Meet Patti Blake | Astro Photographer and Night Sky Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Patti Blake and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Patti, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
To me, seeing is believing. I call myself a night sky advocate because I find myself showing thousands of people the Milky Way, telling them about a meteor shower or simply asking them to go outside to see how incredible the moon looks. My business so far is to simply encourage people to love the night sky. The places where it’s visible shrink a little bit every year because of light pollution. If I can encourage someone to turn a porch light off after 10 p.m. on a Wednesday, I call my efforts successful.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I fell into night sky and astro landscape photography the way that a person being chased by an angry swarm of bees would jump into the ocean.

After 10 years of working in the fast-paced, deadline-driven world of photojournalism, night sky photography became a nightly way for me get away from stress and fall back in love with photography. It didn’t matter what kind of day I had, the stars were always up in the sky at night and I could usually walk away with something beautiful. The night sky is still my happy place and it brings me endless joy to share it with others.

I define night sky photography to be photos taken anytime between sunset and sunrise. Astro landscape photography is a photo that shows the night sky over a landscape. With these definitions in mind, the majority of the photos I share on my Instagram feed @Saltyskyline fit into these definitions. Life is also short and art is supposed to be fun. So I travel and experiment with light painting, aerial drone photography and video.

When Hurricane Michael hit Panama City, Fla. in 2018 it wiped out the power grid for about a month. There was almost no light pollution and every star was able to shine in the night sky. I photographed the Milky Way over a landscape that was destroyed by a category 5 hurricane. Those photos were my way of expressing hope during a time that my home, office and community were all destroyed.

I stayed as the community was rebuilt and continue to use my night sky photos as a way to spread awareness about the night sky. I know that it sounds a little silly because the stars aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. However, the places that have the least amount of manmade nighttime light shrink a little bit every year for many reasons. If I can encourage someone to turn off a porch light after they go to bed or admire the stars over their backyard, then I’m making a difference. I’d like to help people find the kind of peace that I’ve found from looking at the stars.

What sets my work apart from other Instagram photographers is the message of advocacy. I’ve seen plenty of social media influencers attempt to get the “perfect shot” in a way that actively damages the area that they’re trying to share with their followers. When I post about locations with a delicate landscape in my astro landscape photos, I’ll share how I managed to get the shot without disturbing the local wildlife or vegetation. Seeing is believing. But it’s also important to set a tone of accountability when documenting a sensitive wildlife area.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My perfect day would mostly take place in Encinitas because that’s where my mother’s side of the family is from! Although my husband and I will happily hop on the coaster to catch a Padres game whenever we’re in the area.

Let me tell you about some of the highlights from our last trip to Encinitas!

Start your morning with a cup of coffee and an empanada from BUMP at 102 W Jason St. Encinitas. You deserve a treat!
Eat outside and watch the community come to life as the locals get ready for another day in paradise.

Take your coffee on a morning walk to Beacon’s Beach and watch the show as the surfers eyeball the waves. Surf culture runs deep in Encinitas so the area is often flooded with people who have the local waves on their surfing bucket list.

If you need to stock up on food or any essentials for your trip, walk to Just Peachy. You’ll find the most beautiful fresh flowers, groceries and anything you or your guests might need for a trip.

Lunch is the best time to visit Nectarine Grove for an organic burger on the most delicious gluten-free bun you’ve ever dreamed about.

You’re going to want to go for a walk down HWY 101 to check out all of the adorable shops. My husband always needs a hat from one of the local surf shops and I need to explore every inch of at least one antique store. There is truly something for everyone in that area!

I’m a beer girl so I was very excited to try Duck Foot Brewing Company! Try the “Drink this or the Bees Die” golden honey. You won’t bee-leve how yummy it is!

Keeping with the bee theme, if you’d like to try something slightly different for dinner, the Killer BEE pizza from Corner Pizza absolutely delivers on flavor! We’re talking chili honey drizzled over mozzarella, charred pepperoni, soppressata, gorgonzola, rosemary and love! Other all star pizzas on the menu include the vegan tomato pie option, Margarita Burrata, New Yorker and so much more!

Finally, no trip is complete without visiting Captain Keno’s Restaurant for a $6 Bloody Mary!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My uncle, Fred Caldwell passed away in June 2023. He was a graphic designer, photographer, small business owner and the absolute spirit of the community he loved: Encinitas. His kindness, creativity and a lifetime supply of corny jokes have helped shaped who I am as a person. He would want to tell everyone that most stressful situations can start to be alleviated with a little humor. I truly miss him.

Website: pattiblakephotojournalism.com

Instagram: Saltyskyline

Image Credits
Please credit all photos: Patti Blake/Salty Skyline