Text by Nic
Like Hong Kong, New York City is a metropolis filled with skyscrapers, surrounded by dazzling neon lights that remain vibrant even after nightfall. However, this spectacle comes at a cost — light pollution that causes the natural starry night sky to vanish.
Photographers Gavin Heffernan and Harun Mehmedinović of the Skyglow Project, known for their timelapse works, have released a new short film titled “SKYGLOW: NYC,” which brings a touch of starlight to the New York night sky in hopes of drawing attention to the issue of light pollution.
Because light pollution in New York is so severe that the stars appear to be “nonexistent,” observant readers may have noticed that the starry sky in the footage doesn’t actually come from the city. In fact, the starry sky in the video was created by combining imagery from the Grand Canyon and Death Valley, which is why the photographers describe the work as an “Experimental Timelapse.”
This short film is a follow-up to their 2015 “SKYGLOW” timelapse release, shot using a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and a range of Canon lenses. Both projects aim to raise public awareness about the issue of light pollution.
Although highly urbanized Hong Kong also faces light pollution issues, we’re fortunate that there are still places where the starry sky can be captured. But if all areas are developed into high-rise cities, will these magnificent sights disappear? Do you prefer the night skies above light-polluted cities or the untouched beauty of the natural starry sky?
▲ Photo by DCFever “Works Exhibition” member hales
▲ Photo by DCFever “Works Exhibition” member cyrus4411
▲ Photo by DCFever “Works Exhibition” member wsyryan
To view more works by photographers Gavin Heffernan and Harun Mehmedinović, visit the Instagram and Facebook pages of the Skyglow Project.
Source: DIYPhotography