Make a wish

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 8, 2012302 views13 comments

I've done plenty of night shooting and usually can never find something truly unique in a location. Yeah, you can get tons of stars, star trails, meteors and such, but when you get a long streaking shooting star perfectly composed in a frame, it is something magical. This was that moment. I was trying to work on a pano of the night sky and never even saw the shooting star with my eyes. Once I got home and looked at the files on the computer I was stunned. The position of the shooting star coming into the frame and targeting the mountain peaks on the lower right was just what I could have wished for. Having the faint milky way divide the image really helped balance this out as well. This is the best shot of a shooting star I have ever photographed. This image is composed of three vertical images, and the shooting star took up almost all of one entire frame. I wanted the mountains to have almost a silhouette feel but still hold some light and detail. I truly hope I am fortunate to have this happen again on my next night shoot. Comments and critiques welcomed.

Canon 7d
Canon 17-40mm @17mm
Three vertical images
F/4
30 sec
ISO 3200
Tripod
Remote

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on March 8, 2012 at 3:01 PM

Lovely, Peter. Great stars, dramatic mountains, beautiful color to the sky, and the shooting star. Would be hard not to like this image. I do hope you have the same degree of luck on your next session. I detect a small halo on the ridge to the left. Other than that no niggles at all.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on March 8, 2012 at 5:54 PM

Nice color and the shooting star is always a bonus. I also like the faint light on the mountains. Still some noise issues on my monitor, but nothing some software visits can't fix.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on March 8, 2012 at 6:06 PM

Thank you Peter, I am planning a few night shoots when the moon isn't visible. As far as shooting stars that really is kind of luck, unless I go out during a meteor shower, but idk when the next one will be.

Morris- Thank you, I didn't do any noise reduction on this, so I'm sure there is visible noise all over. Just trying to find the best noise reduction techniques for these images.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Prower on March 8, 2012 at 6:25 PM

This is a pleasurable night scene with a good palette. Very lucky to catch that shooting star.

Registered on February 5, 2012, 24 Posts, 167 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 9, 2012 at 10:30 AM

Very nice Peter! I like the light on the mountain and that sky full of stars is wonderful. Capturing that shooting star was awesome! Really enjoy seeing this.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on March 9, 2012 at 12:26 PM

Thank you Tony and Nick!

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on March 9, 2012 at 4:37 PM

Peter,

Perhaps one of your best - at least top 2, from this location. Great balance between the night sky, silhouetted mountains and the evening glow on the peaks. And what a great moment for the shooting star. I think you nailed this one and indeed must have been a magical night for you.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on March 9, 2012 at 11:33 PM

Thanks Lon, I appreciate it! It would have been more magical if I were able to print this huge :)

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Tonia Graves on March 10, 2012 at 3:15 PM

I like this! The way the shooting star is falling in the sky and the side-lit mountains really make this an enjoyable night scene. Congrats on the getting this!

Registered on October 29, 2011, 92 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by Marylynne Diggs on March 10, 2012 at 5:10 PM

Gorgeous color in the sky and the mountains. The shooting star is icing on the cake. It seems like my long exposures always leave the stars turning into dashes....maybe it's my focal length choice. The 3 shot vertical gives you great depth as well as nice crisp stars.

Registered on December 14, 2010, 122 Posts, 1034 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on March 10, 2012 at 10:18 PM

Love the point like stars and how you capured this beautiful night sky Peter. What a lucky moment to catch shooting star.

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

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on March 11, 2012 at 10:17 PM

Really great capture. What light is illuminating the peaks?

aF

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on March 12, 2012 at 8:28 AM

Thank you everyone.

Aaron the light is mostly coming from apache junction which is where that light pollution is coming from on the left side and the very distant lights of phoenix.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments