It's A Long Way From Here To There By Wayne Pinkston Via Flickr: Website Instagram Facebook Bryce Canyon

Land of Endless Compositions: The trend nowadays is to not reveal locations, but it can be hard to talk about a shot without revealing the location. 🤔 Oh, well... There are almost endless compositions in the American Southwest if you are willing to look for them and do some hiking. Single, 24 mm, 20 sec., f/2.8, ISO 12,800 https://www.instagram.com/p/CJy-8weBAZ2/?igshid=186uj3z36yafd

Questions and Answers

Lights for illuminating Nightscapes

People have asked me a number of questions about equipment, issues, and technique in Nightscape or Landscape Astrophotography. Since many of these questions are recurring, I am going to post the questions and answers here. I’ll answer your questions to the best of my ability!

Q:   I noticed that in many of your Milky Way shots you include a nicely lit, probably light-painted (in a subtle way) foreground. What flashlight(s) or illumination do you use for your light painting? The way a lot of your scenes look is completely natural so either you're using moonlight (doubtful), composites (maybe) or light painting using a really good technique. So I would love to know how you achieve those great foregrounds.

A: Yes, I use a form of static light painting for most of my photos. I use dimmable LED video lights with warming filters and diffusion filters. The lights are too blue without the filters, but the ones I use all came with warming filters. The ones I use most are F&V Z96 (96 LEDs) dimmable Video LEDs that I purchased on Amazon for around $80 USD. There Is also A Neewer 160 that is even brighter for about $30, but sometimes too bright. I just discovered the Newer 60 LED, and the Neewer 32 LED lights for around $20, and I am hoping these will be good for small spaces like inside arches. I just bought them. I usually place a F&V Z 96 on a miniature tripod about 40-50 meters away if possible, to the side, and at around 45 degrees to the object of interest. This helps to create shadows and depth. If you have the light too near you then the photo looks flat. It needs to be at an angle to the scene. I place the same LED lights in arches or behind rocks, etc., and if they are too bright, then I place a lens cloth (black or white), or napkin, or handkerchief over the front to damp the light. In tight spaces I will sometimes use a hand held light or torch. The hand held halogen lights, lithium or xenon have the right color of light. Black and Decker and Stanley make rechargeable versions and are available at Home Depot, etc, for $20-30. I never shine them directly on the object of interest. I find a rock or even the ground and shine the light on something off to the side at around 45 degrees, and the reflected light will look more natural and even. 

Horseshoe Bend of the Little Colorado River by Wayne Pinkston Via Flickr: Website, Instagram, Facebook Horseshoe Bend of the Little Colorado River. There are 4-5 horseshoe bends in the Little Colorado River within the Grand Canyon, and this is one of them. Different bends line up with the Milky Way at different times. This is in the Navajo Nation so you need a permit to go there. The Grand Canyon is not as deep here as it is more west, but is still really impressive, and the river views are excellent. That is the real color of the water. I have not changed it at all, only mildly increased contrast. The sky is a stack processed in Starry Landscape Stacker. This is one frame at 14 mm. Foreground was a long exposure of 5 min, f/2.0, ISO 1600. Sky was a stack of 20 images at f/2.0, 20 sec, ISO 6400. Images blended in PS. There was a LOT of airglow which I find appealing. Cheers, Wayne

Peek-A-Boo by Wayne Pinkston Via Flickr: Website, Instagram, Facebook This is a panorama of several photos taken with a 12 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. I’ve included 2 photos. The first photo is the image after the distortion was corrected in Photoshop. The second image is before the correction. Note the angled horizon in the second image. The camera and lens were pretty severely angled to get the entire opening in the image. There is Low Level Lighting (LLL) with 2 Goal Zero Micro Lanterns. One is behind me to my left and one is down the ravine to get some light on the more distant walls. Both are turned to low and are covered with a handkerchief to further diffuse and lower the light. The Goal Zero Mini has a very nice neutral to slightly warm light colour temperature. 12 mm, f/2.8, 25 sec., ISO 8000. I actually like the one with the crooked horizon a little better, but someone will complain, lol. This recess is somewhat like a cave or alcove and somewhat like a small canyon, not sure what to call it. Maybe a cave-yon? 😂 The Milky Way lines up beautifully at certain times of the year making this a great spot. This is in the Navajo Nation and you need a Navajo guide to go there.

