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Quadrantid Meteor Showers over the Superstition Mountains_Apache Junction, Arizona

Quadrantid Meteor Showers over the Superstition Mountains_Apache Junction, Arizona

12 hour exposure at f-8, 120 Super Angulon Lens, Tri-X 4x5 film.

12 hour exposure at f-8, 120 Super Angulon Lens, Tri-X 4x5 film.
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Sep, 2014

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Awards

Winner in Star Trail Photography Photo Challenge

Peer Award

+18

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photograph was taken looking East at the Superstition Mountains in Apache Junction, Arizona. The photograph was made during the Quantrid Meteor Shower.

Time

A winter's night. This time of the year, night and day are about equal in Arizona. To accomplish the photograph that is displayed, I had tested film exposure during a full moon.

Lighting

I had tested the film exposure during the full moon. It took me 2 tests to gather the proper information needed for exposure and development. However, it was fortunate this event happened during the first quarter moon; using the earth as my gobo, and the glow of the lights from the neighborhood in the foothills to provided fill light illumination, this gave me the added time I needed to accomplish a 12 hour exposure. I used the standard light fall off of 1.4 studio light calculation to determine my new exposure time from my full moon test. The back light glow is from Gold Canyon located behind the Superstitions, and from the rising sun.

Equipment

I used a modified Wista view camera. A 120 Super Angulon Schneider Lens. My tripod is a Gitzo XL with a pan-tilt head. The exposure for 4x5 Tri-X film developed in Ilfotech HC, was f/8 at 12 hours, processed N+1.

Inspiration

A winterâ€™s night in the desert is magical, and during this night it was filled with quiet noise. The scene of the Superstitions - was in front of my lens, and the drama of the night â€“ was recorded onto my film. This is the night for the Quadrantid Meteor Showers.

Editing

No post-processing. I printed the "Quadrantid Meteor Shower over the Superstition mountains" photograph in my darkroom onto gelatin silver paper. Making this print is exhilarating.

In my camera bag

My backpack has a modified Wista View Camera. Two Schneider Lenses: A 120 Super Angulon, and a 210 Symmar-S. A Pentax modified light meter. A dark cloth, 4x5 film holders, a tape recorder, a red flash light, filters, and reading glasses.

Feedback

Test your materials to give yourself a chance to succeed, especially during a winter's night. Let the scene dictate surprises, not your materials. Bring a thermos of hot coffee, and a peanut butter sandwich. A warm coat, gloves, hat, and those hand warmer packs sold in sporting goods stores (you will be glad you did). Most importantly, enjoy that your camera took you to a little bit of heaven on earth-for me, for this photograph-it was a night in the desert.

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Quadrantid Meteor Showers over the Superstition Mountains_Apache Junction, Arizona

12 hour exposure at f-8, 120 Super Angulon Lens, Tri-X 4x5 film.

Behind The Lens

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