Jason Clay Photography

A foggy morning in rural Georgia with the sunrise illuminating the fog with a glowing, golden light. Green trees line a straight, gravel road that abruptly curves to the left, leaving the viewer to imagine where it goes.

A sunrise drive through a golden, foggy morning in rural Georgia. #sunrise #fog #morning #photography #rural #ruralgeorgia #ruralga #journey #mysteriousroad #mystery

An image of the Elephant Trunk Nebula, which is an appendage-like cloud of dust and gas that extends out into a region of glowing gas. Parts of the "trunk" are darker than the background, while other parts are much brighter than the background. This contrast against the background makes it a prominent structure. Scope: Skywatcher Esprit 100ED APO Mount: ZWO AM5 Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Acquisition: ZWO ASIAir Plus, EAF, EFW, and CAA Processing: Siril, Lightroom, and PhotoShop

This is a reprocessing of the data I collected of the Elephant Trunk Nebula from 2024. As I've learned newer and better processing techniques, it's fun to go back and improve upon an image. Description and gear info in the Alt text. #astrophotography #photography #science #elephanttrunknebula 🧪🔭

Image of the Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant that has a circular shape. It is composed of several sections. On the right is the Western Veil Nebula, which starts at a point near the top, and expands toward the bottom before it splits into two distinct tails. The Eastern Veil Nebula is in the left and bears a close resemblance to the head and face of the Xenomorph from the movie, "Alien." Imaging Details Wide field narrowband image in SHO "Hubble" color palette Scope: Skywatcher Esprit 100ED APO with Starizona .65 reducer Mount: ZWO AM5 Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Acquisition: ZWO ASIAir Plus, EAF, and EFW Processing: Siril, Lightroom, and PhotoShop

Image of a detail from the Cygnus Loop, known as the Eastern Veil Nebula, which bears a close resemblance to the head and face of the Xenomorph from the movie, "Alien." Imaging Details Wide field narrowband image in SHO "Hubble" color palette Scope: Skywatcher Esprit 100ED APO with Starizona .65 reducer Mount: ZWO AM5 Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Acquisition: ZWO ASIAir Plus, EAF, and EFW Processing: Siril, Lightroom, and PhotoShop

The Cygnus Loop is a near-circular remnant of a super-nova explosion. One portion of it is called the Eastern Veil Nebula and I liken it to the Xenomorph from the movie, "Alien." Imaging details in Alt text. #cygnusloop #veilnebula #westernveilnebula #eastrnveilnebula #astrophotography #science 🧪🔭

As I am now into my second year of astrophotography, I am re-imaging objects in the Cygnus-Cepheus-Cassiopeia constellation corridor with techniques I have improved upon. The area is chock-full of targets. So full, in fact, that I ran out of time last year to image this one before it passed out of view for the winter. Lobster Claw Nebula is a new one for me and I'm glad I finally got to it. This is an exciting target because most astro targets have a rounded, bulbous look, but the Lobster Claw has two arcs that converge to a definitive angled point, lending to its namesake. Even in sub-exposures, it's possible to make out a shape that resembles the business end of a lobster. The Lobster Claw Nebula is a planetary nebula 11,000 light years away and is primarily composed of Hydrogen. Stewart Sharpless discovered it in 1959. As a complete surprise, I also captured the Bubble Nebula, located near the bottom of the image. I didn't realize the two nebulae were so close to one another and will compose this differently in future imaging sessions. 𝗚𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 Scope: Skywatcher Esprit 100ED APO with Starizona .65 reducer Mount: ZWO AM5 Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Acquisition: ZWO ASIAir Plus, EAF, and EFW Processing: Siril, Lightroom, and PhotoShop SII: 180s x 22 Ha: 180s x 14 OIII: 180s x 30 Total integration time: 3.3 hours

