Well, close to my vacation cabin in Colorado. I just got back from a few days in Colorado. This shot is one that I have imagined for years after hearing John Denver's song Rocky Mountain High. I have often experienced the subtle light that a moonless sky emits in the Rockies but could never capture it with a camera. I came pretty close this time thanks to the Canon 5d2.
Here is the verse that has stuck in mind for many years:
"The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye"
The soft shadows from the stars were incredible!
This shot was taken at 4:15am last Monday morning in Horseshoe Gulch at about 12,000 feet. The moonless clear night was great! I am not sure what the bright star or planet on the left side is, so if anyone knows the stars let me know. The view is slightly southwest.
This trip, I decided to stay within 35 miles of my cabin. There are so many great spots that I have been driving past, it was time to explore close to home. Horseshoe Gulch is about 10 miles away by road and about 3 miles as the crow flies.
I will try to post a few more when I get them processed.
I see my lens is still working well, although I believe the skill level of the photographer has exceeded even its quality. JD would be proud...
Posted by Rod Kissinger on August 2, 2009 at 8:16 AM
Tom,
Great shot. It's amazing how there seems to be so many more stars when you're away from civilization.
We need to talk more during the summer. I was in Aspen, Carbondale, Marble, Crystal last week.
Rod
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on August 2, 2009 at 10:13 AM
A beauty Tom ... this could almost be viewed as otherworldly. It is great to see your vision come to light!
Very cool and beautiful shot, Tom. The exposure looks very natural, with only starlight to illuminate the landscape. Looking forward to seeing more!
I suspect the star you mentioned is Altair. At only 16.8 light years away, it is the 12th brightest star in the sky. Here's a useful link for identifying stars...
Isn't it great when "all the stars align" This is a surperb shot Tom! I'm happy you were able to acheive what you set out to do. It's beautiful
Posted by Aaron Szabo on August 2, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Very nice Tom! I'm drooling over this shot and your trip right now....
I'd like to see some more of these. It looks like you're on another planet.
If you ever wanna check out Canon's 24mm f/1.4 II for this type of photography, we have one up at Bedfords right now. It does have quite a bit of light fall off wide open, but it's fast and sharp for us Canon people who don't have the 14-24 Nikkor or can't justify buying the 16-35 when the Nikkor defeats it.
Posted by Tom Kennon on August 3, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Thanks everyone for all the positive feedback. Ed, it is amazing the advance in technology we have seen in recent years. Tim, you know your lenses is like a good wine, it gets better with age! Rod, I wish I had known you were in Colorado, we could have hooked up. Bill, thanks for the cool link and Aaron, I would like to try that lens out sometime.
Posted by Bryan Simpson on August 4, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Tom, That is a cool shot. My family moved to Colorado the year before that song came out. Being a Texas boy my whole life, "Rocky Mountain High" really captured the awe I felt looking at the majesty of the rockies. Much like it did for Denver, it became my theme song for my time there. I think your shot does it justice.
Your shot, along with Don's reminder of the Perseids annual arrival is ironic given the quote John Denver gave before Congress explaining that the "high" was not about drug use.
"This (banning his song) was obviously done by people who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains, and also had never experienced the elation, celebration of life, or the joy in living that one feels when he observes something as wondrous as the Perseid meteor shower on a moonless, cloudless night, when there are so many stars that you have a shadow from the starlight, and you are out camping with your friends, your best friends, and introducing them to one of nature's most spectacular light shows for the first time."
Makes me want to pack up and head that direction next week.
Bryan, I just got back from Colorado and your making me want to go back again also. According to John Denver's biography, they were camped high in the mountains at Williams Lake in mid August. He refers to waking up and seeing the shadow from the starlight and then here is a neat quote of what happened next.
"And from all over the campground came the awed responses:" Did you see that?" It got bigger and bigger until the tail stretched out all the way across the sky and burned itself out. Everybody was awake, and it was raining fire in the sky."
Hence, another great line in the song derived from the Perseid Meteor shower in mid August. In the larger version of this photo there are several meteors that show during the exposure.
Posted by Aaron Szabo on August 22, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Tom, do you still have that Canon Tilt Shift lens? Have you had much luck with it? Let me know if you ever want to sell that... I'd love to have one.
Posted by Tom Kennon on August 23, 2009 at 11:30 PM
Hey Aaron, I still have it. I have used it some but I plan to put it to use this fall. You are welcome to try it out if we can hook up some time. I am not ready to sell it yet but if I ever do, I will let you know first.
Discussion
14 repliesHere is the verse that has stuck in mind for many years:
"The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye"
The soft shadows from the stars were incredible!
This shot was taken at 4:15am last Monday morning in Horseshoe Gulch at about 12,000 feet. The moonless clear night was great! I am not sure what the bright star or planet on the left side is, so if anyone knows the stars let me know. The view is slightly southwest.
This trip, I decided to stay within 35 miles of my cabin. There are so many great spots that I have been driving past, it was time to explore close to home. Horseshoe Gulch is about 10 miles away by road and about 3 miles as the crow flies.
I will try to post a few more when I get them processed.
Canon 5D2
Canon 24-70 F2.8
Isn't it amazing that just a few years ago this shot would have been almost unthinkable.
Great shot. It's amazing how there seems to be so many more stars when you're away from civilization.
We need to talk more during the summer. I was in Aspen, Carbondale, Marble, Crystal last week.
Rod
I suspect the star you mentioned is Altair. At only 16.8 light years away, it is the 12th brightest star in the sky. Here's a useful link for identifying stars...
I'd like to see some more of these. It looks like you're on another planet.
If you ever wanna check out Canon's 24mm f/1.4 II for this type of photography, we have one up at Bedfords right now. It does have quite a bit of light fall off wide open, but it's fast and sharp for us Canon people who don't have the 14-24 Nikkor or can't justify buying the 16-35 when the Nikkor defeats it.
Your shot, along with Don's reminder of the Perseids annual arrival is ironic given the quote John Denver gave before Congress explaining that the "high" was not about drug use.
"This (banning his song) was obviously done by people who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains, and also had never experienced the elation, celebration of life, or the joy in living that one feels when he observes something as wondrous as the Perseid meteor shower on a moonless, cloudless night, when there are so many stars that you have a shadow from the starlight, and you are out camping with your friends, your best friends, and introducing them to one of nature's most spectacular light shows for the first time."
Makes me want to pack up and head that direction next week.
"And from all over the campground came the awed responses:" Did you see that?" It got bigger and bigger until the tail stretched out all the way across the sky and burned itself out. Everybody was awake, and it was raining fire in the sky."
Hence, another great line in the song derived from the Perseid Meteor shower in mid August. In the larger version of this photo there are several meteors that show during the exposure.