Author: Newsroom
(Thousand Oaks, CA) – Science photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer Babak Tafreshi brings his photos and videos of night scenes to the Fred Kavli Theatre on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 8:00 pm.
From the Milky Way to meteor showers to fireflies that emerge at dusk on neighborhood streets, our eyes open a little wider at the stunning photos and videos of Tafreshi. He has spent his career documenting wildlife, humanity, and the cosmos—from dark national parks to bright urban areas—with the belief that people everywhere can connect through the shared experience of simply looking up.
Acquainted with the night, Tafreshi has been documenting scenes of the night sky in all continents since the 1990s, an adventurous journey where landmarks of Earth connect to celestial wonders, where science bridges art, and astrophotography contributes to nature conservation. His work aims to increase public awareness of the values of the natural night environment and how to protect it from our growing light pollution. The night-time face of our planet has changed in the past century. The habitat and behavior of many nocturnal species are largely impacted by our artificial lights, especially in the last few decades.
Tafreshi is an Iranian American science photographer, cinematographer, and National Geographic explorer based in the Boston area. Since 2007, Tafreshi has directed The World at Night program with a team of photographers in 20 countries. The program’s mission to reveal the value of natural dark skies and impact of light pollution was captured through The World at Night, a book authored by Tafreshi and published in multiple languages. Tafreshi uses visual stories, timelapse motion, and virtual reality to create an understandable portal to wonders of Earth and sky. His work is recognized by the 2022 National Geographic Wayfinder Award, the Royal Photography Society Award for Scientific Imaging, and the 2009 Lennart Nilsson Award. In addition, the International Astronomical Union named the 2-km minor planet 276163 after Tafreshi.
Single tickets are on sale now and are priced starting at $47.50. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster online at www.ticketmaster.com, or through the Bank of America Performing Arts Box Office, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard. For more information call 805-449-2787 or visit www.bapacthousandoaks.com