The darkness of Gotland

For photographer Carl Bergstrand, the dark holds possibilities. When the nights are cloudless and the summer light has retreated, the starry sky is his ceiling and the camera his ally.

The magazine cover displays what Carl Bergstrand captures with his camera when the light is gone. Images of infinity. A bit of the cosmic light that reaches us on the planet Tellus, at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. The fact that Carl manages to capture the dramatic sky is, of course, due to his good knowledge of photography techniques, persistent planning and lots of time spent. But the fact that he can do so on Gotland can also be explained.

A dark, pleasant landscape

“Gotland has very little of what is called light pollution. This means that we can see an extra bright starry sky," says Carl.

In large parts of the world, dark areas are becoming increasingly rare due to urban sprawl and infrastructure. Thanks to the island's expansive, sparsely populated areas and its location in the middle of the Baltic Sea, the disruptive light of large cities is avoided. The very dark nights of autumn, winter and early spring are highly beneficial to night photographers.

The darkness that befalls Gotland for much of the year enables you see the Northern Lights with the naked eye when the conditions are right. Unfortunately, it’s not common that they are.

“It's hard to describe it, but it's incredibly fascinating to be under a mysterious, endlessly starry sky. It engulfs you. As a photographer, I have become interested in just how far I can take night photography.”

The camera sees more than the eye

On a clear, cold autumn night, the Milky Way emerges as a clear streak of millions of dots of light and the famous constellations shine with impressive vibrancy. Even without a camera, it's a cool spectacle that awaits when

Name: Carl Bergstrand. Lives: In Visby with his family. Occupation: Photographer and nurse. Read and view more at: carlbergstrand.se Instagram: carl.bergstrand lightpollutionmap.info

the sun goes down. In clear weather, the Milky Way and thousands of other stars and celestial bodies are clearly visible from a number of locations on Gotland. However, the camera can pick up even more.

“You have to remember that the camera can capture things that aren't really visible to the naked eye. With the camera’s help, you can capture colours, lights and objects that are not prominent to the eye. I love the magic that occurs when a sharp violet nebula or dust cloud appears on the screen," says Carl.

Seasons and star spotting locations

When Carl gets to choose his favourite place and time to look at the starry sky, he chooses Holmhällar on an autumn night, when the Milky Way rises in the south west.

“It's an amazing feeling to stand on the shores of Holmhällar, at two o'clock in the morning and have Gdansk in the south and Burgsvik in the north as the only small islands of light in the distance. It is probably one of southern Sweden's best places for stargazing. The world at night is an entirely different place," says Carl.

When dawn awakens and banishes the dark, Carl returns home to his family. Even his children have begun to take an interest in these nightly excursions, so the next generation of celestial photographers is probably already in the making.