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COVID19 Compliant - Lens Lovers Club - Perseids Meteor Shower and AstroPhotography Session - 12 August 2021


Frederic

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4 minutes ago, Ashok chaturvedi said:

@samamara @Fredericdear do u accept startup students like me? this foto of yours is out of this world. 

I'm glad you like it 😍 it's one of my favourites. Don't worry...we'll all work together to get the best shots we can as a team ❤️!

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1 hour ago, samamara said:

I'm glad you like it 😍 it's one of my favourites. Don't worry...we'll all work together to get the best shots we can as a team ❤️!

It is now my favorite too.. Bless you. 

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2 hours ago, samamara said:

Your 16-35mm will still give you a lovely shot! I Also have a 5DM4 and I use a Tokina 11-16mm on it which, unfortunately, is made for a crop sensor. I can still use it but not down past 14mm without significant vignetting so even at 15-16mm you'll get lovely wide views (which I'm sure you know already ;)). That lens, by the way, is not so expensive and has given me very clear astro shots (see attachment taken in Rub al Khali last Milky Way season); even if it's for a crop-sensor you may want to consider it. You can give mine a go on Thursday night if you want, once all is said and done with our shoot :)

 

MilkyWayRazeen2_Oct2020_SM.jpg

@samamara that is a really fantastic shot, I am sure you are being very modest and a lot of planning and work went into it. Even the dune in the foreground is perfectly lit and without any blemishes like footmarks...really well done!

Will be grateful if you could share some data while you have already shared some info...Lens focal length ~16mm (very clear for a zoom lens!) and ISO 3200 (impressive low level of noise still, says a lot about your sensor and camera)

Could you also let us know what you used for shutter speed and aperture? White balance? guess you used a tripod and a remote shutter release? any tips to get the right focus? Was it a single shot or blended a foreground shot with the sky shot...could you give some details if and how you light painted the foreground (perfectly done)..... Location I guess you aced it with Rub Al Khali - doubt if we can find a similar low light pollution area within Dubai or Sharjah...there is a glow from the horizon right side but even that adds to the picture rather than detracts from it as it contrasts against the part of the dune which is in shadow...

Sorry for the many questions,,,but If I can get a shot as good as this I would consider my lifes work done :D Thanks!

 

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3 minutes ago, Joseph Sebastian said:

@samamara that is a really fantastic shot, I am sure you are being very modest and a lot of planning and work went into it. Even the dune in the foreground is perfectly lit and without any blemishes like footmarks...really well done!

Will be grateful if you could share some data while you have already shared some info...Lens focal length ~16mm (very clear for a zoom lens!) and ISO 3200 (impressive low level of noise still, says a lot about your sensor and camera)

Could you also let us know what you used for shutter speed and aperture? White balance? guess you used a tripod and a remote shutter release? any tips to get the right focus? Was it a single shot or blended a foreground shot with the sky shot...could you give some details if and how you light painted the foreground (perfectly done)..... Location I guess you aced it with Rub Al Khali - doubt if we can find a similar low light pollution area within Dubai or Sharjah...there is a glow from the horizon right side but even that adds to the picture rather than detracts from it as it contrasts against the part of the dune which is in shadow...

Sorry for the many questions,,,but If I can get a shot as good as this I would consider my lifes work done :D Thanks!

 

@Joseph Sebastian Thank you - you are so kind 🙏🏼😊. You're right, it wasn't a quick point and shoot but the planning wasn't so difficult or time-consuming.

The point of the footprints is a good one; I looked for a dune that had a nice ripple pattern and then made sure not even to sneeze near it to disrupt it, let alone walk on it 😂.

So yes, it was a 16mm focal length (this lens is a real trooper that while for a crop sensor does great on my full frame as I said), 8s exposure, f/2.8 and 3200ISO. I definitely used a tripod and a shutter release. The white balance is not in the Exif data and I can't remember exactly but I generally I keep the kelvin level between 3200 and 4000 depending how dark the sky is. White balance is the easiest thing to change in Photoshop though and while it's always best to get what you can straight out of the camera, there isn't a single MW photo on the planet that isn't edited so you can always keep that in mind later. 

