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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in the White Mountains of California at an elevation of 10,200 feet. Photographing this beautifully twisted tree can literally, take your breath away.Time
11pm during early July is the time to photograph this tree with the Milky Way raising behind it. If you wait until late August or September the Milky Way will have moved beyond this composition.Lighting
I had no need for fancy lighting setup. All I needed was an old maglite flashlight to light paint the foreground.Equipment
I used my trusty Canon 80D attached to a basic Amazon tripod that I got for $15.00. For the lens, I used a 10mm Rokinon f2.8.Inspiration
I have always been inspired by this tree and all of the Ancient Bristlecone pine trees. This tree is just a short drive up the hill and as a child, I used to love hearing stories my grandpa and grandma told about these gnarly twisted trees.Editing
Lightroom... Lightroom was the key to my editing. One layer for the night sky. One layer for the foreground, and one more layer for the tree. This image was a single exposure. I could have done an exposure for the sky and another exposure for the land but that is not my style. Sometimes, one sho, is all you need.In my camera bag
I normally travel light with two Canon 90D bodies and two EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. One body can be used for 4k video (if needed). For my telephoto needs, I use a 55-250mm lens.Feedback
Space along the trail at this location is limited and going off trail is strictly prohibited. Please stay on the trail. My advice to people is to stay on the trail. Your photo is not worth destroying the delicate habitat that these trees live in.