House of Celestials

The darkness fooled us, 8 hours of adventure turned into 18 hours. One last month before, I lost the Milky Way for the year. Failing this means I have to wait another year for a second chance... When I first stepped foot in Bali, I had a mission to a moment no one had ever captured before. And for that, I need to push past the boundaries and limitations. Going to stupid places, at stupid o’clock, during stupid conditions… I’m one for adventure. My passion and love for exploration took my photography to some of the most unbelievable scenes. A Milky Way above the Island of God? It’s never easy… Nature needs to be respected… Finding the right timing, weather, and conditions... Yet the biggest challenge was my inner struggle. 5 months after, I tore 2 of my ligaments. Doubts, both mentally & physically. Struggling to find a guide who was willing to go at night, and not knowing what was waiting on the other side, my passion pushed me forward. I embarked on The Wicked Hunt. It started off with a cloudy sky, but mother nature was on my side. The higher I got, the clearer it became, the wind got stronger, and slowly the day turned into night. Stumbling on loose rocks, my hands were full of scrapes scrambling & protecting the cameras. The muscles were burning; 3 cameras, 3 tripods, 5 lenses and a drone, among other things. The slope turned into what felt like a wall. I didn’t have enough space, a thin rain jacket was all I had to keep me warm. I was shivering cold. Lost… I couldn’t find the summit, but when I looked back, there was something magical. Perhaps this was what the universe wanted me to capture? A view from heaven. A heaven on earth. It was as if I was up visiting the gods looking down on the rest of the Island. The Island of God. I lost my grandma a few months before she turned 100 years old on the 13th of May 2022. Someone who brought me up as a child. Every time I look at this photo it’s as if she’s there looking down, guiding me to the right path. Lifting me during each challenge. Click after click… Moments have been preserved, 2.5 hours passed by, packed my bag. The darkness fooled us, GPS wasn’t enough. It was dark I couldn’t see the entry point to navigate around the cliffs. 8 turned into 18 hours - 30 hours without sleep but a mission was accomplished. A rare moment that’s never been captured before in Bali. A one-of-a-kind moment that is almost impossible to recreate from the highest volcano on the island. This is the love and passion for adventure. This is The Wicked Hunt. In memory of Sutjijatie Anie 13.5.22