First attempt at a long exposure

ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
edited November 12, 2009 in Other Cool Shots
I was hoping to get some star trails. But I obviously need more time to really get them to arc. It was a full moon so it was too bright to get it. It is amazing what shows up in this type of shot. There are highlights on the bikes from our campfire that was probably 100ft away. Not what I was really going for but I like it anyway.

What do you think?

709924483_Y63NQ-L.jpg

Comments

  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited November 12, 2009
    So you got star trails and star trials. :D

    Cool shot! thumb.gif

    Cheers,
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  • mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2009
    How long an exposure was it? You can always get a longer shutter time if you use a neutral density filter. Or take multiple long exposures one after the other and layer/blend them.
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  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2009
    Not sure on the exposure time. I looked at my watch....then forgot about it. We had a few drinks by that time....... I know I did have the ISO way down and was at something like f20. So I think a ND filter would help a lot. So would a lack of a full moon.

    On a side note. How important is in camera NR for a shot like this? I had the long exposure NR set to normal and it took as long to do that as it did to take the picture. What I found is it KILLS batteries.
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited November 12, 2009
    mercphoto wrote:
    You can always get a longer shutter time if you use a neutral density filter.

    I'm pretty sure an ND would have the opposite affect and diminish the star trails rather than enhance them. I've never tried it, but intuitively it doesn't make sense. The sensor is not going to continually accumulate light from the stars because they are moving, so the ND will dim them. The rest of the scene is a continuous source of light and will continue to gain brightness however.
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  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited November 12, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    I'm pretty sure an ND would have the opposite affect and diminish the star trails rather than enhance them. I've never tried it, but intuitively it doesn't make sense. The sensor is not going to continually accumulate light from the stars because they are moving, so the ND will dim them. The rest of the scene is a continuous source of light and will continue to gain brightness however.

    I would think the trails would be longer but dimmer. A better solution is to shoot when the moon isn't so bright.
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