Photo of the Week for August 9, 2019
As they often say in the world of real estate, what matters most is “location, location, location!” That mantra is worth remembering when you shoot nightscapes. Yes, a stunning, star-filled sky is crucial—but don’t overlook the importance of an interesting foreground. That’s the element that can make or break a photo. Consider the image presented above. With a simple horizon line, it would have been a nice summer Milky Way shot (with Jupiter dominating the centre of the frame), but the striking rock formation in the foreground imbues the scene with a sense of place and provides an extra element of visual interest.

Siv Heang Tav captured this vista at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park in southeast Alberta. Siv made a single, 20-second exposure at ISO 6400 with a Nikon D750 DSLR camera and a 20mm Sigma Art lens, set to f/2.