How To Find The North Star And Why You’d Want To
And before those of you in the Southern Hemisphere jump all over the title, with its clear Northern Hemisphere slant, don’t worry, I’ll be talking about the Southern Cross (Crux) as well. There just wasn’t room in the title to fit in all of that.
Let’s start off with the ‘why’ and then move to the how. For those of you well versed in astronomy this may all seem very simple to you and you’re welcome to skip right over. But as I’ve traveled I’ve been amazed at how many people, while sitting around a campfire or on a beach, can’t find the North Star or Southern Cross. I’ll admit, for most people, it doesn’t matter. They just like seeing stars overhead, making up constellations and looking for shooting stars. And that fine. But if you are looking to take pictures of the night sky, it can be helpful to find either the North Star (Polaris) or Southern Cross.
The reason is that it will tell you how light trails from the Earth’s rotation will show up in your picture. Are you looking for streaks across the sky when using a long shutter speed or stacking photos? Or do you want that cool circular effect? It can be fun to play with different directions and foreground objects and unless you’re familiar with finding the right locations, it can be tricky. First, some explanation.
A Pole Star is a star that sits near the point of rotation for the axis of the Earth directly above either pole. In the case of the North Pole, it’s the North Star. In the case of the South Pole there currently is not a single star close in that is easy to spot with the naked eye, so the Southern Cross is often referenced. Unless you are on the equator, you can only see one or the other (or very high up a mountain near the equator, like Mt. Kilimanjaro). When you point a camera at either Polaris or the Crux and leave the shutter open for a while, you’ll get a swirled pattern as you see in the photo above (shot in Arches National Park, Utah, USA). If you point the camera away from the pole, you’ll get more gradual curves depending on your location. The photo at the bottom of this post was taken near the equator, in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, while pointing Southwest.
Speaking of location, let’s find the North Star. It’s fairly simple and you only need to know one constellation, the Big Dipper or Ursa Major. I usually reference this constellation rather than the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor), even though Polaris is part of the Little Dipper, because the Big Dipper has ‘brighter’ stars (I know I’m disturbing some astronomers out there with a few colloquial terms and I apologize). Once you have found the Big Dipper, connect the dots from the bottom of the outside of the dipper (farthest from the handle) to the top of the outside of the dipper. Now follow that line until you meet the next bright star. That’s Polaris and it is at the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper.
As I have practically no experience finding the Southern Celestial Pole, I’m going to borrow from Wikipedia (this is where the astronomers can jump in and give some pointers (har har har)) “Since the southern sky lacks an easily visible pole star, Alpha and Gamma (known as Acrux and Gacrux respectively) are commonly used to mark south. Tracing a line from Gacrux to Acrux and extending it for approximately 4.5 times the distance between the 2 stars leads to a point close to the Southern Celestial Pole. Alternatively, if a line is constructed perpendicularly between Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, the point where the above mentioned line and this line intersect marks the Southern Celestial Pole. The two stars of Alpha and Beta Centauri are often referred to as the “Southern Pointers” or just “The Pointers”, allowing people to easily find the asterism of the Southern Cross or the constellation of Crux.”
A helpful reminder when finding either celestial pole is they are as far off the horizon, North or South, as you are from the equator. In other words, the photo at the top was taken in Utah at approximately 38.7°North Latitude, so the North Celestial Pole is 38.7° off the horizon to the North. This is helpful for visualizing a trip in advance. If you know your latitude, you can guesstimate what your star pattern will look like.
And that’s the how and why of finding either celestial pole. Armed with that knowledge, and the DPS post 4 Steps to Creating Star Trails With Stacking Software, it’s time to head outside when the sun goes down and see what you can create! Feel free to post some of your memorable star trail photos in the comments section.
PHOTO NOTES: The top photo is a stack of 36 images taken over 51 minutes. Each image is 75 seconds in duration shot at 16mm, ISO 1250 f/6.3. The second photo is one single image lasting 618 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 400, 16mm.
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How To Find The North Star And Why You’d Want To
Leica M Digital Photography – Book Review
Frequently, the purchase of a new camera also involves an outlay for another manual aside from the one supplied with the camera. Taking on a Leica means more than the mere acquisition of another camera … the history and sheer engineering tradition of this device means you also engage with a historic culture.
Leica M Digital Photography is a book deals with the Leica M camera and the M8 and M8.2 specifically. Author explains that he acquired first Leica — an M2 film model — and has since owned and thoroughly enjoyed all the subsequent Leica M-series models. He admits that “none of them has engendered quite the same excitement” as that first M2.Until the digital M8 came along.
