The following is my first ever star trails photo. This was from a sequence of 230 shots, each 10 seconds long. ISO was 200. Used the Sigma 14mm.
A reference image was created in Lightroom, then the remaining images synchronized to the reference.
All images were then exported into a folder for processing into star trails.
This folder was loaded into Photoshop, images were stacked, and all but the last image selected. “Normal” blend was changed to “Lighten,” and boom! This is the result, below.
The tree is the last image that was not affected by the star trails, so it sits in the foreground. This will be done again, but started about halfway through nautical twilight, with the exposure set for the darkest part of the night sky.
Some images will be overexposed, but starting images can be selected based on artistic quality, then incorporated into the final group that will be stacked.
SECOND ATTEMPT
30 June, 2025 — This one used my Sony 400-800 lens at 800mm, trained on the peak of Saddleback… not sure which peack, but it has towers on it. Not much perspective with this magnification, but here’s the result:
