Vicki-Louise White, Starry Nights (LANDSCAPE 2025)

A night under the stars at Lake Ninan in the Wheatbelt. I spent hours perched on the edge of the salt lake, experimenting with settings and honing my skills. There’s a great free camp spot here, so you can take your time shooting without rushing. When I spotted a beautifully curved branch, I pulled out my PhotoPills app to work out the perfect timing. Then came the waiting game — about 30 minutes for the Milky Way’s core to align just right. I stayed glued to my chair, convinced someone might swoop in and claim the spot (even though, truth be told, there wasn’t another photographer in sight). Every image from the night is a single-frame shot, captured with my Nikon Z6 and 20mm lens.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.