This shot was a struggle from start to finish. Taken in Vieques, Puerto Rico—where the night sky is untouched by light pollution—it should have been easy. But without a tripod, things got tricky. My Fujifilm X100T needed a long exposure, and in bulb mode, I had to hold the shutter button the entire time. No remote, no timer—just me, balancing the camera on uneven rocks in complete darkness, hoping it wouldn’t slip.
I spent nearly an hour tweaking settings, trying to capture the stars without streaking. Meanwhile, I was crouched in the sand, cramping up badly, unable to move or breathe too hard. My only light source was my phone, which barely helped—if anything, it ruined my night vision and made fumbling around even worse. The salty air had me paranoid about condensation on my lens, and the occasional breeze kicked up sand, forcing me to carefully brush it off without shifting the camera.
Every shot was a gamble—I had no idea if I nailed it until I checked the screen, only to realize I had to start all over again. This photo is the result of sheer stubbornness, trial and error, and way too many leg cramps. But in the end, it was worth it—Vieques’ night sky is something special, and I wasn’t leaving without capturing it.