| Joined: | Mon Apr 2nd, 2012 |
| Location: | South Lakeland, UK |
| Posts: | 4066 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
D3, M Mode, 32 Sec exposure, intervalometer set to 34 seconds, ISO800; battered Nikkor 20mm f2.8@ f2.8.
This batch was compiled from 34 exposures. The star trails were created using StarStaX:
http://www.markus-enzweiler.de/StarStaX/StarStaX.html#download
Second image a bit darker with more contrast and saturation.
The second two images were compiled from 72 exposures, both processed in Ps and StarStaX but on the second image I removed the foreground light trails. These two compilations were processed/adjusted in Ps CC, the first two were processed in Lr CC. I feel the second two images are richer and cleaner, it was of course darker and hadn't suffered gross light pollution from passing traffic as the first two images did.
I have removed the foreground trails in the fourth image but I think I prefer image 3, because it has more 'going on'.
There is a little bit of a story here, while we were sitting in the car and the camera was taking the first batch of star trail exposures, we noticed there was a light flashing high up on Scafell, it was following the path towards the decent route, then it stopped moving and started flashing about from the same place. I watched it for about a quarter of an hour and it still hadn't made any progress down the mountain, I grew a little concerned, a car came by and I stopped it hoping they were locals, it was getting quite late and dark. They turned out to be experienced walkers who had come down that route about an hour earlier. They shared our concern because the lights weren't making progress down and it was getting on for eight O'clock. Thay took over the light watching and I got back to star photography. The first three batches having been ruined by the lights from cars. So I decided to make a new batch once the walkers left. The lights on Scafell started to descend so they must have been having a brew!
If you look at the first two images you can see the lamp trail high on Scafell which meanders down and stops abruptly. The third image continues the trail to the valley bottom and the trail of their car as they drove away.
Finally, one from the first batch of 'The Plough'. It was spectacularly distinctive in the clear sky.
____________________
Robert.