Black and Blue ....

Axedale Catholic Church       Nikon D610    20 seconds  F2.8   iso 2000


It seems obvious I suppose but whenever we look up at the night sky all we initially see are two colours .... black and blue. Most people don't even bother to look up at all and especially for those who live in large cities and populated areas, light pollution all but ruins those opportunities.


Most of us don't spend enough time letting our eyes adjust to the dark conditions to realize what colour the night sky actually is. I say this a little tongue in cheek actually because I'm very well aware that the human eye cannot possibly see as much detail as a long exposure photograph can deliver.

Reach for the Stars   Nikon D610  14mm  F2.8  20 seconds    iso 3200

The image on the left was taken very early one morning as the majestic Milky Way began to rise in the eastern sky. It highlights my suggestion that the long exposure enables the camera sensor to see a lot more than is possible with the naked eye.


Yes, this image has been edited to bring out the beautiful blue colour, and if I remember correctly the camera was set on a cool white balance setting ... nevertheless the black and blue nature of this image seems right somehow. It's somehow the way I imagine it should look.


Maybe that's the key to this whole thing ..... imagination. Lets face it, what we want to see and what we actually see can be quite different .. have a think about that ...!!!

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The image at the top of this page was taken on the same night and being closer into town didn't really have the same colour balance due to street lighting etc .... so the solution to creating some magic, what every photographer turns to when all else fails ... make the image black and white.

Actually one of my projects this year will be to create a series of black and white Nightscape images. This isn't my normal practice as I love to explore the colour spectrum on offer in the night sky, but I see it as a challenge to see what de-saturated art can be produced under the cover of darkness.


My opinion is that any form of photography is art and the expression of that art needs to originate in the imagination of the artist. There's that word again ... imagination. Funny how that concept keeps coming back into this photography conversation. Imagine away I say and see what we can create ... when we begin to do that nothing is beyond us.

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Queen Elizabeth Oval Bendigo


Nikon D610   14mm   F2.8
15 seconds  iso 400

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Home Alone      Nikon D610    14mm    F2.8    iso 1600


Another beautiful example of the lovely blue tones that contrast beautifully with the browns and yellows of the old brickwork of the building and the long grass in the foreground.

I'm sure you're wondering how the camera is able to see any colour at all in the dark ... well that's the subject of another post later on. For the moment I think I'll leave it there. 
Just remember one thing ... next time you look up into the night sky, linger that little bit longer and you'll be sure to see at least a little bit of black and blue.