Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: MartinSpence on January 17, 2014, 04:55:22 am

Title: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: MartinSpence 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..

(http://www.martinspencephotography.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Fuji-XE1-Giants-Causeway-Landscape-and-Star-photograph-large-61.jpg)

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/
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: francois on January 17, 2014, 05:28:05 am
It might have been your first attempt but you managed to get a superb image.
Title: Re:
Post by: Torbjörn Tapani 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.
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: MartinSpence 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..
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: Walt Roycraft 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.
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: esox on January 17, 2014, 07:52:25 am
I just love it, I love this atmosphere.
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: MartinSpence 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/
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: MartinSpence on January 17, 2014, 08:23:09 am
I just love it, I love this atmosphere.

Thanks - it was a glorious night!!
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: Walt Roycraft 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
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: MartinSpence 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 :-)
Title: Re:
Post by: sdwilsonsct 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.
Title: Re:
Post by: MartinSpence 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
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: Christoph C. Feldhaim 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
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: graeme 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.
Title: Re: Chasing the Aurora..
Post by: MartinSpence 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..