The Totem Pole, Monument Valley by Wayne Pinkston Via Flickr: Website Instagram Facebook The Totem Pole, Monument Valley, Utah. I am planning to lead a Landscape Astrophotography workshop in Monument Valley in June 2018, a 3 day workshop on June 7, 8, and 9 (Thursday through Saturday), and potentially a 4 day workshop June 11 through 14 inclusive. Sunday, June 10 (the in-between day) will be a "bonus day" for any participant who wants another night of shooting. So you can get in 4 nights of shooting in the first workshop and 5 nights in the second. I am trying to judge interest to determine whether to add the second workshop. Max of 6 participants in each workshop. Let me know you if you are interested in the comments below. Comments are non-binding, lol. This workshop will be run by Worldpix, a charity organization, and all profits will go to charity, so your participation will be helping a good cause. I will be donating my time in leading the workshop. The idea is to have fun doing photography and aide a good cause at the same time. We will cover planning night shoots, photographing the Milky Way (and landscape at night), Low Level Lighting, and processing Milky Way photos, with emphasis on single exposure acquisitions. Cheers, Wayne For more images like this please take a look at Wayne Pinkston Photography . Thanks for all the kind support! Hope you enjoy! A big thank you to the wonderful Flickr family. It's a pleasure to post here.

Questions and Answers

What are some good places to shoot the Milky Way in the SW United States?

Question: I was wondering if you could offer up your recommendation on a getaway spot for Milky Way photography? Any issues at the national parks in Utah? I would travel either in June or September to avoid crowds....and hopefully a bunch of workshop photographers too. I loved wondering the beaches of the Pacific coast...I feel like I had them all to myself and access was relatively easy...and I'm trying to scope out locations for future trips that are the same....I don't want to be hiking 3 days into some crazy remote area for a milky way shot. Looking at your badlands shots and Joshua tree pics has me bouncing around with different options for sure. Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated. 

Answer: Overall Utah and the area has limitless possibilities for dark night skies and astrophotography. I'll tell you good spots for good foregrounds. All of the areas I mention are good for dark night skies.  Just as a generalization, when I go there to do astrophotography I literally chase the clear skies to maximize the number of clear shooting nights. I rent a car and drive to wherever the clearest skies are predicted for the next few days.  The rental companies probably hate me. I usually fly into Salt Lake City or Las Vegas. I have found that the eastern part of California (Sierra Nevada Mtns), Utah, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon(really,really dark), and the NW corner on New Mexico (N.M. Badlands) can have very different weather, so if one area gets a bad weather front there is a good chance that one of the others will have clear skies. The longest drive is to Eastern California, but it is doable if you are going to be there a few days.

Anyway, if one spot clouds up, like Utah, you can go off to California or New Mexico (or vice versa) and have lots to photograph there.

Here are some ideas:

Utah:

 Arches National Park has wonderful iconic landmarks to photograph, and the good part is that there are lots of good spots that are relatively close together. May and June are best. Arches NP is getting crowded at night, but the only really "zoo" like scene is at Delicate Arch. I went there last summer and almost witnessed a fight. The other iconic places like Double Arch, Broken Arch, Balanced Rock, Landscape Arch, etc., do not get as much night traffic. Sometimes I see one other person there. Sometimes there are workshops, but you just go to another location to avoid them. There are lots of less well known arches that you will have to yourself.

My favorite park at night is Bryce Canyon NP. Occasionally you will see someone else out at night near the trailheads but you usually have the area to yourself. The trails are easy, and you can make endless photo ops. Shoot one spot and walk 200 meters and shoot another. Great place.

Zion NP is also excellent at night.

False Kiva in Canyonlands NP is a good spot, but it is about a 2 km hike in.

Goblin Valley State Park is a fun spot to photograph for a night. 

