Stars at night - any tips ???

DG Phototraining

DG Phototraining

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Dave
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I know I asked this a (few) years ago but I can't remember ANYTHING anyone said - tis an age thing :D

Next weekend a couple of us are off for a drive into relative darkness about midnight to point the cameras upwards and see what we get. I do recall thinking a 30 mins exposure for streaks, then being told its far better to shoot hundreds of 10 sec ones and blend them somehow ???

Any tips or hints for YouTube vids worth looking at appreciated :)

Ta

Dave
 
Dave if star trails are what you want then stacked really is the best route for a multitude of reasons but the main ones being, quality of image, issue during expose, lights/cars, condensation etc

At least if something happens say 25 minutes into a 30 minute exposure period you can always get away with a photo made up of a 24 period, where as if your doing as a single exposure you've just binned 30 minutes of your life ;)

As to how to do it, please check out my signature then ask any questions you may have :) after giving my guide to star trails a read :thumbs:
 
Read it all - makes sense :)

Except StarStax, which made no sense at all :lol:

For my wee brain then - shoot wide open? Why? Is that an exposure issue to capture ambient too, I thought the stars would be bright enough to record reasonably well at f8 in a 30 sec exposure?

And in the StarStax example jpegs were used and the other link suggested setting WB too, hinting at jpegs - does StarStax only work with jpegs then? Or are we saying raw isn't needed?

Ta :)

Dave
 
DG Phototraining said:
Read it all - makes sense :)

Except StarStax, which made no sense at all :lol:

For my wee brain then - shoot wide open? Why? Is that an exposure issue to capture ambient too, I thought the stars would be bright enough to record reasonably well at f8 in a 30 sec exposure?

And in the StarStax example jpegs were used and the other link suggested setting WB too, hinting at jpegs - does StarStax only work with jpegs then? Or are we saying raw isn't needed?

Ta :)

Dave
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You don't have to shoot wide open, but you have to appreciate that the majority of stars are incredible faint and shooting stopped down will dramatically reduce the number of visible stars captured, I don't really have any examples to hand right now...this is the reason I tend to shoot around f/4-5.6ish even when I've had the ability I rarely have found the need to open fully up to f/2.8

StarStaX, I'd have to check but I'm fairly certain it can take other file formats but it cannot take RAW, I always shoot RAW then I'll batch process the files to perform any needed adjustments, and save those then run the processed files through StarStaX, there is a little guide to using that software a little further down the guide

Photography Guide: Star Trails

Hopefully that will clear up using StarStaX although the software has added more functuality since I did that guide but the basic process is still exactly the same

Matt
 
DG Phototraining said:
Ah - glad that's more like what I was thinking, shoot f4 ish was my gut feeling, and in raw then PP to jpeg for StarStax - thanks :)

Dave
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No worries Dave be sure to shout out if you need any more help :)
 
MWHCVT said:
No worries Dave be sure to shout out if you need any more help :)
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Don't worry - I've found your home & mobile phone numbers on the internet, so expect several calls throughout the night when we try it - and NO - I'm not telling you what night as you might accidentally turn your phones off :lol:

Dave
 
DG Phototraining said:
Don't worry - I've found your home & mobile phone numbers on the internet, so expect several calls throughout the night when we try it - and NO - I'm not telling you what night as you might accidentally turn your phones off :lol:

Dave
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:lol: my phone is never off :D but phone calls at silly times after receive silly answers :D
 
I'm waiting to give this a go too. Have read Matts instructions a few times now, I usually shoot raw but alas don't know how to batch process:( I have CS5 so know it should be fairly simple but then so am I :) Looking for a clear night now. Will practice in the back garden first, big skies and little light pollution here in Lincs. Thought it best to try near home before venturing out into the wilderness.
 
Maggie52 said:
I'm waiting to give this a go too. Have read Matts instructions a few times now, I usually shoot raw but alas don't know how to batch process:( I have CS5 so know it should be fairly simple but then so am I :) Looking for a clear night now. Will practice in the back garden first, big skies and little light pollution here in Lincs. Thought it best to try near home before venturing out into the wilderness.
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Batch processing is exceptionally simple :) just open all the RAWs in CS5 and click select all, then all adjustments you make are performed on ever file, then it's just a case of clicking save which will open up a new window allowing you to create an auto file name, eg startrailX and add on a number starting at eg 001 etc...really is simple :)
 
