When did you first feel like, “This is it. This is the work I want to be known for”?

I honestly don't think about it that way. I shoot for myself. If other people enjoy my work, that's a bonus. I've always loved being out in nature, and through my photography I want to share those moments to help people appreciate, and ultimately protect, what we have left, whether that's beautiful dark-sky locations or tiny, colorful jumping spiders.

What's been quietly (or loudly) fueling your creative spark lately?

Getting one of my Sony cameras modified to capture Hydrogen Alpha data completely changed how I see the night sky. The modified camera reveals vast hydrogen nebulae that are invisible to both the human eye and standard cameras, and learning how to incorporate that data into my wide-field astrophotography has become a real passion over the last couple of years.It's been a steep but rewarding learning curve. I've drawn a lot of inspiration from fellow Western Australian photographers Trevor Dobson and Leonel Padron, while Affinity's astrophotography tools have helped me refine my workflow.

Are there any creative rules you swear by, or break just for fun?

The late, great Dale Sharpe taught me that the Milky Way should be the “icing on the cake” in landscape astrophotography. With that in mind, I'm always looking for an interesting foreground that complements the night sky rather than overpowering it.

Name the unsung hero in your Affinity workflow.

The Astrophotography Remove Background filter appears in almost every one of my workflows. It's invaluable for balancing the colors and brightness of the night sky, and I usually follow it with a Selective Color adjustment to fine-tune the final image.For my macro photography, though, I couldn't live without the Inpainting Brush. It's the quickest way to remove sensor dust spots and clean up the final image.

Is there an Affinity trick you always end up sharing?

Affinity's non-destructive Tone Stretch adjustment is one feature I recommend all the time. It makes it much easier to reveal the subtle nebulosity and dust lanes hidden within the night sky while preserving the flexibility to refine the image later.

Paul V Harrison

Photographer

•

Australia

Originally from the United Kingdom and now based in Perth, Western Australia, Paul V Harrison is a nature and astrophotographer. What began as simple record shots of places he visited gradually evolved into carefully crafted images that reveal the beauty of both the natural world and the night sky. Through macro and astrophotography, Paul combines meticulous field techniques with thoughtful post-processing to reveal details that often go unnoticed, from tiny jumping spiders to vast Hydrogen Alpha nebulae hidden within the Milky Way.

Start of section: Creative work

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Creative work

Star trails sweep around the southern celestial pole above the Pinnacles→

Photography

Astrophotography

Hidden hydrogen nebulae surrounding Orion over Nambung→

Photography

Astrophotography

The Milky Way and the Gum Nebula over Western Australia→

Photography

Astrophotography

Blue hour and the Milky Way meet at Sugarloaf Rock→

Photography

Astrophotography

Satellite trails crossing the Milky Way→

Photography

Astrophotography

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End of section: Creative work

“I've been using Affinity for nearly 10 years, and it really feels like a community. The willingness of both the team behind the software and its users to share advice, ideas, and techniques has shaped the way I work. It encourages me to think about the final image before I even press the shutter, helping me capture the right data in the field. Affinity then gives me the tools to bring that vision to life.”

Q&A

I honestly don't think about it that way. I shoot for myself. If other people enjoy my work, that's a bonus. I've always loved being out in nature, and through my photography I want to share those moments to help people appreciate, and ultimately protect, what we have left, whether that's beautiful dark-sky locations or tiny, colorful jumping spiders.
Getting one of my Sony cameras modified to capture Hydrogen Alpha data completely changed how I see the night sky. The modified camera reveals vast hydrogen nebulae that are invisible to both the human eye and standard cameras, and learning how to incorporate that data into my wide-field astrophotography has become a real passion over the last couple of years.
It's been a steep but rewarding learning curve. I've drawn a lot of inspiration from fellow Western Australian photographers Trevor Dobson and Leonel Padron, while Affinity's astrophotography tools⁠(opens in a new tab or window) have helped me refine my workflow.
The late, great Dale Sharpe taught me that the Milky Way should be the “icing on the cake” in landscape astrophotography. With that in mind, I'm always looking for an interesting foreground that complements the night sky rather than overpowering it.
The Astrophotography Remove Background filter⁠(opens in a new tab or window) appears in almost every one of my workflows. It's invaluable for balancing the colors and brightness of the night sky, and I usually follow it with a Selective Color adjustment to fine-tune the final image.
For my macro photography⁠(opens in a new tab or window), though, I couldn't live without the Inpainting Brush⁠(opens in a new tab or window). It's the quickest way to remove sensor dust spots and clean up the final image.
Affinity's non-destructive Tone Stretch adjustment is one feature I recommend all the time. It makes it much easier to reveal the subtle nebulosity and dust lanes hidden within the night sky while preserving the flexibility to refine the image later.