Help with Star trails or layers PS 7

gibbo

gibbo

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Brian
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Im not too sure what Im asking for here so please be gentle with me. I have photoshop 7

I want to make star trails pin sharp like streaks across the sky with dark skies
also
photograph stars pin sharp so they show up with dark skies and the stars as dots and not streaks

Finally I think its the same method
I bracket a shot and use all 3 shots to make one good one

Im not sure if its layers I need to use, if so how do I do this can some one help please
 
Does anyone know how to layer a bracketed photograph 3 photographs made into one using ps7 ???

Has it been asked before ???
 
Hi Matt That is quite close to what I want

I`ll try explain again.
If I bracket a photo 3 shots. (1 stop between each shot)

It happens to be a bloke stood in a boat on a river with a bright sky behind him.
(the sky in one shot is good, the person & Boat is good in the next and finally the forground in the final shot of the 3 is good. (if you looked at the metered shot sky & river would be blown)
How could I correct this using software (all I have PS 7)

The final bit but different scenario.....
If I tried to take a night shot of the sky and metered for the stars they would end up as lines across the sky and the sky would not be black due to light polution etc
I want pin sharp stars and a black sky. :thumbs:
Now I believe I have to take a series of shots of about 3-4 seconds with maybe 10 - 15 frames, then I believe you stack these frames some how and the merge ?? them together to give you the effect Im hoping for....

is that any better:shrug:
All I want is a BLACK night sky showing stars as stars (pin light) and maybe a mountain range, housing estate (it does not matter) in the forground

Is that better explained :shrug:
Matt Can you help
If anyone else know please help :help: Im sure I have seen this explained before but I dont remember what software was used. I have looked and Im sure it was todo with stars and black skies :thumbs:
 
You wont get a pitch black sky anywhere there is street lighting, those orange buggers will always be picked up. To get just white dots in the sky go for a bigger aperture and a shorter shutter speed (around 40 secs). Obviously for trails you will need either a very long exposure time (upto 30 mins or more if your camera has the ability) or take several 5 minute exposures and then stack them in ps.

Here`s one attmpt at straight forward shooting:
http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n165/Bumph/?action=view&current=DSC_0035.jpg

and here`s an attempt at star trails:
http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n165/Bumph/?action=view&current=DSC_0036-1.jpg
 
Bumph GB said:
You wont get a pitch black sky anywhere there is street lighting, those orange buggers will always be picked up. To get just white dots in the sky go for a bigger aperture and a shorter shutter speed (around 40 secs). Obviously for trails you will need either a very long exposure time (upto 30 mins or more if your camera has the ability) or take several 5 minute exposures and then stack them in ps.

Here`s one attmpt at straight forward shooting:
http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n165/Bumph/?action=view&current=DSC_0035.jpg

and here`s an attempt at star trails:
http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n165/Bumph/?action=view&current=DSC_0036-1.jpg
Click to expand...


Brilliant the first one is almost what I want, fantastic at last Im on the right track. :thumbs:
Is that first shot a straight forward shot ??
Thanx :thumbs:

And the second it that just one shot taken over a longer period ?? but one shot only :shrug:

I know Im pushing it a bit can you answer my first question layers. 3 photos layered ???

Thanx for you help.

(NOW I have just got to work on getting a blacker sky)
 
You may have missed this thread on star trails http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=49581 I think what you`re talking about doing is may take a few hours and alot of patience, toget a properly exposed forground aswell as star trails may require you to set up your tripod while it is still quite light and get your balanced forground exposure, then leave you setup alone untill it gets dark an then get your trails and combine them in ps. If you see a digital photo you like you should always check its exif data to see what settings where used.
 
Bumph GB said:
You may have missed this thread on star trails http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=49581 I think what you`re talking about doing is may take a few hours and alot of patience, toget a properly exposed forground aswell as star trails may require you to set up your tripod while it is still quite light and get your balanced forground exposure, then leave you setup alone untill it gets dark an then get your trails and combine them in ps. If you see a digital photo you like you should always check its exif data to see what settings where used.
Click to expand...

Andyt70 added at the end of the thread
to Gibbo, i just added each image as a new layer and adjusted the transparency of the layers so i could see all the details, i am sure PS7 will allow the same - whether it is the best way to do this remains to be seen .. i am sure someone more experienced will confirm or deny ... maybe
Now I didnt see this so I might have to pm him reg. the usage of layers unless someone knows better :shrug:
Thanx bumph
 
I use (or try to use..) PS7,
The way i do it is to : drag all 3 pix into PS7 (all should be the same size).
click on one of the images and ensure the layers pallet is open.
Drag your layer (normally called background layer) from the layer pallette into *one* of the other windows.
Click the window with your last layer, drag the layer as you did earlier and drop into the same window.
This should leave you with one window made up of three layers and two windows comprising of one layer each - close them.
Erase the parts in each layer you don't want, as you erase you will see the underlying image show through, you can blend each image together - ensure your background is the bottom layer and your foreground is uppermost my dragging the layers up or down in the layers pallette.
HTH and is understandable ;-)
 
gibbo said:
Hi Matt That is quite close to what I want

I`ll try explain again.
If I bracket a photo 3 shots. (1 stop between each shot)

It happens to be a bloke stood in a boat on a river with a bright sky behind him.
(the sky in one shot is good, the person & Boat is good in the next and finally the forground in the final shot of the 3 is good. (if you looked at the metered shot sky & river would be blown)
How could I correct this using software (all I have PS 7)

The final bit but different scenario.....
If I tried to take a night shot of the sky and metered for the stars they would end up as lines across the sky and the sky would not be black due to light polution etc
I want pin sharp stars and a black sky. :thumbs:
Now I believe I have to take a series of shots of about 3-4 seconds with maybe 10 - 15 frames, then I believe you stack these frames some how and the merge ?? them together to give you the effect Im hoping for....

is that any better:shrug:
All I want is a BLACK night sky showing stars as stars (pin light) and maybe a mountain range, housing estate (it does not matter) in the forground

Is that better explained :shrug:
Matt Can you help
If anyone else know please help :help: Im sure I have seen this explained before but I dont remember what software was used. I have looked and Im sure it was todo with stars and black skies :thumbs:
Click to expand...

One method of that is stacking the exposures or the easiest way is simply wait for a dark night (no moon clear skies as far away from towns/cities as you can get)

Then just set the camera up and dont take photos over about 15-30sec, anymore and you will get streaking with the stars. Last time I tried this I used;
17mm, iso400, f4 and a 30sec exposure and it came out quite well.

_MG_2521.jpg


The best and most complex way is to aquire a star tracking mount like the ones used for telescopes and use it to move the camera inline with the earths rotation. You can then either take one long exposure or else lots of smaller exposures and then blend them later.

(For blending them stacking them all in photoshop/psp and using the 'screen' blending mode should do the trick)

The latter would let you get ultra detailed shots of the stars.
 
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