Star Trails Attempts

[Francis247]

Just to share out some of my Star Trails attempt taken some time back.

20th July 2006
Went up to Fort Canning and tried taking star trails because I thought that by going to higher ground, I can avoid the stray lights from the street lamps and also have more interesting subjects for composition. But I was wrong.

The stray lights from those tall buildings and towers and flood light from don't know which building literally light up the sky.

Here are my disaster star trails shot anyway.

#1.

Setting
Focal Length : 22mm
ISO : 100
Aperture : f8
Exposure Time : 479.5 secs
White Balance : Tungsten

#2.

Setting
Focal Length : 22mm
ISO : 100
Aperture : f8
Exposure Time : 479.5 secs
White Balance : Tungsten

#3.

Setting
Focal Length : 22mm
ISO : 100
Aperture : f8
Exposure Time : 599.5 secs
White Balance : Tungsten

[Francis247]

22nd July 2006
Was out to try star trails again at other location, but the star trails is still not bright enough. Maybe need to open up my aperture from f8 to f5.6 or f4. Still learning the ropes to star trails taking. Thank you.

#1.

Setting
Focal Length : 18mm
ISO : 100
Aperture : f8
Exposure Time : 899.2 secs
White Balance : Tungsten


#2.

Setting
Focal Length : 18mm
ISO : 100
Aperture : f8
Exposure Time : 410.3 secs
White Balance : Tungsten


#3.

Setting
Focal Length : 18mm
ISO : 100
Aperture : f8
Exposure Time : 899.2 secs
White Balance : Tungsten

#4.

Setting
Focal Length : 18mm
ISO : 200
Aperture : f5.6
Exposure Time : 299.7 secs
White Balance : Tungsten

[mmmrsia]

Originally Posted by Francis247 22nd July 2006 #3. Setting Focal Length : 18mm ISO : 100 Aperture : f8 Exposure Time : 899.2 secs White Balance : Tungsten

This one is nice. Imagine if more stars showed up...power.

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by mmmrsia This one is nice. Imagine if more stars showed up...power.

Hi mmmrsia,

Thanks for your comments. For this one, maybe I need to open up my aperture a bit more, the star trails are there, but they are too fine to be recorded.

[xtn32]

most areas in singapore are literally flooded with lights . . . i guess it's kinda hard to find a good place to take star trails . . . but those attemps are pretty good! . . . i love #3 as well

[donkuok]

Singapore has too much light pollution. You will hardly get a good star trails.

[Qazwer]

Originally Posted by donkuok Singapore has too much light pollution. You will hardly get a good star trails.

Agree!



By the way, bro Francis, nice series there.

[Youhong]

Nice try! Will like to attempt star trails too! 15minutes exposure time... How to know over or underexpose when using bulb mode? The pulau ubin one not bad... Mamam beach? Less stray lights around...

[ah.zeep]

Maybe we should try it at the Lim Chu Kang/Nee Soon areas...

[Hosea]

Hi Francis, surely you did enjoyed your first attempt... thx for sharing.

[weixing]

Hi,
May be you want to try this: by breaking up a long exposure to a lots of shorter exposure and use photoshop to "stack" them. If you do this right, you can get a nice star trail image.

Have a nice day.

[PnS]

Originally Posted by Francis247 #3.

With or without star trails, this is still nice

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by xtn32 most areas in singapore are literally flooded with lights . . . i guess it's kinda hard to find a good place to take star trails . . . but those attemps are pretty good! . . . i love #3 as well

Hi xtn32,

Thanks for your comments. It is indeed very hard to find a good place that is not polluted by lights in mainland Singapore. I haven't got the chance to try off-shore island yet. Hope to be able to try and post some photos to share with all. Cheerz.

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by donkuok Singapore has too much light pollution. You will hardly get a good star trails.

Yap, agree with that. But I believe that it still can be done in Singapore, maybe not in the mainland but offshore islands.

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by Qazwer Agree! By the way, bro Francis, nice series there.

Hey Bro,

Thanks for your comments. Haven't see your collection yet.

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by Youhong Nice try! Will like to attempt star trails too! 15minutes exposure time... How to know over or underexpose when using bulb mode? The pulau ubin one not bad... Mamam beach? Less stray lights around...

Hi Youhong,

Thanks for your comments. The exposure is really hard to determine but somehow I think that if it is slightly overexposed, it should still be ok. I use the basic exposure for normal night shoot and increase by 4~8 stops depending on how dark the surrounding is.

As I want to get the star trails, I need to open up the aperture to around f5.6 to f8 (f11 is still possible but may be too fine and the light pollution in Singapore may mask out the fine star trails), I use my lowest ISO rating @ 100, I work out the exposure timing to be around the range of 2minutes, 4minutes, 8minutes, 15minutes and so on. It is more of a trial and error at times.

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by ah.zeep Maybe we should try it at the Lim Chu Kang/Nee Soon areas...

Hi ah.zeep,

Thanks for the suggestion. Another possible location could be in one of those off-shore islands around mainland Singapore.

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by Hosea Hi Francis, surely you did enjoyed your first attempt... thx for sharing.

Hi Stanley,

Really enjoyed myself. Really look forward to more star trails attempt.

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by weixing Hi, May be you want to try this: by breaking up a long exposure to a lots of shorter exposure and use photoshop to "stack" them. If you do this right, you can get a nice star trail image. Have a nice day.

Hi weixing,

This concept is very interesting. I can give it a try next time round then. Thanks.

[Francis247]

Originally Posted by PnS With or without star trails, this is still nice

Hi PnS,

Thanks for your comments.