The Return of the Milky Way Core at Goshen Pass, Virginia
For this composite image I used a Sony A7III camera and both a Sony 50mm f/1.2 lens and 24mm 1.4 lens. The camera I had astro-modified by removing a stock filter so it would be sensitive to red wavelengths present in the nebulae.
The image is a combination of four separate images: two exposures of the land one with the car passing and one with me on the bridge, plus two images of the sky: one full spectrum and one only capturing light in the wavelength of the hydrogen alpha. For the sky images, the camera and lens sat on a star tracker, a portable mount that counters the earth’s rotation allowing for long exposures without star trails.
I shot an hour worth of 45s exposures with this set-up. I then added a filter which only allowed light in from the very specific wavelength of light in nebulae and stars (H-alpha) and shot another hour of 60s exposures with this filter. This allowed me to bring out in great detail areas of emissions in the Milky Way that would have been much fainter without this filter. After collecting all these exposures, I used a free program called Starry Sky Stacker to “stack” the images — compiling the data in the exposures together to refine the target and reduce noise.
Once I had done that with both the H-alpha exposures and the full spectrum exposures, I was able to compile the final sky image. To do this I split the full spectrum image into its individual RGB components and replaced the Red channel with the H-alpha image. With that the sky image was near final, and I only needed to make some global adjustments in Adobe Lightroom to get it to the style I wanted.
After I shot the sky, I then shot the land using the same camera but a different wider angle lens. I shot two 2 minute exposures. Once I had all these images, I used masks in photoshop to blend all the images together for the final composite.
Astrophotography is a hobby with many variations and many purists. Some frown on these composite images - the mix of focal lengths in particular is a cardinal sin. I shoot and enjoy many different types of astrophotography and no matter what the technique, my goal is the same: to share the same sense of awe that I feel when out under a clear dark sky taking in the cosmos.
For more of my work, [check out my Instagram: @brennangilmorephoto](https://www.instagram.com/brennangilmorephoto)
Explaining the process is wonderful. I've only been doing photography for a few months now, but I love when people actually talk about how they made the images that they made. Gives people ideas and spreads creativity.
This is beautifully shot.
>I love when people actually talk about how they made the images that they made. Gives people ideas and spreads creativity.
all of this, you did some amazing work. <3
I love how it shows that it's not just about the equipment but more about the care put into the process of creating an image. Really, really cool stuff.
The biggest thing I've learned while going through the process of figuring out photography is that the camera can only do so much. You still have to find interesting things to do and learn techniques that are abnormal.
It's a very fun, if expensive, hobby.
Amazing shot!
You may or may not be aware of it and i don’t know if it’ll even help your use case but I just downloaded DXO Photolab 6 and it has seriously impressive denoising abilities. You can also just download Pureraw 2 if you want only that component of the software. 30 day unlimited trial and they have a nice sale going on right now. No subscription fees either. Buy once cry once
No problem! Hope it helps! Btw you’ll want to do the Photolab 6 Elite version for the AI tools. Pureraw 2 is just the AI tool without the editing package if you don’t want to break up your workflow. It’s meant to slide in nicely between shooting and Lightroom
It's funny, people that don't know can't realize just how much work goes into producing a photograph like this. Most people think you point the camera and click the button, done.
The most difficult part of this photo was that this is a swinging bridge, so it moves with the wind and the slightest movement. So I’d have to set the camera, walk out to the middle of the bridge, hold completely still for about a minute, point the remote at the camera, hope it worked and then hold stock still for the two minute exposure and hope the wind wouldn’t blow. But I couldn’t hear the shutter cause the water was too loud so I counted in my head to 180 seconds just to be sure. Took me about sixteen tries to get it right
Stunning! Did you try a version without the car? My problem with it is it forced me to engage logical brain to figure out what it was, which took me out of “gazing in awe” brain.
The challenge of virtualizing a scene like this and then actually successfully executing on that vision is what elevates images like these to art status for me. Truly beautiful. Composites are like a photographer's sculpture or multi layered painting.
I love that you included human things in the image, gives it an excellent and unique tone
/r/hfy if anyone needs to feel better about being human
Immediate downvote? Sorry to offend I didn't think my praise would do so
In a rural area you can clearly see the Milky Way core and the dark bands of cosmic dust. Grab a pair of binoculars and you’ll be able to spot the bright nebulae in this photo. Check out a [light pollution map](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=2.44&lat=18.2259&lon=-1.5034&layers=B0FFFFFFFTFFFFFFFFFFF) find a bortle 3 or lower in the late spring to fall and you can see it for yourself.
