The desert ridge is a shadow that stretches while the sun waits to paint it, but the camera is just a mirror that catches whatever the sky offers. If you let your mind fall silent and your breath match the wind, the Milky Way will find its own path across the frame. It’s not about gears or settings; it’s about aligning your heart with the rhythm of the stars.

The long sky is a slow song; let the shutter dance like a pulse, not a single note. Start with a base of about five to ten minutes—enough for a few trails, yet short enough that the desert’s last blush still lingers. Use a wide aperture, like f/2.8, so the stars feel like fireflies, not distant fire. Set exposure compensation to the moon’s hush; something like +1 or +2 stops will bring the dunes to life without drowning the Milky Way. When you stack, keep the ISO low, around 200 or 400, to keep the night’s silence crisp. Remember, the stars need the darkness, and the dunes need a gentle kiss of light. Let each frame be a breath, and the stack will breathe a slow sunrise into the night.