I’m Louise McKenna, a landscape and night-sky photographer based in Dorset, although I’m originally from the Solway Coast in Cumbria.

Photography started simply as a way of recording the places I travelled to, but over time I became more and more drawn to the night sky, astronomy and the landscapes around me.

I work full-time in children’s palliative care, so photography is very much my escape and my passion. Being outside, whether I’m standing under a dark sky or watching the light change across a landscape, helps me switch off from everyday life. It keeps me grounded, gives me perspective and reminds me how small we are in the bigger picture.

I photograph both the night sky and daytime landscapes. Living in the UK means the weather often decides what happens, and sometimes the clouds have other ideas about astrophotography altogether. So I photograph whatever catches my eye — rolling countryside, coastlines, changing light and, whenever I can, the stars.

I don’t always head out with lots of equipment either. Sometimes I’ll use a tripod, tracker and a full astrophotography setup, and other times I’ll travel light, particularly if I’m somewhere remote. For me, the important thing is that the final photograph still feels like the place I stood and the scene I experienced — natural, subtle and true to the moment.

With encouragement from family, friends and other photographers, I’ve gradually started sharing more of my work. I hope the images give other people a little of the same sense of calm, perspective and wonder that I get from being out there making them.

If you’d like to explore my portfolio, ask about a print or simply say hello, I’d love to hear from you.