Matt's guide is the best :) I have found though that setting the white balance to tungsten works really well. To focus in the dark set the ISO way high and open the shutter wide and take a pic - you should have let enough light in to check that focus is ok (you have to focus manually) but IIRC Matt has all that in his guide.

star stax or combineZM for blending all the images together. Oh yeah, and take the last pic with a black card over the lens, not sure why but the blending software works better if you do.
 
sturisoma said:
Matt's guide is the best :) I have found though that setting the white balance to tungsten works really well. To focus in the dark set the ISO way high and open the shutter wide and take a pic - you should have let enough light in to check that focus is ok (you have to focus manually) but IIRC Matt has all that in his guide.

star stax or combineZM for blending all the images together. Oh yeah, and take the last pic with a black card over the lens, not sure why but the blending software works better if you do.
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The idea behind the dark exposure is to map out hot pixels/noise to cancel it out, but honestly it's really not needed, I've shot a lot of star trails and never ever done a dark frame :)
 
Thank you Matt for the explanation on batch processing I will certainly give it a go:) I realised it must be reasonably easy but I've never really tried it but I will now:) was hoping to have a go at the star trails tonight but it's too cloudy, then again I'm tired tonight so best leaving it until I can concentrate better. My next mission will be looking for somewhere which has a good bit of foreground interest. I have downloaded an app of sky view so I can fins Polaris. Lol I can't even find my way around my local town!
Need to drag my other half out with me, don't fancy traipsing round in the middle of nowhere in the dark without company.

Also I need to download star Stax, expect me back in the coming days/weeks crying because I've mucked up:(
 
Maggie52 said:
Thank you Matt for the explanation on batch processing I will certainly give it a go:) I realised it must be reasonably easy but I've never really tried it but I will now:) was hoping to have a go at the star trails tonight but it's too cloudy, then again I'm tired tonight so best leaving it until I can concentrate better. My next mission will be looking for somewhere which has a good bit of foreground interest. I have downloaded an app of sky view so I can fins Polaris. Lol I can't even find my way around my local town!
Need to drag my other half out with me, don't fancy traipsing round in the middle of nowhere in the dark without company.

Also I need to download star Stax, expect me back in the coming days/weeks crying because I've mucked up:(
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Company is a very good idea as trust me 2 hours talking with someone having a laugh and a joke goes a hell of a lot quicker than 2 hours on your own :sulk: just shout if you need help or advice :)
 
Well I have done a test at batch processing and couldn't believe how simple it was! Thanks Matt:) Now just need to download starstax and get some photos taken.
 
Maggie52 said:
Well I have done a test at batch processing and couldn't believe how simple it was! Thanks Matt:) Now just need to download starstax and get some photos taken.
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Excellent Margaret pleased that it went well for you :) it is easy isn't it :thumbs: I hope you get a nice clear evening nice and soon :)
 
Looks not too bad tonight:) though I am in the middle of cooking tea! Hoping it stays clear so I can give it a go. Had a look at downloading starstax have no idea how that is done, Im not very pc literate but will give it a go. I have windows 64 bit, I presume this is ok?
 
Maggie52 said:
Looks not too bad tonight:) though I am in the middle of cooking tea! Hoping it stays clear so I can give it a go. Had a look at downloading starstax have no idea how that is done, Im not very pc literate but will give it a go. I have windows 64 bit, I presume this is ok?
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Yes it's find, the beauty of StarStaX is its cross platform, is supported on Win/Mac/Linux :D it's easy enough to download it must be as I've done it :)
 
MWHCVT said:
Yes it's find, the beauty of StarStaX is its cross platform, is supported on Win/Mac/Linux :D it's easy enough to download it must be as I've done it :)
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Whoop Whoop Have downloaded Starstax:) Now to get this bloody cooking out of the way and get outside in the freezing cold. Hope to have some good new later :thumbs:
 
In my two minutes at this game I have found that anything over 15 seconds will start to give a trail.
I did a test shoot last week or so in my back garden just to prove the theory.
I set the camera up to take 30 second exposures andthen sat in doors watching tv. After a while I got bored and returned to the camera to find 225 shots had been taken.
on loading them to the PC I removed around 20 shots as they had plane trails. This may have caused an issue as I was then finding error messages when I tried to stack them. In the end I was only able to use a straight run of 75 shots.
So the lesson I learned from that session was to take more than you think you will use. I also learned that the star I thought was the polar star, was not!
My next outing will have a structure in the foreground.

http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0096009/photos/8794412@N03/10564982623/
Dave
 