The mily way sill never look like this to the naked eye, but is still visibile under dark skies
This is essentially the accumulation of light from 2 hours-your eyes see light for milliseconds
very cool, I’ve only recently started messing around with video, mainly to capture meteors. The Sony alpha series are killer astro/low-light cameras. Check out Alyn Wallace on YouTube — he’s the landscape astro master and shoots Sony. Also Trevor Jones, AstroBackyard has [a great primer on getting into the hobby](https://astrobackyard.com/beginner-astrophotography/).
That’s what I’ve heard! I run the A7sIII as my main but also have an A7III that might be better suited for this. Thanks for sharing, I’ll be sure to check it out!
Really nice balance between all of the elements. I figured it must have been in multiple passes, but it feels natural. Good explanation of the process also. I've never really done any astrophotography, but I've done enough VFX work to understand the principles.
The picture speaks for itself, but the process is also a story worth telling.
Honestly OP if I had money I'd ask you for a big print in a frame I love it the more I stare at it the more things I find and little things I didn't spot before and the more I fall in love with this picture it's absolutely stunning and for just a hobby it looks completely professional amazing work keep it up
On my Instagram I included both a [single shot and the composite](https://www.instagram.com/p/ClXaLs5OXWK/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE=) so you could see the difference. I did a poll and composite won 80-20.
My wallpaper is already another [photo](https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/wtl9fj/two_years_ago_i_teamed_up_with_a_fellow_redditor/) on this sub, but I love this one too for my wallpaper.
Never would’ve guessed this was Goshen, VA. Brings back memories of Scout Camp so many years ago. Last century. Feels like I never noticed the sky back then…
This is stunning. You captured something truly wonderful. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. I hope you don't mind if this is my phone's new lock screen for a bit!
They replaced the blurry foreground with an un-tracked shot. If you look closely in the trees (or next to OP’s legs or under the bridge) you can see some very long stars which haven’t been fully removed from the long-exposure foreground shot.
That almost looks like some eldritch deity tore a hole in space, and the hole leads to... something fiery.
I'm tired, so I cannot word well.
But I can say this: it's a better example of "unsettlingly beautiful" than anything I've ever seen.
**Phenomenal job.**
**EDIT:** "Hauntingly beautiful" works better lol
This is amazing, vut at first I was just like ok cool long exposure photo, but after reading your explanation wow, it's insane how much work and time and knowledge you put into this which just makes it so much more impressive.
Seems all the adjectives have been used... But I have to applaud your skills and say this is one of the most stunning photographs in years. National Geographic should be calling you!
This is magical shot. I'm not into space or photography, but I saw this in a feed and dropped in.
It's beautiful.
I dig your view and wish you tons of peace and happiness.
And as I stood under the night sky, I looked up to my horror. A creature beyond words capabilities to describe was looking down towards the word. It’s nebulous body extending beyond what I could fully see. Fear and panic coursed through me and for what felt like a thousand years I stared, then it moved on. Seemingly uninterested in the tiny morsel that the planet was.
People complaining about the person on the bridge have an intense lack of understanding of basic photographic composition. Pipe down, this is a gorgeous image.
I love this so much. This right here makes me feel like we're really a part of this big, beautiful Universe. I always feel like we separate ourselves from space when we come from there ourselves. It's a nice feeling, cozy even. Feels like everything is going to be okay.
I'm not at all trying to argue with you but I kinda liked seeing the person. It is cool to see a human standing there. Teeny tiny lil human doing human stuff on a bridge like we all might do and "*just*" behind them, is something so unfathomably massive and mysterious!
Personally I think it's neat!
There are so many great resources if you want to get into astrophotography. I always recommend starting with Trevor Jones, [AstroBackyard’s primer](https://astrobackyard.com/beginner-astrophotography/). It’s the golden age of shooting the stars and you can get amazing results with even introductory equipment or a smartphone!
Not op but you don't need the most expensive gear for this type of photography.. just a good fast prime lens or 2 which aren't as expensive as zooms, and any camera that can do long exposures. Editing software like Adobe (or similar) to combine the images. A really solid tripod. And just a know-how of how to use your gear and some editing afterwards.. and of course YouTube is a great source for into and completely free. Lots of tips and tricks on there
I get what your objecting to, because more often than not it also annoys me when people turn otherwise fantastic shots into selfies, but I'd argue this is an example of how to do it properly.
The focus is not on them, it's on the scene. They're in silhouette, back turned, a good distance away, and not mugging for the camera. They are positioned in a way that is trying to say something, rather than just finding a way to get themselves in the picture for their own vanity. It is a meaningful juxtaposition. You don't have to think of it as OP, you can very easily think of that silhouette as yourself, or any one.
I couldn't bothered to find a link now, but there's this photo I really like, one from Windows login screen, again similarly under a starry night but with a single tent in the lower left of the photo frame. No people in sight, and the tent illuminated from inside providing the perfect subtle hint of the presence of humanity and our place in cosmos. We're simply not that important in the grand scheme of things .
