Kicker – Milky Way over Courthouse Butte Print, Sedona

Courthouse Butte, Sedona, Arizona – 2026

The Milky Way over Courthouse Butte

When we picked this spot for the night shoot, I wanted the Milky Way sitting directly behind Courthouse Butte. I miscalculated. When it came up, it was above the butte and off to the left.

So I made the picture from two exposures. First I exposed for the Milky Way. A few minutes later I reframed on the butte with the composition I wanted, and I blended the two in Photoshop. This print is a composite of two frames shot the same night from the same spot.

The warm light on the face of the butte is glow from town. It worked like a kicker light in a studio, separating the rock from the sky and making it pop. It was a mild night, perfect for astrophotography.

Key Features:

• Limited Edition Print — Only 50 prints per size available
• Two-Exposure Composite — Sky and butte shot minutes apart from the same spot, blended in Photoshop
• The Milky Way over Courthouse Butte — Sedona under a dark, star-filled sky
• Natural Rim Light — Town glow catching the face of the butte
• Archival Quality Print — Giclée on 240gsm lustre photo paper with pigment inks for lasting color