16 replies to this topic

[CraggyMan]

I have a bit of a learning disability when it comes to layers and blending.   I keep dragging my feet on this technique.  I like the idea of what you have done and will have to play with this a bit, I'm sure I can figure it out eventually. Your shot is a great example.

 

But, I actually enjoy playing with night exposures and balancing light trying to obtain a single capture that has enough information to work with in post. Probably goes back to the days of playing with these ideas with slide film. Hence my comment about working with a little moonlight to make it a bit easier on me.  Here is another example, lots of moonlight and had my backpacking buddy throwing small twigs on fire to get just enough light both illuminate the canyon walls but not blow out the campfire too much. Had my extra headlamp in my bivy tent with a yellow hankerchief over to knock down and diffuse the light a bit.

Attached Files

•  Owy_Verticals_JDavis (5 of 9).jpg   137.31K   29 downloads

Edited by CraggyMan, 06 May 2015 - 09:28 PM.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Craggy, that looks nice.   If you're not trying to capture really sharp stars, etc.   There's no reason that a singe exposure won't do exactly what you want.   One of these days we should head over to Mitchell and shoot the Painted Hills at night.

[CraggyMan]

WS - The pix I have posted in this thread are all in the 20 sec or less exposure so I think by the 1/500 rule ???, that is within the range for very little apparent movement.  I'm sure in a big print they would be a tad soft but for the web or even small prints they should be sharp enough. Yet another reason for shooting with a little moonlight. Would love to go over to the Painted Hills again at night. Here is a shot from a couple of winters back. I was meeting a ONDA staff person the next day to check out some WSA trails that I knew about so decided to check out the snow/star possibilities by driving over the evening before. The moon was very bright but going in and out of clouds that were just racing through the sky. This is a 30 second exposure so star movement is probably visible in this jpeg. Many possibilities out that way. Let's Go!!

Attached Files

•  PH_Night_JDavisWeb.jpg   419.95K   23 downloads

Edited by CraggyMan, 06 May 2015 - 11:53 PM.

[jlrray]

These are all really cool.  I just started to get into night photography not long ago but I'm still fishing in the dark.   I like how the pics end up being really sharp... Mine aren't but I've stayed away from low f-stops because i always end up messing my DOF... maybe I'm too close.

[CraggyMan]

These are all really cool.  I just started to get into night photography not long ago but I'm still fishing in the dark.   I like how the pics end up being really sharp... Mine aren't but I've stayed away from low f-stops because i always end up messing my DOF... maybe I'm too close.

DOF is a whole 'nother' black hole of discussion. You can shoot wide open for night shots if your focus is truly set to infinity and there are no foreground subjects too close. I try and not have anything prominent that is closer than around 15'.  Check a DOF chart and also find a way to set infinity accurately. Sometimes I set it in the evening if I know I am going out and then use a small piece of tape to lock it down. Infinity location marks on many lenses are not accurate. Older manual focus ones with a fixed focal length are a bit better at this.  I'm far from an expert on this and would appreciate any better ideas from the more knowledgeable out there...?

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Craggy, I tend to stop down to f5.6 or f8 to get the lens into its sweet spot. For more light, I either extend the exposure time and/or ISO. You get good DOF, and the images are usually sharper. One trick I haven't tried is long exposure noise reduction in camera. Is anyone using LENR?

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Following up on night photography, I was watching an online episode of Wild Photo Adventures with Doug Gardner. Here's some very good instruction on several different styles of night photography. Go to episode 9.


One more on night photography of waterfalls.  Go to episode 12.