The book takes you through the M series history, then outlines the components of the M8: camera layout, shutter construction, rangefinder, viewfinder etc.
Early pages explain the camera’s control setup, LCD menu and camera operation. Much of the information is ‘Leica lore’ — how technical developments have shaped the company’s products and contributed to the Leica legend.
Here are some examples, quoted in the book:
- Leica currently uses low temperatures in the coating of its lenses; this contributes to less stressing of the glass elements.
- Lens construction relies on a combination of aluminium alloy and brass, rather than aluminium and polycarbonate.
The current range of lenses is described, beginning with the superb Tri-Elmar 16-18-21mm lens. It tops out with the Apo Telyt 1355mm.
One f the dangers of the book is that, if you are not a current Leica-phile, a drift through its pages will trigger a desperate visit to your local Leica sales outlet!
Addictive.
Leica Digital Photography Book Details
Author: B Bower.
Publisher: Lark.
Distributor: Capricorn Link.
Length: 192 pages.
ISBN: 978 1 60059 193 8.
Price: Get a price on the Leica M Digital Photography at Amazon (at time of publishing 37% off)
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Leica M Digital Photography – Book Review
CAMERA: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital
I recently sold some early digital cameras on eBay and was startled to find there is an active market in the breed, so finding this book had appeared, I was already forewarned of the situation.
Camera collecting really came of age in the 1970s at a time when galloping technology was rapidly transforming traditional photography and its tools.
As electronic and computerised components took on the actual process of taking a photograph, so did the previous tools become obsolescent.
It goes almost without saying that photographs from the earliest days (circa 1840) have reached insane values at auction; the cameras that took them are also pulling high values that rival those of vintage cars.
The book kicks off with data and large, highly detailed photographs of cameras from the time of the Daguerreotype process, then moves onto rarities such as pistol and waistcoat cameras, stereo and panoramic models.
Author Gustavson describes and illustrates early timber, brass and leather cameras made by such companies as Kodak, Graflex, Sanderson and Marion.
Today’s digital-owning photographers can enjoy considerable pleasure when we reach the section describing the early NASA lunar probe cameras and the first digital camera designed by Steve Sasson in 1975: “A Hand Held Electronic Still Camera and its Playback Unit.”
Other important digital milestones are included: the Kodak DC40, the Dycam and Epson R-D1.
A book not only for collectors but also for those keen to discover the beginnings of photography and the place of digital capture in this saga.
CAMERA: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital Details
Author: T Gustavson.
Publisher: Sterling.
Distributor: Capricorn Link.
Length: 360 pages.
ISBN: 978 1 4027 5656 6.
Price: Get a price on CAMERA: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital at Amazon (at the time of publishing this review it is 37% off).
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CAMERA: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital
Photo Idea Index: Things [Book Review]
This one got to me instantly and powerfully: “not a book of pictures … (it) is a book of ideas.” As author Jim Krause calls it.
Measuring a pocket-book sized 23×15×2cm, it could fit into a mid-sized camera bag and would rapidly give you a jolt of fresh ideas when out and about with a camera.
In reality you have to take Krause’s “not a book of pictures” message with a pinch of salt: the book is actually chockers with pictures and very light on text. However the pictures — well over 300 of them — are of such a concise and powerful style that each does in fact give a creative jolt as you skim through them.
Delving deeper I discovered that each group of thirty images is backed up by 40-50 words of explanatory text describing how each was achieved at the camera and software stages.
Krause is a designer/illustrator/photographer by trade and his precise eye for a picture shows up brilliantly, not only in his choice of subject but also in the tight framing that avoids distracting elements in the frame.
I see a lot of books kin my reviewing tasks but this one impressed the hell out of me as a concentrated stimulant to get out there and get the shots! Great shots!
One of the best!
Author: J Krause.
Publisher: HOW Books.
Distributor: Capricorn Link.
Length: 354 pages.
ISBN 978 1 60061 044 8.
Price: Get a price on Photo Idea Index – Things at Amazon.
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Photo Idea Index: Things [Book Review]
100 Ways To Take Better Nature & Wildlife Photographs
Probably one of the most desirable, yet challenging targets for photographers but also the least understood is wildlife photography.
It’s not all that difficult to shoot a simple record of birds and animals in the wild but to succeed in capturing creative, dynamic images … well, that’s another thing!
