The Streak

JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
My last star shot in Yosemite was my best I think as this meteor streaked right through the shot in the middle of the exposure. It was really exciting to see that streak happen and the 6 or 7 of us up at Tunnel View all gasped and got excited.

This is a one shot image, it's my favorite time when there is a small moon setting to the west while shooting towards the east. I like letting the moon light up the ground layer.

All comments are welcome,

Jim

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AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
Nice result - I just tried some night shots with no moon and I feel like there is a little more interest when you can have at least some illumination of the ground you are shooting from. I like the lighting effect with the low clouds behind too.
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
AlanLichty said:
Nice result - I just tried some night shots with no moon and I feel like there is a little more interest when you can have at least some illumination of the ground you are shooting from. I like the lighting effect with the low clouds behind too.
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Thanks Alan, I am glad you like this.

Shooting with no moon does add some difficulty as the ground layer gets so dark and loses detail. For me there are a couple of ways to deal with that.

Shoot with some distinct foreground objects that can be lit up with light painting.

Shoot a lower ISO like 400 and shoot a 20 min exposure to let the ground layer get brighter.

Shoot a series of the high ISO images that you then blend with Median blending which will brighten up the ground layer somewhat.

Set up and shoot a twilight shot that you then blend in with the later star shot.

Any of those 4 options will work for you on a moonless night.

Since you are starting back out shooting stars, a moonless night is the worst situation for you, because it does take more work and thought. I would suggest the next time you can, go for a 1/4 moon and shoot like I did with it at your back and lower to the horizon, that will help a lot. It does wash out the stars slightly, but as long as it's not full and it's low on the horizon it's washing out of stars is minimal.
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
Yeah - moonless darkness was a problem at the Bisti and I ended up wandering much farther in to find foreground subjects I could I could paint with my lights. Places I had picked out to try in advance did not work because the formations were just too far away.

I timed my session for the Milky Way galaxy core at 4:00am so hanging out after twilight would have been character building with mid to low 20's temps. There was a sliver of moon early in the night but it was only starlight by the tie I went out.

I like the idea of a seriously long exposure at a low ISO for the ground. I have a timer remote that will accommodate a shot like that.

I have much to learn still and studying what you and others are doing is helping me figure out what to try next. Possibly at Bryce in a couple of days.
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
If you are going for 4am Milky Way shots and it's cold out here is my suggestion.

1. Go out the evening before right after sunset before it's too dark. Set your camera to the aperture you are going to shoot at during the nght (f2.8 or whatever) get the Focus set then. Use some tape (duct tape) and tape the zoom (if used) and the focus ring in place so they can't be nudged out of focus.

2. Go back at 4am and set up where you had shot before, and set your exposure and start shooting the Milky Way.

3. Keep shooting and then use an early dawn photo for your ground layer. The twilight shot will work best because of the directon of the light, but early dawn can work too.

Also an option I have used is when you set up in Step #1, use the duct tape to mark your tripods position, take your twilight shot, and then when you go back at 4am, set up your tripod at the same exact spot. You should be lined up close enough that that alignment won't be hard to get lined up in Photoshop.

And while the Milky Way is cool, don't let it drive the composition. I still let my ground layer drive what I am shooting, and sometimes will even avoid the Milky Way in my shot.
 
Mike Mancil

Mike Mancil

Well-Known Member
Beautiful shot and excellent information...... but, with that title I was expecting Ray Stevens ;)... Mike
 
Kyle Jones

Kyle Jones

Moderator
Nice one Jim, the meteor is cool! Your advice lines up with my experience. My planned star shots this year revolve around finding partial moons in the right place/time to light the landscape while the stars are where I want them. Now I just need the weather to behave...
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Mike Mancil said:
Beautiful shot and excellent information...... but, with that title I was expecting Ray Stevens ;)... Mike
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Ha ha, now when I came up with this title you were the one person that I thought would remember that song. :eek:

Glad you liked the shot.
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Joe Colozzo said:
wow, great shot!!! I would be thrilled to get a stunning shot like this without the streak!!!
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Thanks so much Joe, it was really unexpected. Outside of a zillion airplanes and satellites moving across the sky we didn't see any falling stars, so this was totally out of the blue. And to have it happen on my last frame was super cool!
 
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