Star Gate

[BlackRockArt]

Hi all

I have been eyeing this composition for two years, the weather is a little finicky along the Big Sur coast, more often than not, it's foggy, cloudy, windy, rain... Last night I got a break: clear, cloudless, windless.

This is the Pfeiffer Beach, Keyhole Arch.

It took me 3 hours to get there, spend three hours taking photos, then another 3 hours to come back.

Enjoy.

Oliver

 

[ProCaliberTraveler]

This is incredible. I like the starbursts. How did you feel when you got the right conditions and the composition you wanted? Did it come out like you had imagined?

 

[AlanLichty]

Amazing result - glad you were patient enough to wait for the right conditions.

 

[Bob]

Oliver.
This is a excellent composition and great shot.
Bob

 

[Darcy Grizzle]

Stunning!

 

[Mike Lewis]

Oliver,

Wonderfully seen and captured! It is of course a matter of personal preference, but wondering if you have a version without the diffraction spikes added you would care to share?

ML

 

[BlackRockArt]

This is incredible. I like the starbursts. How did you feel when you got the right conditions and the composition you wanted? Did it come out like you had imagined?

Hi Michael, thank you.

it felt great, it was better than I hoped, given how much city light pollutions we get around the Bay Area. As soon as I drove pass Carmel, the stars just popped up all over my head.

Amazing result - glad you were patient enough to wait for the right conditions.

Hi Alan, I kept an eye on the weather every month for this scene, finally it came. It was a great night.

Oliver

Oliver.
This is a excellent composition and great shot.
Bob

Bob, thanks

Stunning!

Darcy, thank you.

Oliver,

Wonderfully seen and captured! It is of course a matter of personal preference, but wondering if you have a version without the diffraction spikes added you would care to share?

ML

Mike, the artist in me wants to put the star spikes; but here you go, the purist view:

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Nice planning and to see that vision come to fruition. Put me down in the camp who likes the second image.

 

[Ben Egbert]

I absolutely love this one Oliver.

 

[JimFox]

Hey Oliver, I have been driving all day from Colorado down to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I have seen this on my phone, but I knew it just wasn't doing it justice, so I refrained from commenting until I could view this on my laptop.

Let me say, it was worth the wait!

First off, as a fan of the Star Gate tv show, you hooked me with the title...

Let me say you got the perfect amount of light on this. The rock is lit up so naturally. I like your work with the Milky Way, it looks great.

As for the star spikes, I personally love them! I think they add a sweet touch to the night sky to make it a bit different. It's not done very much, so it makes this a little more special I think. I don't do it on any of mine, but when I see it like in yours here, I think I should do it once in a while. Is there an action that adds to the spikes to the stars?

 

[Jeffrey]

Fabulous imaging Oliver!

 

[BlackRockArt]

Hey Oliver, I have been driving all day from Colorado down to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I have seen this on my phone, but I knew it just wasn't doing it justice, so I refrained from commenting until I could view this on my laptop.

Let me say, it was worth the wait!

First off, as a fan of the Star Gate tv show, you hooked me with the title...

Let me say you got the perfect amount of light on this. The rock is lit up so naturally. I like your work with the Milky Way, it looks great.

As for the star spikes, I personally love them! I think they add a sweet touch to the night sky to make it a bit different. It's not done very much, so it makes this a little more special I think. I don't do it on any of mine, but when I see it like in yours here, I think I should do it once in a while. Is there an action that adds to the spikes to the stars?

Jim, thanks for your kind words, yes, it was a long wait & many failed trips; mainly it was the marine layer getting too close to the Big Sur coast; on my last trip down to Pfeiffer beach, I was lucky to have a windless night, so there was minimal interference with milkway.

As for the star spikes, I find there are certain settings I can not control with actions, fortunately not make star spikes are needed. I have uploaded a step by step method to add spike, please view the image files in the gallery.

Fabulous imaging Oliver!

Thank you, Jeff.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Hi Michael, thank you.

it felt great, it was better than I hoped, given how much city light pollutions we get around the Bay Area. As soon as I drove pass Carmel, the stars just popped up all over my head.



Hi Alan, I kept an eye on the weather every month for this scene, finally it came. It was a great night.

Oliver




Bob, thanks




Darcy, thank you.




Mike, the artist in me wants to put the star spikes; but here you go, the purist view:

View attachment 52107

Well of course both versions are wonderful, and it is a little thing that is certainly personal taste, but I prefer this one, as it puts all the focus on the Milky Way leading to the amazing rock arch for my eye. In any case, a truly magical capture, star spikes or not, really impressive stuff. Thanks for sharing both versions

ML

 

[Bob Israel]

Oliver, this composition makes all the planning, driving, waiting, etc. so worth it. Congrats!

 

[lionking]

Beautiful work, totally worth the effort.

Cheers.

 

[JimFox]

Congrats Oliver on the Featured Landscape Image!

@BlackRockArt

 

[Ben Egbert]

I am so glad you gave this image a feature as I was feeling guilty over getting one for my milky way when I knew this was out there and a better image.

 

[John Holbrook]

Wow! Congratulations on the Featured Landscape!

 

[BlackRockArt]

Oliver, this composition makes all the planning, driving, waiting, etc. so worth it. Congrats!

Bob, thank you.

Beautiful work, totally worth the effort.

Cheers.

Andrey, thank you.

Congrats Oliver on the Featured Landscape Image!

@BlackRockArt

Jim, thank you, I am honored.

I am so glad you gave this image a feature as I was feeling guilty over getting one for my milky way when I knew this was out there and a better image.

Ben, your shot is just as beautiful

Wow! Congratulations on the Featured Landscape!

John, thank you.

 

[Joe Colozzo]

beautiful