to HIPA Night Photo contest in Instagram. Dateline on October 11, 2026. Posted: 10/07/2026 11:32:16
You should send this to HIPA Night Photo contest in Instagram. Dateline on October 11, 2026. Posted: 10/07/2026 11:32:16
Thank you very much for your comment and I will definitely look into the contest you've mentioned I just entered my first ever contest earlier this year and the success I received has me looking forward to entering others, so thank you once again!! Posted: 10/07/2026 16:00:26
What a wonderful shot, something I have not mastered, not many places over here to get a clear sky like this. None near me. This could be a scene from a moody Western with John Wayne appearing in the gateway or would make a great book cover to a murder mystery. Your control and timing is spot on and the composition is wonderful. Just wondering are only Terrace's allowed to be buried there. Well done. Posted: 10/13/2026 08:56:36
Thank you!! Not sure I mastered anything as this was really my first attempt at astro, but look forward to doing more in the future. Also don't know what it would take, if anything, to be buried there - it's literally miles away from anything so least an hours drive to the nearest "civilized" area. It's very small and actually only has, I think, three marked graves. Posted: 10/15/2026 18:57:19
This is amazing . I have not ventured into astrophotography , and I admire the patience and technique that it requires . This is very nicely done. The mood is in the sky , and on the ground. Even the clarity of the words against the sky , nicely done . Posted: 10/15/2026 15:39:52
Thank you!! Although I planned everything out beforehand to get the image I wanted, this was my first attempt at astro. I strongly suggest just getting out and simply giving it a try when you have the opportunity, I look forward to doing more in the near future. This area is pretty remote, so I wasn't sure there would be as much light pollution as there was to illuminate the lettering of the sign. So I was prepared to do a little light painting, which I also have never done, but after a couple test shots I could see that I didn't need to do any of the light painting. Posted: 10/15/2026 22:29:50