Nothing Fancy, Just Our Galaxy Rising

From the photographer: “When I first started exploring the visual artistry of astrophotography, I was fascinated by all the Hydrogen-alpha rich images out there. I love them too, but this shot feels like a return to the classics. The idea was simple: photograph the scene as if I were using an analogue camera. I closed the vari-angle LCD on my Fujifilm X-T4, set up the tracker, and aimed to capture as much light as possible in a single frame while compositing the foreground. ISO was pushed +1 stop to match the look of Kodak Gold 200, with Fujifilm’s film simulation helping recreate that analogue tone.

The location is nostalgic. Back in 2021, this was where I photographed my first star trails with friends. Now I returned to watch the Milky Way rise over the same hills, sharing the soft glow of the sunset remnant in the east. I love how natural it looks. Satellite trails remain visible, and the nebulae appear subtle, blending with the sky’s glow. A long-lost analogue idea, finally recreated digitally. Captured in Watu Mabur Hills, Bantul, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.”

Technical Details:
Fujifilm X-T4, Fujinon 14mm f/2.8,
Tracked with SWSA 2i on Artcise AS70C,
Foreground: 120s | Sky: 240s,
ASA 200 (+1 stop) / ISO 400,
Processed in Adobe Photoshop CC,