Arches after Dark

More from my trip in late September.

The 2-4th images are light paints shortly after sunset at Arches Park.

The 4th image is a combination of 1 short image for the star points (as opposed to star trails) and a second longer image with the light paint.

Light paint.

Another light paint

And the combo light paint, my favorate but not quite pure as is a combo! 30 second exposure for stars, 162 second exposure for light paint, iso 160 for each.

These are all really cool, but I like #2 and #3 best, but it looks like #4 took a lot of running around. What are you lighting the rocks with?

No running around, even on #4. Use a 2 million candlepower hand held spot light, available for $20-30 or so. Shot from basically 1 spot, perhaps 5-10 feet of movement on shot #4.

These look great...are they digital...and if so was there a lot of noise clean up done because of the long exposures?

Yes digital, no cleanup for noise, shot iso 160 which minimizes it, though admit sometimes noise becomes more of an issue at night, at least with my Nikon and anything higher than 200 iso OR shot too dark.... Long exposure noise reduction was on, however. Have you made the switch to digital?

That's good to hear...haven't switched yet...one reason is because of the long exposures I like to take...also lack of $.

Great shots! I like the last image alot.

I really like #3! Im still searching for a good source of light. The spot light you used looks adequate, but because of the beem the light is a bit uneven, and i wish there was a way to avoid that.

Really like the last one with points of star light. I also think that the uneven lighting enhances the depth of the arches, if the lighting was too even it would look flat and uninteresting. I've done some similar painting with light and found that hitting the arch with light from a 30-45 degree angle from the camera works better as it gives better definition of the rock surface.

Oooo I like the 4th one! Very cool. I agree with Don that it may have been worthwhile to experiment with running over to one side for more of a side-lighting effect. Though that may be easier said than done.

Yes, I like the side lighting effect and worthy of giving it a try. That said, I definately will need someone else along to help if doing another shot of a large subject, bit too much to do alone. Rather shoot with another anyway but typically end up shooting alone.