Star Trails – Page 2 – Circadianreflections Blog

P52 21/52 One Thousand Five Hundred Seventy Five Seconds under the Stars

May 19, 2014May 19, 2014Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, Photography, TravelTagged Astro Photography, San Jose California Nature Photographer, Star Trails, Yosemite National ParkLeave a comment

Taken from Washburn Point in Yosemite National Park.

Last week while in Yosemite I shot the stars for an hour, but the Moon was out early and so bright, being nearly Full that it washed out the majority of the stars. I decided to make a return visit since the Moon wasn’t going to rise until midnight.

I thought I’d be alone up there after sunset, but there were two more star/night sky enthusiast there. It was really nice to have the company.
It was lovely meeting you both David, and Brian!

15 frames| 105 seconds each| stacked in StarStaX

3,186 seconds under Heaven

September 7, 2012September 7, 2012Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, hikes, Landscapes, Nature, Nikon, Photography, TravelTagged Astrophotography, Cathedral Peaks, D700, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon D700, Photography, Star Trails1 Comment

3186 seconds under Heaven, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Via Flickr:
Copyright © 2012 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

That little bit of mist on the lake was cool. It would come and go all the while my companions and I shot here. While shooting on the other side of the lake an hour before we heard a pack of coyotes howling and yipping in the distance. While shooting these star trails something caught my eye moving just to the left on the shore. I thought it was a coyote and in the dark you know how your eyes play tricks on you right…well thankfully it was a only a lone Doe walking by.
I wondered why she was alone and not already fast asleep safely in her den at that hour.
Her belly looked a little large so my thought was she was pregnant. I couldn’t get a shot of her it was too dark… and I admit it I darted behind Enrico when I first caught sight of her in the dark. 🙂 Yes, my instinct is flight not fight.

There is something about the stars that set the Gypsy blood astir…

April 24, 2012April 24, 2012Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, Landscapes, Nature, Nikon, PhotographyTagged Astrophotography, D700, Long Exposure, Night Photography, Nikon, Star TrailsLeave a comment

I am inspired by William Bliss Carman’s thought about things that stir the Gypsy blood for the title of this piece. The stars do stir my blood and I wish I could travel up there. Perhaps someday we will.

This tree was absolutely gorgeous, and in a perfect location for shooting a star trail at the end of a day of shooting wildflowers, creeks, and a waterfall in Northeastern California. I’d gone up with some friends to meet more photography friends in a Meet-up group we’re in. While we set up for the shot and finished up we listened to little frogs croaking, and following them were crickets. A lovely round of natures music that I’m sure continued long into the night.

My battery died short of where I wanted it to for this sequence of star trails. A lesson learned! I will insert a fresh battery from now on.

Polaris Blues

August 16, 2010August 16, 2010Posted in California, Landscapes, NikonTagged Astrophotography, North Star, Polaris, Star Trails, Starry Sky, SunsetLeave a comment

A friend and I went south to the town of Morgan Hill about 30 mins. from me to Henry Coe State Park to shoot the stars for Star Trails, and we hoped for a nice sunset too.

Arriving early we scouted the area and found a couple of really beautiful oak trees that we thought would make a lovely foreground to our star trail photographs.

We set up camp which for me is a folding chair, tripod, and camera gear then waited for the sun to set.

The sunset was so golden, and even with my LB ColorCombo Polarizer and SinghRay2 stop soft edge Grad ND filter the sun was hot, and I had lots of sun flare. I actually think it came out cool looking in this photo.

After this we moved across to the opposite side of this hill to set up for the Moon Rise. The colors on this side of the valley were so much prettier

than the sunset.

I loved the bands of red and blue. One of the beautiful oaks made for a lovely foreground.

After the moon rise I moved locations to set up and start my test shots for my star trail sequence. Here’s the second test shot.

I was lining up the foreground and Polaris, the North Star.

We weren’t alone up there last night. There was also an Astronomer hobbyist taking photos of the stars and nebulae with his star tracking gear, and telescope mounted to his camera. It was such a wonderful evening chatting with him and looking through his large telescope at Jupiter, Venus, and the Moon.

I’m still working on my Star Trail photograph. I hope to post it tomorrow.

Nikon D300s

Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8AF-S

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