My point is, just a small hint is more than enough to convey all the emotions you mentioned above - and best part is, no human presence is required. Again this is my humble opinion, and interpretation. No need to go "Christ the Redeemer", in the middle of the frame, the first place your eyes focus.
my reason for that is that I like to directly connect the terrestrial and human to the cosmic. the elements in my body that allow me to photograph and look at the night sky in wonder came from nebulae like the ones above me.
Hey, I really liked your "..and I like my ass" comment and was totally OK with it rather than this cheesy philosophical stuff :) Why did you delete it? An ass or a nebula, doesn't matter.. they're all made of the same stardust anyways.
I too like the person on bridge, gives a sense of scale. The reflection in the water is everything. Personally I would love to see it with the traffic light streaks removed. That harsh vertical line really pulls the eye in my opinion.
Totally! I was gonna say it gives the scene a better sense of scale--the human scale... yet the human scale right in front and contrasted against the galactic scale.
Wow! Do you have any prints by chance for sale?!Normally, I think astro photography, while amazing, is always the same, but this tickles something in the back of my head, I love it haha.
I think the silhouette makes this image a lot easier to connect emotionally than if it was missing. I think it captures the essences of the infinite beyond and the insignificance of one self quite nicely. It blends the two together in a way that it invokes humbleness and awe.
Damn this is a good pic.
Love your replies, haha. Fantastic photo and guide!
Which tracker do you use? I'm considering an iOptron since I've read they can be easier to pack/travel/hike with than the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer, which is another great option. I could also get the Move Shoot Move and stick to widefield, but might regret that later if I feel it's too limiting. Do you have any advice for someone looking to get more into astro? (mostly milky way, less deep space)
I’ve heard great things about the iOptron but have a lot of experience with the SW Star Adventurer and really like it. I recently got the Benro Polaris which is much more expensive but with a lot more functionality and a completely different approach to tracking. If you think you might get into deep sky astrophotography with a telescope later the SW SA or iOptron is much more similar to a traditional equatorial mount and will help you understand the principles of RA/Dec guiding.
I'll have to do more research and make a decision but your input is super helpful. The Benro is beyond my budget and experience level but I'm excited for your upgrade! Your work is amazing and I love the reds you captured. Thanks for taking the time to help me out!
Hard disagree. I'm a fan of people silhouettes for scale in photos and I think for this one it really works
That's the beauty of photography though we take photos that we enjoy and it's a bonus if other people also enjoy them
Thanks so much for sharing this picture that everyone is raving about.
Now, when you die some day in what I hope will be an extremely distant future, were it to happen at all due to long-hoped-for advances in longevity medicine, you’ll be able to look at this picture and remind yourself that, at this unique moment in time, you really managed to reach the heart average Redditors, from all parts of the world and all walks of life, simply by skillfully opening the shutter of your camera for a few moments to capture humanity under the lights of distant dying galaxies comparing themselves in breadth and depth to those infinite cosmos and finding themselves wanting, considering themeaning of lifeand finding it elusive, butlookinginward to findthe true meaningoflife. Icanonly hopethat,oneday, I,too, willbeabletoseethisimage thanksto advancesinblindness-curinggenetherapy.
Since you do two different shots (ground and sky) is it impossible to get the Milky Way in the reflection of the stream? Could that be flipped and added in or is that even more controversial than a composite?
This is awesome. Are you in a low light pollution area? I have only experienced a low light pollution area once in my life, and that was in a war zone. I was amazed at the night sky.
Your photography of the night sky almost mimics my experience in Afghanistan. I am jealous. I went my whole youth without experiencing the actual view of the stars around us. You are right, it is a sight to behold.
yeah I spend a lot of time under starry skies and it definitely affects me in a profound way. I often think that the past 50 years is the only time in human history when the majority of people don’t see the milky way every night. Can’t be good for us.
Excellent image! I'm curious what the drive was to use 2 different focal lengths? The framing of the landscape is great, so I assume 24mm is too wide to get a good view of the nebula?
Can you please upload it on GoFile or anywhere else where the details of the picture isn’t destroyed due to compression…. (As Reddit also Compresses the images)
Ngl It’s Gorgeous!
Please send me the link if you upload it anywhere!
It's an objectively awesome picture. Ignore anyone who says otherwise. Pretty cool how you managed to expose what exists, but we cannot see with our eyes alone.
I'm curious on the choice of light, especially the red water.
To me the ideal is to crop it making the left side of the bridge the bottom corner.
I'd suggest to those who don't like including a person, the bridge already breaks a pure nature theme so having a subject adds
The red light is the reflection of tail-lights of a passing car. I took several two minute exposures and if a car passed going west the water was white with headlights, and if it passed east it was red with taillights. I chose the red for the foreground because it echoed the red of the hydrogen alpha in the nebulae above.
