6 Degrees And Under
Updated Winter 2025
Looking Back at the Second Half of the Year
As the year draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the adventures, challenges, and unexpected moments that shaped the past few months. Not everything went to plan — in fact, only about half of my ideas worked out — but the experiences I did manage were unforgettable.
Bristol Balloon Festival ✨
One of the highlights was a summer evening high up on the Downs, overlooking the Bristol Balloon Festival. Watching the balloons drift across the sky in the golden light was magical.
Photographing them was technically challenging due to the distance and hazy conditions, but the images I shared proved popular. A couple of pilots even reached out for high-quality prints — maybe a flight might be on the horizon.
Bodmin Moor, September 🌅
Early September took me to Cornwall. Staying near Bodmin meant easy access to the Moor, with its old mine workings and dramatic sunrise and sunset skies.
The weather, however, was unpredictable, and it was too far to reach St Michael’s Mount for night-sky photography. A mixed bag, but still rewarding.
Elan Valley Adventure 🌌
An overnight trek to the Elan Valley was worth every mile. I was spoiled for compositions and treated to wonderfully dark, clear skies.
You can read more about the trip in my report, and I’m already planning to return in February.
Porto, Portugal
November brought a week in Lisbon and Porto, right as Storm Claudia swept through. Staying dry was a challenge, but Porto’s old town and the Dom Luís Bridge offered plenty of photographic opportunities.
New Project Reports 📸
I’ve published new project reports — Elan Valley and Lisbon/Porto — and added fresh images to the portfolio.
Local Lunar Eclipse 🌙
Closer to home, I captured the Lunar Eclipse from the local golf course. A simple outing, but always special to witness. However there was a lot of cloud cover early in the evening and I wasn’t able to capture a ‘blood’ moon, but when it did appear it was still around 50% eclipsed.
Local Lunar Eclipse 🌙
Closer to home, I captured the Lunar Eclipse from the local golf course. A simple outing, but always special to witness.
Mullard Observatory 🔭
The Mullard Observatory in Cambridgeshire was fascinating with its impressive array of telescopes. Unfortunately, the sky never darkened enough to reveal the Milky Way.
Poor weather also cancelled plans for the old MOD site at Orfordness — hopefully next year.
Looking Ahead 🔮
This year had its ups and downs, but the adventures were unforgettable. As I look forward to next year, I’m excited to see what new journeys, projects, and unexpected opportunities await.
Thanks for following along — here’s to clear skies, creative inspiration, and plenty more stories to share in the year ahead.
Local Lunar Eclipse 🌙
Closer to home, I captured the Lunar Eclipse from the local golf course. A simple outing, but always special to witness.
Mullard Observatory 🔭
The Mullard Observatory in Cambridgeshire was fascinating with its impressive array of telescopes. Unfortunately, the sky never darkened enough to reveal the Milky Way.
Poor weather also cancelled plans for the old MOD site at Orfordness — hopefully next year.
Looking Ahead 🔮
This year had its ups and downs, but the adventures were unforgettable. As I look forward to next year, I’m excited to see what new journeys, projects, and unexpected opportunities await.
Thanks for following along — here’s to clear skies, creative inspiration, and plenty more stories to share in the year ahead.
Thank you for taking the time to visit this site—I hope you find it interesting.
None of the images here have been lit by bright, direct sunlight. Instead, they were taken when the sun was either very low in the sky or below the horizon.
Light from a low sun is softer, with reduced contrast. This period, known as the Golden Hour, bathes the landscape in warm tones and rich colour saturation. Clouds can glow with pinks and yellows, reflecting their hues onto the land below. As the sun dips below the horizon, its light becomes even warmer until it finally fades away.
This is followed by the Blue Hour, when the warmth disappears, yet the landscape remains visible in a cooler, more subdued light. Then comes twilight and night, when illumination comes from the stars, distant galaxies, charged particles, and artificial sources.
At dawn, the cycle reverses—night gives way to the Blue Hour, followed by the return of the Golden Hour.
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Sun elevation between 6º and -4º
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Sun’s elevation between -4º and -6º.
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Nautical twilight.- elevation of the sun between -6º and -12º.
Astronomical twilight - elevation of the sun between -12º and -18º
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Sun’s elevation lower than -18º
How it all started for me……..
Although I had been interested in photography for many years, particularly while travelling, the true inspiration for the images on this site came in January 2019 after visiting the Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Royal Museums Greenwich. I was in awe of the incredible night sky images on display. That visit sparked a journey—one that began with research, new equipment, and a planned trip to the Atacama Desert later that year.
I quickly learned that this type of photography requires careful planning. The image must be visualised in advance, the location scouted in daylight, the weather forecast checked, and the right kit and clothing prepared.
And what to do while waiting for darkness? You start to notice the soft, warm hues and rich colours as the sun dips lower. Before long, you’re capturing the beauty of the Golden Hour, the Blue Hour, and everything in between.
And so, the journey continues…