About this limited edition photograph:

The blended/stacked photograph “Cedar and Star Circles” was created in my backyard near Silt, Colorado.

Cedar and Star Circles is comprised of (6) exposures for the foreground (ranging from 1/15 to 30 seconds in exposure length and f2.8 – f9 in aperture), and (81) 30-second exposures (f3.2 aperture) stacked for the sky/stars.

I created this blended/stacked photograph by setting up my Canon 80d camera with a Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX II lens on a tripod in my backyard. I used a Vidpro Varicolor 312 LED panel to light paint the cedar tree, rocks and trees that comprise the foreground, which I accomplished in six separate exposures. I then created a timelapse ((81) 30-second exposures) to capture the stars. I used free software called StarStax to stack all 81 exposures of the stars into star trails, and I used the “Comet Mode” setting to turn those star trails into comets. I blended the six foreground photographs and the star trails photograph together using Photoshop, and the resulting image is Cedar and Star Circles. 

I am pleased with the fact that the skies in my backyard aren’t completely filled with light pollution, considering the neighboring town of Silt is only a couple miles to the north. As long as I aim my camera in the general direction south, then I can comfortably photograph the night sky in my own backyard.

Nocturnal Designs © 2020.