Author Edwardes admits that the advent of digital cameras has revolutionised his work and aims this book at photographers of all skill levels. The technical requirements he stresses are stringent but he adds that digital SLRs have a better dynamic range than transparency film. In spite of this he points out that accurate exposure is still paramount.
His methods are routine and careful: keep a diary; practise technique; have patience and perseverance; protect your equipment.
There are useful tips on reading a histogram, focusing techniques, using wide, tele and zoom lenses, how to juggle aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings.
Throughout the book it’s obvious that the writer is a dedicated wild life exponent. Take note of his description of how he stalked a colony of seals:
“Walking out to the colony at dawn meant that I was the first person on the beach … I waited for around 20 minutes before starting to take pictures (but) … It wasn’t until midday that the majority of seals were comfortable with my presence.”
Recommended for all levels of wild life wannabees.
Author: G Edwardes.
Publisher: david & Charles.
Distributor: Capricorn Link.
Length: 144 pages.
ISBN 978 0 7153 3148 4.
Price: Get a price on 100 Ways To Take Better Nature & Wildlife Photographs at Amazon.
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100 Ways To Take Better Nature & Wildlife Photographs
The New Digital Photography Manual [BOOK REVIEW]
In this fourth edition, author Philip Andrews admits early on that “when I first saw the new digital technology in all its glory, 19 or 20 years ago, I was not all that impressed.”
What has projected digital capture into public and professional acceptance has been not only the rapid technical advances but the accelerating takeup by Mums, Dads and pro users.
We now have mature digital capture as an accepted part of the photographic process, so with this in mind Andrews takes from the early days of chemical photography, to the basics of a camera and all the way to how a digital image is formed and stored.
There are useful lessons in how to record a picture, with tips on composition and framing, dealing with depth of field, ISO speeds, resolution etc. In concise style this info will help even the rawest of recruits to the digital cause.
What usually frightens the novice is the challenge of how to deal with the digital image, post shooting: downloading, previewing on the computer, using software to hone and polish the picture, then delivering the optimum output, to print or Web or whatever.
There are useful mini primers on suitable software, including Photoshop, Picasa, Paint Shop Pro etc.
In many ways this book is an excellent primer for a newcomer to digital imaging as well as an memory kicker for the experienced photographer who may have fallen into bad habits!
Author: P Andrews.
Publisher: Carlton.
Distributor: Scribo Group.
Length: 192 pages.
Price: Get a price on The New Digital Photography Manual at Amazon.
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The New Digital Photography Manual [BOOK REVIEW]
The Art of Digital Photo Painting [Book Review]
After shooting their fist card full of digital pictures many newbie digicam owners then muck around with the ‘look’ of the digital image with whatever software is at hand. The results are often horrendous …
Marilyn Sholin’s book, The Art of Digital Photo Painting, seeks to correct this situation by suggesting methods and techniques to artistically transform the digital image.
Consisting mainly of a series of lessons, the book opens with a list of the hardware you may need — computers, printers, graphics tablets etc, followed by a short list of suitable software: Corel Painter, Nik Color Efex Pro, Alien Skin Snap Art, etc.
This list immediately signals the author’s intent, with which you may or may not disagree: in Ms Sholin’s approach, a digital image is best transformed into a ‘painterly’ picture, emulating the work of the impressionist masters.
Much attention is paid to dealing with Painter, its toolbars, palettes, brushes etc to such a degree that the book could be viewed as a primer to using the software. The author contends that “Painter is the most sophisticated software for digital painting that has ever been developed.” So there!
Having said that, the exercises and illustrations are sumptuous, in a classicist mould. Helpfully, the publishers have established a Web site that holds the images in the book (at a printable resolution) for downloading by readers.
A little sedate to my taste but many will devour the book’s advice with glee.
More Details on The Art of Digital Photo Painting
Author: M Sholin.
Publisher: Lark Books.
Distributor: Capricorn Link.
Length: 159 pages.
ISBN 978 1 60059 101 3.
Price: Get a Price on The Art of Digital Photo Painting at Amazon.
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The Art of Digital Photo Painting [Book Review]
Winning Digital Photo Contests [Book Review]
Entering and hopefully winning contests was “all the go” when film camera clubs were all the go. Those were the days of clubs and societies that encouraged members to meet regularly, discuss new equipment and lavish attention on the art of photography.
Well, film groups may have nearly disappeared but contests — of the digital kind — are thriving, thanks to the Internet.
This has given new life to photography and stimulated creativity, raised the quality of the captured image and encouraged the competitive urge. Not only has the Internet stimulated the whole business but, as author Wignall points out in his book ‘Winning Digital Photo Contests‘ “there are the prizes” … publication print, new cameras, exotic trips etc. There’s even a list of hot sites at the back of the book!
