After two years of failed attempts and frustrating forecasts, a single gut feeling on a Wednesday night finally led Sean Kinchela to the shot he'd been dreaming of.
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On Wednesday, November 12, aurora alerts led Mr Kinchela to the rocky coastline of Bermagui, where the Far South Coast award-winning photographer captured a breathtaking image.
Mr Kinchela told Bega District News that he had been monitoring aurora notifications for the past week and had kept an eye on the solar flares.
It was a high-stakes gamble: wait for a predicted "second wave" of solar activity at midnight, or race to the coast at 7pm and hope the fleeting aurora would hold out.
Mr Kinchela chose the latter, a decision that provided the talented 'Local Famous' photographer an opportunity to see "Lady Aurora australis and her horse drinking from the ocean".
"I decided to go at 7pm and just take my chances, and I'm glad it did because the midnight one didn't end up happening," the 32-year-old said.
"I have been trying to get that shot for a couple of years now.
"There have been a few aurora forecasts over the past year, and every time it's come around, it's been cloudy or had a full moon.
"Last night it was half a moon, but it was still orbiting around the other side of the earth, so it was a dark night until about 2am."
Instead of racing home to Bodalla to edit the image, Mr Kinchela decided to go to Glasshouse Rocks in Narooma to capture a handful of other images.
When Mr Kinchela eventually returned to his computer at 1am to edit a single image, he was bleary-eyed but triumphant.
Having previously tried searching online for images of that location with the aurora and been unsuccessful, he now believed he was the first person to capture the "Lady Aurora" visiting Bermagui's famed Horsehead Rock.
Tips for capturing the night sky
Mr Kinchela, who specialises in astrophotography, said that many of his images capture the Milky Way over Far South Coast landscapes.
"It's really just about finding dark skies," he said.
"We're lucky on the Far South Coast that we have a lot of dark spots that aren't highly light-polluted.
"It's really about getting out and exploring. I love sitting on the beach at 2am and watching the stars.
"There aren't many people who like going out and spending a night on the beach because a lot of people are scared of the dark.
"But I love it. I love just taking it in and making the most of it."
Jimmy Parker
I am a multi-award-winning regional news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. I aim to immortalise the stories of everyday people through narratives and capture breaking news. Have you got a story? Contact me on 0437 166 441 or at james.parker@austcommunitymedia.com.au
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