Photos --- My first photo exhibit is at Millburn Public Library. Also, todays birding trip.

Next month is Dark Sky Festival at Acadia National Park. I would like to take photos of the Milky Way which has been visible in prior years when the sky is clear.

I have the kit Nikon 3200 and a tripod.

I've never done this, but this page seems to make it seem as though it is very doable.

http://www.wikihow.com/Photograph-the-Night-Sky

jerseyjack said:

I have the kit Nikon 3200 and a tripod.

It looks like that is all the equipment you need, the rest is just settings.

A good "Barn Door Tracker" would come in handy:

http://www.garyseronik.com/?q=node/52
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_door_tracker

If you don't have one already, a cheap wireless shutter release. Mine was $3 off of ebay and works with pretty much any nikon that allows wireless shutter release. Saves you from having to set the self time or trying to press the shutter button without shaking the camera.

everyone beat me to it - but would add to read this
http://www.davemorrowphotography.com/p/tutorial-shooting-night-sky.html

and
http://photoephemeris.com/
http://www.stellarium.org/

Thanks guys, now all I need is a couple of clear nights in Bar Harbor at the end of Sept.

A wireless shutter release won't mean much, as the exposure is going to go on for at least ten seconds if not a minute.

This does a nice job too, but you need a lot of tinfoil. And fuel.

At any rate, doesn't sound hopeless...

My firend, a professional photographer of many decades' experience, suggested this:

Strangely… I have never photographed the sky. If the time exposure is long enough, the stars appear as streaks. The heavens are still, the Earth is rotating.

I would recommend doing test shots starting now to get some idea of where to start.

Also this:

http://fstoppers.com/a-beginners-guide-to-sky-photography

joanne said:

... If the time exposure is long enough, the stars appear as streaks. The heavens are still, the Earth is rotating...

"Eppur si muove", Joanne? Galileo was convicted of heresy for such talk. It only took 359 years to get an apology, although even at the 357 year mark, then-Cardinal Ratzinger said that "...verdict against Galileo was rational and just, and the revision of this verdict can be justified only on the grounds of what is politically opportune."

If you see a delivery vehicle at the curb with Vatican State flags, don't answer the door. It might be a courier with extradition papers for you. :-D




*And yet it moves.

From the POV of the camera, silly!!! / (that was meant to be the eyeroll emoticon!!)

This morning, Rod offered this further reflection (formulated while he was enjoying his second latte, and I'm still coffee-free since Sunday):

The great astronomical telescopes of the World are equipped to track fixed points in the heavens. Tracking that is not available to ordinary folks. It is actually impossible to get a really sharp picture that involves any time exposure without such tracking.
The best answer would be to use a really big piece of glass with great light-gathering capabilities, and HIGH speed sensitivity settings. In the old days that would be fast film ASAs.

Rod sent this link to a Japanese landscape photographer, who often breaks the rules on how to get a great pic, yet gets incredibly beautiful photos of natural beauty:
http://www.fotoblur.com/portfolio/shiraishi As far as I could see, none of the night sky, however he thought there might be some pointers in composition etc that you'd pick up by flicking through the gallery.

Joanne, extraordinary photos. There are maybe one or two of my photos that match that quality. (My opinion. And that is all that matters to me on my tries to photograph landscapes.)

Typing this, reminds me of the purpose for which I began photography... to take photos of places I liked to go so that when I am too old, frail, whatever, to continue going there, I will have the photos.

Central Park... Cape May, Sussex County, Maine, Vermont. Butterflies, some birds.

Unfortunately, I am already having problems with long car rides. Not enough to stop me yet, but last week's trip was a reminder.

I'm pretty sure that the heavens are not still, although it may appear that way from the earth's perspective (after allowing for earth's rotation.)

jerseyjack said:

Typing this, reminds me of the purpose for which I began photography... to take photos of places I liked to go so that when I am too old, frail, whatever, to continue going there, I will have the photos.

Central Park... Cape May, Sussex County, Maine, Vermont. Butterflies, some birds.

Unfortunately, I am already having problems with long car rides. Not enough to stop me yet, but last week's trip was a reminder.

I know it's a (very) long trip, but make sure you include Australia in your itinerary (bucket list).

We'll have to tempt him with William Ricketts Sanctuary, Wilsons Prom and Tidal River and a few pretty spots near you and then maybe I can find something up this way...not forgetting Puffing Billy, if that still runs!!
:-D

--and a ferry terminal

The fog's pretty but I LOVE the black and white: those stunning textures and depths of shadow. Very nice, Jack! May I share them with Rod?

Of course.

The rails and walkway on the ferry terminal are similar to the ones on the ferry that used to take N.J. people from Hoboken to N.Y.C. Those were torn down about 30 years ago but many M.O.L. peeps will recall them.

Back around 1991 or so I took a photo of a lake in Maine at night. Very low tech. I had planned on taking pictures while up there, but normal daytime pictures, so I didn't have any equipment with me other than the camera. I used masking tape (found in the cabin) to hold the shutter release open. I didn't have a tripod with me, so I just placed the camera at the end of the dock. I didn't have a light meter, but had been using one enough at that particular point that I was able to guesstimate that I needed about 45 minutes of exposure time.

I love the resulting picture. I'm sure it wouldn't pass anyone's standards of a quality photograph, but for me it brings back memories of the lake at night. It's blurry quality actually gives a surreal feeling to the picture.

Great pictures, jj!
Where's your lake photo @spontaneous?

I saw it two days ago, but we were cleaning up for a party so I might have stashed it somewhere. If I find it I will try to figure out how to use the scanner (damned newfangled gizmos) and see if I can post it.

ETA: Found it. Will try to post it later. I'm just hoping all this build up doesn't lead to a huge letdown when I finally get the picture up.

My computer and printer must have exchanged words, since right now the printer refuses to acknowledge that the computer even exists. When my husband comes home from work I'll have him see if he can get them on speaking terms again.

Jack, Rod writes:
Jack might also like this Forum:
I thought that Jack might like to compare his own efforts with some really good photography in a wide range of genres. Butterflies to beaches.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1629751