Fossils and the night sky—two seemingly distant worlds, yet deeply connected. Each fossil is a time capsule, a window into an ancient Earth, just as the stars are glimpses into a distant past. My fascination with these cosmic and earthly timelines has led to an incredible opportunity: Landing Among the Stars exhibition at The Etches Collection Museum,running this July only!
Visitors will not only encounter The Sea Monster—a stunning reminder of prehistoric oceans—but also explore the wonders of the night sky. Through this exhibition, I hope to bridge the depths of the sea with the vastness of space, reminding us that time leaves its marks in stone and light alike.
I’m thrilled to invite you to my upcoming talk at Durlston Country Park, where I’ll share my passion for night sky photography. Whether you’re just starting out or already experienced, I’ll offer practical tips, techniques, and inspiration to help you capture the magic of the night.
During the session, I’ll guide you through 2025’s must-see celestial events—I’ll also discuss the best locations for dark-sky photography and share advice on capturing stunning images of the Milky Way.
Set in the heart of Durlston’s International Dark Sky Reserve, this event will give you the tools and knowledge to take your astrophotography to the next level.
Kevin Ferrioli Night Photography Exhibition in Durlston Country Park Dorset UK
From 30th March to 15 April 2018, Durlston Country Park in Swanange, Dorset-UK, will hold an exhibition about my night photography in Dorset and beyond. The entry is free, experience the magic of the starry nights and learn more about this type of photography.
Back in 2015, end of what we call the Milky Way season (that in reality means end of the visibility of the galactic core!), I headed towards the Jurassic Coast, specifically to a beautiful chalk formations. Old Harry Rocks are located in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, United Kingdom. This was a really windy night, and the location very, very dangerous. I was sat all time as a gust of wind could have easily pushed me to death. I wasn’t sure that I was going to get the photo due to the light pollution coming from Swanage. I took several images at different exposures, my Canon 6d Mk1 and Samyang 14mm F2.8 as the resource, with occasional shots with the Canon 24-105 F4 series L. No tracker, only pushing the trigger. I have to say, I was really pleased with the result.
Milky Way from Old Harry Rocks, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset UK. Canon 6D MK1 Samyang 14mm F2.8 Single Exposure.
This year 2017, started with big expectations, always trying to be realistic too about what it could be achieved, as the windows of opportunities in the UK are extremely reduced…so every clear night is so precious, to the point that if I miss one window(a clear moonless night ), I feel like I just wasted my time by doing something else. It is a journey, and a great learning experience and it has become a religion.
Radar Monument St Aldhelm’s Head Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
St Aldhelm’s Chapel – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Studland Beach Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Moonrise Boscome Beach Dorset UK
Lyrid Meteor and Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Durlston Country Park Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Moon and Jupiter above Bournemouth Pier Dorset UK
Lulworth Cove Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Man O’War Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Man O’War Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Man O’War Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Man O’War Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Kimmeridge and Thunderstorm Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Kimmeridge Thunderstorm Dorset UK
Durlston Country Park Milky Way – Dorset Milky Way Photography UK
Views of the Milky Way from Durlston Country Park, Dorset, England.
Durlston Country Park is a 1.13 square kilometre (280-acre) country park and nature reserve stretching along the coast of the Isle of Purbeck at Durlston near Swanage in Dorset, England. The Park, which is part of the Jurassic CoastWorld Heritage Site, has been owned by Dorset County Council since the early 1970s and is mostly open access.
View points across the park with descriptions
In 1887 George Burt, local constructor and business man who used to own Durlston estate, built a small ‘castle’ at Durlston Head, on the hill above Durlston Bay and the town of Swanage. The Durlston Castle was never a real castle, but was purpose-built to be used as a restaurant for his estate.
Durlston Castle
Burt also commissioned a 40-ton limestone Globe, three metres in diameter, engraved with an 1880s world map. The footpaths around the Castle and Globe are lined with cast iron London bollards which were left in Swanage having been used as ballast by the ships transporting stone to London. Other ornaments include plaques carved with quotations from Shakespeare and the Bible, maps showing the English Channel and the United Kingdom, and facts about the natural world.
The Globe, a 40-ton, 3 meter diamete sphere.
The globe is engraved with an 1880 world map
In the 19th and 20th centuries Purbeck was quarried for its high-quality limestone. There were few open-cast quarries, and none in Durlston, but there are many mine shafts across the landscape, notably Tilly Whim Caves in a dry glacial meltwater valley.
View of the Tilly Whim Caves
Most of the Park is designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and since 1997, a Special Area of Conservation. The majority is also designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Importance.
Durlston Country Park is one of the most inspiring places for photography in Dorset.
This is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and celebrated in more than 193 countries each year…
Photography by Kevin Ferrioli 
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