 In SE area of Utah is a place called the Valley of the Gods, a little visited area that has excellent buttes and mesas to film at night. Just south of the Valley of the Gods is Monument Valley, a classic spot. You have to get permission from the Navajo Indians to go out at night there.

Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument has really good stuff to photograph at night but it is really spread out. There is lots of driving involved there. Good spots: Sunset Arch, Chimney Rock, The Devils Garden, Metate Arch, The Toadstools, Dance Hall Rock, etc. The Wave is good if you can get a permit.

Northern Arizona: 

 North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Try Imperial Point and Bright Angel Point and Cape Royal. They face in the right direction to see the Milky Way. Monument Valley is excellent.

Northwest New Mexico: 

I love the New Mexico Badlands. The chance you will see someone else there at night is pretty close to zero. You may have to hike up to about 3 km or 2 miles or so in one direction at most, usually less. There are no trails so you need a GPS device to avoid getting lost, or maybe just less lost. I just use an app on my phone. The Bisti Badlands, about 30 miles or 50 km or so south of Farmington are great. There are many photo ops in a small place. Also good are the Valley of Dreams (with a hoodoo called the Alien Throne), the Valley of Dreams East, an area with a hoodoo called the King of Wings, and a nearby area called Ah-shi-sie-pah. All of these areas are in the same general vicinity, within a 1 hour drive. In the Badlands, once you get into the good ares there are numerous good photo ops. I get the GPS coordinates of the specific spots I want to visit ahead of time. Here are some links:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zJCKjjljTPpw.kTu66ZH6E1zQ&hl=en_US

http://www.thewave.info/AhShiSlePah/index.html

http://www.thewave.info/BistiBadlandsCode/Map.html

Eastern California:

 In Eastern California there is a long valley that extends from North to South with the Sierra Nevada range to the West and the White Mountains to the East. There are a lot of great places to do night photography there.

 Near the Northern End of this area is Lake Mono, a very "otherworldly" place with lots of large spires called Tuffas rising up from the lake bed. 

Going south you get to the area of Bishop, Ca. where you can go to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, a great place at night.

Still going south you get to Lone Pine, Ca., and the Alabama Hills, with a number of iconic spots, like Mobius Arch and Cyclops Arch. Lots of movies were shot here.

Still going south you come to Ridgecrest, Ca, and the nearby Trona Pinnacles. This is another place with an unusual otherworldly landscape. A number of movies were shot here also.

Still going south you get to Joshua Tree NP. There is some light pollution there but I have come away with decent photos.

Still going south you come to Borrego Springs, Ca. Outside the town there are 140+ life sized metal statues or works of art scattered through the desert, like dinosaurs, mammoths, dragons, and many other ancient and current animals. These are fun to photograph at night with the MW in the background. You can create an interesting atmosphere. Check this link for sn ides of what you might see:

https://www.google.com/search?q=borrego+springs+statues+night&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi2g4mm5oHKAhVEzGMKHfOdAaQQ_AUIBygB&biw=1398&bih=1285

Also, just east of the Alabama Hills is Death Valley NP with very dark skies.

Cheers, Wayne Pinkston,  2015

Questions and Answers

How to take vertical photos and panoramas:

Question: What do you use to mount the camera vertically for your panos?

Answer: I use an "L" bracket. Here are photos from a Google search:

https://www.google.com/search?q=l+bracket+camera&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1584&bih=1295&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwit5fCbseLPAhXJHT4KHaYqAu0Q_AUICSgC

