Look to the foreground in Milky Way Photography

The Stars are not Enough
We are getting into the best season for Milky Way photography as the galactic disk gets higher in the sky at earlier hours.  Given the

Ancient Oak , Alyson's Orchard, Walpole, NH

fact that most humans now live in cities where light pollution obscures the galaxy, it shouldn’t be surprising that most people have never actually seen the Milky Way. Most star seekers have to travel far from city lights and then, to the unaided human eye, the Milky Way is still just a cloud-like band without any clear perception of the 400 billion of stars interacting with patchy collections of galactic dust.  Just a few years ago a picture showing the magnificent band of light and dust spreading across the night sky was a unique experience for those in the country as well as the city, but new digital cameras with highly sensitive sensors have radically changed our ability to look deeply into the night sky. Now the brilliance and complexity of the Milky Way has become relatively easy to capture and it has become the necessary target of most star field images. The fact that we can now easily see into our galactic disk is still a reason for profound wonder, but a bright and clear image of the Milky Way is no longer sufficient for a memorable picture.  The bar has been raised and now the essential additional element is the foreground.

The easiest part of night photography is the capturing of the Milky Way.  There are many great articles on the web that discuss the

Milky Way in My Driveway

necessary equipment and techniques and I need not go into detail here. Mike Blanchette is a master of night photography and his article in the New England Photography Guild’s blog covers all the basics.  All that is required is a camera with reasonable low light sensitivity, a tripod and a fast wide angle lens.  I use my Canon 5D mark II with the Canon 16-35 mm f2 lens.  Locating the Milky Way is also a simple task.  Smart phone apps can locate the galactic disk at any time and location.  I currently use “Sky Safari”, but “Stellarium” is another good option.  Finally, it is a matter of finding a location with reasonably low light pollution.  I typically shoot with an ISO of 3200, and, with my lens at 16mm and wide open at f2. I find I can capture the detail in the Milky Way with a 20 second exposure.  Longer exposures would allow a lower ISO and less noise but even with the wide angle lens, the stars begin to smear out as exposures increase.  The Rule of 600 (600/focal length) is often used to find the maximal acceptable exposure.   With a 16 mm lens, the equation would suggests that I could get away with a 30 second exposure without noticeable smearing, but I have found that 20 seconds works better to get sharper, pin-points of light.

This time of year getting the best view of the Milky Way requires getting out in the early hours.  Last weekend I dragged my old body out to Dublin Lake in Dublin, New Hampshire between one and four in the morning.  My goal was to capture the Milky Way rising above Mount Monadnock from across the lake. I had used “Sky Safari” and “Photographer’s Ephemeris” to find the best location. The night was perfect, a clear sky, comfortable temperatures and only the occasional tractor trailer rumbling by.   Sadly, I couldn’t convince any of my lazy friends to accompany me but the night was lovely and for the most part peaceful along the lake.  I found a nice pull over on Route 101 and settled in.  The Milky Way was right where it was supposed to be and the moon set precisely on schedule just after one AM.  I was able to capture a clear view of the Milky Way.

The Foreground

Chesterfield Steeple

Easy, but the problem was in finding a nice foreground to add interest to the images.  I was hoping for a windless night and a glassy lake to allow for a clear reflection of the stars, but sadly the breeze persisted and the ripples obscured any chance of mirrored magic.  The lake bank was steep with little of interest to include in the foreground.  There were very few lights across the lake except for one powerful beacon that appeared, for no particular reason, to be illuminating someone’s dock.  I was initially annoyed with the beacon and was planning how I would remove it in post, but then I decided to include it as an anchoring element in my compositions.  The light and its reflection across the water, combined with the framing trees to draw the eye to the Milky Way as it moved over the distant Mount Monadnock. 


I was tired but happy with the results as I headed home with the first glow of dawn at about 4 AM, but the experience reminded me once more that the Milky Way is no longer enough for a dramatic night sky image.  It is really all about the foreground, its interest, lighting, and how it complements the arc of light in the sky.  Given this new imperative there are a number of things to consider as you approach a night of galactic photography.

