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Thread: night photos

  1. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Swimswithtrout View Post
    Deep Sky Stacker (DSS) is the de facto standard for a free astro photography stacking program. It takes your individual "sub frames" and then registers and stacks them all on top of each other with just a couple of mouse clicks.

    Many people get confused and think that stacking will yield a brighter image, when in fact, it yields an image no brighter than your brightest single sub. What stacking does do, is GREATLY reduce the noise in your image, allowing you to pull out the faint details that would be all but invisible with one single exposure. The more images you stack, the greater the noise gets reduced.

    Stacking works wonders, even with simple fixed tripod/ long exposure situations.That's how I got hooked.

    Here's the link to the DSS download. http://deepskystacker.free.fr/english/index.html

    Here's my camera on it's "tracking" mount and tripod.
    So - for the stacking to work you don't need perfect tracking, approximate tracking will do (by balancing large camera on aa small equatorial tracker)

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  3. #22
    Explorer Swimswithtrout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kiwi_outdoors View Post
    So - for the stacking to work you don't need perfect tracking, approximate tracking will do (by balancing large camera on aa small equatorial tracker)
    NO !! You still need perfect tracking, and the longer the focal length the more critical it becomes !! That's why I have to keep my exposures ~ 30 sec @ 300mm, 2 min at 200mm for only a 60% "keeper" rate, and 3 min at 70 mm.

    Stacking can't correct for trailing !!

  4. #23
    In terms of post processing it varies a bit per photo. But I'll try an break it down best I can. The 1st photo with the procession and milky way is a blended composite of two exposures taken several hours apart. 1st I did a foreground shot with moon light (about 1/2 moon if I remember) then a star shot after the moon set (sometime around 1am or so.) The ruin wall and milky way is similar but I knew the moon wouldn't light up the wall so I did a sunset one for foreground and a late night one for milky way. These were blended together manually in PS. The last two were light painted. I don't get fancy. Just try to stand to the side and flash the light for a few seconds. I just use an ancient flashlight that a mechanic left in my van. The glass is cracked and yellow with age, but I like the tone of the light and I think it works great for ruins. And of course probably most important is to shoot in RAW to provide the greatest editing power. I always feel like I learn and do something different with each photo!

  5. #24
    Passed through the four corners area this weekend and spent the night on a dirt road near the Horseshoe House Ruin in Hovenweep. I set up the intervalometer and went to bed. Pretty pleased with the results. All of the light is from moonlight. tall tripod came in handy!

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  7. #25
    Explorer Swimswithtrout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tozo View Post
    Passed through the four corners area this weekend and spent the night on a dirt road near the Horseshoe House Ruin in Hovenweep. I set up the intervalometer and went to bed. Pretty pleased with the results. All of the light is from moonlight. tall tripod came in handy!
    That's far and away the best you've posted ! So many great dynamics going on .

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  9. #26
    Explorer Swimswithtrout's Avatar
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    I haven't had a "day" off in almost one month now, trying to get this huge project finished, so I took a night off and went in search of dark skies a few days ago, and found them.

    This was taken a full 20 min before the start of official "Astronomical darkness"

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    This is the head of Scorpius, taken with my 70-300 @ 70mm and slightly cropped, once it finally got dark, while waiting for the Milky Way to get in the right position.

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    Then it was time for the prime time event

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    I knew I was facing a 1hr drive to get back home and still have to get into work by 7AM. It was already 1 AM, but I couldn't resist one parting shot of the Andromeda Galaxy.

