Through thorns to the stars: a man cured depression by becoming

At the age of 20, Derek Culver suffered a heart attack caused by myocarditis (an inflammatory process in the heart muscle). This was followed by depression and other mental health issues, to the point of suicidal thoughts.

In an attempt to change his life for the better on his 21st birthday, Derek took a tent and a camera and went on a two-week trip to the national parks of the United States. During the trip, he admired the stars, began to take pictures of the night sky and just fell in love with astrophotography.

Astrophotography combines astrophysics and photography and allows the photographer to take pictures of the night sky or deep sky objects such as star trails, the Moon, the Milky Way or other celestial objects, or images of deep space including nebulae or galaxies.

Derek has been a professional astrophotographer for eight years now. Although it is considered a loner’s profession, he says he has met many wonderful friends who share his passion for the night sky. Moreover, Derek is sure that astrophotography saved his life.

“I connect with my astrophotographer friends on social media or meet them in national parks. Many good places for astrophotography are off the beaten path. In order for the stars to shine brighter, it must be very dark around. By the way, larger mammals than you can roam there. And it’s so nice when you hear a rustle in the dark, and then the sound of a camera shutter,” Derek laughs.

“There is something about being out in the middle of nowhere, under a dark night sky, and looking up at the stars. It makes you feel like literally a grain of sand in the universe,” says the photographer.