Colors of the Night
This aurora was for me, the best show I have yet to witness. Standing in a muddy swamp to make use of the reflections in the still, shallow water, this picture ...
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This aurora was for me, the best show I have yet to witness. Standing in a muddy swamp to make use of the reflections in the still, shallow water, this picture contains a little bit of everything; from right to left, there is the moon, Venus, some Milky Way, a stunning display of the Aurora Australis, the International Space Station, a second satellite and Orion just rising in the east. It was worth putting up with the smell and getting wet, muddy feet for. South Arm, Tasmania.
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Jul, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in freezing cold ankle deep water in my smelly local 'swamp', it's actually an ephemeral salt marsh, and the sheltered shallow water makes for great reflections of the night sky.Time
This display of the Aurora Australis (aka the Southern Lights) was shot on November 9, 2013. The display lastest for several hours, and was one of the most spectacular displays I have witnessed with colourful beams of aurora reaching high into the sky.Lighting
The foreground is lit by the moon (top right of the image), a passing car's headlights illuminates some of the mid-ground trees, and natures best light show, the Aurora Australis glows bright on the horizon.Equipment
This image is a stitched pano taken with a Canon 7D, Tokina 11-16mm lens and cable release.Inspiration
I love shooting the night sky, I feel at peace under a blanket of stars, and Tasmania's night sky is spectacular with minimal light pollution and regular displays of the aurora. Any clear nights, particularly when there is a chance of aurora I'm out under the stars.Editing
This pano was stitched in Autopano Pro and edited in Lightroom - the colours are as shot, straight out of camera, with just some changes to highlights and contrast of the reflections.In my camera bag
My 7D is always my go to camera, it's been so reliable. I also love my Tokina 11-16mm, it's infinity mark is spot on, which makes focusing on the stars a breeze. On stepping up to full frame, I have switched to Nikon, and my favourite combination is now my D750 and 50mm f/1.8, it's a beautifully sharp lens, and the shorter exposures and greater detail really bring a whole new dimension to time lapses of the aurora.Feedback
Go out and look up! A night out under the Milky Way is so much better for the soul than staying on the couch in front of the TV. Know your gear so you can use it easily in the dark. Know the indicators for predicting if an aurora is likely to show up. Always tell someone where you are going. Think about your foreground. Have a tolerant boss that doesn't mind you turning up for work tired the next day! http://james-stone.com/#/night-sky/
