My First Star Trails Attempt

[Chris Stegner]

First off, I know it's been forever since I've posted here.... sorry folks!

I've been wanting to give this a shot for a while. A couple weekends ago I thought it was about time. After reading multiple blogs and various sites, I thought I was up to the task.

Really excited about this image! Shot at East Fork Lake State Park in Williamsburg, OH. Shot over a 90 minute period. 30 second exposure every 35 seconds. f5.0, ISO 500 with a Sigma 12-24 set at 17mm with my 5DMII. Can't wait to go out west next year and try this!

If any of you out there have done this before, how do you think I did?

If I went 30 second exposure every 31 seconds, I assume the gaps would be less noticable?

Feedback would be highly appreciated!

 

[FitzTML]

I'm no expert, but looking at the ends of the trails, they are not the same length. So one end is shorter then the other. This indicates to me that rather than seeing 1 second gaps you are seeing 31 second gaps. I know some cameras take extra time writing to the memory card if any noise canceling is on. An easy way to tell is to count the gaps (about 40) and how long this took if it was longer than 22 min there's something else going on.

EDIT:
Just to be clear, on the right side of the photograph, the top blip of any light streak is shorter than all the other portions of that light streak.

 

[Compaq]

At 17mm waiting one second instead of 5 wouldn't change much. The differences in length is because stars further away from the North star moves faster across the frame. Basically it's the same as a roof fan: the outer parts of the blades moves faster than the inside. If you're standing on a rotating circle, it's harder to stand upright at the edge rather than in the center.

I would probably reduce the ISO to 100-200, and possible expose for a little longer, to reduce noise. To me, the trails are nice, but the composition lacks. The trees doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid.

 

[batmura]

I like it. Can you explain why you set your ISO to 500?

 

[Ilovemycam]

I'm no expert, but it looks fantastic!

How do you expose is so many times? Do you leave the shutter open and just take off the lenscap?

 

[afoto]

fun stuff! i'm a big star trails fan myself, and for your first time that looks really good!

I often find something that makes star trails more interesting is, instead of looking up, finding a fairly flat area where you can look out onto the horizon and see both the star trails and something interesting in the foreground.

 

[Dikkie]

I like it. Can you explain why you set your ISO to 500?

Indeed, why not 100 iso?

You said: "Can't wait to go out west next year and try this!"
Why not next week?

Choose a nice open landscape view for it.

 

[Chris Stegner]

I like it. Can you explain why you set your ISO to 500?

Honestly I can't remember for sure. But I do remember having an issue with my TC-80N3 Timer. I think I was having trouble setting the exposure longer than 30 seconds. That's also why I set the ISO at 500.

 

[Chris Stegner]

I used the Remote Controller TC-80N3

See it here

[h=1][/h]

 

[Derrel]

Looks so good it's hard to believe it was your first time...

lol

 

[Chris Stegner]

afoto.... Thanks for the suggestion! I'd love to mess with composition and foreground in future shots. I do have a problem that I live near a large city so my choices of location are slim. And the flat part is not easy here in Northern Kentucky either. But I understand your thoguths.... thanks!

 

[Scuba]

afoto.... Thanks for the suggestion! I'd love to mess with composition and foreground in future shots. I do have a problem that I live near a large city so my choices of location are slim. And the flat part is not easy here in Northern Kentucky either. But I understand your thoguths.... thanks!

Nice work. I just noticed you are about 5 min from me in Cold Spring.

 

[jwbryson1]

I have never done this type of shot before, but I think it's pretty damn good. I like it.