It takes a very good photographer to be able to time things right. You have to have a lot of patients and it seems that capturing this light in that 60 second time frame has paid off.
I think you are right about free will. It has been a great misery where I have been struggling to understand. There are many contradictions out there when it comes to free will and destiny. Maybe it's a little bit of both:)
See my suggestion below ( a book I found useful).
You may too.
Good luck