Star Trails

crashmastercrashmaster Registered Users Posts: 37 Big grins
edited June 7, 2008 in Other Cool Shots
3 hours worth of star trails from the very dark skies of Grandview Campground, Inyo National Forest, CA. Trees were slightly illuminated from a campfire. Canon 40D, 17-55 USM lens, F2.8, 30 second exposures, ISO 1600.

startrails1.jpg
Canon 40D
SBIG STL-11000
Alta U16M

Comments

  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,245 moderator
    edited June 7, 2008
    Nice!
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  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    Cool! You've got a good take on the old idea :D

    I like the trees in the frame, makes a nice comp thumb.gif
    Have you tried boosting the dark red from fire a bit?
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    I see you've found the North Star! I like the slight illumination of the trees: It adds depth.

    Fantastic image!! thumb.gifclap.gif
    Lee
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  • AzzaroAzzaro Registered Users Posts: 5,643 Major grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    clap.gifclapclap.gif......... azzaro
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    Great work !!
    Still working on it
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

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  • crashmastercrashmaster Registered Users Posts: 37 Big grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    Did some curves adjustment to bring out some more stars and boost the illuminated trees, and updated the image at the beginning of the thread. I think its a little better. Thanks for the comments!
    Canon 40D
    SBIG STL-11000
    Alta U16M
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    Still a cool image, but I think I liked the first one better. I liked the subtleness of the trees being barely lit.

    Looks like you caught a few planes or meteors; possibly a satellite, too. thumb.gif
    Lee
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    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
  • crashmastercrashmaster Registered Users Posts: 37 Big grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    I think you are correct, the tree looked better barely illuminated. I'll work on it a bit more and find a happy medium. Thanks for the input!
    Canon 40D
    SBIG STL-11000
    Alta U16M
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    crashmaster wrote:
    I think you are correct, the tree looked better barely illuminated. I'll work on it a bit more and find a happy medium. Thanks for the input!

    I'll admit I'm with ya there, I was thinking of a more subtle adjustment. Just enough to give a little glow.

    Edit: looks like you updated the image while I wrote that. Looks good now thumb.gif
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • DaddyODaddyO Registered Users Posts: 4,466 Major grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    This is a wonderful piece. thumb.gif Gotta ask :D how many individual images
    did you use to put this together. 30 sec. images x 3 hours. headscratch.gif Thats
    a great deal of images. mwink.gif Michael
    Michael
  • crashmastercrashmaster Registered Users Posts: 37 Big grins
    edited June 7, 2008
    DaddyO wrote:
    This is a wonderful piece. thumb.gif Gotta ask :D how many individual images
    did you use to put this together. 30 sec. images x 3 hours. headscratch.gif Thats
    a great deal of images. mwink.gif Michael

    Thanks Michael. Yes its a bunch of images. I shoot in Med jpeg, start with a fresh battery, and let it run until the battery runs out. Compiling the images is very easy using Chris Schur's star trails photoshop action.

    http://www.schursastrophotography.com/software/photoshop/startrails.html
    Canon 40D
    SBIG STL-11000
    Alta U16M
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