Well, I'm back in Albany and my 4th and final year of medical school is in full swing! I'm doing a rotation in the NICU, and I'm absolutely loving it. I worked in a NICU as a nursing assistant before medical school, so it holds a special place in my heart. Some of the best people I have ever worked with are NICU nurses. They are incredible people with the biggest of hearts.
Anyway, more about the NICU and medical school later... for now, here are a few star pictures from our trip to Idaho. I love it there, and looking at these star photos almost makes me feel like I was laying on the dock again. I can't help but take a deep breath - expecting to feel the same fresh air fill my lungs. But alas, we're back in Albany with the humidity (though it's not as bad as last year).
I used a shutter speed of 30 seconds, which accounts for the blurry stars. Even when using a tripod, the Earth moves just enough... maybe next year we'll try to get star tracks! (I took these pics with my little sister Lisa...
http://itooksomepictures.blogspot.com/)
The Big Dipper... Can you see it?
(You can see it now...)
Tips on taking photos of stars
(from my own, nonexpert, experience):
- Use a tripod (this is absolutely a must)
- Shoot in manual mode (or shutter priority)
- Keep your ISO as low as possible to avoid too much noise. (I used 200-300, but some people go up to 1200)
- Use a shutter speed of around 30 seconds
- Adjust your aperture accordingly (you really need an aperture of f/2.8 or so)
- Use manual focus (unless you can get your camera to focus on a light on the horizon)
- If available, use a remote to avoid extra camera shake
- Be prepared to get frustrated... and take a ton of photos for maybe a couple of decent shots
- Be happy you're outside, enjoying nature!
Priest Lake is my happy place. So many lovely memories. Where is your happy place? I'd love to hear about it!
Linking up at
