Step into the nocturnal world of our Night Photography Contest winners! As darkness falls, these visionary photographers illuminate the night with their stunning captures. Each image tells a captivating story of the after-hours world. Join us as we unveil the winners and discover the magic of night photography like never before.
WILLIAM PREITE
My name is William Preite, born in 1986, a landscape photographer hailing from the picturesque city of Vicenza in North Italy, I have discovered my passion for capturing the beauty of the natural world through a transformative journey that began in 2011.
Fueled by a yearning for exploration and a desire to break free from the monotony of urban life, I embarked on a solitary odyssey of four years to the distant shores of Australia.
Amidst the vast and varied landscapes of the Land Down Under, spanning from arid deserts to lush tropical forests, and from rugged canyons to pristine beaches, I have found myself immersed in a world I had previously only glimpsed through documentaries. It was here, surrounded by the untamed wilderness, that my profound affinity for nature was kindled.
In 2016, after traversing the expanse of the Australian continent twice over, I felt compelled to preserve the breathtaking vistas I encountered through the lens of a camera. Thus began my foray into the realm of digital photography, as I sought to immortalize the raw magnificence of natural landscapes.
Upon returning to Italy, my perspective underwent a profound shift. No longer did I yearn for endless horizons or boundless oceans; instead, my gaze was drawn to the majestic silhouette of the mountains that loomed on the horizon. Despite their perpetual presence, it took years amidst the desert landscapes for me to truly appreciate the grandeur of the Alps.
Enthralled by the allure of the mountains, I immersed myself in the art of alpine photography. From challenging ascents to frigid winter camps beneath star-studded skies, I eagerly embraced every opportunity to capture the panoramic splendor from lofty vantage points. Each expedition was a testament to my unwavering passion, as I ventured forth with laden backpacks and resolute determination.
In the heart of the Alps, I found not only captivating landscapes but also a community of fellow adventurers and photographers who would soon become cherished companions. For me, photography transcends mere imagery, it serves as a conduit for connecting with the wilderness, embarking on new adventures, and discovering enchanting locales, all while preserving cherished memories to share with others.
With every click of the shutter, I invite viewers to embark on a visual journey, where the untamed beauty of nature is celebrated in all its splendor. Through my lens, I capture fleeting moments of serenity and grandeur, inviting others to witness the awe-inspiring landscapes that stir my soul.
Take a look to my Instagram to know more about me!
PETR HORÁLEK
Tell us about you, what do you like?
I am an enthusiastic astronomer and outreach scientist at the Institute of Physics in Opava. I love nature, especially the night when everything is just different from our regular experience. When and where possible, I just connect my astronomy passion with another one, such as traveling, hiking, but also fishing. Indeed, fishing is one of the best relaxing activities. When I sit on a chair by the water, enjoying the sunset, dusk, and first stars while a carp or zander comes and then, deeper in the night my rodes still wait for more fish, I feel fulfilled as the starry sky above with calm water by my feet and rodes make the perfect relaxing moment. At that time, I usually take my camera and start with some astrophotography, just on the beach.
How did you get interested on photography?
From 2010-2012 I was employed at the Astronomy Institute of AS of the Czech Republic, where my specialization was fireball observation. My work was taking care of full sky cameras during the night. Since most of my work was automatic, I also had some time for my activities and so I bought my first camera for my experiments. At the very first moments, I only wanted to focus on time-lapses and get some material for my documentary about the night sky. However, it took forever to collect such material, so I started to be interested in other types of processing of such data. That brought me to mathematic processing, to understanding calibration data, to first sophistical astrophotography. And that was just only beginning.
What is your favorite type of photography?
I am a landscape astrophotographer, such as the TWAN style one. I specialize in unique night (but also daytime) phenomena, such as eclipses, red sprites, aurorae, airglow, and zodiacal light... but all with the landscape. The reason for such photography is very simple: I want to make people understand that the night sky is part of our nature and we should not ignore or forget it. We have to discuss the reduction of light pollution as well. And so, I very often make even images with a person in the view to show that humans are very small, negligible, but also very unique and fragile in our large Universe and we have to care and appreciate our luck - the possibility of living on our small island called the Earth.
What are your aspirations as a photographer?
I would love to be an inspiration for other people in the same way as it was and still is Yuri Beletsky, currently my friend and well-known professional astronomer and astrophotographer. And like other inspirations like Babak Tafreshi, Miloslav Druckmüller, and many TWAN photographers. My own goal is to well educate people via astrophotography about the visible Universe above our heads, about the wonders of the sky, and of course to show how successfully fight the light pollution problem through my photographs as inspiration for the ones, who can make the difference (governments, organizations like Dark Sky International, etc.)
For you what is photography? And what are you thinking when you are shooting?
Partly I have answered that on the last two questions. When I am shooting, I always think about how lucky we are to live in such a time when our equipment allows us so easily to capture so many amazing things up above, some of them even below the threshold of our own eyes' sensitivity. But also I think about how much social media with AI speed up the problem of disinformation in science and that I have to make it right through my photography, too.
MIGUEL ÁNGEL GARABAL
My name is Miguel Ángel Garabal. When I was 8 years old I went by chance to an analogue photography and developing workshop. I perfectly remember that first sunset that I later developed in a tedious way with chemicals. I had always been fascinated by nature and it seemed incredible to me to be able to capture that wonderful moment and enjoy it immortalized on a paper. Already at that age I loved exploring new places that inspired magic, enjoying a sunset while watching the waves breaking on the shore or simply admiring the forest landscapes with waterfalls of Galicia, my homeland. At the same time, I also developed a special admiration for the world of astronomy, meteorology and geology. I remember spending hours devouring books on those topics. Years passed and nature became my corner of reflection and contemplation. When I was 20 years old, I bought my first DSLR camera, I wanted to do some creative activity, and obviously, my first photos were about my favorite subject, landscapes.
Since then I began to be motivated to improve, especially photographs that tried to immortalize the movement of water in coastal or river landscapes. It became an activity that was part of me, every day I studied photography technique and practiced trying to bring home a better photo than the previous day. I had already merged with my hobby, but that was not all, at the age of 25 I discovered night photography, especially the possibility of capturing in long exposures the great Milky Way, the moon rises and sets and possible eclipses, that was when I fell in love with my hobby.
Photography is something that has totally changed my life... and for the better. Every time I shoot I think about taking advantage of the possibilities it offers me, that is, it has given me a means to satisfy my creative restlessness, a method of expression to show a perspective of the reality that I live, and even to show another reality... the one that I imagine, the one that is implicitly molded from abstraction to end up captured in an image, the one that aims to communicate to other people my points of view, my ideas, my emotions, immortalize moments of utmost importance to me, or simply portray any experience that could be happening at any time.
Multitudes of people with their own lifestyles have been able to immortalize their work and their life experiences, but what I find most interesting about photography is its ability to connect and raise awareness among humanity, to inform in such a graphic way the things that happen, photography transports you to distant realities of your daily life so that you can get to know them, it transmits values, and therefore, it can change the world in a thousand different ways...
To this day my greatest aspiration remains the same, to improve my “best photo” while my hobby always accompanies me in my experiences to be able to immortalize them.
I exhibit my works www.elobservatorio.es or on my Instagram @elobservatorio.
Congratulations to all the winners of our Night Photography Contest! Your exceptional talent and creativity have illuminated the darkness, bringing to life the mesmerizing beauty of the night. As we bid farewell to this contest, let us continue to explore the wonders of the nocturnal world and inspire others with our captivating images. Don't forget to check out our other open photo contests for more opportunities to showcase your skills and creativity. Explore them here: www.theartistgallery.art/open-contests.