A selection of Milky Way photos

[Etoimos]

Several years ago I decided that I wanted to learn how to photograph the Milky Way and started researching the internet to learn how it was done. I purchased a Canon 6D and Rokinon 24mm F1.4 lens to capture the images in higher quality as my standard equipment was not quiet up to the task I was asking of it.

Over the years I've traveled to different dark sky locations that were not too far away to make the images below. I shoot all of my Milky Way photos as an single exposure. I use light painting to illuminate my foregrounds when needed. Shooting with this method does require me to process the foreground separately from the sky and then blend the two separate processes together (I use a simple layer mask in PS).

My step-daughter and myself.

My camping setup.

Very dark and clear skies are really nice to find.

Is there life out there?


I hope you enjoyed these images and as always, if you have any questions feel free to ask.

 

[edsland]

Awesome set, wish I could see 1/2 of those stars where I live

 

[Jeff G]

Very nice, some time in the future I would like to learn how to get these kinds of shots, but I think I've got a ways to go.

 

[Etoimos]

Thanks guys.

Awesome set, wish I could see 1/2 of those stars where I live

On clear nights I can make out the MW here I live, but it is very hard to get a good photograph of it will the light pollution in the area. Luckily I've got some very dark skies within 3-5 hours from my house. It looks like the closest and darkest night skies for you would be up in the Baraga Stat Forest Area in Michigan. You would probably have to shoot in May during the 0100 to 0300 hours. This would get you the Galactic Core and not have you shoot so much back towards the large cities up there.

Very nice, some time in the future I would like to learn how to get these kinds of shots, but I think I've got a ways to go.

Jeff, they are actually quite easy if you have dark skies and decent gear. I even captured a MW shot on my cell phone while on the trip when I photographed the VLA dish above. What kind of camera do you have and what is your fastest wide angle lens?

 

[K9Kirk]

First of all, very nice pics, just beautiful but I'm a little confused over the ability to take a pic like that with a phone without using some type of star tracking device or is the aper so wide it can capture it fast enough without the need for tracking?
Educate me, thank you.

BTW, I believe there is life out there. The mountain of evidence is wa-------------y overwhelming. So much that even Judge Ito couldn't ignore it.

 

[Etoimos]

@K9Kirk Perhaps I should clarify a little. The cell phone does not take photos like those, but it can capture the MW. I'll try and process the cell phone pic and post it here to show the difference.

My cell phone camera has a f1.4 lens. I set the shutter speed to 15 seconds (which produces a little more star trail blur than I would like) and the ISO I set to the highest it would go (I think 6400 on my phone). Astrophotography is one area where good gear really helps. Luckily, some of the better lenses for it are relatively inexpensive prime lenses.

My typical MW shots are taken with a 24mm f1.4 (I stop down to f2.8 for better quality) prime lens on my Canon 6D (a great camera for shooting at night) for 13 sec (to minimize star movement) and ISO 6400.

 

[Etoimos]

BTW, I believe there is life out there. The mountain of evidence is wa-------------y overwhelming. So much that even Judge Ito couldn't ignore it.

I do as well. I'm just not sure that they are visiting us...... any longer.

 

[Flying Panda]

Awesome captures!

 

[Jeff G]

Jeff, they are actually quite easy if you have dark skies and decent gear. I even captured a MW shot on my cell phone while on the trip when I photographed the VLA dish above. What kind of camera do you have and what is your fastest wide angle lens?

I am using a Nikon D5600 but I think I would need a lens upgrade from the kit lens to get decent results.

 

[K9Kirk]

BTW, I believe there is life out there. The mountain of evidence is wa-------------y overwhelming. So much that even Judge Ito couldn't ignore it.

I do as well. I'm just not sure that they are visiting us...... any longer.

You should watch the documentaries on the Discovery Channel about UFO's. You may feel differently about that after watching with all the documentation they've collected.

 

[Etoimos]

I am using a Nikon D5600 but I think I would need a lens upgrade from the kit lens to get decent results.

I'm going to guess that your kit lens is capable of 18mm @ f3.5. If so and you can find some decently dark skies near by, try a 19sec exposure at f3.5 and ISO 3200. That should give you a good starting point. If the stars are blurred too much, increase your shutter speed and bump up your ISO to compensate. when shooting the MW, you want your histogram to look pretty normal to get the correct exposure (once you have found the right shutter for the star blur).

 

[Jeff G]

I will file this away until I get a chance to try, thanks for the tips.

 

[kalgra]

@Etoimos
Oh I think you and I need to friends! I am also in Colorado, love shooting the Milky Way, and drive a Jeep with an Odin Design roof top tent.

 

[Etoimos]

@Etoimos
Oh I think you and I need to friends! I am also in Colorado, love shooting the Milky Way, and drive a Jeep with an Odin Design roof top tent.

LOL, that is too funny! I noticed in your Badlands MW shot that you were from Denver and was thinking the same thing. The fact that you drive a Jeep and have the same RTT as I do just seals the deal!

 

[SquarePeg37 8]

Great photos! I just started the I want to photograph the Milky Way journey. Interesting that you are using 24mm when everything I read indicates you need wide for astrophotography.