Night photography is a dance between light and darkness, where every shot tells a story illuminated by the moon, stars, and city lights. It’s an art that requires skill, patience, and a touch of daring creativity. In our latest Night Photography Contest, photographers from around the globe embraced the challenge, capturing breathtaking nocturnal scenes that range from serene starlit landscapes to the vibrant chaos of urban nights.
This article celebrates not just the winners but the stories behind their awe-inspiring images. Each photograph is a testament to the passion, vision, and perseverance of these talented artists. Through their lenses, the night comes alive, revealing its mystery and magic. Join us as we dive into the journeys of our winning photographers and explore the captivating tales behind their extraordinary works.
GIANLUCA RUBINACCI
Introduce yourself:
My name is Gianluca, I am 29 years old and I live in Rome. My main passion is landscape photography combined with the desire to travel to uncontaminated places. I love being outdoors, away from the chaos of the city and taking pictures, especially night skies; There is nothing more exciting than being under a starry sky, in a remote place, and being able to capture the magic of the Milky Way or the play of the stars in the silence of the night.
I don't have any other great passions, but perhaps this is what allows me to dedicate myself completely to what I love most. For me, photography and nature are not just hobbies: they are the best way to slow down, observe the world carefully and tell the beauty that surrounds us, one photo at a time.
How did you get interested in photography?
My story with photography began almost by chance: I often attended photography exhibitions and I would stop for a long time in front of the images thinking about how much I would have liked to be able to take similar photos. I talked about it continuously, until one day my partner, sensing that it was more than just an interest, gave me a reflex camera saying 'If you like it so much, why don't you try it?'
It was actually the best thing that could have happened to me because from then on I never spent a day without a camera! I started studying and documenting myself, trying and making mistakes, until I found the photographic genre that I am most passionate about and that reflects me.
What is your favorite type of photography?
My favorite genre of photography is landscape: especially night photography, I especially like shooting the Milky Way and the Northern Lights.
What are your aspirations as a photographer?
My aspirations as a photographer are intertwined with my desire to tell the beauty of the world, especially that which often goes unnoticed. I would like my images to inspire people to stop, observe and appreciate the magic of nature, from the most majestic landscapes to the most intimate details, like the glow of the stars on a clear night.
But, more than anything else, I hope to continue to grow, experimenting with new approaches and techniques, without ever losing that curiosity and wonder that drove me to begin this journey.
For you what is photography? And what are you thinking when you are shooting?
For me, photography is a way to stop time, to capture an instant that will never be repeated in the same way. It is my tool to observe the world more carefully, to capture those details that often escape in the frenzy of everyday life. It is also a form of expression: through my images, I try to tell what I see and feel, sharing the beauty and emotions that strike me. When I shoot, I feel in a different dimension, as if time slowed down, I focus on what is in front of me, trying to find the right perspective, the perfect light or that detail that makes the scene unique: In the night skies, for example, I think of the vastness of the universe and how incredible it is to be able to capture with a photo what seems unattainable.
You can find out more about me and my work in my Instagram!!
ROSITSA DIMITROVA
Hey, I’m Rosie and I’m actually a travel blogger. In fact, that’s how my photography journey started – I wanted not just to photograph the places I visit, but to capture the exact emotion I’m feeling when I’m somewhere around the world. The truth is I’m not much into portraits (even though I do shoot them sometimes), I am utterly and hopelessly in love with landscape and astrophotography. The first time I saw the Milky way core in my full frame camera I knew that this is what I want to do for the rest of my days. So far, it’s been 7 years and still going strong.
So that’s what happened – travel blogging became secondary to photography. In fact, I am not actively planning my trips based on the new moon. And a few years back, just to fill in the time between the new moons, I decided to start shooting the full moon. That’s how my next passion was born – shooting moonrises and moonsets. I must say that’s quite, quite different than Milky way shots – planning a moonrise shot can take me hours, but shooting only takes 20 minutes at the most. It’s quite the opposite to astrophotography – planning on location doesn’t take me more than 1 hour, I’m pretty quick to see compositions, but shooting can take quite a while. Of course, you do need a telelens for this, so basically, I shoot at either 14mm (Milky way) or at 600mm (moonrises and moonsets). The feeling while shooting is also quite different, it’s a lot more serene for the Milky way, while shooting our moon…. Well, let’s say it involves A LOT of running around with my heavy equipment, so I can get the exact positioning of the Moon and the foreground I’ve imagined.
One of the most inspiring things you can ever witness in your life is a total solar eclipse. I remember seeing one that lasted only 7 seconds when I was about 12 years old. To this day, this is one of the most vivid memories I have of my childhood, I remember exactly where I was and I remember the exact feeling I felt. A few years back I started making plans to shoot solar eclipses – 2024 from Mexico, 2026 from Spain and 2027 from Egypt (this one will last over 7 minutes, the longest in our century!). Preparing for Mexico involved many sleepless nights – I was just so hyped testing my equipment, watching all tutorials available and even editing, so I know what I’m in for. The weather forecast was a nail-biter, I’ll admit as much, but it was all worth it for these precious 4 minutes. Honestly, words cannot describe what seeing a total solar eclipse feels like, you just HAVE to experience it at least once in your life. And once you do… let’s say you’ll quickly start planning for your next one.
Don't forget to take a look to our other open photo contests for more opportunities to showcase your skills and creativity. Explore them here: www.theartistgallery.art/open-contests.
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