Archive 2014 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

unsecurewifi
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

It was a very interesting night - I was walking in some direction, when I saw the biggest most brightest green ray of light I have ever seen. After a fraction of a second, there was a mini "explosion" - it almost looked like one of those typical fireworks. and then, there was a zig/zag pattern that developed - it lasted for a couple of minutes and only appeared to fade away. It did last for a while though. The same night, I experimented with photographing several sections of this image, and illuminated the foreground with some trial and error. It turned out a lot noisy . I have constructed the same image twice in an attempt to bring out the necessary details. Any feedback on the same will be highly appreciated.

Here is the panorama I constructed -

http://www.stitchedpanorama.com/Places/i-nSnS2mJ/0/X2/Death%20Valley%20Badwater%20Salt%20Flats%20-%20WEB%20-%20Version%203-X2.jpg

This is the strange zig zag pattern I saw - Does any one know what could this be ?

http://www.stitchedpanorama.com/Places/i-KMZ8xSj/0/M/SSJ_4889-M.jpg

Thanks !
Sandeep

Jun 17, 2014 at 01:06 AM

JimFox
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

Hi Sandeep,

Nice creativity here. The foreground seems maybe a bit to lit up. I like your lighting it up, it looks pretty evenly lit, just a bit too bright. Remember, the eye typically goes to the brightest object or area in a scene. So while you would want the salt floor to compliment and anchor the shot, I don't believe you would want the salt floor to dominate the shot, no the stars should. So tone the ground down a bit more.

As for the zig zag you saw, my best guess is a missile test. I have seen a similar pattern on other missile launches at night. But perhaps someone else has a better idea?

As for the noise in the shot, you didn't mention what you are shooting with. When it comes to shooting stars and getting shots with minimal noise, what we shoot with does make a huge difference.

Jim

Jun 17, 2014 at 01:28 AM

dgdg
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

Cool shot. The foreground is a bit bright as Jim noted. Sometimes a twilight or moonlight shot for the foreground works best.
The sky is a bit yellow for my tastes but it does match well with the rest.

David

Jun 17, 2014 at 05:08 AM

s_davin
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

Beautiful panorama. I think that zig zag my possibly be a comet fragment that exploded in the atmosphere?

Jun 17, 2014 at 09:37 AM

Timmeh
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

Hi Sandeep,

Did you use long exposure noise reduction? I find that it gets rid of the hot pixels quite effectively, though the extra time spent is substantial. It looks like you stopped right off the main path from the parking lot, so next time I recommend scouting in advance during the day (though not in this heat).

Tim

Jun 17, 2014 at 11:44 AM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

unsecurewifi wrote:
This is the strange zig zag pattern I saw - Does any one know what could this be ?

It appears to be to the west of the location. I can think of two possibilities, one a bit more likely than the other.

1. It could be the dissipating remnants of a high altitude vapor trail that is still in the light in the upper atmosphere.

2. It also looks a little like what you see when there has been a west coast rocket lunch at or after sunset.

Dan

Jun 17, 2014 at 02:13 PM

FVA - Jonny
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

Some crazy color!

Jun 17, 2014 at 02:39 PM

Sin City Stan
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

Vandenberg AFB is on the coast West of DV. Mostly spy satellites in a polar orbit originate there. I,m in Las Vegas and occasional see rockets launched in New Mexico and Vandenberg. Never got a photo of one though.

Jun 17, 2014 at 09:24 PM

maylemay
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

Did you take your car out there and do some top speed runs?

Jun 18, 2014 at 03:31 PM

silverr1
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Badwater Salt Flats, Starry Night.

Very cool!

Jun 18, 2014 at 08:23 PM


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