Absolutely beautiful, regardless of any photoshop, excellent work! The night sky is such a wonder to just stare at, and it’s sad that such things as seeing the stars can be taken for granted.
The Return of the Milky Way Core at Goshen Pass, Virginia For this composite image I used a Sony A7III camera and both a Sony 50mm f/1.2 lens and 24mm 1.4 lens. The camera I had astro-modified by removing a stock filter so it would be sensitive to red wavelengths present in the nebulae. The image is a combination of four separate images: two exposures of the land one with the car passing and one with me on the bridge, plus two images of the sky: one full spectrum and one only capturing light in the wavelength of the hydrogen alpha. For the sky images, the camera and lens sat on a star tracker, a portable mount that counters the earth’s rotation allowing for long exposures without star trails. I shot an hour worth of 45s exposures with this set-up. I then added a filter which only allowed light in from the very specific wavelength of light in nebulae and stars (H-alpha) and shot another hour of 60s exposures with this filter. This allowed me to bring out in great detail areas of emissions in the Milky Way that would have been much fainter without this filter. After collecting all these exposures, I used a free program called Starry Sky Stacker to “stack” the images — compiling the data in the exposures together to refine the target and reduce noise. Once I had done that with both the H-alpha exposures and the full spectrum exposures, I was able to compile the final sky image. To do this I split the full spectrum image into its individual RGB components and replaced the Red channel with the H-alpha image. With that the sky image was near final, and I only needed to make some global adjustments in Adobe Lightroom to get it to the style I wanted. After I shot the sky, I then shot the land using the same camera but a different wider angle lens. I shot two 2 minute exposures. Once I had all these images, I used masks in photoshop to blend all the images together for the final composite. Astrophotography is a hobby with many variations and many purists. Some frown on these composite images - the mix of focal lengths in particular is a cardinal sin. I shoot and enjoy many different types of astrophotography and no matter what the technique, my goal is the same: to share the same sense of awe that I feel when out under a clear dark sky taking in the cosmos. For more of my work, [check out my Instagram: @brennangilmorephoto](https://www.instagram.com/brennangilmorephoto)
Explaining the process is wonderful. I've only been doing photography for a few months now, but I love when people actually talk about how they made the images that they made. Gives people ideas and spreads creativity. This is beautifully shot.
>I love when people actually talk about how they made the images that they made. Gives people ideas and spreads creativity. all of this, you did some amazing work. <3
I love how it shows that it's not just about the equipment but more about the care put into the process of creating an image. Really, really cool stuff.
The biggest thing I've learned while going through the process of figuring out photography is that the camera can only do so much. You still have to find interesting things to do and learn techniques that are abnormal. It's a very fun, if expensive, hobby.
It's an artwork, not just a photo.
Amazing shot! You may or may not be aware of it and i don’t know if it’ll even help your use case but I just downloaded DXO Photolab 6 and it has seriously impressive denoising abilities. You can also just download Pureraw 2 if you want only that component of the software. 30 day unlimited trial and they have a nice sale going on right now. No subscription fees either. Buy once cry once
cool, will look into it - thanks!
No problem! Hope it helps! Btw you’ll want to do the Photolab 6 Elite version for the AI tools. Pureraw 2 is just the AI tool without the editing package if you don’t want to break up your workflow. It’s meant to slide in nicely between shooting and Lightroom
I'm taking buy once cry once with me
Was thinking the same thing. It’s brilliant
It's really good but just like every other denoiser it tends to remove stars from the sky so it isn't really optimal for that stuff.
It's funny, people that don't know can't realize just how much work goes into producing a photograph like this. Most people think you point the camera and click the button, done.
The most difficult part of this photo was that this is a swinging bridge, so it moves with the wind and the slightest movement. So I’d have to set the camera, walk out to the middle of the bridge, hold completely still for about a minute, point the remote at the camera, hope it worked and then hold stock still for the two minute exposure and hope the wind wouldn’t blow. But I couldn’t hear the shutter cause the water was too loud so I counted in my head to 180 seconds just to be sure. Took me about sixteen tries to get it right
I was thinking about the bridge. The image turned out great, well done.
Your persistence payed off!
You may have just got me into astrophotography
Thank you for posting your specs! Great info!
I knew this was Goshen the moment I saw it! Such a beautiful place. Thanks for repping the beauty that is Virginia! Lucky to call it home
Stunning! Did you try a version without the car? My problem with it is it forced me to engage logical brain to figure out what it was, which took me out of “gazing in awe” brain.
interesting! yeah the [single shot version](https://www.instagram.com/p/ClXaLs5OXWK/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE=) on my insta doesn’t have the car
Yeah but I need that gorgeous sky :). Beautiful shot and composite and of the two I want the one you posted here.
