Set your camera for a 30 second exposure, and continuous-high release mode. This method works with almost any camera system and requires only a super cheap wired remote. Things kick off with photographing a star trail the simple way: using a “dumb remote”. I edit the RAW files in Capture One, and then iterate through stacking the images in StarStax and removing airplanes and clouds in Affinity Photo. Then I go through an entire edit from start to finish. In this video I go through the entire process of photographing the star trail including dealing with light pollution. I would use the widest aperture of f/1.4, so that wouldn’t change either.Photographing star trails involves a lot of complications. Since I brought a prime lens, the zoom of 24mm was fixed so that would not change.
STARTRAIL PHOTOGRAPHY CENTER ISO
I would have to refine the ISO and shutter speed when I started to shoot. I even pre-dialed all the camera settings so I’d be ready to shoot anytime.Įvery situation was different. In addition, I packed my scarf and gloves, as it would be cold. (see my video tutorial of “ what’s in my camera bag”). Other than a camera, a lens, and a tripod, I also packed a headlight, some velcro (to secure the camera strap in high wind, if necessary), which were my default accessories for any landscape shooting. My goal was to be quick, so I had to choose the fastest lens. All my Canon lenses are zoom lenses at f/2.8, which meant if all else equal, they would take longer shutter speed. I packed up my Sony A7III and a Sony 24mm f1.4 lens in my camera bag, and left my Canon EOS R5 and all the Canon lenses at home. I could still see other parts (narrower parts) of the Milky Way in the sky, but around midnight, the Galactic Center wouldn’t be above the horizon. Unfortunately, Galactic Center was nearly invisible during this time of the year. It was such a rare opportunity to get a clear sky, so why didn’t I maximize my chance to photograph one more of my favorite night subjects?
I also checked my favorite photography app Photopills and found out more about the visibility of the Galactic Center of the Milky Way. The latter would have been much more challenging in the darkness.Īccording to “Tides Near Me”, an app I often use to find out tide info, there would be low tide around midnight. I realized I had to pick a time during low tide at night, so I could set up my tripod on the beach rather than the logs. It was during high tide when we visited, and the beach was underwater. There was no light pollution (except a minor one which I’ll mention later), something basic in order to see and photograph northern light, or any starry sky. It was near my final pick but not exactly the same location near the US-Canada water border. The above was one of the pictures I took during our recon. At least, I didn’t leave the site because of fear, but the weather. I had only about 15 minutes opportunity and wrapped up quickly. So I had a combination of fear and excitement when I stood in complete darkness. There were two loose cougars in the forest, as reported by my next door neighbor. I still remember that day when I went out around midnight by myself. No stars were visible afterwards, not to say the light. The clouds moved in quickly and completely blanketed the sky.
Fortunately, my camera did detect the light between the clouds, but it didn’t last long. I wasn’t sure what I’d photograph but blindly clicked my camera. I simply pointed my camera to the north (It is fundamental direction in northern hemisphere unless you are north to the aurora belt in the Arctic Circle). Unfortunately, it fell on a cloudy and rainy weekend (see above image). The first show since we moved to Washington (see our 2020 - A Year In Review) took place last December. As a matter of fact, this is not the first time we encounter high northern light activity in the area (or the northern part of the US).
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