Lobster Claw Nebula (SH2-157) and Bubble Nebula at the bottom edge (NGC 7635) in the SHO "Hubble" color palette. Details, gear, and stats in ALT text. 🔭 🧪
#science #astronomy #astrophotography #nebula #lobsterclawnebula #BubbleNebula #nebulaphotography #PlanetaryNebula #lobster #cosmos #Sharpless

The Elephant Trunk Nebula (IC 1396A) is located in the constellation Cepheus, near the North Celestial Pole. It's 2,400 light years away and is an emission nebula composed of ionized gases such as Hydrogen, Oxygen, and gaseous Sulfur. It's also known as a star forming region with a multitude of protostars. Visible at the bottom left are dark nebulae, which are enormous clouds of dust that are only visible because they obscure even more distant stars. The photons I collected with my telescope and astro camera in early September 2025 were emitted 2,400 years ago, and then traveled the vast distance until they landed on my camera's sensor. This image is presented in the SHO "Hubble" color palette. #astrophotography #elephanttrunknebula #nebula #nebulaphotography #widefieldastrophotography #widefield #hubble #hubblepalette

The Elephant Trunk Nebula is 2,400 LY away in the constellation Cepheus. More details in the alt text.

🔭 SkyWatcher Esprit 100 APO refractor
📷 ASI2600MM Pro

#astrophotography #science #elephanttrunknebula #nebula #nebulaphotography #widefield #widefieldastrophotography #hubble #hubblepalette

Photo of the back of a Blue Dasher dragonfly showing it's full wingspan and all the tiny facets in its delicate wings.

Photo of the front of a Blue Dasher dragonfly showing it's full wingspan and all the tiny facets in its delicate wings. The wings show some wear and tear with sections missing. The dragonfly's characteristic white face and blue-green eyes are visible.

Closeup of the back of a Blue Dasher dragonfly showing the joints where the wings connect to the back of the thorax. The wings are dimly backlit showing the outlines of the individual cells of the thin membrane and the patterns they create.

Closeup of the face of a Blue Dasher dragonfly showing the characteristic face and blue-green eyes in detail.

A Blue Dasher dragonfly. #dragonfly #dragonflyphotography #photography #dragonfliesofbluesky #bluedasher #anthropod #antropods #anthropodphotography #insect #insects #insectphotography Details in alt text.

Sounds like what I'm about to do, but in a Gungan dialect.

A neon sign in the window of an Atlanta barbecue restaurant that reads "ATL BBQ." The window is capped by a black and white striped canopy. The glowing sign illuminates the window sill and the sidewalk in front of it. An illustration of a hand with a pointed finger is stenciled on the wall with the words, Parking Deck" under it. The BBQ restaurant is Atlanta's famous Sweet Auburn BBQ in the Poncey-Highlands neighborhood. Canon 5D Mk IV Canon 24-70mm lens at 70mm ISO 1250, f/2.8, 1/160 sec. Prism FX - Lucid Dream filter

Atlanta is known for its amazing BBQ. This glowing neon sign beckons to an amazing meal (as if the smell wasn't enough on its own). Stats and details in alt text #bbq #atlantabbq #atlbbq #neon #neonphotography #neonsign #neonsignphotography #architechturephotography #photography #photosofbluesky

A Delta airliner is parked at the terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Another plane in the distance is high above the ground, tilted up at a steep angle at it takes off to destinations unknown.

Delta planes on the tarmac and in the air. #delta #deltaairlines #airliner #airplanephotography #flight #airport #airportphotography #puffyclouds

A mushroom lays on its side revealing the underside of the cap and a vibrant purple stalk.

Details of a fallen backyard mushroom. The porous underside and strange pattern on the purple stalk seem alien. #mushroom #mushroomphotography #mycology #mycologyphotography #photography #stalk #purple #purplestalk #mushroomsofbluesky #pores #porous #spores #sporepores #alien #alienpattern

Neon lights of a city diner glow on a rainy night. The lights are reflected in the shiny, wet street. The long exposure captured the red streak of a car's tail lights moving along the road.