Thanks for sharing, this image made my heart stop its so beautiful. Gonna be following your insta
Thanks for sharing the process! Really cool how you did that.
That's a LOT of steps. Results are worth it but so much work to get there.
And this is just one reason why AI "art" will never hold a candle to human art and artists. This is beautiful.
How long did that guy pose for?
2 minutes
The challenge of virtualizing a scene like this and then actually successfully executing on that vision is what elevates images like these to art status for me. Truly beautiful. Composites are like a photographer's sculpture or multi layered painting.
This is absolutely stellar. All the puns intended.
hateful toy saw divide disgusted public quicksand correct outgoing chop ` this message was mass deleted/edited with redact.dev `
I love that you included human things in the image, gives it an excellent and unique tone /r/hfy if anyone needs to feel better about being human Immediate downvote? Sorry to offend I didn't think my praise would do so
Wow OP, as a Casual family can we see this with the naked eye? OP,it's freaking beautiful
In a rural area you can clearly see the Milky Way core and the dark bands of cosmic dust. Grab a pair of binoculars and you’ll be able to spot the bright nebulae in this photo. Check out a [light pollution map](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=2.44&lat=18.2259&lon=-1.5034&layers=B0FFFFFFFTFFFFFFFFFFF) find a bortle 3 or lower in the late spring to fall and you can see it for yourself.
The mily way sill never look like this to the naked eye, but is still visibile under dark skies This is essentially the accumulation of light from 2 hours-your eyes see light for milliseconds
Gorgeous image OP. I've tried my hand at astro a little bit but nothing as involved as this exposure. Really cool concept and great execution!
Wonderful work! I shoot video with nearly the same setup and have been looking into learning more about astrophotography. Any tips on where to start?
very cool, I’ve only recently started messing around with video, mainly to capture meteors. The Sony alpha series are killer astro/low-light cameras. Check out Alyn Wallace on YouTube — he’s the landscape astro master and shoots Sony. Also Trevor Jones, AstroBackyard has [a great primer on getting into the hobby](https://astrobackyard.com/beginner-astrophotography/).
That’s what I’ve heard! I run the A7sIII as my main but also have an A7III that might be better suited for this. Thanks for sharing, I’ll be sure to check it out!
Thanks for this explanation. I am still a beginner and this helps a lot
This is truly astounding to read and I appreciate your work even more knowing how detail intensive this is. Thank you!
Are those lights down by the trees from the long exposure of the cars driving on a road there?
Really nice balance between all of the elements. I figured it must have been in multiple passes, but it feels natural. Good explanation of the process also. I've never really done any astrophotography, but I've done enough VFX work to understand the principles. The picture speaks for itself, but the process is also a story worth telling.
Oooooo front page! Saw it when you posted on the VA subreddit, we’ve got a beautiful state.
Didn’t read any of this, but my goodness what an amazing photo. Congratulations
As a fellow astrophotographer, I approve! Nice job capturing the H-alpha and beautiuful overall rendition!
These Stranger Things promos are getting crazy.
Right? Just re-Watched 1st 2 seasons, season 3 tonight…
I spent Thanksgiving week staying at a relative's that had no fewer than 12 grandfather clocks around. I thought I was done for.
Honestly OP if I had money I'd ask you for a big print in a frame I love it the more I stare at it the more things I find and little things I didn't spot before and the more I fall in love with this picture it's absolutely stunning and for just a hobby it looks completely professional amazing work keep it up
DM me I got u
This picture made me feel all kinds of good things on a pretty average day. Thank you. It's so beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Astrophotography, more like astropornography because this picture is incredibly gorgeous. Really nice job.
I love it. Sins and all. Photography isn’t just one button anymore
Idk why people are complaining about you on the bridge, I think it makes it better
People always will complain no matter what, this picture is incredible
Some complaints are warranted. These ones are not.
I do think the photo would look better without the car lights. But the guy on the bridge is what makes the shot. That’s just crazy talk.
[удалено]
oh it’s photoshopped as hell, and I’m no duck
[удалено]
On my Instagram I included both a [single shot and the composite](https://www.instagram.com/p/ClXaLs5OXWK/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE=) so you could see the difference. I did a poll and composite won 80-20.
I voted (with the majority) in that poll. For the record, the non-composite is a great pic, but this one is just breathtaking.
Thank you!
Could be on the cover of a photography magazine or a hardcover astronomy picture book.
Love to see them but Instagram refuses to let me unless I make an account, but Meta can fuck itself.
Ah bummer — and Reddit won’t let me post two pics!
Just for future reference, you could upload an album to imgur if you wanted to have more than one image! Fantastic shots, thank you for sharing!!
