Starstruck

In 2014, Luis Cajete took a trip through the national parks of the American West. What he saw changed him. The vast red-rock landscapes were captivating, but it was the deep, dark night sky that left the biggest impression. Here, nightlife meant something entirely different than the late-night tapas bars of his hometown, Madrid. When he returned to Spain, the engineer took up photography to capture the magic of the natural world, eventually winning awards for his images and mastery of light. Here are some of Cajete’s favorites, in his words.

“One of my passions is capturing large panoramas through night photography. Living in a big city, I have always had to fight against intense light pollution. That’s why I’ve spent years searching for places where I can truly appreciate the beauty of the stars. Witnessing the arc of the Milky Way is an absolutely awe-inspiring experience. Some of Spain’s darkest skies can be found in the Serranía de Cuenca, an area of remarkable geological beauty. In the southern region lies a place where water has carved the landscape, creating intriguing formations and limestone chimneys. I scouted for a pleasing composition during the day, and this is the result of a long night spent under millions of stars.” —Luis Cajete

“Taken in the remote Valley of Dreams, in the badlands of northwestern New Mexico, an otherworldly landscape. I remember arriving at this place and being blown away by those impossible shapes. This image shows one of the most well-known, called the Alien Throne. I don’t know who named it, but they were truly inspired. The image is a nearly 360-degree panorama where the biggest challenge was achieving a composition that kept everything in order with the Milky Way. This was an incredible place where photography becomes easier because of the sheer number of possibilities.” —Luis Cajete

“There are few moments as incredible as watching the northern lights dance and light up the night sky. This beautiful place is Lómagnúpur in Iceland. I remember that night—my obsession was capturing the northern lights and their reflection in this frozen lake. At one point, I realized that the Milky Way’s arc aligned perfectly with the mountain, and even though it was very high above my head, I thought, ‘What the hell, I’m going to capture everything I can!’ It was truly a challenge to bring this image home. It was a moment that will always remain in my memories.” —Luis Cajete

“A spectacular and magical natural rock formation sculpted by erosion, located in Spain’s Serranía de Cuenca. This geological monument is nestled within a beautiful landscape characterized by the intense reddish hues of its sandstone and its vast forests of Aleppo pine. I took this image very carefully from a location close to a cliff. Although seeing the final image of a large panorama is rewarding, capturing these at night takes a lot of time and energy, especially in places with little light pollution like this one, where you have to use long exposures to capture the little light available.” —Luis Cajete

“This image belongs to one of my trips to the United States, taken in January in the Coyote Buttes South area, a remote backcountry within the Paria Canyon–Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area on the Utah-Arizona border. As this is a wild and extremely fragile area protected by the Bureau of Land Management, you need GPS navigation and a true 4x4 with high clearance due to the deep sand tracks. I was lucky to be in such a spectacular location during one of the most intense solar storms in recent years. I remember that on the way here, even though it was daylight, I received messages from my colleagues warning me that solar activity was very intense in Europe. It was very exciting to know that when night fell in our location, we would be able to see the northern lights in one of the most fascinating places in the world.” —Luis Cajete

“Another one of my panoramas of Serranía de Cuenca. After a cloudless Friday, on Saturday we had a very bad forecast, so it was an act of faith to stay in that area. Finally, the clouds respected us, and in what a way. Due to light pollution from a nearby small town, we saw some clouds with colors typical of a sunset, a curious phenomenon that gave us an extra touch of color. Although I sometimes go out alone at night, I took this picture with photographer friends. Going out with others is not only safer, but it also allows for teamwork and the creation of something different.” —Luis Cajete