The Night of a Thousand Stars
While digging through my photo files from a few years ago, I came across the first images I took after switching from Nikon to Canon. And just like that, memories started to flood in — of the process, the discomfort, and the excitement.
Back then, photography was still something I did more casually. Sure, I had clients from time to time, but it was mostly for the love of it. I remember how amazed I was by the colours and performance of the new camera. But more than the gear, I had the best possible subject to photograph.
We were staying at a glamping spot in regional Victoria. I’d never done anything like that before — and when we arrived, sometime after midday, the place felt surreal. The tent, warm from the sun, reminded me of something out of Africa (though I’ve never been, that’s where my imagination went). It was hot — unbearably so — so we walked around the camp, chatted with other guests, and eventually found a shaded spot to eat with Jade.
Nothing extraordinary — just some tents, a few small buildings, and the open countryside.
But as the sun began to set, something shifted. The sky cleared. The light changed. I don’t think I’d ever seen the stars that clearly before — not in Bogotá, that’s for sure. The tents lit up and the camp transformed into a soft, glowing landscape.
Instinctively, I reached for my camera. I didn’t know what it was capable of yet, but I trusted I’d figure it out. So I started photographing.
One, two, ten, twenty shots.
“Let’s try a long exposure,” I thought.
And then — wow.
I captured the photo.
I was in awe. I had never seen so many stars, and I’d never slept in a tent beneath them. That night became precious. A moment worth remembering. But as life got busy, the memory faded. The camera stopped feeling new. Until one day, I printed that photo and hung it on our wall — and just like that, the memory returned to stay.
I don’t remember exactly how we ended up there. I think it was a birthday gift we finally used after lockdowns ended. Whoever gave it to us — thank you. That trip gave us a story I’ll never forget.
And thank you to the cow that mooed non-stop through the entire night. I remember that too.
Have a great day/nigth wherever you are reading this.
