National Geographic – Stonehenge

This National Geographic cover story set out to reimagine one of the world’s most photographed landmarks through a surreal, contemporary lens. The commission held deep personal resonance, I could trace my memory of the ancient monuments back to a childhood school trip to Stonehenge, watching the distant grey stones in the rain, a little bored.

Recognising the challenge of photographing one of the most documented sites on Earth, I chose to reveal Stonehenge in a way it had never been seen, illuminated by carefully choreographed drone lighting that transformed the monument into a stage for quiet, otherworldly interventions.

The project required extensive coordination with English Heritage, National Geographic, and aviation authorities to gain unprecedented nighttime access to this protected UNESCO site. Working within England’s unpredictable weather, I often waited through multiple nights of wind and rain for brief windows allowing safe drone operation.

The series blended documentary purpose with unorthodox visual language. Standing in the darkness, directing light onto 5,000 year old monuments, I felt I had finally found the wonder a rain-soaked schoolboy was searching for decades before.

Large stone structures of Stonehenge at dusk, illuminated by drone light art against a dramatic dark sky and vivid orange clouds in the background.
Large ancient stone pillars beneath a starry night sky, where circular star trails blend seamlessly with mesmerizing drone light art, creating a surreal nighttime landscape photography scene.
Stonehenge at sunset with dramatic clouds and orange light in the sky above the ancient stone monument, enhanced by mesmerizing drone light art captured by a skilled photographer.
Stonehenge stone circle illuminated at dusk, with a vibrant orange and blue sky in the background—captured through the lens of nighttime landscape photography.
Stonehenge standing stones at night, illuminated by soft lighting in a striking example of nighttime landscape photography, casting long shadows on the grass.
A rocky hillside illuminated at night with grass in the foreground and a soft, glowing sky in the background creates a futuristic scene, perfect for a photographer capturing mesmerizing drone light art.
Two people stand on rocky terrain at night, illuminated by a bright beam of light from the sky—a captivating scene reminiscent of fine artist drone light painting.
Stonehenge standing stones at dusk under a dramatic, cloudy blue sky, illuminated by mesmerizing drone light painting.
Stonehenge at sunset beneath dramatic clouds, featured on a National Geographic magazine cover, showcases a futuristic touch inspired by drone light art.

Behind The Scenes

Large stone structures of Stonehenge at dusk, illuminated by drone light art against a dramatic dark sky and vivid orange clouds in the background.
Large ancient stone pillars beneath a starry night sky, where circular star trails blend seamlessly with mesmerizing drone light art, creating a surreal nighttime landscape photography scene.
Stonehenge at sunset with dramatic clouds and orange light in the sky above the ancient stone monument, enhanced by mesmerizing drone light art captured by a skilled photographer.
Stonehenge stone circle illuminated at dusk, with a vibrant orange and blue sky in the background—captured through the lens of nighttime landscape photography.
Stonehenge standing stones at night, illuminated by soft lighting in a striking example of nighttime landscape photography, casting long shadows on the grass.
A rocky hillside illuminated at night with grass in the foreground and a soft, glowing sky in the background creates a futuristic scene, perfect for a photographer capturing mesmerizing drone light art.
Two people stand on rocky terrain at night, illuminated by a bright beam of light from the sky—a captivating scene reminiscent of fine artist drone light painting.
Stonehenge standing stones at dusk under a dramatic, cloudy blue sky, illuminated by mesmerizing drone light painting.