About Us

In 2009, Brad suffered the sudden loss of his mother and what he thought was meaningful work, drastically changed for him. He began to question his life and the direction he wanted to take with it. So in 2010, he decided to put on his backpack and experience Mother Nature’s pristine finest, allowing himself time for some deep introspection by hiking and photographing 1300 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The PCT is a wilderness hike that begins at the Mexico border near Campo, California and ends in Manning Park, British Columbia. Outdoor photography soon became a daily ritual of documenting and communicating his experiences. From capturing fields of wildflowers in the Mojave Desert to vast landscapes from some of the highest peaks on the John Muir Trail in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, it was through this experience that he fell in love with the night sky. After returning from the trail, he wanted to dedicate his work to sharing his images of the night sky with others.

In 2013, Brad and Marci left their jobs to begin educating the public about the damaging effects of light pollution. They left the comforts of home to help reconnect people with the simple beauty of the night sky. The couple sold all their possessions to live in a motorhome while traveling throughout the Western United States, teaching photography workshops and gathering footage for “Illusion of Lights.” Brad spent countless nights traversing in the dark, carrying heavy camera equipment, and braving the dark unseen. Each filmed location presented unique challenges when confronted by lightning storms, dangerous winds, and up-close encounters with bears and other wildlife. Many times, after spending days hiking to a remote location and with optimistic weather reports, Mother Nature showed up and ruined Brad’s opportunity to get the shot. Persevering through countless attempts and with dedication to their work, Brad and Marci are proud to announce the completion of filming.