The night sky has been a source of inspiration for artists throughout history, resulting in timeless masterpieces such as Van Gogh The starry Night. And as one of the most difficult subjects to photograph, star trails certainly worth the effort when captured in all their colorful, swirling glow. One of the contemporary masters of stargazing is Russian landscape photographer Daniel Kordan, who on a recent trip to South Africa captured the dazzling cosmos above the Namib Desert in Namibia in a series long exposure photographs.

Recalling his time spent under the stars, Kordan reveals, “Namibia’s nights are so peaceful and silent. I was happy to enjoy the bright stars of the Milky Way while my camera exhibited thousands of photos. Taken from the white clay desert plateau of Deadvlei, the barren terrain features rock dunes and scorched tree skeletons, believed to have died 600-700 years ago. Unlike the desaturated tones of the landscape, the sky above features incredible spirals of multi-colored star trails and iridescent interstellar clouds.

If you want to capture your own photos of stars, Kordan suggests using an app like PhotoPills that lets you predict the position of various constellations. And for more advice, Kordan offers online tutorials through its website.

Russian landscape photographer Daniel Kordan recently traveled to Namibia, where he captured the dazzling cosmos above the Namib Desert.

Taken from the white clay desert plateau of Deadvlei, the barren terrain features rock dunes and scorched tree skeletons, believed to have died 600-700 years ago.

Unlike the desaturated tones of the landscape, the sky above features incredible spirals of multi-colored star trails and iridescent interstellar clouds.

Daniel Kordan: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met has granted permission to use Daniel Kordan’s photos.

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