Behind the Lens: Chasing the Milky Way at Dunstanburgh Castle

Chasing the Milky Way at Dunstanburgh Castle

For years, I had dreamed of capturing the perfect shot of Dunstanburgh Castle, and "Marvel" represents the realization of that vision. It wasn’t an easy shot to capture—there were countless moments of doubt and hesitation along the way. But at 1:30 a.m., after much internal deliberation, I decided to go for it. I jumped into the van, and by 3:15 a.m., I had arrived at the castle, just in time to witness something truly spectacular.

The Location and Setup

Dunstanburgh Castle, with its dramatic silhouette against the night sky, had always been a place that fascinated me. I had visited numerous times, but the conditions had never aligned for the shot I wanted. This time, however, everything was in place—the stars were clear, the Milky Way was rising, and the waves crashed against the shore, adding an element of movement to the scene. The challenge was working quickly to capture the entire scene, as each long exposure took about 30 minutes to complete, leaving me with limited time before the first light of dawn would break.

I positioned myself carefully, framing the castle with the Milky Way above it. The vastness of the galaxy stretching across the sky added a sense of scale to the scene, making the castle feel even more majestic and imposing. The conditions were ideal, but with time slipping away, I knew I had to work fast to capture the moment.

The Moment of Truth

As I stood there, the stars began to reveal themselves, and the ethereal glow of the Milky Way stretched overhead in all its glory. The waves crashing against the shore created a rhythm in the background, adding a touch of movement to the otherwise still scene. I shot a series of long exposures, working as quickly as I could to capture the full panorama before dawn’s light began to creep in. The result was a breathtaking 72-image stacked and stitched panorama, combining the raw power of the castle with the subtle beauty of the Milky Way overhead. The combination of natural elements—castle, stars, and sea—created a moment of wonder, frozen in time.

Reflection

"Marvel" is the culmination of years of passion, patience, and persistence. The Milky Way rising over Dunstanburgh Castle added a sense of awe and scale to the image, transforming it from just a photograph to a visual representation of chasing a dream and making it a reality. This shot almost didn’t happen, but fate had other plans, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome. As I stood there, watching the stars and the sea in the quiet hours of the morning, I felt a deep connection to the landscape. It was a perfect moment, one that I will never forget.

Camera Settings

72 images stacked and stitched
Shutter Speed – 6 seconds (per shot)
Aperture – f/2.8
ISO – 1600