DARK SKY
Portfolio
STATEMENT OF INTENT
Coming from a military background and being a map-reading instructor and mountain leader trainer, I found the stars to be my compass and quiet companions. Over the years that followed my retirement from the Army. I noticed that the experience of witnessing truly dark skies had evaporated.
Shooting in and around Kent and the southeast coastline, it was the encroaching light pollution that became ever-present in my images. Further research into light pollution put me in contact with the area’s designated Dark Sky Officer. This meeting changed everything. Her work to reduce light pollution through community events, public talks, and practical lighting solutions opened my eyes. I began to understand how artificial light impacts wildlife and ecosystems and disrupts our connection to something ancient and shared. It changed the way I see things, both practically and creatively.
I'm not saying light is a bad thing. It's done a lot of good and made life easier, safer, and more connected. But somewhere along the way, we have forgotten that the darkness also has value. In losing it, we've also dimmed our connection to the night sky, once a canvas for story, memory, and navigation. The night sky was a part of daily life, where people found meaning, direction, and comfort. Across cultures and history, people looked to the stars to tell stories, mark time, and understand their place. But with lights on all the time, we've drifted away from that connection and lost touch with what the darkness once gave us.
This project uses long-exposure photography to reveal what has become invisible: how light pollution veils the stars from view. The stars are still there. These images, layered with glows of unnatural light and the faint shimmer of hidden stars, reflect a sky intension, part memory, part warning.
My work invites you to look beyond the haze of artificial light and remember what the night sky once meant and still can mean. In these veiled skies, I ask you not only to remember but to look up and see what still awaits us in the dark.
“The stars haven’t vanished—we’ve simply drowned them in our own glow.”
“Nature evolved with night—what happens when we erase it?”
“Preserving darkness is not about turning things off,but turning back to what matters.”
“When we light every corner, we forget the beauty of shadows.”
“Real safety doesn’t come from more light, but from better light.”
“Turn down the lights. Turn up the stars.”
Introduction to the Research Document
DARK SKY is a interdisciplinary exploration that examines the growing issue of light pollution through the lens, science, ethics, ecology, and art. Blending evocative long-exposure photography with rigorous environmental research, the document traces the historical rise of artificial illumination and its overlooked consequences on ecosystems, human health, and our cultural connection to the night sky. My work offers not only a diagnosis of the problem but also a call to action advocating for sustainable lighting practices and a renewed respect for darkness as a vital, shared natural resource. This document invites readers to reimagine darkness not as something to be feared, but as a necessary part of life that deserves protection.
A Free Copy - can be downloaded here
Feedback Request
I would love to hear your thoughts on Project Dark Sky! If you have a moment, please leave a constructive comment whether it’s feedback, suggestions, or ideas for improvement on my project. Your input helps me grow and make the project even better. Thank you for being a part of my journey!