Find Your Foreground
In planning your location it is important to consider both the position of the Milky Way in the sky and the placement of

Great Stars _ No Foreground

interesting foreground elements in front of the band of light. Last week I knew that the Milky Way would be moving from southeast to southwest. I hoped to catch a nice starry reflection with Mount Monadnock in the background and, as I scanned the map, Dublin Lake seemed the best choice.  If you are lucky to be on the coast you may use a light house, a quiet harbor or the rocks and surf on an isolated beach for your foreground.  As you are looking out to sea, coastal skies also greatly reduce the problem of light pollution.  Those of us who are land-locked must contend with the seemingly unavoidable horizon glow and look for other subjects including barns, church steeples, or even a sadly stripped ancient tree.  Regardless of your location, the key to foreground selection is to remember that you will likely be using an extreme wide angle lens and, to provide any impact, foreground elements will need to be quite close.

Focus Stacking
The combination of wide open apertures and the need to focus at infinity makes it essentially impossible to keep nearby subjects and unimaginably distant stars in focus in the same image. This can be a problem even with the expanded depth of field with wide angle lens’. The solution is to grab an image focused on the foreground to blend with your star frames.  The contrast between foreground and sky is usually quite stark making focus stacking relatively easy when you get home.  The contrast between sky and foreground can also be enhanced with a little creative light painting.

Light Painted Barn

Light Painting the Foreground

Old Faithful, Yellowstone

Without some illumination foregrounds often appear only as silhouettes. Sometimes the light comes naturally from the moon or surrounding illumination, such as the Lodge lights at Old Faithful.  I often use my headlamp to paint the foreground and I find that even a brief touch of artificial lighting can make a surprising difference.  The duration of the lighting depends on the distance to the foreground and the intensity of the lamp.  For nearby subjects a weaker lamp allows for finer blending, but experimentation is the key.  I try to avoid overdoing the brightness.  For me a bit of subtle fill works better than unnaturally brilliant illumination. I strive to match the soft lighting I would expect to see from a full

Pillar of Light

moon. Because the foreground images will generally be taken separately, color balance differences can be adjusted later during the stacking process.  On Dublin Lake I struggled with my light painting.  It seemed that every time I took a shot a truck came through bathing the scene with intense illumination.  I never found a light painted image that seemed just right and I ended up with the trees mostly in silhouette. In some sense I think the dark trees created a frame which nicely contrasted with the beacon of light across the water. At least it worked for me.

Dublin Lake Beacon, Mt Monadnock

Ok.  All of this discussion can be distilled to a single maxim; "Place something interesting in front of the Milky Way in your night sky shots".  So get out there and experiment, and remember to take time to enjoy the night.  The Milky Way is about 110 thousand light years across and it isn't going anywhere soon.



Jeffrey Newcomer
Partridgebrookreflections.com

The "Best" of 2013

 Best Images Stories of 2013

This is the time of year when we see many photographers showing

Graze the Fence, Alstead, NH

what they feel are their best images of the year. I decided to do the same, picking favorite images is like picking favorite children.  I found myself regretting the pictures I had to leave out more than celebrating the few selected.  I ended up with   over 100 "favorites", but chopping this down to 10 was agony.  Then it occurred to me that what was really worthy of celebration was not the images, but the experiences, the locations, the people and the ideas that I have been privileged to explore over the past 12 months.  Pretty pictures are great, but they are really just the frosting on the cake.  What attracts me to photography is the treasure hunt as I learn more about the unique beauty of our region and the hunt doesn't end when I get home. In the digital darkroom I continue to search for the best ways to uncover the full potential of my images.  My goal is always to place the viewers feet in my place, to have them feel that they have stepped into the scene.  That they can see what I saw and feel what I felt.

Why I Blog

One of the major advantages of doing a weekly blog is that it forces

Farrier's Touch

me to define a mini self-assignment every week. I must assemble images and information to highlight the beauty of a  special location or theme, or to illustrate a technical point about photographic technique or post processing.  Often my photography and study is dominated by the needs of the upcoming blog, but it is a great way to keep my photography moving forward. I usually learn much more than I teach. 

So this week, instead of sharing what I think are my best images, I want to recall some of the experiences of 2013. The images may not be considered my best, but they will hopefully recall some of the best stories of this busy year. 
If you are desperate for the pretty pictures, check out my slide show at the end of the article.   Pick whichever 10 you like.

