Set up your manual camera
on a tripod as you would for
any night-sky shot, using a
wide-angle lens focussed on
infinity, and set it to ISO 800 to
keep the image clean. Take test
shots until you’re happy with
your focus and composition (for
the latter it can help if you know
precisely where Polaris is). Once
you’ve taken all of you photos,
all you need to do is to process
them and drag them into free
software StarStaX, which will
merge them into a single image.How to create a star trail This mesmerising image requires you to spend a few hours outdoors
FIND A FOREGROUND
Identify a subject, and when you’re
happy take 200 or more 30-second
exposures. Delete any ruined by car
headlights or plane trails.PROCESS IN STARSTAX
Drag all JPEGs into StarStaX, check
‘gap-filling’, then watch it gradually
layer your photos to create a stunning
composite star trail as a JPEG.COLOUR CORRECT
YOUR IMAGES
Open all your RAW files in Photoshop,
colour correct one, sync those settings
to all the others, then output all as JPEGs.Capturing the motion
of our planet is a
must-do activity
After jaw-dropping images of the Milky Way,
the next most popular kind of nightscape
photograph is the star trail. A composite
photo showing the circular motion of stars
across the sky, the effect can be mesmerising.
Although it’s a time-consuming composite
photo to create, it’s relatively simple and as
much about planning and commitment as skill.
Although a dark-sky site is preferable – and
will show up many more stars – this is a
project you can do in your back garden on any
clear, preferably moonless night. If you want
a circle of stars, in the northern hemisphere
you will have to shoot north since the night
sky appears to revolve around Polaris, the
‘north star’, which Earth’s axis points at. Use
a compass to identify where Polaris is, and
decide where you want it in your image. Put
something in the foreground and let the
star trail be the background. Take as many
30-second shots as you have time for; 100 will
give you a nice effect, 400 will look incredible.
An intervalometer or a locked remote
shutter release cable makes the entire process
hands-free, which is critical as you don’t want
to touch your tripod or camera – it must
remain completely still. Don’t turn on a torch
or a bright smartphone, but do take a chair,
warm clothes, and perhaps a second camera
to help fill your time.6 Shoot a
star trail
30
secsx3 © Jamie Carter© GettyimagesSetupyourmanualcamera
ona tripodasyouwouldfor
anynight-skyshot,usinga
wide-anglelensfocussedon
infinity,andsetit toISO 800 to
keeptheimageclean.Taketest
shotsuntilyou’rehappywith
yourfocusandcomposition(for
thelatterit canhelpif youknow
preciselywherePolarisis).Once
you’vetakenallofyouphotos,
allyouneedtodois toprocess
themanddragthemintofree
softwareStarStaX,whichwill
mergethemintoa singleimage.Howtocreate a startrail Thismesmerisingimagerequiresyou to spend a few hours outdoors
FINDA FOREGROUND
Identifya subject,andwhenyou’re
happytake 200 ormore30-second
exposures.Deleteanyruinedbycar
headlightsorplanetrails.PROCESS IN STARSTAX
Drag all JPEGs into StarStaX, check
‘gap-filling’, then watch it gradually
layer your photos to create a stunning
composite star trail as a JPEG.COLOURCORRECT
YOURIMAGES
OpenallyourRAWfilesin Photoshop,
colourcorrectone,syncthosesettings
toalltheothers,thenoutputallas JPEGs.Capturingthemotion
of our planet is a
must-do activity
After jaw-dropping images of the Milky Way,
the next most popular kind of nightscape
photograph is the star trail. A composite
photo showing the circular motion of stars
across the sky, the effect can be mesmerising.
Although it’s a time-consuming composite
photo to create, it’s relatively simple and as
much about planning and commitment as skill.
Although a dark-sky site is preferable – and
will show up many more stars – this is a
project you can do in your back garden on any
clear, preferably moonless night. If you want
a circle of stars, in the northern hemisphere
you will have to shoot north since the night
sky appears to revolve around Polaris, the
‘north star’, which Earth’s axis points at. Use
a compass to identify where Polaris is, and
decide where you want it in your image. Put
something in the foreground and let the
star trail be the background. Take as many
30-second shots as you have time for; 100 will
give you a nice effect, 400 will look incredible.
An intervalometer or a locked remote
shutter release cable makes the entire process
hands-free, which is critical as you don’t want
totouch your tripod or camera – it must
remain completely still. Don’t turn on a torch
ora bright smartphone, but do take a chair,
warm clothes, and perhaps a second camera
tohelp fill your time.6 Shoot a
star trail
30
secsx3 © Jamie Carter
© Gettyimages