Royal Observatory 2013 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Mark Gee atop Alpha Peak in the Tararua Ranges during a dark sky shoot a week ago Thursday.
Astrophotographer Mark Gee's extraordinarily beautiful night sky images, featured in Saturday's paper, is something any editor would be proud to showcase.
Gee won an international award with a Wairarapa night sky image of the 'galactic bulge' of our own galaxy, against the backdrop of Cape Palliser. It seems our own
night skies are one of the sought-after locations for astrophotography, and that's something to feel good about.
It reminds of a time when, as a very junior public servant for Lands and Survey, I was persuaded to assist one of my managers in help with timing an occultation, when a star appears to 'graze' the Moon. The idea is you note the time the star 'winks' as it goes behind the Moon's irregular landscape. I was perplexed as to why we had to cart ourselves into what seemed like the middle of absolutely nowhere, and with the Moon up in full, I probably failed to appreciate how generous the night sky is. Now I live in South Wairarapa, I get the idea.
Gee's efforts also demonstrate how much work photography is. It's like being an artist or craftsperson. You have to realise that before an artist produces these amazing pieces, these glorious images, what came before it were a hundred failures, a thousand misfires. Photographers like to talk about the 'lucky' shot, but it is also a photographer's adage that the more you practise, the luckier you get.
Unless you are prepared to really work hard, for long hours, probably in uncomfortable and cold locations, you'll only end up with 'nice' photography. I have often remarked, perhaps from the lofty view of a journalist, that there's very little point in photography training, because these days there's no money in it.