How to go about it? Take chapter one on Pictures that Win. Most contest winners are of ordinary subjects but stand out because of technical precision, along with the ability to elicit an emotion, recreate a mood and deliver a feeling of passion. Not so easy!
A superb example of this is found on page 13: an Air France airliner lands at a West Indies airport, making a low approach just metres above surfers at a beach.
Other examples are immensely stimulating and will jolt you into action: a baby, one eye closed, looks over a mother’s shoulder; a line of four frogs, about to jump out of frame.
The illustrations in the book, along with advice offered, is unique and little short of superb.
If this does not activate you, nothing will.
More Information on Winning Digital Photo Contests
Author: J Wignall.
Publisher: Lark Books.
Distributor: Capricorn Link. 192 pages.
ISBN 978 1 60059 397 0.
Price: Get a Price at Amazon on Winning Digital Photo Contests
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Winning Digital Photo Contests [Book Review]
Lee Frost’s Landscape Photography [Book Review]
Possibly the most photographed subject but likely to be the least understood in the photographer’s output is landscapes.
As author Frost candidly admits, his early efforts at landscape photography “left a lot to be desired” but a change in his home environment left him inspired by the unfamiliarity of new surroundings.”
The book’s early chapters deal with choice of equipment, with a loving last look at film cameras, along with the quirky Holga and Polaroids … quickly followed by a reluctant, fresh look at digital and its pros and cons.
Many of the succeeding pages deal with using filters, choice of subject and how to understand how the time of day, along with the quality and type of light you will encounter throughout the shooting day and the effect of varying colour temperature in those hours.
There are great dollops of advice that could be seen as film-centric: exposure and metering, bracketing, reciprocity failure and depth of field. But most of the messages can also apply to digital capture.
The images in the book are sumptuous but, IMHO, a little staid.
Nevertheless, the information is useful.
More Details on Lee Frost’s Landscape Photography
Author: L Frost.
Publisher: David & Charles.
Distributor: Capricorn Link.
Length: 144 pages.
ISBN 978 0 7153 2564 3.
Price: Get a Price at Amazon for Lee Frost’s Landscape Photography.
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Lee Frost’s Landscape Photography [Book Review]
2 Must Have E-Books to Inspire You
At dPS we’re committed to helping our readers learn about different aspects of their craft. We do this primarily through the creation of tutorials here on our blog and via the occasional production of dPS e-books that explore topics on a deeper level than we can in a single blog post.
We’re not the only ones with this goal and love to promote others with a similar vision.
Recently we’ve been impressed by two new e-books that we think will help many of our readers. I particularly like both because they are not just about the technicalities of photography but hit the heart with their approach – inspirational stuff.
The Magic of Black & White Photography (Part 1)
This newest addition to David DuChemin’s Craft and Vision range of e-books is by Andrew S. Gibson.
As the title suggests, it is an exploration of the topic of black and white photography.
It is the first part in a two part series of e-books – this one looks at topics such as ‘what makes a great black and white photograph’, ‘what to look for when learning to ’see’ in monochrome, ‘elements of a black and white image’ and ‘potential subjects for black and white photographs’.
This is a 58 page pdf e-book and it is selling for the amazing price of just $5 USD.
Grab a copy of this black and white photography resource here.
Taj Mahal – a Photographer’s Approach
This short e-book (it’s only an 18 page pdf – but they’re good) covers photographer Bruce Percy’s approach to photographing the Taj Mahal in India.
It is not a technical book but rather is (as Bruce says) ‘an essay on attitude’ that I think would be applicable to photographers tackling all kinds of subjects.
Chapters cover a range of topics including work on ‘Simplification’ (remove, reduce, isolate), ‘Suggestion’ (make of a scene what you will), ‘Connection’ (emotional intelligence), ‘Reportage’ (story over aesthetics) and ‘Interpretation’ (visualisation and response).
There are plenty of beautiful images and I was left at the end rather inspired but also with a bigger desire than ever to visit India.
Taj Mahal – a Photographers Approach is £8 (approximately $11.90 USD).
UPDATE: Bruce has another e-book that he’s just released today called ‘Simplifying Composition’ that looks fantastic (in fact I think it’ll probably be even more useful to readers). It’s a longer book and covers some great topics. You can pick it up for a discount with the Taj Mahal book mentioned above or get either alone.
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2 Must Have E-Books to Inspire You