Star trial and error - Stonehaven War Memorial

[Kenny]

Here is only my second attempt at doing a startrail (trial and error) photo. Taken from the War Memorial above Stonehaven, Scotland. 17th Jan @ 10:47pm. Facing North.

Canon 450D. 30 x 30 sec exposures at 18mm, f/11, ISO-1600. Processed in LightZone.

I tried to light-paint the monument with a torch in 2 frames but that doesn't appear to have come through into the photo (and barely on the individual frames). In fact, light beams from cars a mile or so behind the camera were also lighting up the monument all through the sequence but that hasn't come through either. Stonehaven bay is just over the hill behind the monument supplying most of the light pollution, I call it backlighting  . I had no dew heater so about half way through had to wipe the lense every 5 exposures or so. This plus the blustery wind on the camera and tripod has knocked the startrails out so there are slight kinks in the curve. Also, cloud started rolling in from the 10th exposure and is very visible from around the 14th onwards. I left all 30 frames in this version because I felt the cloud added some atmosphere to the picture. I can see all the mistakes, but I still think this looks pretty cool. 

30 frames (with 'atmospehere')


17 frames


p.s. no planes. I deliberately drove the 20 miles to Stonehaven after Aberdeen airport was closed for the evening.
p.p.s I missed Polaris!!

[Carole]

Better than anything I have achieved with Star trails so far Kenny.
Well done.

Carole

[Kenny]

Thanks Carole.

[Carole]

Should have said I really like the way you put that "ruin"??? in the foreground.

Carole

[Kenny]

Ha ha, thanks. I've had this photo in my head for a very long time. I used to live in Stonehaven for many years. It's not actually a ruin... it was designed to look that way when it was built as a war memorial in 1923.
http://www.mearns.org.uk/stonehaven/war_mem.htm

[MarkS]

They're looking good now, with a brighter background.  It's a great foreground to use!

Get yourself an intervalometer, then you can take longer exposures and get less "dotty" trails

Mark

[Kenny]

Get yourself an intervalometer, then you can take longer exposures and get less "dotty" trails

I do actually have a recently purchased one in the bag... just need to add batteries and RT(f)M! 

[MarkH]

I wouldn't get too flustered Kenny , they have a very simple menu I got it sorted in about  5 minutes.

[Carole]

they have a very simple menu

But I find it so difficult to see the menu in the dark.

Carole