Hi Dave
As I type this my camera is in the back garden taking a series of 30 sec exposures. I am using the roof of the garage as foreground interest just for test purposes:) I must admit I was getting into a bit of a fix trying to autofocus on this and then trying to switch to manual focus at the same time as holding the shutter down on the remote before locking it off. Im all fingers and thumbs. I located polaris with the aid of skyview app on my phone. I have been getting some seriously odd looks from the dog who is outside with me, watching intently as I wander around, phone in the air stumbling around in the dark. We shall see. If it seems ok I will like you have to venture out and look for a suitable point of interest. Good luck :thumbs:
 
No10 said:
In my two minutes at this game I have found that anything over 15 seconds will start to give a trail.
I did a test shoot last week or so in my back garden just to prove the theory.
I set the camera up to take 30 second exposures andthen sat in doors watching tv. After a while I got bored and returned to the camera to find 225 shots had been taken.
on loading them to the PC I removed around 20 shots as they had plane trails. This may have caused an issue as I was then finding error messages when I tried to stack them. In the end I was only able to use a straight run of 75 shots.
So the lesson I learned from that session was to take more than you think you will use. I also learned that the star I thought was the polar star, was not!
My next outing will have a structure in the foreground.

http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0096009/photos/8794412@N03/10564982623/
Dave
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You can clone the trails out after stacking, alternatively you can paint them over in black prior to stacking the software should ignore black tones :)

Maggie52 said:
Hi Dave
As I type this my camera is in the back garden taking a series of 30 sec exposures. I am using the roof of the garage as foreground interest just for test purposes:) I must admit I was getting into a bit of a fix trying to autofocus on this and then trying to switch to manual focus at the same time as holding the shutter down on the remote before locking it off. Im all fingers and thumbs. I located polaris with the aid of skyview app on my phone. I have been getting some seriously odd looks from the dog who is outside with me, watching intently as I wander around, phone in the air stumbling around in the dark. We shall see. If it seems ok I will like you have to venture out and look for a suitable point of interest. Good luck :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Hope it goes well :thumbs:
 
Ok I have taken the shots and loaded them to Starstax, now... blending modes, what should I select here for best results?
 
Maggie52 said:
Ok I have taken the shots and loaded them to Starstax, now... blending modes, what should I select here for best results?
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For now, I'd leave it on its defaults :thumbs: you only really need to move away from defaults for the more intricate trails :)
 
Now, I can see where I could do things a bit different. I zoomed in a bit to hide the side of the bungalow and I can see it would have been better at 18mm. The foreground interest is not very interesting :gag: I agree. I at least have some idea now what I need to do but any tips would be most welcome :D
 
I can also see where a plane went over and I can see on the left a lens flare which I could have removed but I wanted to leave everything as it was for your advice. Thanks
 
Maggie52 said:

resized stars by Bykerlass, on Flickr

Hope I have done this right!
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I'd say you've done really well for your first attempt :clap: you were heading in the right direction for Polaris in fact if you'd shot in portrait rather than landscape you'd have probably had it :thumbs: advise wise I'm not sure you need it you've done really well, it looks like your foreground isn't totally in focus, just a tip for next time a good torch should give you the ability to auto focus :thumbs: then you can go to manual focus
 
Thank you Matt :woot:

At least I now have more idea as to what I should be doing. I did have a torch and used this to auto focus but I suspect I may have nudged it whilst trying to switch to manual focus. Yes, despite knowing where polaris was I still managed to miss it out LOL. Looking forward to giving this a proper go in a suitable area where there is more pleasing foreground interest and when I don't have to keep an eye on the tea ( which I burnt as it happens) Thank you for your help and advice. Maggie
 
Maggie52 said:
Thank you Matt :woot:

At least I now have more idea as to what I should be doing. I did have a torch and used this to auto focus but I suspect I may have nudged it whilst trying to switch to manual focus. Yes, despite knowing where polaris was I still managed to miss it out LOL. Looking forward to giving this a proper go in a suitable area where there is more pleasing foreground interest and when I don't have to keep an eye on the tea ( which I burnt as it happens) Thank you for your help and advice. Maggie
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Be sure to either tag me in your thread when you post your next attempt or drop me a link to it as I'll be interested to see how you get on :thumbs:
 
MWHCVT said:
Be sure to either tag me in your thread when you post your next attempt or drop me a link to it as I'll be interested to see how you get on :thumbs:
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I certainly will Matt and thanks again for your help.
 
I certainly will Matt and thanks again for your help :thumbs:
 
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