Humans have left their mark on the world, from our cities to the smog. For those of us living in these cities, this effect is more evident, including the loss of starlight. Light pollution hides the night sky from our upward gazes. But some artists are fighting to bring it back.
Landscape photographer Ben Coffman has become obsessed with the night sky. “I have rather romantic feelings about the night sky. I view it as this immutable presence, this view that hasn’t changed since before man walked the Earth,” he says. “It’s my connection to history. Sailors, explorers, and runaway slaves all navigated and were reassured by these same stars. They are literally the stuff of legend.”
Coffman explains that as camera technology has evolved, getting good night-time photos have become possible. His first digital SLR couldn’t even take night photos because there was too much noise in the dark images. But better tech in cameras have resulted in images that are sharper and have much more contrast. He now uses long exposures—up to 30 minutes—to create a photo where the light pollution from cities hundreds of miles away is reduced.
Read the full article at Kill Screen.