For the focus, I focused on the stars and because it was such a big aperture the dune was fortunately crisp as well - so it is a single shot, not a composite ❤️. To focus on the stars it's best to use the live view of your camera, get one star, magnify and focus on that star (manually) and that should do it. Once you know your lens, this becomes easier. 

The foreground is lit with a small video light off to the left, at a low (looww) setting (since it's a longer exposure), and it only took a shot or three to get it to the right place and strength.

And a final note on exposure: this was 8s but that's a 'first calculated, then adjusted' number. You need to calculate how long you can keep the shutter open without getting star trails if you want crisp star points (as opposed to trails). You can use the 500 rule but I would highly recommend using the NPF rule instead (you can google these for more info and let me know if you need any clarity). 

Yes, it is Rub al Khali - one of my favourite places in the country and I can't wait to go there next month (and October - the picture I shared was shot in October ❤️) and yes, it's hard to beat that. If I went deeper into the desert, closer to the Saudi border, there'd be even less light but I agree the light here adds to it. That said, the second darkest place in the country is Wadi Showka (not the dam area but the actual wadi, and the place we're going on Thursday, Wadi Buraq, is also good as it's quite near to Showka. I've shared these photos before in another thread but I'll post them again (I'm sorry for the repeat all and that they are so big 🙏🏼). The MW shot is from Buraq and the star trails are from Showka. So don't worry, there's plenty of dark there to enjoy some astro shooting when we can't quite hit up the Empty Quarter 😍🤩!

Thank you again for your kind words and don't at all feel badly about the questions. I love talking shop when it comes to photography and am always super happy to help ❤️ !

WadiShowkaStarTrailsMay.jpg

BuraqMilkyWay2a_SM.jpg

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Brilliant advice @samamara thanks for that.

I love the fact that you applied some light to the dune, i would never have thought about that. 

@Joseph Sebastian to get your image sharp during astrophotography, you will need to use the manual focus and point your lens at  the brightest star you can find. Switch on your live-view screen and start turning the lens until the star "white dot" is at its smallest, that would mean it's a the sharpest point. Then you can apply some tape to the lens to keep it at that setting, otherwise you might risk bumping into it and losing focus.

Of course, a tripod is needed for this kind of shots, and while a remote shutter is helpful, you can instead use the timer setting, so from the moment you push the release it will start beeping for a few seconds and then take the shot. This will ensure you are not accidentally touching the camera or shaking it. 

When it comes to lenses, try to use the lens you have in your arsenal with the fastest aperture (F2.8 or less). This will simply make sure you can capture more light. A wide angle lens works great for this kind of photography, so anything from 11-24mm will give a very nice result, but if you do not have a wide angle lens, you can even experiment with a nifty-fifty 50mm lens which will give you a nice fast aperture of 1.8.

ISO setting is something you will need to experiment with, and will depend on your camera and lens. You can perhaps start at 1200 ISO and keep increasing but it's best no go too high. You will find that 3200 usually works well. 

Shutter speed will again depend on the lens you are using and ISO setting. It will probably be around 8-15 seconds but could be higher if needed, but you want to avoid star trailing. The 500 rule or NPF rule will give you a good indication.

https://petapixel.com/2017/04/07/npf-rule-formula-sharp-star-photos-every-time/

 

 

night-sky-cheat-sheet-new (4).pdf

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"Go as far as you can see; once you get there, you'll be able to see further."

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15 minutes ago, JeromeFJ said:

Hi @Frederic, I will not be able to attend, I have removed myself from the event.

Have fun and enjoy, I will wait for the pictures from the group !

Thanks for informing @JeromeFJ see you next time !

@BipinM i have added you to the session. Kindly inform if you will be able to make it.

"Go as far as you can see; once you get there, you'll be able to see further."

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@samamara thanks very much for your patience and that detailed answer covering all the points. Cleared up a lot on the theory side, now for the practical part and trying to produce something passable! The other two pics you have shared including the star trails are excellent as well. 

Also, thanks @Frederic for your valuable inputs as. For me focusing on the night sky has always been a challenge as my camera is a little old and while it has many customizable features the live view is a very basic one. One can have the best camera and lens - but if the camera shakes or if the focus is off may as well be a pinhole camera :) 

But I guess a lot of practice is called for to get the technique right and given that practicing is more than half the fun. here's hoping I can make it on to the drive 🤞

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