Posted by Rajeev Thomas on April 30, 2009 at 4:50 AM
I haven't posted for a long time. Tonight I made an attempt at star trails for the first time... since balance rocks sits by the road and it is very popular, it was hard to avoid the vehicles passing by. Had to re-start the exposure several times... Tokina 12-24mm at f5, 25 mins. Your C&C are welcome... regards, Rajeev.
Posted by Paul Wegemann on April 30, 2009 at 8:04 AM
Overall, I like this. Is it a blend/stack? I ask because of the broken star trails.
Nice balance between the dusk and the evening stars. Also like the ambient light on the foreground.
Any more particulars you can discuss (time of evening started, continuous or stacked, postprocessing technique, etc.)?
Posted by Jeremy Week on April 30, 2009 at 11:33 AM
Nice job Rajeev! I particularly like the comp you made. The positioning of the stars circular motion is perfect.
Great subject, and it must have been frustrating to try to get this with the cars coming through. I like the exposure and the arcs of stars. Good job! I also would like to see you try this with an angle that includes the center of the stars over the rock.
Posted by Todd Caudle on April 30, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Great shot, Rajeev! I've been trying to think of some cool rock pinnacle to shoot with star trails, and it never even crossed my mind to use Balanced Rock. I'd like to know more, too. Is it one exposure at 25 minutes, or a stack job? Since you have so much sky color, I'm guessing it's one exposure. What about noise? What camera? Inquiring minds want to know!
Posted by Rajeev Thomas on April 30, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Thank you guys.... this is definitely a stack.... my camera is an old Canon Rebel XT, I think the sky color is because I have started not too long after the sunset. Also last night's moon helped to illuminate the rock a bit. I did not have to use anything for noise at all. Since it was stacked I do not have much noise. Camera was set at ISO 200. I started this after 8:30 but had to stop several times because of cars passed by. Thank you everyone... I really have to try this again....regards, Rajeev.
Excellent choice for a foreground with star trails, like Todd, I never thought of using it for this either, mostly because of traffic issues. I do like the color of the sky from the city lights, I think that really adds to the image. Very well done.
Posted by Kurt Bowman on April 30, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Rajeev, I like this a lot! I want to try a few star trail shots (I have never tried it yet) and this encourages me. I am going to be in Tucson next week, so I am hoping to try there somewhere. Nice job!
Posted by Rajeev Thomas on April 30, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Don and Kurt...thank you!! I appreciate your comments... you are right about the rock facing the city light....thanks, Rajeev
Posted by Rajeev Thomas on April 30, 2009 at 3:27 PM
This is a different version later last night, I used a flashlight to paint the rock in the beginning of the exposure, flashlight was used with red LED's.... regards, Rajeev.
Both of them are really good, but that second one is what I was talking about in my first comment. The light and color in the second one is sweet! I still hope you try again and put the center above the pointed high part of the rock. But that doesn't take away from this shot at all. Well done.
Posted by Todd Caudle on April 30, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Wow, that second one is even better! What method of stacking did you use? Did you do it manually, or with software aid? And how long x how many images?
Posted by Grant Collier on April 30, 2009 at 5:37 PM
This is nice! I'd like to see this with a longer exposure, but obviously cars prevented this right after sunset, so you'd have to wait until later and stay up half the night. Garden of the Gods is one place I plan to visit for night shots after I run out of night shot ideas at Arches NP...which will take a while, but I'm getting there...
Posted by Momo Vuyisich on April 30, 2009 at 8:57 PM
Great photos, especially the second one. Thanks for posting.
Posted by Rajeev Thomas on April 30, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Momo...thank you. Grant... I know you are the expert in the Star Trails department... I just saw them. I will try them again... thank you all for commenting..regards, Rajeev.
Very nice work here. I agree with previous comments that having the N star higher in the frame if possible.
Could you expand upon your methodology? Are you following the technique posted under FM landscape forum (midnight hour - star trails tutorial by Floris van Breugel)?
Guys, an easy way to stake these images is to use the PS "load images to stack" command and then set all the layer blending modes to lighten. Since you are on a tripod, the images should be in perfect registration from the start (assuming you didn't touch the camera). You will be amazed at how much the noise drops out of your image.
I'm not sure I like the color in the sky on these though. It looks too much like light pollution to me; orange sodium vapor lights. Perhaps if you change the white balance for the sky things would look more natural.
Craig, Steven... I tried PS... but since I am not a master, I had trouble on the way. Craig, all I did was took the pictures in 4-5 mins exposure length, the second picture here is a stack of 6 images. And I used the stacking software from here http://www.schursastrophotography.com/software/photoshop/startrails.html
Awesome shots, Rajeev! Theyre both great, but i prefer #2. I never would have thought about balanced rock as a star trail spot, but now that i see your photos i have to say it is perfect for this idea. Well done -
Discussion
20 repliesNice balance between the dusk and the evening stars. Also like the ambient light on the foreground.
Any more particulars you can discuss (time of evening started, continuous or stacked, postprocessing technique, etc.)?
Very nice work here. I agree with previous comments that having the N star higher in the frame if possible.
Could you expand upon your methodology? Are you following the technique posted under FM landscape forum (midnight hour - star trails tutorial by Floris van Breugel)?
I'm not sure I like the color in the sky on these though. It looks too much like light pollution to me; orange sodium vapor lights. Perhaps if you change the white balance for the sky things would look more natural.
regards, Rajeev