How To: Guiding light photo

[ankurhbk]

Hi There

I came across this photo and was wondering how to capture this kind of photo.

Also, can you give me some ideas for long exposure, night photography?

Thanks.

[pnodrog]

To capture the stars you need clear atmospheric conditions and to capture the beam of light (scattered) you need mist/fog or haze in the atmosphere. It would be most unusual to be able to do it with a single exposure. It may have been but I doubt it.

[shreds]

Possibly a composite?

[John 2]

Most of it could be genuine with just the beam rendered in PP.

[Dave Humphries]

It has been done quite well, but I suspect the person (and hence the beam) were added in PP, for me the person looks bigger than they should be standing on those rocks at that angle of view, but I may be wrong.


However, that's not much help to Ankur.

I found a few threads on the topic of capturing the stars like that, which should get you started.

Milky Way over Lavender Fields of Provence

Astrophotography post-processing

You may find more posts here: Astrophotography (CiC Tag Cloud)


Welcome to CiC and good luck, Dave


PS
Don't forget to show us how you get on.

[ccphoto]

If the presentation was larger it could be better analyzed for the "how." As is, I cannot tell how long the exposure was on the stars though know from experience it has to be at least 30 seconds given the amount of movement I do see. At that time frame, it is impossible for anyone to hold a flashlight that steady and also not have that light blow out the details of the stars so I agree the figure and the beam were both added PP. There are probably as many ways to to this as there are self-help- videos on youtube. Me, I just get out and experiment.

[DanK]

Chris beat me to it. This looks like a longer exposure than would be practical for a person standing, but perhaps not if it was shot at a very high ISO. The rocks in front are clearly illuminated either by a point source (could be a light on shore) or by light painting.

[Thlayle]

Hello, Ankur.

I have done a photo similar to this before. As I recall, it was not difficult. I just used my 'usual settings' -basically something like f/2.8 at a high ISO (1600?) and for about 20 to 25 seconds, taken from a tripod of course. Settings like those usually will capture the stars really well. In the example you have shared, it probably took a lot less time and lower ISO.

Night photography can involve a lot of experimentation, but it's not too hard to figure out.

It helps to have an area with really dark skies; hard to find. Also, a light source can be be added to 'paint' the scene. Often though, available light from nearby will help light up the foreground, such as the rocks in this case.

[Thlayle]

At that time frame, it is impossible for anyone to hold a flashlight that steady and also not have that light blow out the details of the stars so I agree the figure and the beam were both added PP. There are probably as many ways to to this as there are self-help- videos on youtube. Me, I just get out and experiment.

Experimentation is the key

The answer is really simple: the flash light is simply 'flashed', not turned on for the full exposure. That will allow it to show up without distorted burn out areas.

[Thlayle]

Ankur,

Here is my example: taken at f/2.8, 30 seconds and 3200 ISO. The background is darker so it could have been a better setting. This is also a 'self-portrait' -- using a remote intervalometer (a cheap one at that). If I had someone working with me, I would have done some bracketed exposures to bring out the foreground and possibly a small light to help.



Hope this helps. This isn't really hard & a fun shot to pose. I think I could do better. This was actually my first try at this specific type of composition.

This shot as it was done involved some PP but no compositing. If I hd used compositing it would have been to bring out the foreground better.

[William W]

. . . I came across this photo [photo] and was wondering how to capture this kind of photo.

The photo referenced was made by Dirk Dallas, he holds (or used to hold) Professor of Digital Media in California USA.
He is easily contactable. I suggest that you ask him how he made it.
BTW Dirk is also quite famous for his Drone Photography

***

Also, can you give me some ideas for long exposure, night photography?

“long exposure, night photography” of what Subjects?

If stars – then there are two main categories – WITH trails and WITHOUT trails?

Cityscapes?
Seascapes? Etc.

In general terms the gear usually required for the above:

> Tripod (solid and heavy and/or a center counter-weight)
> Tripod-head (solid and SOLID i.e. no slippage)
> Remote release
> Good optic: Prime Lenses will nearly always be less expensive than zooms for the same optical quality and Primes have a a more functional Lens Hood
> For Stars without trails a fast (usually very wide angle) Prime Lens is mandatory and if digital capture, a camera with good quality High ISO is also mandatory
> A camera with Mirror-Up facility

***

If you want Stars WITHOUT trails, then you should understand the Rule of 500 (or Rule of 600).

What camera(s) and what lens(es) do you have?

WW