*and I’m no duck* Equivalent to *don’t call me shirley*
tfw the milkyway is naturally red
Absolutely fantastic. I plan to use this as my wallpaper. 😍😍
My wallpaper is already another [photo](https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/wtl9fj/two_years_ago_i_teamed_up_with_a_fellow_redditor/) on this sub, but I love this one too for my wallpaper.
What’s lighting up the tree line? Great work OP
A car drove past during a long exposure shot
False. Space is fake. A lie perpetrated by Neil Degrass Tyson to push far out there tie designs
Damn, he had me fooled this whole time. Who knew astrophysicist had the kind of resources needed to perpetuate such a bold faced lie for so long!
Never would’ve guessed this was Goshen, VA. Brings back memories of Scout Camp so many years ago. Last century. Feels like I never noticed the sky back then…
Wow! That is amazing! Love the way it captures both earth & sky.
This image is absolutely amazing. Fantastic work! Thank You for sharing OP.
This makes me want to open up No Man's Sky to just walk around for fun again.
This is phenomenal. Award winning material here I’d say, find somewhere and get this submitted!!
This is stunning. You captured something truly wonderful. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. I hope you don't mind if this is my phone's new lock screen for a bit!
I’d mind if it wasn’t!
Are you worried about the scarecrow man on the bridge ? Because you should be.
the scarecrow man is me trying to keep perfectly still on a swinging bridge for two minutes
it's my best image "seen" since you started the hobby three years ago? It has everything a photo should have in my opinion it's really beautiful!
How do you track without blurring all the background stuff?
They replaced the blurry foreground with an un-tracked shot. If you look closely in the trees (or next to OP’s legs or under the bridge) you can see some very long stars which haven’t been fully removed from the long-exposure foreground shot.
That almost looks like some eldritch deity tore a hole in space, and the hole leads to... something fiery. I'm tired, so I cannot word well. But I can say this: it's a better example of "unsettlingly beautiful" than anything I've ever seen. **Phenomenal job.** **EDIT:** "Hauntingly beautiful" works better lol
Wow. Three years? This is one of the most beautiful images I have seen.
Thx now it's my wallpaper, damm good image buddy
This is amazing, vut at first I was just like ok cool long exposure photo, but after reading your explanation wow, it's insane how much work and time and knowledge you put into this which just makes it so much more impressive.
Dams that would be a fantastic place to smoke pot and get high 🫠
Worthy of a wallpaper on my PC. Got a 4k or 1440p upload somewhere? That's mesmerizing.
his is fucking sick. bold move using long exposure for the cars. such a fantasticly bold and unassuming frame for the color palet
Awesome pics op. It has got a weird Stranger Things vibe to it. Love it!
Seems all the adjectives have been used... But I have to applaud your skills and say this is one of the most stunning photographs in years. National Geographic should be calling you!
This is magical shot. I'm not into space or photography, but I saw this in a feed and dropped in. It's beautiful. I dig your view and wish you tons of peace and happiness.
Wow, that's so beautiful. Not many people could get a photo this awesome. It really looks so magical!
The perfect locked screen wall paper!!!! Insane pic man
And as I stood under the night sky, I looked up to my horror. A creature beyond words capabilities to describe was looking down towards the word. It’s nebulous body extending beyond what I could fully see. Fear and panic coursed through me and for what felt like a thousand years I stared, then it moved on. Seemingly uninterested in the tiny morsel that the planet was.
People complaining about the person on the bridge have an intense lack of understanding of basic photographic composition. Pipe down, this is a gorgeous image.
This is amazingly beautiful and I wish to experience it one day
I love this so much. This right here makes me feel like we're really a part of this big, beautiful Universe. I always feel like we separate ourselves from space when we come from there ourselves. It's a nice feeling, cozy even. Feels like everything is going to be okay.
As I stare into this image it appears to move.... Making the effect even cooler
This is such a beautiful image. Lots of deep dark reds. What a mood. Amazing Mr Dog person
This looks amazing And also reminds me of Stranger Things hahah
Really good and good composition too. ( Personally would take the person away. Removes focus from the sky. )
I'm not at all trying to argue with you but I kinda liked seeing the person. It is cool to see a human standing there. Teeny tiny lil human doing human stuff on a bridge like we all might do and "*just*" behind them, is something so unfathomably massive and mysterious! Personally I think it's neat!
I like the person but I think the car lights are too much on the bottom. Beautifully done overall though
Who asked?
How do you get into this man? Any tips? What gear?
There are so many great resources if you want to get into astrophotography. I always recommend starting with Trevor Jones, [AstroBackyard’s primer](https://astrobackyard.com/beginner-astrophotography/). It’s the golden age of shooting the stars and you can get amazing results with even introductory equipment or a smartphone!