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  11. #27
    Swimswithtrout, those deep sky images are fantastic. That is something I hope to explore at some point, but I'm currently overloaded with hobbies. I'd love take a galaxy photo like that! how long was the exposure for the Andomeda Galaxy?
    Glad you liked the Hovenweep photo. It's interesting how some turn out. Some photos I obsess and plan for weeks, thinking about angles, moonlight, cardinal directions... this recent one I just did at the spur of the moment mainly because iI was in the area and knew I could sleep in my van off the dirt road and the ruin wasn't a far walk. I played around with composition for a few minutes then set the intervalometer and went to bed hoping something might turn out. The more I do stuff like this the more I learn that the most important thing is just making a continual efforts to do something. Don't always worry about planning or having everything perfect because sometimes something perfect is sitting right in front of your nose and it just takes some effort to recognize it.

  12. #28
    Here's another one from a few weeks ago. Interesting trip down to Chaco canyon. I took a three day weekend and left SLC on thursday night. Slept just north of Moab in my VW van. The next day at a gas station the starter crapped out. Not wanting to loose my valuable opportunity to get to Chaco (I'd been thinking about this photo for a year or so) I pulled out a large wrench and gave the starter a few wacks. Started right up. Continued to play this game every time I shut off the vehicle, figured worse case I could do a roll start if I park strategically. This was great fun in the 90F heat in the desert around Farmington, NM.
    Lots of work, lots of driving but I'm pleased with my results. Two exposures, blended in PS.

  13. #29
    Simply breathtaking shots.

  14. #30
    been awhile since I've posted.
    I took this one after work one day. I'd been thinking about this one for awhile and and when a full moon came I had to go. Full moon is my favorite for star trails Left SLC around 4pm drove drove drove. Found the snake. Set up the camera and crashed in the van. Awoke with the sunrise, grabbed the camera. loaded up on caffeine and drove back to work. (I did manage to bring a change of clothes for the next day)
    lots of driving. one photo.

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  16. #31
    Crazy good!!!

  17. #32
    Explorer Swimswithtrout's Avatar
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    This might not be a fair comparison, but I just took this miniscule test shot 2 weeks ago, with my 80mm f7 APO on my new equatorial mount.

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  19. #33
    Here's another for everyone.
    I got inspired by Udink's awesome TR about Hell Roaring canyon and the Comet Thrower pictograph. Considering I do night photos of rock art how could I not go check this place out. Just using the beta from his TR I easily found the pictograph. I didn't know too much about it, as in orientation, how easy would it be to photograph with the night sky ect... This was a cool place to hang in the night, a half-moon eventually rose and illuminate everything perfectly. Thought this one looked best in B&W.

    here's also a link to it on my webpage. I think it looks a bit better in the larger format than what the forum provides
    Enjoy!

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  21. #34
    This post is blatant self-promotion. If in inappropriate please remove.
    I just wanted to let Bogley members know I've got some of the photos I posted in the thread hanging in downtown SLC at Caffe Molise. Good food. Go check them out if you're in the area.

  22. #35
    Explorer Swimswithtrout's Avatar
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  24. #36
    very nice, Swims. Is that two exposures blended? curious what camera you used.

  25. #37
    Killer awesome

  26. #38
    Did another one this past weekend. First visit to the Rochester Panel in the San Rafael Swell. Incredible panel, one of the coolest I've seen.

    Drove down from SLC in fun snow and wind over Soldier Pass. When I got to the trail head it was cold, windy, and totally overcast. I settled in and cooked dinner in my van. Around 10pm I grudgingly got my gear and warm clothes on. The sky wasn't looking any better. This was feeling like a foolish endeavor and I realized I forgot my gloves :(.

    So with socks over my hands I followed the 1/2 mile trail through the darkness. Luckily it was pretty easy to find. Coming upon the rocks which the panel is on in the dark was quite impressive. Felt as if stumbling upon some ancient temple, especially since I didn't see anything until I was 10 feet away from it.

    Well the universe was kind to me. The wind ceased and the clouds faded away. I was given about 1 hour of play time before sky darkened again.
    Here's one pic from the night. This is one exposure. Everything was light painted with my headlamp

  27. #39
    Can't wait to see the pics...

  28. #40
    Explorer Swimswithtrout's Avatar
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    It's winter !!

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