23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Milky Way Over The South Dakota Badlands

I was on a Milky Way Workshop in the South Dakota Badlands. The area was chosen because it's one of the darkest sky's in the United States. While the other photographers were going after a different angle. I went with a couple other in this rocky terrain to capture something different. It paid off in more ways than one. We had to patiently wait out clouds in the sky to capture this magical night.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2025
Date Uploaded: 12.2025
Photo Location: Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States of America
Camera: NIKON Z 8
Copyright: © James Blask