Valley of Fire Starscape

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ianplant
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p.1 #1 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Starscape from Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. This was a half-hour exposure. I bounced light onto the arch from my headlamp during the whole exposure off of nearby red sandstone rocks. To accentuate the red color of the stone, I placed a red gel over my headlamp for a few minutes of the exposure, and then painted around the inside edge of the arch for a little extra juice. Canon 5DII, Nikon 14-24mm.

Ian Plant Photography
Mountain Trail Photo

2008 © ianplant

Jul 02, 2009 at 02:57 PM

Chris Noyes
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p.1 #2 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Spectacular! Well executed light painting.

Jul 02, 2009 at 03:05 PM

jf00125
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p.1 #3 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Gorgeous image!!

One of the things I like about it is that there are really only two colours at work, yet it has such a dramatic impact. The manipulation of light under the arch is perfect.

Carlos

Jul 02, 2009 at 03:24 PM

who me
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p.1 #4 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Ian, what a spectacular image. You also have a unbelievable website. Your work is just stunning.

Edited on Jul 02, 2009 at 04:45 PM · View previous versions

Jul 02, 2009 at 04:42 PM

Brenton Biggs
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p.1 #5 · Valley of Fire Starscape

That is so beautiful!!! Excellent photo!!!

Jul 02, 2009 at 04:45 PM

Icypeak
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p.1 #6 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Your lighting technique was creative and excellent - so much more even and controlled than with straight-on light painting, and the highlight under the arch really pulls it together.

-David

Jul 02, 2009 at 05:59 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #7 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Hey Ian,

Cool, some more VOF shots!

This is very nicely done. Was this a single 30 min exposure? It sounds like it. What did you shoot it with?

Great work on the lighting as Dave mentioned. Light painting is definately not easy, and usually one area gets more then others and can look wierd, but your painting is really perfect.

Great work.

Jim

Jul 02, 2009 at 06:14 PM

ianplant
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p.1 #8 · Valley of Fire Starscape

thanks Jim -- yes it was one 30-minute exposure. I try to do all my starscapes as single exposures, as I have found stacking shorter exposures to be a bit uneven. Shooting when it is cold helps keep the noise to a minimum. I shot this with my 5DII and a Nikon 14-24mm. To keep the light painting looking even, I actually didn't light the arch with direct light (except for the rim lighting on the inside of the arch); instead, I bounced light off of rocks in front of the arch. Reflected light is a lot softer, but off course is also very faint, so I had to sit there wiggling my flashlight for a half-hour to get enough light on the arch!

Jul 02, 2009 at 06:21 PM

kabluey
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p.1 #9 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Beautiful image Ian, and thanks for explaining your lighting techniques. I might have to visit this park when I get to Vegas in August.

Jul 02, 2009 at 07:03 PM

Bill Gass
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p.1 #10 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Way kool shoot, nice work.

Jul 02, 2009 at 07:10 PM

dalberti
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p.1 #11 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Amazing work!
Great website as well

Michael

Jul 02, 2009 at 09:44 PM

alichty
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p.1 #12 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Very well done effects and image.

Thanks for the view.

Alan

Jul 02, 2009 at 11:02 PM

Ray Still
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p.1 #13 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Very cool star trail and a very nice comp to accentuate the star trails

Ray Still

Jul 03, 2009 at 01:31 AM

Pixel Perfect
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p.1 #14 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Stunning work Ian. love the light painting, looks very natural and red and blue make a wonderful contrasting combo.

Jul 03, 2009 at 01:51 AM

pearlstreet
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p.1 #15 · Valley of Fire Starscape

The technique and exposure are wonderful but I feel like the composition needs more on the right side.

I like the colors very much.

Sharon

Jul 03, 2009 at 02:03 AM

paulmarcellini
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p.1 #16 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Yup, still awesome, still love it.

Jul 03, 2009 at 02:33 AM

bktools
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p.1 #17 · Valley of Fire Starscape

That's a WOW image, Ian.

Bob

Jul 03, 2009 at 03:27 AM

ScaryFox
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p.1 #18 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Superbly done! Love this.
Ute

Jul 03, 2009 at 07:54 AM

Robert Hume
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p.1 #19 · Valley of Fire Starscape

I must agree with the group, Fantastic image. I am generally not a fan of light painting but this image demonstrates truly beautiful execution. My hat is off to you sir.

Jul 03, 2009 at 08:28 AM

bshamilton
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p.1 #20 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Very cool shot! I'm not normally a fan of light painting either, but this is very nicely done!
I'm with Sharon....would like to see more on the right, but don't know if a position change, to still get the Polaris region and the arch in the frame, is possible?

Barry

Jul 03, 2009 at 11:55 AM

CDalessandro
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p.1 #21 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Everything about this is stunning!

Jul 03, 2009 at 01:09 PM

ianplant
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p.1 #22 · Valley of Fire Starscape

yeah, I could have given it more room on the right, but . . . was a very difficult set-up, couldn't move back to give the shot more breathing room, couldn't pan more right without losing the trails around Polaris, etc. Also, it can be a little difficult setting up in the dark! Oh well . . .

Jul 03, 2009 at 04:06 PM

dennismock
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p.1 #23 · Valley of Fire Starscape

Ianplant:

Wonderful vison and captured. Did you shoot wide open at 30 seconds or go with something like F11?

Can you tell me about the lens adapter you used to be able to use a nikon lens? Does the autofocus etc function fully on the Canon body?

Thanks for sharing !

Jul 03, 2009 at 04:56 PM

ianplant
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p.1 #24 · Valley of Fire Starscape

dennismock: I shot this somewhere in the realm of f/8. The adapter is made by a fellow FMer, here's his site: http://www.16-9.net/nikon_g/

The adapter has focus confirm but autofocus does not work. Also, the aperture has to be set manually (which is not a problem for me because I only use the lens for landscape work). BTW, the exposure was 30 minutes, not 30 seconds.

Jul 03, 2009 at 06:59 PM

gordon l
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p.1 #25 · Valley of Fire Starscape

well done with great results. I like the reds and how that turned out nicely for you. Is this the "Elephant" arch that I've heard about?

Jul 03, 2009 at 07:08 PM


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