|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961 |
It is “Milky Way” season again. The best time to view and photograph the “center” of the universe is from around the beginning of May through the end of October. I really like photographing the night sky and the Milky Way, especially with a great foreground object. During my recent trip the southwest, mainly Utah, Arches NP and Canyonlands NP were my main focus for the evening or morning shoots. The moon set around midnight to 2 a.m. on the days we were there which allowed several hours of great shooting. I used the Tamron SP 15-30mm f2.8 Di VC USD lens for all of my night sky images. I have come to refer to it as “the Milky Way Slayer”, because as one of my fellow shooters kept saying, it was killing it. Using the Tamron SP 15-30mm f2.8 Di VC USD lens on a Canon 5Diii made for some great hi resolution, low noise images. The lens allowed it to capture tack sharp stars and sharp edged foreground objects as well. On the lens, my setup was simply to turn off the VC since I was doing a long exposure on a tripod, set the lens to manual focus and on the infinity mark. It seems that right in the center of the mark is best. On my camera all the images were shot at ISO 3200, Manual Exposure mode, 30 seconds, and f2.8. I occasionally shot at f4 but rarely. I shot on a tripod and used a cable release to minimize any shake. I didn’t do any light painting but with the shot of Mesa Arch there was a little light from my fellow photographer’s phone for a few brief seconds. I did lighten up the shadow area of the shot of Mesa Arch as well. In Lightroom I simply kicked up the Vibrance, set my WB to about 3400K, moved up the Contrast and Noise Reduction and lastly moved the Dehaze slider to about +25. To me, I have found the perfect lens for shooting the night sky, it is the Milky Way Slayer, I mean the Tamron SP 15-30mm f2.8 Di VC USD lens. If you like shooting the night sky or any wide angle landscape, this is the lens for you. Give Joel a call up at Camera Land and get your lens ordered today. As always mention you are a member of the Campfire for the best pricing available on all of your photography needs.
Great photography is not about being in the right place at the right time, it is about putting yourself in the right place at the right time.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,871
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,871 |
Your pics are stunning. Thank you for sharing
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961 |
Thanks! Digital photography makes shooting the Milky Way fun!
Great photography is not about being in the right place at the right time, it is about putting yourself in the right place at the right time.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,778
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,778 |
As usual, great stuff and thanks for the tech hints. Looking forward here to next summer's solar eclipse.
Last edited by 1minute; 06/01/16.
1Minute
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,123
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,123 |
A friend really likes his Tamron 15-30. He combines it with a Canon 5dsR and an AstroTrac for pinpoint stars. I still use the 600/mm=seconds rule to minimize star trails, when I can hear the alarm to wake up in the middle of the night ;-)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961 |
Thanks 1minute. Doug this was the first time I had tried them with the Canon 5Diii and was very impressed. I am going to shoot some with my Nikon D500 that I just got from Joel when I have a clear night or next weekend in Arches. I am going to try a few at ISO 6400 and ISO 12,800 to reduce the shutter speed to 15 seconds and 8 seconds to see what it does.
Great photography is not about being in the right place at the right time, it is about putting yourself in the right place at the right time.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,121
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,121 |
Nice pics. I 'almost' wish it got dark here now!
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,121
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,121 |
Nice pics. I 'almost' wish it got dark here now!
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961 |
Wait a couple months...right?
Great photography is not about being in the right place at the right time, it is about putting yourself in the right place at the right time.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,121
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,121 |
Late-night in Sept. (moose season) it isn't too bad if it's clear. (Ha!)
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,233
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,233 |
Stunning pics. Great info. Thanks for pistibg
"Put none but Americans on guard tonight." -George Washington
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961 |
Thanks cv540. ironbender, how are the Northern Lights in September, if it is clear of course? It is on my list for the next year to get up there, just trying to decide when is best. Bears, Eagles, and Northern Lights.
Great photography is not about being in the right place at the right time, it is about putting yourself in the right place at the right time.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,436
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,436 |
Love these, especially the first with the almost disturbing awe that the Center brings along with the mysterious happenings on the horizon.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,778
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,778 |
Not a resident but I've been up after moose/caribou in September and witnessed some awesome lights.
1Minute
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 961 |
Thanks 5thShock. We had hoped to see some of the lights from northern Wyoming this past week but the clouds stopped any chance.
Great photography is not about being in the right place at the right time, it is about putting yourself in the right place at the right time.
|
|
|
|
707 members (10gaugeman, 160user, 12344mag, 10gaugemag, 1234, 007FJ, 69 invisible),
2,898
guests, and
1,303
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,190,486
Posts18,451,978
Members73,901
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|