First attempt at star trails...What a nightmare!

CaveDweller

CaveDweller

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Paul
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It was a spur of the moment thing tonight, so it all started when I went out unprepared...Just great:rolleyes: I got to my location and my phone died and my torches were left on my bike, so I had no source of light to focus on the war memorial and also made it difficult to compose. The next problem was I couldn't get the right WB settings dialled in. The area I was shooting in was heavily light polluted and that just added to my problems for the first attempt. I finally got focused(sort of) and set Magic lantern to shoot pictures like crazy and left the camera to it. Half an hour on I stop the camera to check the pictures and half of them were fuzzy because the lens steamed up, just brilliant:mad: I also lost a lot of faint stars in processing whilst I was trying to get rid of the nasty glow around the memorial. I would have gotten the pole star above the peak of the memorial but I would have had lots of street lights in the shot.

I gave up after all that and just came home. I got small trails but not like I intended. I will learn from this night of mistakes and headache and get out there on the next clear night to try again, it's all a part of learning. It's something I've been waiting ages to try and to get into more.

Any tips for next time would be appreciated. I know it's far from up to scratch but this is my first attempt and you can tell from what I've written above that I didn't find it easy lol. Better luck next time for me!:coat:


StarStaX_IMG_8632-IMG_8655_gap_filling by Peanut651, on Flickr
 
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Cheers. I am pretty chuffed for a first try, but it's the fact I know it could have been better if I didn't rush out and make sure I had everything first. My main concern was cloud cover coming over and I wanted to get out, won't do that again lol I'll have everything on standby next time.
 
The main thing is you know where it went wrong. It might not be perfect but when has anyones first attempt sat anything ever been perfect?
 
Tunbridge said:
The main thing is you know where it went wrong. It might not be perfect but when has anyones first attempt sat anything ever been perfect?
Click to expand...

I suppose lol. I'm maybe going to go back out and try again tonight. Got everything together and charged up a bit.

Davemm said:
The lens fogging is a real pain
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It is indeed. It wouldn't have been so bad if I noticed it earlier because the software I use to stack the images can fill in small gaps. But I left it half an hour and I don't think it would have been able to fill in gaps that big so I just ended it there.
 
I just noticed I posted this in TP. I don't mind if a mod wants to relocate this thread.
 
6 Ps - Proper Planning Prevents P15s Poor Performance. Not that that result is PP by any means though! Make a list of everything you think you'll need and make sure you put it all in the bag before you head out. Personally, for things like this, I would make sure the torch could do red light (to reduce night vision loss) and I would take some means of keeping a little air moving over the lens (a little battery fan can work well - check batteries and pack spares!)

IMO, don't worry about losing the fainter stars' trails - too many can just leave the image looking cluttered. Make a note of the colour temperature of your light paint "brush" or stick with daylight/auto and treat any cast as "artistic"! (Or deal with it in PP.) Wrap up warm!!!
 
Not a bad first attempt at all, but understand your frustration.

Agree about a red filter for a torch, better still get a head torch with a red light. Along with warm clothing take a hot drink if you are going to be out for a long time.

If you are moving around the camera to wipe the lens, remember where the tripod legs are; sounds stupid but it is easy to forget.

If you have some binoculars, take them so you have somethig to do while the camera is doing it bit.

But more than anything else, get to somewhere really dark.

Dave
 
I have yet to try this.. I will do one day.. if my first attempt is anyhting like yours I will be happy enouhg... like you I would always want to improve....have seen a lot worse :)
 
Thanks all. Great tips for my next time out:). Hopefully it's a clear night tonight. I've been waiting months for a clear night and I have the long exposure bug now and keen to improve.
 
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