Nightscape Images; It was a new moon- the darkest of sky when we ventured out to look at the Stars- the setting was an old farm just near the center of Bendigo Victoria. We could have checked out of our Bendigo Holiday Accommodation apartment in the CBD earlier that day and headed to the country. We arrived at the old Homestead and I got my camera gear out and wandered across the paddock into the cool September evening.

I was inspires by the old red Ford Pick up truck parked in the middle of the driveway not looking like it had been used in a while, the piece of rope holding the bonnet closed took my attention but as I set my tripod up and started to gaze up to the sky I remember the many times My mum and Dad had taken me out to the garden and had me look up to the sky. They would point out the “Saucepan” and then the “Southern Cross”. Then talking about how the earth revolves around the Sun making the stars actually look like they are moving. If only we could stand still long enough and focus. And tonight I was going to photograph that making my first “Star Trail” photograph. Now it had so much meaning.

Nightscape Images

Here I was ready to set up facing true south- the haze of the Bendigo lights on the horizon and the amazing history of the old Ford truck with rope across the front and cob webs draping off the old girl. This was such a special night the cold didn’t seem to be something that I even noticed. The exposures were at 25 seconds so plenty of time to gently shine my torch across the Truck just to get the Red to glow.
I realized that while I had been standing gazing out and up in what seemed to be the dark it was like someone turned the lights up. Like fairy lights the stars started to shine. I got excited thinking that just maybe I could capture something that could look even a tiny bit as good at it looked to me out in a paddock late at night in the cold and dark. I took my shot again and again, then shined the torch gently on the truck but each time the “milky way” came to life even more . The stars were really and truly looked amazing.
There were 11 other people out in the dark wandering and setting up near the hay bales or the wheat silos, then over to the old pig shed. They were all there with me on a Nightscape Images Workshop. It didn’t really matter what it was that I was photographing in the end the band of stars called the ‘Milky Way” as large as life in outback Australia, yes just near Bendigo Victoria had won my heart.

Nightscape Images

To see more photos of the Milky way just as it was during a new moon in September in Australia. But if you are even a little bit inspired to come and take some photos of your own after you have spent a few days in Bendigo Victoria and maybe stayed in in the Cobb and Co house you just might want to spend a weekend on the farm yourself with Ricard Tatti from Nightscape Images – taking in the stars learning a bit more about photography and astronomy and see for yourself the old red truck.