1st Time For Everything

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted January 25, 2011330 views10 comments

My first real attempt at star trails began in my backyard. Thanks especially to Floris Van Breugel for the excellent article on star photography on this webisite. This was meant for practice, but I think I rather like how it turned out. Others opinions and C&C would be appreciated. I wish the pink cloud wasn't in there - how distracting is it? Yeah, and I wish I coulda got Polaris right there on the corner of the gazebo roof

Canon 40D. Sigma 10-20. ISO 200. f/5.6. Total of about 2h20min exposure (46 exposures of 3 min each, stacked). The light on the chairs and gazebo is mostly moonlight.

See LARGER VERSION for best detail

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on January 25, 2011 at 6:04 AM

Your experiment succeeded admirably. You've inspired me to give it a try.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Dayton on January 25, 2011 at 9:56 AM

Never having done a star trails shot, all that I can say is that I like it.

Registered on November 11, 2008, 281 Posts, 3958 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on January 25, 2011 at 9:59 PM

I am not a fan of star trails but your foreground elements convince me they can work Doug. They work well in this context. Nice work.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on January 25, 2011 at 10:05 PM

I'm with Eva in that I don't care for star trails. That said, your practice image turned out very well. I like the glow of the chairs/gazebo against the star trails.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Balakumar Kaushik on January 26, 2011 at 4:04 AM

I love star trails images and this one's lovely. Might wish for bit of room on the left. I understand that under dark conditions, it is certainly tough to accurately place elements in the frame. That said, I wish (just a wish

) the centre of the circular trails coincided with he corner of the roof. That, with some room on left would make this image for me.
You've done some lovely processing.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 98 Posts, 1403 Comments

Comment posted by Ryan Montgomery on January 26, 2011 at 11:46 AM

I love this shot. Great use of the stationary hut to anchor this shot. I did a star trails recently but had to cut it short due to a rising moon that was almost full. I will post that here. Great stuff though.

Is it better to shoot 46 exposures and then stack (in photoshop) or just run the exposure that long (more noise?)?

Registered on January 14, 2011, 23 Posts, 26 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Schwarz on January 26, 2011 at 11:59 AM

Seems like an odd subject but I really like it.

Registered on November 29, 2006, 236 Posts, 1210 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Roane on January 26, 2011 at 12:15 PM

Thanks everyone. Yeah, I've never been a fan of star trails either, but was inspired by a photo from Marsel van Oosten in Digital Camera a few months ago, as well as Floris' excellent images.
Ryan - I've never done it the 'easy' way, with a long 2+hour exposure. The issue is, indeed, noise. It might be managable in the sky, but I would expect a degradation in quality of the fg especially. The stacking isn't difficult though, as there isn't any complicated masking involved.

Registered on December 12, 2008, 213 Posts, 2226 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on January 27, 2011 at 12:05 PM

Great first attempt, Doug. I enjoy looking at this. A very interesting scene you came up with. I have tried it with film years ago, but never with digital.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Mae on April 8, 2013 at 5:09 PM

Oh no! What happened to the people sitting in those chairs?! ::tries not think "alien abduction":: The star trails are gorgeous!

Registered on March 22, 2013, 13 Posts, 58 Comments