Neon on Leon. The Majestic Diner, serving hungry Atlantans since 1929. Its neon lights glow on Ponce de Leon Ave. More in alt text. #longexposure #longexposurephotography #neon #neonlights #neonglow #diner #dinerphotography #neonphotography #atlanta #atlantaphotography #atlantainfluenceseverything

The edges of a mushroom undulate up and down is a progression of curls. The topside of the mushroom is an even brown, but the bits of the underside that curl upward show the pale, cream-color gills.

Curls and gills. #mycology #mushroom #mushroomphotography #mushroomhunting #mushroomart #ᴍᴜsʜʀᴏᴏᴍᴀʀᴛ #mushroomsofbluesky

A photo of a wooded area where the ground is covered in a carpet of dried, brown leaves, and the trunks of trees extend upward to a glowing green canopy.

Tromping through an emerald forest. More detail in alt text. #green #Verdant #greenforest #forest #verdantforest #orientering #photography #forestphotography #trees #emerald #emeraldforest #treephotography

A long corridor at Reagan International airport with repeating architectural details.

The ticketing lobby at Reagan International Airport. #washingtondc #airport #airportphotography #patterns #architecture #architecturephotography #rhythmandrepetition #texture #perspective #onepointperspective #recede #receding #reflection #reflections

The U.S. Capitol Building in the springtime. The trees have fresh green leaves and pink blossoms.

The U.S. Capitol Building in the spring. #washingtondc #uscapitol #capitolhill #architecture #architecturephotography #Federal #photography #washingtondcphotography

Colorful artwork resembling the sun.

Happy, colorful art in a rural mountain town.

A stainless steel test aircraft with rivets and warning signs.

I took a trip to Washington DC recently and visited the Udvar-Hazy Center. I saw all kinds of air- and spacecraft and was taken with the graphics visible on most of them. This was from a test craft. #space #spacecraft #spaceship #photography #warning #warningsigns #rescue #instructions #1950s

Sunflower petals #sunflower #sunflowerphotography #flowerphotography #flowerphoto #yellow

Magenta wildflowers. #magenta #wildflowers #flowers #flowerphotography #wildflowerphotography #macro #macrophoto #macrophotography #stamen

Image of a Portobello mushroom.

A Portobello mushroom up close and personal. #myclogy #mushroom #mushroomphotography #photography #macro #macrophotography

The Georgie Washington Bridge as viewed from high above in an airplane, but the firground and background are out of focus, which gives the impression it's much smaller than it really is.

The George Washington Bridge with a tilt shift effect applied to make it look like a miniature. #georgewashingtonbridge #gwb #newyork #newyorkcity #nyc #nycphotography #newyorkphotography #bridgephotography #photography #tiltshift

Whoa!

Thank you!!!!

Backyard birds putting on a show #birds #bird #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #birb #birbs #birbsofbluesky #avian #avianphotography #backyard #backyardbirds #birdfeeder #wing #wings #sunset #sunsetbirds #aviary #finch #housefinch #talons

A nighttime image of a building in Apalachicola, Florida with heat lightning striking in the background. In the foreground, long streaks of a car's headlights reflect on the asphalt.

Heat lightning in Apalachicola, FL. #heatlightning #photography #photo #lightningphotography #lightningphoto #Florida #naturephotography #longexposure #longexposurephotography

Daaaaaaaaang. Nice.

The deeper I have gotten into astrophotography, the more I have keenly felt that. And thank YOU!

If you squint hard, you can see Guinan.

The Cygnus wall, a part of the larger North America Nebula.

The Cygnus Wall is a giant cloud of hydrogen gas that is ionized by nearby stars, so it glows. From end to end, it's about 20 LY long. It's 1,500 LY away, so this is really what it looked like 1,500 years ago. HOO color palette. #astronomy #astrophotography #astro #science #cygnus #space #nebula

You absolutely planted the idea. I saw yours and mulled on this for a while before actually doing it. Thank you for the inspiration!