It screws on the bottom of the camera, and will attach to the tripod head either horizontally or vertically. It is Much better than turning the tripod head vertically, with the camera hanging to the side. The camera, when vertically with the L bracket, is balanced over the center of the tripod, and is much more stable than if you turn the whole tripod head sideways. Also, because the center of rotation is closer to the sensor plane there is much less parallax. Parallax has not been an issue for me. I use an Acratex L bracket and tripod head. There are many brands, and you just need to make sure the L bracket fits with whatever tripod head you are using. You can also use a nodal rail to further prevent paralax, This helps to center the sensor plane right over the center of rotation. In my night images paralax problems have not been a issue however when using the Acratex L bracket. Hope this helps, Cheers, Wayne

http://waynepinkstonphoto.com

Where a Civilization once Thrived... by Wayne Pinkston Via Flickr: This is the Anasazi or Ancient Puebloan Riun called the 16 Room Ruin. It has many other names but this one seems most common. It is located just south of Bluff, Utah adjacent to the San Jaun River. This is part of an experimental series to see if the Anasazi Ruins are amenable to photography at night. I would love to combine an interest in the Anasazi with nighttime photography. I spent several days in August in the SE corner of Utah photographing several ruins at night, to be processed over the next few weeks. One thing I did discover is this: Being in these ruins at night is fascinating. To see the starlit sky, and be surrounded by ancient habitations where people once thrived is magical. It's like going back in time. The alcoves just glow with the light. You can imagine the glow of fires illuminating the ceiling and walls centuries ago. This ruin is in one of a small minority of Alcoves or Caves that opens facing North, and faces a fertile plain overlooking the San Juan River. Because it opens to the North, the Milky Way is seen overhead to the South. Most of the Anasazi Ruins purposefully open facing South, providing shade in summer and sunlight and heat in winter. It seems they were more concerned with these mundane everyday matters than with the needs of photographers that would come 800 years later. On the other hand the Milky Way may be visible looking out of many alcoves at some point in the year. There are limited choices for photo ops. Sometimes the only decent choice is looking into the Alcove, sometimes the only choice is to look out. Most of the flat "bench" in the Alcoves was used as building sites, and there is not a lot of room to roam around. The maintained and easily accessed Anasazi tourist locations in parks are closed at night. You can get a permit to photograph these at night for hundreds of dollars. There are, however, numerous sites on Bureau of Land Management land that are not maintained. There are unmarked trails to many of these ruins, and if you can find them you can photography at night. Many require a hike of a mile or more through rough trails. They are open to visitation but the BLM does not make them easy to find, sometimes knocking down cairns that mark the way. This is a panorama of 10 vertical images combined in Lightroom. Taken with a Canon 6D camera and a Bower 24mm f 1.4 lens at f 1.4, 15 sec, and ISO 6400. There are 6 lights used. There are 4 very small lights shining up on he ruins from just in front, and there are 2 larger lights lighting the whole alcove. Warming filters were used on the lights. The ridge looks more domed than it really is because of looking upwards at a relatively close structure. Disclaimer: No ruins were harmed in the making of this photo! So what do you think? Is this kind of image interesting or worth pursuing? Thanks for taking the time to look. Hope you enjoy! Your time, faves, and comments are much appreciated! Please join me at: Website Facebook Blog

White Pocket Panorama by Wayne Pinkston Via Flickr: Website, Instagram, Facebook Panorama at White Pocket, Arizona. 10 images, 14 mm, f 2.0, 25 sec., ISO 12,800. I think this might be my first pano of the MW Arch in August. Typically I find the MW is too high to get onto a single row Pano by that time of year. Somehow I was able to fit the whole sweep of the MW onto a vertical 14 mm Pano. You can tell it is getting late in the MW season because the core has set relatively quickly during the night. There is still plenty on MW to see though! Note the Andromada Galaxy near the top of the frame, above the Milky Way, to the right. For more images like this please take a look at Wayne Pinkston Photography . Thanks for all the kind support! Hope you enjoy! A big thank you to the wonderful Flickr family. It's a pleasure to post here.

Joshua Tree at Night by Wayne Pinkston Via Flickr: Website Instagram Facebook Joshua Tree National Park, California. Canon 1Dx camera, Nikon 14-24 mm lens with an adaptor, f 2.8, ISO 6400. Lighting with Low Level Lighting (LLL). For more about this technique see lowlevellighting.org For more images like this please take a look at my website here . Thanks for all the kind support! Hope you enjoy! A big thank you to the wonderful Flickr family. It's a pleasure to post here. Cheers, Wayne