Photography Wizzes
- Thread starter shredhead (DOG LOVER)
- Start date
I've only done star-trails once. I was using iso 100 film and a 43mm lens wide open (f/1.9). Anything over 5 minutes will show the circular motion (so long as you're pointed remotely close to north).
If you're using film, it's as simple as that. If you're using a digital camera, you're going to want to do 2 exposures. first, you'll need to do the star-trail exposure - and keep precise track of how long the shutter's open. Then you'll need to do a second exposure for the exact same length of time with the lens-cap on. The reason for the second exposure is so you can easily spot hot pixels that may appear after a certain length of time. With that, you can spot them in the actual photograph and clone them out.
Bring a flash with you as well so you can play around with various elements in the fore-ground.
If you're using film, it's as simple as that. If you're using a digital camera, you're going to want to do 2 exposures. first, you'll need to do the star-trail exposure - and keep precise track of how long the shutter's open. Then you'll need to do a second exposure for the exact same length of time with the lens-cap on. The reason for the second exposure is so you can easily spot hot pixels that may appear after a certain length of time. With that, you can spot them in the actual photograph and clone them out.
Bring a flash with you as well so you can play around with various elements in the fore-ground.
You definately need to be well outside the city...10-20 minutes away or so so there's no light pollution to interfere with your exposures. If you're within the city, you're going to end up with pictures that look like they were taken during the day.
The sky should be a clear and hopefully a new moon.....you want the sky to be as dark as possible.
Hope this helps.
The sky should be a clear and hopefully a new moon.....you want the sky to be as dark as possible.
Hope this helps.
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It does. Now my problem is getting far enough out of the city. Living in Vegas, its a pretty bright city. I'm also not sure if I should make an artificial night with stars. I need these star photos for a double exposure I plan to do. I'm not sure how much I need real stars but I think getting the experience would be good too.
Thanks a lot already.
Thanks a lot already.
I'll take it that you're using film as most digital cameras don't allow for multiple explosures. As a result, I'll just pass along one last thing....either use slide film or if you're using colour negative film, give the person at the lab the heads up on having night-time exposures so they don't try altering the prints.
The only thing I could recommend to you about living in Vegas is wait for a really clear night with a new moon and try NOT to point your camera towards the horizen where the sky is brightest and to some test shots. If they work and meet your needs, then great....if not, you at least know you need to get outside the city.
The only other alternative would be to have someone do the star-trails for you, scan them in and do layers in photoshop or something similar to that (which is something I could do if you needed).
The only thing I could recommend to you about living in Vegas is wait for a really clear night with a new moon and try NOT to point your camera towards the horizen where the sky is brightest and to some test shots. If they work and meet your needs, then great....if not, you at least know you need to get outside the city.
The only other alternative would be to have someone do the star-trails for you, scan them in and do layers in photoshop or something similar to that (which is something I could do if you needed).