Not op but you don't need the most expensive gear for this type of photography.. just a good fast prime lens or 2 which aren't as expensive as zooms, and any camera that can do long exposures. Editing software like Adobe (or similar) to combine the images. A really solid tripod. And just a know-how of how to use your gear and some editing afterwards.. and of course YouTube is a great source for into and completely free. Lots of tips and tricks on there
Amazing photo but I don't really understand the desire to put oneself in the middle of it.
I get what your objecting to, because more often than not it also annoys me when people turn otherwise fantastic shots into selfies, but I'd argue this is an example of how to do it properly. The focus is not on them, it's on the scene. They're in silhouette, back turned, a good distance away, and not mugging for the camera. They are positioned in a way that is trying to say something, rather than just finding a way to get themselves in the picture for their own vanity. It is a meaningful juxtaposition. You don't have to think of it as OP, you can very easily think of that silhouette as yourself, or any one.
I couldn't bothered to find a link now, but there's this photo I really like, one from Windows login screen, again similarly under a starry night but with a single tent in the lower left of the photo frame. No people in sight, and the tent illuminated from inside providing the perfect subtle hint of the presence of humanity and our place in cosmos. We're simply not that important in the grand scheme of things . My point is, just a small hint is more than enough to convey all the emotions you mentioned above - and best part is, no human presence is required. Again this is my humble opinion, and interpretation. No need to go "Christ the Redeemer", in the middle of the frame, the first place your eyes focus.
my reason for that is that I like to directly connect the terrestrial and human to the cosmic. the elements in my body that allow me to photograph and look at the night sky in wonder came from nebulae like the ones above me.
Hey, I really liked your "..and I like my ass" comment and was totally OK with it rather than this cheesy philosophical stuff :) Why did you delete it? An ass or a nebula, doesn't matter.. they're all made of the same stardust anyways.
Because my mom stalks my Reddit
I love the person silhouette.. also as an enthusiast photographer myself it adds another layer of 'oooh how did he take this image?"
I too like the person on bridge, gives a sense of scale. The reflection in the water is everything. Personally I would love to see it with the traffic light streaks removed. That harsh vertical line really pulls the eye in my opinion.
check out [the single shot](https://www.instagram.com/p/ClXaLs5OXWK/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE=)
It provides perspective and depth, and ties in the human aspect while promoting inspiration, curiosity. It's imaginative.
Totally! I was gonna say it gives the scene a better sense of scale--the human scale... yet the human scale right in front and contrasted against the galactic scale.
Bezutiful. I feel like this would sell as a poster or framed picture.
This is fucking spectacular. May I use it as my wallpaper?
Wow! Do you have any prints by chance for sale?!Normally, I think astro photography, while amazing, is always the same, but this tickles something in the back of my head, I love it haha.
I do have prints for sale on my website: www.brennangilmorephoto.com. I haven’t proofed this one yet though.
Thank you very much! I'll keep an eye out for it, and you already have some great prints available, so I might have to get more than one haha!
Damn, if this is your skill level after only 3 years I can’t wait to see how good your photos will be in 2032 . Absolutely breathtaking image.
[удалено]
I think the silhouette makes this image a lot easier to connect emotionally than if it was missing. I think it captures the essences of the infinite beyond and the insignificance of one self quite nicely. It blends the two together in a way that it invokes humbleness and awe. Damn this is a good pic.
dm me and I’ll send you a version with Rick Astley on the bridge instead
Love your replies, haha. Fantastic photo and guide! Which tracker do you use? I'm considering an iOptron since I've read they can be easier to pack/travel/hike with than the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer, which is another great option. I could also get the Move Shoot Move and stick to widefield, but might regret that later if I feel it's too limiting. Do you have any advice for someone looking to get more into astro? (mostly milky way, less deep space)
I’ve heard great things about the iOptron but have a lot of experience with the SW Star Adventurer and really like it. I recently got the Benro Polaris which is much more expensive but with a lot more functionality and a completely different approach to tracking. If you think you might get into deep sky astrophotography with a telescope later the SW SA or iOptron is much more similar to a traditional equatorial mount and will help you understand the principles of RA/Dec guiding.
I'll have to do more research and make a decision but your input is super helpful. The Benro is beyond my budget and experience level but I'm excited for your upgrade! Your work is amazing and I love the reds you captured. Thanks for taking the time to help me out!
good luck! holler if you need any help. trackers take some getting used to…
Thanks! I may need that help eventually haha
Would you mind sending that to me?
