NOOOOOOOO, not MORE startrails!

[Yv]

Ok so I was bored! I have an idea I want to do using star trails and a local oblisk landmark, but as it entails creeping around pitch black woodland to do it, I thought I would check out a very nearby location first and make sure roughly where I need to be when I find a strapping great big bloke willing to come with me

Just for reference, both pictures were taken inside the M25, right up in the north of London/hertfordshire, looking out towards herts/essex kind of way. The glow at the bottom is the M25.

1 - this is a stationery shot to give an idea of location, its had a few tweaks in processing to improve overall colour, the 2nd pic shows pretty much what was coming out of camera.


stars over hertfordshire by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr

2 - the trails...YES, I know, I missed the north star, despite the best efforts of my compass, I just couldn't get wide enough with the 24-70 to get both circular trails and some scenery [limited as to where I could park the car to get a better angle], and I really did want something to 'ground' the image. This is 101 30sec exposures stacked in StarStaX, ISO 200 F5.6 - not perfect but gives me an idea of where I need too be to get the landmark.


startrails test by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr

 

[MWHCVT]

That's not a bad first attempt at all you've manage the light pollution really well, I look forward to seeing it put to good use of a better location if you had gone for a portrait orientation then you would have got Polaris in there

Settings wise, I think that you would have been well served by opening the aperture up more, all my star trails are done at f/3.5-4 depending on lens used, and ISO too 400, if really needed I would have dropped the exposure to 20 seconds but you would have probably got away with 30 still

Matt

 

[Yv]

Why would I open up the aperture, out of curiosity, what improvement would it make is I guess what I am asking?


oh and I didn't go with portrait because I wanted that tree I did try.... biggest problem is the passing cars, hence the tree/hedgerow is lit, but its nowhere near as bad as I was expecting it to be in fairness

 

[MWHCVT]

Well by closing up the aperture even just a little you've really cut down the amount of the star light hitting the sensor, a wider aperture will allow you to pick out more of the stars

In regards to portrait that's fair enough

Matt

 

[Yv]

Well by closing up the aperture even just a little you've really cut down the amount of the star light hitting the sensor, a wider aperture will allow you to pick out more of the stars

In regards to portrait that's fair enough

Matt

Gotcha, thanks Matt

 

[MWHCVT]

Gotcha, thanks Matt

No worries, something that I've forgot to say was if your concerned about the sky going a little orange then shoot in RAW and correct the white balance down to around 2-3000k or set a w/b like that in camera

In my signature is a link to my guide on star trails and also in that there is now also a link to Andrew (AndWhyNot)'s guide specifically to urban star trails

Matt

 

[Yv]

No worries, something that I've forgot to say was if your concerned about the sky going a little orange then shoot in RAW and correct the white balance down to around 2-3000k or set a w/b like that in camera

In my signature is a link to my guide on star trails and also in that there is now also a link to Andrew (AndWhyNot)'s guide specifically to urban star trails

Matt

I did shoot in Raw, WB set to tungsten and all was pretty much well in that environment, the trail is pretty much the same as single images were coming out of camera and the static is tweaked a tad, more to improve contrast, but a little temp tweak too. I did use Andys guide, to find starstax for a start

 

[Mikesphotaes]

I know you were after star trails but that first photo is so much better.

Nice composition and very tranquil looking.

 

[milster]

Agreed, I prefer the first one, I do like widefield star shots.

 

[Rockshifter]

First for me too, Yvonne.
Lovely shots.

 

[MWHCVT]

I did shoot in Raw, WB set to tungsten and all was pretty much well in that environment, the trail is pretty much the same as single images were coming out of camera and the static is tweaked a tad, more to improve contrast, but a little temp tweak too. I did use Andys guide, to find starstax for a start

I've found tungsten to be a very good w/b myself

 

[Yv]

I know you were after star trails but that first photo is so much better.

Nice composition and very tranquil looking.

Agreed, I prefer the first one, I do like widefield star shots.

First for me too, Yvonne.
Lovely shots.

Thanks guys, I like the first one too and will do more of those. I was parked next to a beautiful old oak, but to get it in shot meant moving the car to another layby, then walking back and woman, on my own, cars flying past at 50mph, several k's of camera equipment....its weird, feel safer in central london on my own at night.

That location is only a few miles away from me, and I notice stuff you can pick out at night, there is an opportunity to get static stars and light trails in same shot on the right night.