Back Roads and Unexpected Treasures
 Many of my blogs focus on the attractions of a specific New England location, some of which are familiar to me and others that I must discover along with my readers.  Here are just a few of my favorite shoots of the past year.



Meandering Vermont's Back Roads

Mill Brook, Townsend, Vermont

One of my favorite activities is to get lost on the back roads of my region.  After years of exploration it still surprises me how easy it is to finds paths I have never explored.  I started 2013 with a meander on the back roads of southeastern Vermont. As always I found new photographic opportunities and many spots to ad to my "must return" list.
Vermont Meander




 



Treasures of Dummerston Vermont 
My blog article on the attractions of Dummerston, Vermont was

Dummerston Sunset

another good example of the value of self-assignment.  My home is  just across the Connecticut River, and I had many great images of this classic New England town, but the "assignment" was the stimulus to explore new areas and angles.  I think I saw just about everything in the village, except Tom Bodette, "leaving the light on". Yes there is a Motel 6 in Brattleboro.
 Dummerston, Vermont
 




Blow Me Down Mill, Cornish 
Not all assignments are self generated.  Last spring I got a call from

Aspet House, St Gaudens Historic Site

Cam Mirisola, Senior Editor for New Hampshire To-Do Magazine looking for images for an up-coming article about Cornish, New Hampshire.  I already had plenty of pictures of the Cornish-Westminster Covered Bridge and St. Gauden's Historic Site, but the third site that she mentioned was entirely new to me.  Built in 1891, the Blow Me Down Mill was associated with the famous Cornish Art Colony.  I had a great time exploring the Mill From all angles.  The light was harsh and the trees bare, but I got some reasonable shots and last spring, I was reward with my images in NH To Do Magazine, including a two page spread.
 Blow Me Down Mill, Cornish, NH

Tale of Two Trees 
I am Primarily a landscape photographer so, by definition, I love trees. This year I had the opportunity to celebrate two special trees

Only a Memory

one which is a grand champion and the other whose grandeur is only a memory.  This summer the great Red Oak in Chesterfield's Friedsam Town Forest was identified as the largest in the county.  The tree is in good shape, but, sadly, the once majestic White Oak on the hill-top of Alyson's Orchard in Walpole had to be cut to the ground this year after being irretrievably damaged by a lightning strike.  The two events gave me the opportunity to appreciate both the strength and vulnerability of these magnificent living things that do so much to enrich our experience on earth.

Tale of Two Trees



 
Green River

Green River, Vermont

Green River is a small village in the Vermont town of Guilford. 
The village is quintessential New England with a classic covered bridge, a lovely timber frame dam and water fall, a typically austere white New England church, a welcoming country Inn and of course the mandatory red barn.  For me, the place has been a favorite photography spot for years. No matter how many times I return, I always find new inspiration.   This year I finally, and reluctantly, shared the secret of this hidden treasure. 
Green River, Vermont



 



Seeing in the Dark
This was a year for exploring the night sky as everyone seemed to discover the capability of fast digital sensors to probe deep into space and time.

Comet PanSTARRS

Comet PanSTARRS

2013 brought the promise of two, potentially spectacular Comets.  As it turned out Comet ION was a disappointment, but earlier in the year I was able to chase down Comet PanSTARRS.  The comet was barely visible to the eye, but, though the power of my digital camera's high IOS capability, I was able to capture it on a couple of evenings.  I even was able to sucker my friend Bob to join me for a cold evening to see the comet from the hill at Apryl's Orchard in Walpole, New Hampshire.
Comet PanSTARRS


 


In Search of the Milky Way
In any photographic exploration of the night sky, the most prominent feature by far is the Milky Way.  We have become aware of capability of high ISO sensors to show the band of light from our galaxy at an intensity far beyond the ability of our eyes to perceive,  even on the clearest night.  The digital camera has become a time machine capable of looking back in time tens of thousands of years.  This year I learned more about the techniques needed to capture the night sky, how to predict the location of the Milky Way and  how to plan my shoots to place the Galactic band behind interesting foregrounds.  The Milky Way is the obvious center of

