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Author Topic: Chasing the Aurora..  (Read 3714 times)

MartinSpence

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Chasing the Aurora..
« on: January 17, 2014, 04:55:22 am »

Last week there was a lot of hype about the Aurora being visible from most parts of the Uk.  So I headed up to the Giant's Casueway as there is no light polution when u get deep down in there. Unfortunately the Aurora never arrived but I got this star shot..



This was my first attempt at night time landscape photography - does anyone haev any tips on how to get sharp focus?

Thanks
M

For a few other photos from the night I put them here:
http://www.martinspencephotography.co.uk/chasing-aurora-giants-causeway-fuji-x-e1/

francois

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2014, 05:28:05 am »

It might have been your first attempt but you managed to get a superb image.
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Francois

Torbjörn Tapani

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Re:
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2014, 06:30:22 am »

Manual focus, liveview with magnification. Bright stars, the moon or city lights will work for infinity. To focus closer bring a flashlight and light some foreground object.
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MartinSpence

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2014, 06:59:08 am »

Thanks guys - must see if I can get the X-E1 to work with manual focus at night..

Walt Roycraft

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2014, 07:40:05 am »

Not crazy about the square crop. It puts the horizon thru the middle and I don't think the foreground adds anything. Other than that, It's a beautiful image. Evokes a sense of the night falling. I really like it.
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Walter Roycraft
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esox

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2014, 07:52:25 am »

I just love it, I love this atmosphere.
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MartinSpence

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2014, 08:02:54 am »

Not crazy about the square crop. It puts the horizon thru the middle and I don't think the foreground adds anything. Other than that, It's a beautiful image. Evokes a sense of the night falling. I really like it.

Thanks Walt - do u think I should crop more of the foreground below horizon out?

Did you check any of the other images I took?  Didn't want to post them all on here and clog up the forum - they're here:

http://www.martinspencephotography.co.uk/chasing-aurora-giants-causeway-fuji-x-e1/

MartinSpence

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2014, 08:23:09 am »

I just love it, I love this atmosphere.

Thanks - it was a glorious night!!

Walt Roycraft

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2014, 09:43:10 am »

Thanks Walt - do u think I should crop more of the foreground below horizon out?

Did you check any of the other images I took?  Didn't want to post them all on here and clog up the forum - they're here:

http://www.martinspencephotography.co.uk/chasing-aurora-giants-causeway-fuji-x-e1/

Martin, I did view the gallery and liked it a lot. The image that is in landscape crop does not work for me. I think the image posted here with maybe 1/4 of the bottom cropped out. My thinking is the square is so balanced between sky and land, I want the sky to be dominant so would crop bottom.Just my .02Cents
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Walter Roycraft
http://www.roycraftart.c

MartinSpence

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2014, 09:53:17 am »

Martin, I did view the gallery and liked it a lot. The image that is in landscape crop does not work for me. I think the image posted here with maybe 1/4 of the bottom cropped out. My thinking is the square is so balanced between sky and land, I want the sky to be dominant so would crop bottom.Just my .02Cents

Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts - Composition is a wonderful thing to learn to understand, what works and what doesn't :-)

sdwilsonsct

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« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2014, 10:36:13 am »

Manual focus, liveview with magnification. Bright stars, the moon or city lights will work for infinity. To focus closer bring a flashlight and light some foreground object.

Yes. And find the trade-off among aperture, ISO and exposure time to get those stars crisp.

Nice landscapes in your link.

MartinSpence

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« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2014, 04:24:30 am »

Yes. And find the trade-off among aperture, ISO and exposure time to get those stars crisp.

Nice landscapes in your link.

Thanks

Christoph C. Feldhaim

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2014, 04:27:31 am »

This is a great and nicely balanced shot.
Well done.
No need for any gimmicks like aurora, lightning or alien spaceships.
Cheers
~Chris

graeme

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2014, 07:30:45 pm »

It might have been your first attempt but you managed to get a superb image.

Damn right - brilliant image.
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MartinSpence

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Re: Chasing the Aurora..
« Reply #14 on: January 22, 2014, 07:12:11 am »

Thanks Chris & Graeme

Tho I would love to capture the Aurora some day - love what I have seen in images in Norway/Iceland etc... Not sure we'd ever get the same display in Northern Ireland tho..
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