Guided by Starlight

Captured during our Madeira Photo Expedition in May 2025, this nightscape was never part of the original plan. We came to the highlands with a clear goal: photograph the Milky Way above the Fanal forest. But Madeira had other ideas. Low Atlantic fog kept rolling just above us — appearing, dissolving, and returning again in slow, unpredictable waves. Stars would break through for a moment, only to vanish seconds later. Instead of fighting the conditions, we adapted. And that’s when this more technical composition was born. By aligning the Milky Way with the wind turbines, the scene gained a powerful sense of scale — a contrast between human engineering and the raw vastness of the night sky. Madeira’s Milky Way is exceptionally rich and structured, especially in late spring, and even through shifting fog it reveals astonishing depth and color.

Moments like this are exactly why Madeira is such a strong destination for night photography. You’re not just chasing clear skies — you’re learning how to read conditions, react fast, and turn limitations into unique images. This photograph reflects the spirit of our expeditions: real conditions, real decisions, and real results. And in 2026, we’re going back — with refined locations, precise timing, and even more focus on advanced night and Milky Way photography across the island.

If you want to experience nights like this yourself — adapting on the fly, shooting exceptional scenes, and coming home with images you couldn’t plan on paper — Madeira Photo Expedition 2026 is where it happens.

Panorama compiled from total of 12 frames (6 stacked frames of stars in two rows row, 6 stacked landscape frames in the second row; 2-level focus bracketing).

Equipment: Sony Alpha A1, Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2,8 

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