I’m really excited to share that I’ve been asked to be the head judge for the Astrophotography category at this year’s Sony Alpha Awards. It’s fantastic to be involved as the competition celebrates its tenth year.
Astrophotography has been such a huge part of my photography journey. While I’ve been fortunate to photograph under dark skies across Australia and other parts of the world, there’s something truly special about working here in Tasmania. Whether I’m capturing the Milky Way rising over the east coast, aurora dancing behind the silhouette of Cradle Mountain, or the stars reflected in Lake Oberon, Tasmania’s pristine dark skies are just always so inspiring.
Over the years, I’ve run quite a few astrophotography workshops and online training sessions, and I’m always amazed by the passion and creativity I see from photographers discovering the night sky for the first time. I love teaching people about planning shoots, tracking down the best conditions, and positioning yourself to get the shot. The technical aspects are important too, including noise reduction techniques, capturing clean and authentic images – but it’s really about getting out there and getting amongst it under the stars.
What I love most about judging astrophotography is seeing how photographers interpret the night sky. The competition guidelines are pretty clear, they’re looking for photographs that prominently feature the night sky, demonstrating technical mastery alongside aesthetic considerations. Composite images are allowed as long as they don’t alter the explicit content (exposure blending, colour compositing, dark frame subtraction are all fine). Pure star-field images are welcome too, though aesthetic and pictorial impact will be important considerations.
Resources to Help with Your Entries
I’ve prepared a couple of guides for Sony Australia that might be useful if you’re looking for tips and tricks:
- Mastering Star Trails in Astrophotography – covering gear selection, planning, and stacking techniques
- Your Guide to Night Photography – broader night photography techniques and approaches
There’s plenty of practical information in there that might help with your entries.
I’m genuinely keen to see what the astrophotography community across Australia and New Zealand has been creating. The diversity of landscapes and night sky conditions across our region offers so many possibilities for compelling images.
Entries are free and close on Monday, 30th June 2025, so there’s plenty of time to plan some night shoots. Just remember that entries need to be taken with Sony digital imaging cameras and lenses to be eligible.
More details can be found at the link below:
Sony Alpha Awards 2025 Entry Page
I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve all been capturing under the stars.
