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Old Maverick Road, Big Bend NPS
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Old Maverick Road, Big Bend NPS



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Big Bend National Park
Coyotes wailed just yards away
Bats darted overhead
Stars twinkled brightly
The moon shined on the dirt road...
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Big Bend National Park
Coyotes wailed just yards away
Bats darted overhead
Stars twinkled brightly
The moon shined on the dirt road.
Read less
cameraCanon EOS 5D Mark III

settings Aperture f/2.8 ISO 400 Shutter 26/1 Focal Length 40/1 

upload_dateMar, 2016

Views

1858

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Awards

Contest Finalist in Night Time Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Enchanted Nights Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in The Night Sky And The Stars Photo Contest
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Peer Award
richardeaton_9707 JessCDx213 davidjprosser Longinoart Rumble JoaoLavadinho TonyGuzmanG +153
Superb Composition
Johnsalterego roro1004 robiecagle Sumelle terrymccollum ReinaR nicciv +13
Absolute Masterpiece
James-Evans photosue50 Jdean80 germansilvabenitez Canadianeh nachamatablanco gallmese +5
Top Choice
Eddieuuu071 bryannamurphy Esperenza Achuthan HollyCpix Manurio Johnnythompson +5
Magnificent Capture
karinmcfarlane NikHallBDS SpiritAndSoul carlosarrastia Capture-Life Mdj635 Gilleroo1
Outstanding Creativity
jeffhutchison franoisrwhyte liviu59
Superior Skill
CherokeeKid Bdubois traceymcdonald
All Star
timboten mantequillas

Emotions

Impressed
bryannamurphy malcolmdjeffries NJ219bands manaskumarmanna Jdean80

Top Ranks

Night Time Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Night Time Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Enchanted Nights Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Creative Landscapes Photo Contest vol9Top 30 rank
Empty Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
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Capture The Stars Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Empty Roads Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Empty Roads Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
The Night Sky And The Stars Photo ContestTop 30 rank
The Night Sky And The Stars Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Favorite Travel Memory Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Favorite Travel Memory Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 2
Favorite Travel Memory Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
The Stars Photo ContestTop 30 rank
The Stars Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Capture The Milky Way Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Our World At Night Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Everything Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Everything Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
A Road Trip Photo ContestTop 20 rank
A Road Trip Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
The Moonlight Photo ContestTop 20 rank
The Moonlight Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Into The Night Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Desert Views Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Our National Parks Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Our National Parks Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Seeking Light In Nature Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 8Top 20 rank
Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 8Top 20 rank week 1

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2 Comments |
Mundhir_S
 
Mundhir_S June 06, 2017
Awesome capture and great composition ????
Jdean80 Platinum
 
Jdean80 March 15, 2022
Awesome shot! Perfectly composed! Nicely done!

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Behind The Lens

Location

The night was air was cool as the bats fluttered overhead in Big Bend National Park. Within earshot, a coyote mother fed her yelping pups. Old Maverick Road is fourteen miles of unimproved road through the desert.

Time

In February, the days are short. This image was captured a few hours after sunset near 10 pm at night.

Lighting

The moon was shining bright providing the illumination for the dirt road.

Equipment

The tripod held steady while I released the shutter with a wireless remote.

Inspiration

Visiting remote wilderness and bring back just a little bit of the beauty to share with friends and family is great fun. Seeing the stars in Big Bend NPS where light pollution does not exist is very special. We were very lucky for this crystal clear sky.

Editing

Post-processing was minimal. I boosted clarity and contrast to give the image a sharp clean feel.

In my camera bag

My bag changes frequently. My Canon 5D is always present, but flashes, lens, and light modifiers change out frequently. I have collected many tools over the years, and I like to use them all.

Feedback

This was my very first attempt at star photography. The thing I did not know when I set out to capture the stars, is that the Milky Way rises and sets like the sun and moon. Knowing when the stars will be most densely packed in the sky is very helpful if you are trying to catch them in the sky. However, even without the Milky Way in your frame, you can capture images with depth and emotion.

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