Milky Way Over Glacier Point
So I actually made an attempt on this shot way back in June, but after making the 12 hour round trip and arriving back home, I discovered that everything was very badly out of focus. This wasn't the first time it had happened with this lens. All of my Bisti Badlands shots were also out of focus back in March.
When I got home, I was crushed. I thought I had the focus issue figured out. I had switched cameras and assumed it had something to do with the new sensor size. To make things more confusing, my shots were sharp at F8 but crap at 2.8 when shooting the Milky Way. And my shots were good on that earlier trip in May to the Falls. What was going on with my freaking lens?
After examining it a bit closer, I discovered that the front element had come loose and had actually unscrewed itself. Whenever I would clean it clockwise, it would tighten, and anti clockwise would loosen it. After finally tightening it back in, I was determined to get one more attempt in before the end of the Milky Way arch season. I had tried this shot in August before at Glacier Point, but there is always a bit too much light as the arch appears in the sky.
So two weeks later, I made a stop back at Glacier Point on my long drive up to Vancouver Island. I drove up the 395 (right after the earthquake) and across Tioga Pass, which was still covered in snow in several spots with lake levels higher than I had ever seen before...and finally across the valley and up again, arriving at Glacier around 8:30 PM. I then sat and enjoyed that view, sitting in front of the stone hut for a solid two hours. I had scouted out this area two weeks prior, and I knew right where I wanted to set up for my do-over.
Full disclosure: I had to do some work on this shot. While all of the exposures were taken within a few minutes of each other, I took some liberties in removing the handrails because I just felt they were distracting. I liked how the stones lining the pathway led up to the hut, and the handrails just made the comp too messy. Nevada Falls is in the center of the frame with Vernal behind the tree. The water flow this year is amazing as the record snowfall continues to melt.
After getting my shots, I was back in the car, heading up 120 to a pull out for a few zz's before waking at 4 AM for the long drive to the Oregon Coast.
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Thank you so much for your views and comments! If you have specific questions or need to get in touch with me, please be sure to send me a message via flickr mail, or feel free to contact me via one of the following:
Milky Way Over Glacier Point
So I actually made an attempt on this shot way back in June, but after making the 12 hour round trip and arriving back home, I discovered that everything was very badly out of focus. This wasn't the first time it had happened with this lens. All of my Bisti Badlands shots were also out of focus back in March.
When I got home, I was crushed. I thought I had the focus issue figured out. I had switched cameras and assumed it had something to do with the new sensor size. To make things more confusing, my shots were sharp at F8 but crap at 2.8 when shooting the Milky Way. And my shots were good on that earlier trip in May to the Falls. What was going on with my freaking lens?
After examining it a bit closer, I discovered that the front element had come loose and had actually unscrewed itself. Whenever I would clean it clockwise, it would tighten, and anti clockwise would loosen it. After finally tightening it back in, I was determined to get one more attempt in before the end of the Milky Way arch season. I had tried this shot in August before at Glacier Point, but there is always a bit too much light as the arch appears in the sky.
So two weeks later, I made a stop back at Glacier Point on my long drive up to Vancouver Island. I drove up the 395 (right after the earthquake) and across Tioga Pass, which was still covered in snow in several spots with lake levels higher than I had ever seen before...and finally across the valley and up again, arriving at Glacier around 8:30 PM. I then sat and enjoyed that view, sitting in front of the stone hut for a solid two hours. I had scouted out this area two weeks prior, and I knew right where I wanted to set up for my do-over.
Full disclosure: I had to do some work on this shot. While all of the exposures were taken within a few minutes of each other, I took some liberties in removing the handrails because I just felt they were distracting. I liked how the stones lining the pathway led up to the hut, and the handrails just made the comp too messy. Nevada Falls is in the center of the frame with Vernal behind the tree. The water flow this year is amazing as the record snowfall continues to melt.
After getting my shots, I was back in the car, heading up 120 to a pull out for a few zz's before waking at 4 AM for the long drive to the Oregon Coast.
--------------
Thank you so much for your views and comments! If you have specific questions or need to get in touch with me, please be sure to send me a message via flickr mail, or feel free to contact me via one of the following: