This was one of my first attempts at "star photography". I had attempted to shoot star trails once before several years ago and learned a valuable lesson when I changed lenses right near a campfire. My sensor was filthy after that and I had to have it cleaned (I have since learned to clean my camera sensors myself).

I recently listened to a great podcast called "Alpha Mirrorless" hosted by Juan Pons and Andy Williams. The podcast centers around mirrorless cameras and more specifically, Sony mirrorless but they touch on a wider gamut of photography topics. Recently they discussed star photography and nighttime photography and I decided to give this a shot at my camp on Galway Lake.

The key to these types of exposures is to shoot at a wide aperture (2.8 or wider is ideal) and a long shutter speed but not long enough to obtain star trails (unless that is your goal). I shot this with my D610 and my old Nikkor 20mm F/2.8 prime.

There is a ton of room for improvement but I was pleased with the way this came out after editing in Lightroom. I look forward to going back and shooting some more images like this once there is less "light pollution" around the lake. Sections of Galway Lake are more or less seasonal use only so once late fall/early winter hit, there is a lot less artificial light around the lake.

Please feel free to check out the Alpha Mirrorless podcast that I mentioned.

http://thisweekinphoto.com/category/alphamirrorless/

Fall Day on a Galway Farm

Fall Day on a Galway Farm, a photo by UpstateNYPhototaker on Flickr.

If I had to be limited to photographing one thing and one thing only, I'd be hard pressed not to choose farms. I'm instantly drawn to the old barns that dot the landscape in rural areas such as Galway, NY. Often accompanying these old barns are sprawling fields, old farm tools and animals.

Farms and old barns are disappearing from our landscape. Developers snap up old farms to turn them into characterless houses and housing developments. Barns, many with hand hewn beams cut from trees that were old before early settlers came here, are decaying and lost forever.

Sunsets and sweeping panoramas of fall color make for gorgeous images but usually lack the story component that an old working farm can provide.

Taken in Galway, NY with my Nikon d7000 and 80-400mm VR lens.

Galway Lake, NY - Saratoga County

To see more of my work, or to purchase a photo, go to: ZENFOLIO






Galway Lake, NY in Saratoga County is one of my favorite places to photograph. I have been going to my families camp there for as long as I can remember and my family has been "camping" there for longer than most.

Please visit my Zenfolio page to check out my other photos from Galway Lake and the area. If you are interested you can purchase one of my photos at that site. I also have some postcards made up of the first image at the top of this blog. If you are interested please contact me.

http://smpphotography.zenfolio.com/