Avocational photographer draws notice for Milky Way photo
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
Jeff Moreau, a Kennett High physics teacher who enjoys mixing his interests in hiking, photography and astronomy, shows off the spot where he captured dramatic images of the Milky Way.
A Kennett High physics teacher who dabbles in photography inadvertently focused on the science of online recognition this summer.
Jeff Moreau, whose evolving photo skills dovetail with his longtime hiking hobby, said he was excited to combine the two during a recent vacation. He said he was staying in Las Vegas when he decided to drive 2 ½ hours to Death Valley on July 18, a moonless night in an area known for its minimal light pollution. He arrived at the Badwater Basin about 3:30 a.m. when the temperature was already 99. By the time he left at 1:30 p.m., the mercury had climbed to 118 degrees, and Moreau had obtained some sizzling shots of the Milky Way to cap the experience.
Moreau, who describes himself as an amateur photographer, said he often sends photos to various social-media sites such as Flicker and Reddit. Once before, he generated a million views for a photo, but a news site had never contacted him until Universe Today expressed interest in his Milky Way image, which garnered about 675,000 views.
Jeff Moreau’s photo of the Milky Way, taken last month in Death Valley, generated a lot of interest online.
He said a writer wanted details on Moreau’s background and the set-up for the photo, resulting in a short story for the web site, which specializes in space journalism. It was a serendipitous occurrence: Another of Moreau’s passions is astronomy. “I love teaching astronomy to students because it’s so easy to capture their interest; there are so many fascinating things going on.”
Moreau, who is about to begin his seventh year of teaching at Kennett High, said the Milky Way photo is comprised of seven vertical shots, each with a 30-second exposure. He said he began experimenting with a point-and-shoot camera in 2003 but didn’t graduate to more serious equipment until about a year and a half ago. Although he’s self-taught, he said he benefits from the influence of friends who are professionals.
In the classroom, Moreau said he added some of his own photos to a gallery of student work, many the result of classroom doodles. He said research has shown that some people can think better when they’re also drawing, making squibbles and sketches acceptable during certain classroom exercises. He said the students requested more of his work and now he rotates photos every three or four weeks. “If the same ones stay up too long, I hear about it,” he said.
To view images by Moreau, visit http://jeffmoreau.smugmug.com. To read about him on Universe Today, go to http://www.universetoday.com/103838/stunning-astrophoto-the-milky-way-over-death-valley/.
