See Greece’s Night Sky in this Award-winning Time-lapse Film
Since ancient times, Greece has been home to a fiery passion for the celestial, working its way into western culture for centuries. This mesmerising astrophotography time-lapse from Christophe Anagnostopoulos shows that the fire is burning brighter than ever, even today.
Titled Keep Looking Up, the film was shot between May 2016 and September 2017, showcasing the simple yet striking beauty of Greece’s starry night skies – from lonely mountaintops to sweeping ocean.
Anagnostopoulos carefully sought out some of the darkest regions across the Greek landscape. Writing on Nikon Rumors, Anagnostopoulos talks of his favourite location, atop the Helmos mountain, home to the telescope Aristarchos:
“A difficult to approach location located at an altitude of 2460 meters, with constantly changing weather conditions, from clear skies to wall-thick fog in only a few minutes.
“But when the weather is clear, the stars and the Milky Way Galaxy core are shining with all their glory!”
Utilising software such as Google Earth and Stellarium, alongside Photopills for the more problematic scenes, Anagnostopoulos was able to select the perfect locations for the time-lapse – and it shows.
Gliding under straggling strubs and over illuminated towns, the video is stacked full of sights certain to inspire. Whether it’s the forever present stretch of milky way, or shooting stars streaking across a dark expanse, this time-lapse oozes interstellar perfection.
To create the timelapse, Anagnostopoulos utilised two Nikon D800s alongside a Nikon D750. Although he’s now upgraded to the D850 for astrophotography, he still gets plenty of use from the older models.
In terms of glass, the main lens used was a Nikon 20mm F1.8G – giving a large aperture that is perfect for capturing night skies, whilst gifting a gorgeous wide-angle perspective. Adding a Hoya RA54 Red Enhancer filter, Anagnostopoulos was able to reduce light pollution in the scenes and make the most of each scene.
Following that, Anagnostopoulos wielded a Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art lens, a Sony A7S and A7R2, alongside a long list of additional lenses.
Deservedly so, the time-lapse has been in receipt of several commendations, including winner of best Nature/Travel at the European Cinematography Awards. Congratulations Christophe!
For more of his work, check out his website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Looking to create your own astrophotography time-lapse? Then first watch our helpful tutorial from photographer Matthew Saville!
