My favorite shot (so far) is out of this world
The stars are something that have always been compelling to me. I am, admittedly, a bit nerdy and have always loved sci-fi. But as far as reality, there's just something incredible about the size of it all. The thought that there's millions, maybe even billions of other planets out there, replete with unique features, appearances, and potentially even life forms, is incredible. So whenever there is a clear night with stars shining bright, I can't help but look up and pause for a moment. Naturally, this interest in space has spilled over into photography. Astrophotography is a whole niche unto itself, but I can't help but dip my toe in occassionally.
The best place to see stars is always somewhere with as little ambient light as possible. Living in a decently sized metro area like Indianapolis, ambient light at night is just an unfortunate factor of life. While I've been able to get some good shots involving the stars around home, somewhere with less light is a must for any serious astrophotography.
a favorite from One of my very first night outings in the summer of 2023 (shot with nikon d5100 & nikon 50 mm f/1.8 @ 10 sec, f/1.8)
Fortunately, my grandparents happen to live on a farm south of Indianapolis. Over a dozen acres of pristine farmland, set plenty far from any city. While there is some ambient light, it's mostly in the form of distant light domes of cities or towns. With this in mind, I made a point in the summer of 2024 get to the farm and spend a night, just to take pictures. Well, most of the summer came and went, and life happened. It was August and I hadn't made the trip yet. But, I would not be swayed. Heading south straight after an evening skate with my brother, we drove down to the farm. It was after dark when we got there, and it had been a long day, but I had traveled all that way with one purpose in mind, so I got to picture taking.
In astrophotography, your subject is a very important consideration. It may seem like the stars should be the subject, plain and simple, but the reality is that, without extremely expensive and specific equipment, getting pictures of celestial bodies with ample detail is nigh impossible. So, the stars act as more of an accent to the main subject.
While a picture like this is certainly cool, there's just not as much going on and it looks a little empty without a true subject (shot with nikon z6 & nikon 50MM f/1.8 @ 13 sec, f/1.8)
With this in mind, I had to figure out what my subject would be. I experimented with a few things. The farmhouse had lights so that was a no go. Taking pictures of a lit building and trying to get the stars as well is a pretty difficult task, especially without merging multiple exposures (which is something I've never actually done). A car was a possibility, but none of the cars we had on hand really caught my eye. Eventually, my eye settled on a unique looking tree. Only after taking this picture would I learn the significance of the tree.
Reaching for the stars- my favorite shot up to this point, both for the meaning and the end result (shot with nikon z6 & nikon 50MM f/1.8 @ 10 sec, f/1.8)
The farm has been in my family for five generations. Originally built in 1818, the brick farmhouse and plot of land was purchased by my
great-great grandparents after World War 2 in 1948. Having been around for so long and having been in our family for such a long time, the farm has seen many people come and go. Such is the way of life. People come and go, in a constant cycle. A circle, if you will (like the Lion King!). With this in mind, this tree has come to have a special meaning to our family, particularly my grandmother. She calls it the tree of life. Despite the lower branches being dead, the tree continues to grow, with its upper branches hearty with leaves. Much in the same way, people may pass on in life, but we continue to build on their legacies.
I love how this picture adds to that symbolism. In addition to the tree, the stars to me are akin to eyes. I believe that all of those ancestors are somewhere beyond this world, looking back on what is unfolding beneath them. In this way, the stars work to augment and continue the motif of the cyclical nature of life in the image. In addition to all of this symbolic meaning, I would be remiss for not saying that I think the picture just looks awesome. The faint hint of sunset still visible and the light domes of far off towns add a spice of color, and as I said, I'm just a sucker for good pictures of the night sky. It also looks great on a metal print from my prints tab (had to get in a subtle plug!).
While I've taken a lot of good pictures both before this image and after, Reaching for the Stars just has something special about it for me. It looks good, of course, but for me, the meaning behind it really pushes it ahead of anything else I've taken. It may not stay my favorite forever, but for now, it is my favorite without a doubt.
