Suppose you have now have an idea for what image you would like to capture. Now how do you go about doing it?
First, you’ll need to determine when is the appropriate time to shoot. Yes of course, at night. Ok, well, do you need the moon up so that you can get light on your foreground? If so, what phase should it be in (ie. How much light do you need for the foreground?). What time do you want to start shooting (ie. How much light do you want in the sky), so what time do you need the moon to rise at or set by? How high in the sky do you want the north star, if you want it in the frame (this will depend on the time of year). As you can see, there are a lot of questions to be considered, but fortunately there are also some guidelines you can follow. In the following sections I’ll give my advice for where you might start.
To summarize, you’ll need to consider these:
1. Location (far away from cities! City glow can ruin the sky and give you less stars)
2. Time of year
3. Moon phase
4. Moonrise times
5. Sunset/sunrise times
6. Weather predictions (you’ll want a clear night)
Before you head out the door:
The very first step in creating a successful twilight or star-trail image is preparation. You might be leaving your home, car or tent in the last hour of light, but you’ll be returning long after dark. At the very least you should make sure you have a way to get back safely!
Here’s a list of non-photography items you should be sure to pack:
1. Know the way back to the car! I highly recommend a GPS for this, as it can be useful in tagging your tripod as well, in case you want to leave and come back later. A compass and topo map will help in more remote areas as well.
2. Headlamp. It’s going to get dark, and you better have a light, and probably some extra batteries.
3. Warm clothes. As the night sets in it can get chilly very fast! Bring a warm jacket, hat, and gloves if it’s that time of year.
4. Food and water. If you’re headed out for a 3 hour exposure, you’ll want something to drink and nibble on.
5. Something to do. Often I am content to just sit there and stare at the heavens, but you might want a book or some music to pass the time.
6. A pad to sit on. The ground gets cold, and you’ll likely be wanting to take a seat, bringing a foam pad to sit or lie down on will make you much more comfortable. Maybe consider bringing a sleeping bag and settling in for a few hours while your camera is taking the picture.
The photography equipment:
1. Your camera
2. A programmable remote (for canon the TC-80N3)
3. Bubble level
4. Compass and declination (found on topo maps of the area)
5. Sturdy Tripod, perhaps something to weight it down
6. Rocket blower (this can be helpful if dew starts to settle on the lens, blow on it with the rocket blower occasionally and this will reduce the effect)
7. Lens hood (again, for dew protection)
8. Extra batteries (or external power source, a camera grip with the extra battery would be a good idea if you’ve got one)
Jan 07, 2009 at 03:56 AM
Previous versions of floris's message #6567312 « Star Trails Tutorial »
