Location: Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria, Australia Filming: September 2024 Camera: Google Pixel 7 Pro
Searching Dark Skies is an experimental astrophotography short film exploring the beauty of Australia's night sky and the importance of preserving darkness as a precious natural resource. Filmed in September 2024 at Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria, the project captures the Milky Way and the surrounding natural environment using only a mobile phone.
The film was developed as part of Australian Environments on Screen, a research project investigating innovative approaches to representing the Australian environment through smartphone filmmaking
Exploring the Night Sky
Australia offers extraordinary opportunities to experience dark skies away from artificial lighting and urban development. However, these environments are increasingly threatened by light pollution and the growing presence of satellites, affecting our ability to observe the stars and the ecosystems that depend on natural darkness.
Searching Dark Skies explores the relationship between the night sky, technology and the natural environment. The film celebrates the beauty of the Milky Way while encouraging greater awareness of the importance of protecting dark skies for future generations.
Creative Process and Production
The film was captured entirely using a Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone, a tripod and mobile applications for planning and recording astrophotography timelapses.
Producing the film required careful planning around environmental conditions, including the lunar cycle, weather, cloud cover and the position of the Milky Way. Using the PhotoPills application, I was able to predict the position of the galaxy and plan compositions that incorporated elements of the surrounding landscape.
Finding suitable conditions was one of the greatest challenges. The production involved three separate trips before the right conditions were achieved, with most footage captured over three nights. Each evening involved approximately six hours of filming in darkness, with individual timelapse sequences taking three to four hours to capture.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro's astrophotography mode uses long exposures of approximately four minutes to capture detailed images of the night sky. These were recorded as short timelapse sequences, with an intervalometer application used to automate repeated captures.
Using a smartphone reduced the amount of equipment required, making it easier to hike into remote locations away from artificial light. This lightweight approach was an important part of the creative process, allowing the technology to become less intrusive within the natural environment.
Stillness, Observation and Connection with Nature
Beyond the technical process, Searching Dark Skies reflects my personal interest in camping, astrophotography and spending time in remote natural environments.
Spending extended periods beneath the stars became an important part of the filmmaking experience. Sitting quietly in darkness, waiting for each timelapse to complete, created opportunities to observe the surrounding environment and become more aware of the sounds of insects, frogs and other nocturnal wildlife.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, other senses became more prominent, creating a heightened awareness of the natural environment.
For me, astrophotography is not simply about capturing images of the night sky. It is also an opportunity to slow down, contemplate and reconnect with nature
Film and Research
Searching Dark Skies was produced as part of the Australian Environments on Screen research project, exploring the creative possibilities of smartphone filmmaking and its capacity to communicate new perspectives on the Australian environment
The published reflection provides further discussion of dark sky conservation, the environmental impacts of light pollution and the technical process of capturing astrophotography using a smartphone.