Remote Waterfall Nightscape — How It Earned Silver at the 2025 Australian Photographic Prize
Award: Silver | Category: Photographic Artist | Final Score: 83
Submitted: 22 June 2025 | Location: Remote waterfall, Northern Australia
Submitted: 22 June 2025 | Location: Remote waterfall, Northern Australia
Story Behind the Shot
Clear, moonless conditions with the Milky Way arcing above a cascading fall. Goal: pair dynamic water texture with crisp stars for a moody, painterly nightscape.
Why It Scored Well
- Balanced composition guiding the eye from foreground flow to galactic core.
- Exposure control across extreme dynamic range; stars remain detailed.
- Creative cohesion suited to Photographic Artist—strong narrative and atmosphere.
Where It Could Improve
- Very slight star elongation at 100%; shorter shutter or tracker would lift technical score.
- Minor highlight clipping in lower cascades.
- Shadow detail in foreground could be lifted subtly without noise.
Lessons for Photographers
- Pre-plan Milky Way alignment and water levels; timing is everything.
- Bracket or blend to balance white water and dark sky.
- Consider tracked/stacked sky + untracked water for technical polish.
Learn more: See the full series hub here • Interested in my Nightscape workshops? View dates.