Old Faithful & Andromeda

attention in many night sky images, but one of my favorite attractions is the Andromeda Galaxy.  Our closest neighboring large galaxy is 2.5 Million lights years away and to the unaided eye is a barely perceptible smudge in the sky, float below the constellation Cassiopeia. It is much better seen through the digital camera. I first discovered the galaxy by accident about a year and one-half ago while taking night photos of the eruption of Old Faithful in Yellowstone, but  now I'm always looking for this distant neighbor.  It is remarkable to look at light which has been traveling since the human species was in its early development.
The Glory of the Milky Way




Back to the Sea and That Means Lighthouses



Whaleback Dawn

I grew up on the New England coast and I try to get back as often as I can.  This year I was fortunate to have a few fruitful trips.  After failing last year, this year's annual summer visit to Rye Beach, NH was rewarded with a spectacular sunrise over  Whaleback
Lighthouse and a dramatic full double rainbow floating over the ocean.  In the autumn, Susan and had great time exploring around Camden, Maine.  The weather started rainy, but I was able to capture early morning light on Camden Harbor and a classic sunset at Marshall Point light.  Finally I got to Nubble Light when I was able to sneak away from an admittedly lovely wedding of the daughter of one of our good friends.

Rye Beach and Whaleback Lighthouse

Camden and the Middle Maine Coast

Atlantic Rainbow, Rye Beach, NH

Special Projects
In 2013 I had the opportunity to shift from my usual photography and explore new modes of expression.

Monadnock Documentary
In 2013 I continued to enjoy being a small contributor to Rabbit Ear Films as we work to produce a feature length documentary about our region's iconic feature, Mount Monadnock.  Most of the filming has been completed and the difficult editing phase is underway.  Our goal is to complete the film next year.  For me it has been a unique learning experience as I have come to understand the differences between what works for video as opposed to stationary landscape photography.  As a member of the Rabbit Ear Board of Directors I am experiencing the many complexities of assembling a top quality film, from the fund raising, to coordination of script, video, music and narration, and planning for promotion and distribution.  It is fascinating, but at times it reminds me of how easy it is to go out and photograph a tree. 
Monadnock Documentary Film (Check out our Trailer)



Chesterfield Conservation Commission Web Site
This year, I finally renovated our Chesterfield Conservation  Commission web site.  The previous site dated back to a time when I was still coding by hand in HTML.  Needless to say, it was getting very clunky.  The overhaul was simplified by the fact that I used Zenfolio, the portfolio system that I had just used to redo my own photography web site.  The Commission site is loaded with great information, including descriptions and maps of public lands, information on events and general conservation resources.  The system makes updates simple and intuitive and most importantly changes can be easily made by any member of the commission.
Chesterfield Conservation Commission Web Site


Sound
At the end of last year I upgraded my portfolio site using Zenfolio.

Recorder & Dead Cat

Part of the program is the capability to create beautiful slide shows. At first I tried adding music to the shows, but then I decided to use the sounds of nature.  I started roaming the back roads with my Zoom H4n field record looking for the sounds of birds and crickets without the background drone of civilization.  I learn how hard it was to find real quiet, how to edit audio and what exactly is a dead cat.  it was worth the effort to add the music of a New England field, the washing of waves on the Atlantic shore or the drama of a summer thunderstorm to my images.
Sounds of Nature




And Finally Christmas Lighting
My last self-assignment this year was capturing Christmas

Central Square, Keene, NH

Lighting.  My approach to this project was similar to that for  many of my blog articles.  I started by searching my photo archives for pictures of holiday lighting.  I uncovered some general themes but most importantly I discovered that I haven't shot a lot of Christmas lights. I went to work, studying the work of talented photographers, assessing where my own work had fallen short and then getting out to shoot with a fresh eye.  The goal was not just to find pretty pictures, but also to illustrate the important rules that I had learned for beautiful and memorable Christmas lights photography. 
 Christmas Lights

 


This process of reflection and study is a perfect example of how much I learn every week through the effort to assemble information that I hope will be of interest to my fellow photographers. No matter how much I think I know about a topic there is always more to discover.  I love sharing my fascination for photography with others, but it is the self discovery that keeps me coming back every week.  So I look forward to another year of explorations into the endless potential for artistry within the Digital Camera.  Thank you for coming along and sharing with others.


 Check out some of my favorite images from 2013, and Nature's sweat accompaniment.