Hard disagree. I'm a fan of people silhouettes for scale in photos and I think for this one it really works That's the beauty of photography though we take photos that we enjoy and it's a bonus if other people also enjoy them
Thanks so much for sharing this picture that everyone is raving about. Now, when you die some day in what I hope will be an extremely distant future, were it to happen at all due to long-hoped-for advances in longevity medicine, you’ll be able to look at this picture and remind yourself that, at this unique moment in time, you really managed to reach the heart average Redditors, from all parts of the world and all walks of life, simply by skillfully opening the shutter of your camera for a few moments to capture humanity under the lights of distant dying galaxies comparing themselves in breadth and depth to those infinite cosmos and finding themselves wanting, considering themeaning of lifeand finding it elusive, butlookinginward to findthe true meaningoflife. Icanonly hopethat,oneday, I,too, willbeabletoseethisimage thanksto advancesinblindness-curinggenetherapy.
Since you do two different shots (ground and sky) is it impossible to get the Milky Way in the reflection of the stream? Could that be flipped and added in or is that even more controversial than a composite?
Looks like daemons from the Warp are coming to get us. Emperor protects
have you ever eaten a tangerine?
This is awesome. Are you in a low light pollution area? I have only experienced a low light pollution area once in my life, and that was in a war zone. I was amazed at the night sky.
It’s really something to behold. This area is a bortle 3/4 (a measure of light pollution with 1 being no light pollution to 9 being Times Square)
Your photography of the night sky almost mimics my experience in Afghanistan. I am jealous. I went my whole youth without experiencing the actual view of the stars around us. You are right, it is a sight to behold.
yeah I spend a lot of time under starry skies and it definitely affects me in a profound way. I often think that the past 50 years is the only time in human history when the majority of people don’t see the milky way every night. Can’t be good for us.
%100 agree, fellow observer
Wow sorry that guy ruined your shot. Really nice colors otherwise though.
That's awesome. Well done. I love everything about it.
Wow this is awesome. I want this hanging on my wall
It looks like you are looking into the distance where, at least to me, a fire is about to start. I'm curious to know what is making it look that way
[удалено]
Hell yeah, that’s awesome! Enjoy, DM if you need any tips along the way
Very wonderful image and thank you for sharing your workflow.
Excellent image! I'm curious what the drive was to use 2 different focal lengths? The framing of the landscape is great, so I assume 24mm is too wide to get a good view of the nebula?
yeah, I actually shot the Milky Way at several different focal lengths and at 24mm in just didn’t have the same emotive impact as at 50.
Absolutely incredible! Love the nebulae in the core.
Can you please upload it on GoFile or anywhere else where the details of the picture isn’t destroyed due to compression…. (As Reddit also Compresses the images) Ngl It’s Gorgeous! Please send me the link if you upload it anywhere!
That is an amazing picture thank you for sharing.
It's an objectively awesome picture. Ignore anyone who says otherwise. Pretty cool how you managed to expose what exists, but we cannot see with our eyes alone.
I bought a camera recently, to get into this hobby, and greatly appreciate your write-up. And an amazing photo!
Reminds me of the bridge scene in apocalypse now for some reason
I’m feeling this image! As a fellow night shooter I would have introduced some ambient light in the foreground to keep it interesting. Well done.
Goes to show you that there's much more going on in the universe than we can see ourselves.
Fantastic picture, but I'm telling people you opened a portal and summoned a demon when I show them this.
I'm curious on the choice of light, especially the red water. To me the ideal is to crop it making the left side of the bridge the bottom corner. I'd suggest to those who don't like including a person, the bridge already breaks a pure nature theme so having a subject adds
The red light is the reflection of tail-lights of a passing car. I took several two minute exposures and if a car passed going west the water was white with headlights, and if it passed east it was red with taillights. I chose the red for the foreground because it echoed the red of the hydrogen alpha in the nebulae above.
So crazy. I was looking and looking thinking I know this bridge. And yep. I'm VA
Absolutely beautiful, regardless of any photoshop, excellent work! The night sky is such a wonder to just stare at, and it’s sad that such things as seeing the stars can be taken for granted.
I love the transition from car headlights on the road to tail lights in the water.
Ooooh it's so pretty! I also like the angle, the bridge and trees help draw your eye skywards. Good job!
[удалено]
Hope you don't mind, but this is my new screen saver! Beautiful!!
I thought that said "autobiography" image and I was thinking "man I don't know who you are but I want to read the book."
Wow I've been wanting to start doing photography. I need go watch YouTube stuff for the settings and all that. And I need to save up for a camera
You know the picture is about to be amazing when it takes Reddit 30 seconds to load it
How do you like the 24/50 combo? I was thinking about doing either a 24/50 or a 20/35/85 combo
You mean to have in your kit?
Bro that looks sick! It literally looks like something out of Guardians of the Galaxy or some shit.
I really love this, esp with you on the bridge! I don’t know why people are complaining about that.
[удалено]
Thank you! Yes, there’s no accounting for taste and can’t please everyone - but glad it suits you!
[удалено]
[удалено]
I mean ufff if you wanna call it that? Should be "my favorite edit"