2 Sep 2014

Royal Observatory's Astronomy Photographer of the Year Mark Gee

From Nine To Noon, 11:22 am on 2 September 2014

fogBelowAndTheStarsAboveWellington
Fog Below and the Stars Above Wellington by Mark Gee. Image courtesy of the artist.

Mark Gee has taken his passion for photography, coupled it with stargazing and become one of the world's best astrophotographers. He is the Royal Observatory's Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013 and he's been shortlisted for the award again this year. Based in Wellington, Mark works for WETA digital during the day as a visual effects supervisor.

At night, he spends hours searching for the perfect place to capture the night skies over Wellington and Wairarapa.

In 2013 he made a short film Full Moon Silhouettes,  a film which shows a group of people watching as the moon rises over Mount Victoria in Wellington.

Full Moon Silhouettes from Mark Gee on Vimeo.

Mark tells Kathryn Ryan it takes patience as it can take a long time,

You need a good a good eye. It’s one of the most frustrating forms of photography… even seals have gotten in the way of my photography.

Guiding light to the stars
Guiding Light to the Stars by Mark Gee. Image courtesy of the artist.

Mark says he’s going to Nepal shortly to document in photographs a 21 day trek through the Himalayas. He would also like to explore Antarctica and Iceland with his camera.

Road to our Galaxy
Road to our Galaxy by Mark Gee. Image courtesy of the artist.

Mark has been invited to deliver a TEDx talk in Christchurch in November 2014. While a daunting undertaking, Mark Gee says it will be a chance to talk about light pollution and encourage people to look up and start appreciating the night sky.

Gallery: Guiding Light to the Stars by Mark Gee

Mark Gee talks to Kathryn Ryan about his craft, finding the right shot and how he hopes to share his passion.