exposed for 10hours@-20°C, a photo from Ioannina, Epirus

Photographer's Note

time: December1994

location: 1950m above sea level, at the base of Astraka peak (2436m) on mount Gamila in Epirus, Greece

situation: Christmas time and a lot of mountaineers had hiked from Papigo to Astraka mountain refuge to enjoy the grandeur of the place. me and my friends didn't have to care for beds since our plan was to sleep in our tents, as usual. even if it was very, very cold!

procedure: daylight had almost gone when i mounted the Zenit + 29mm wrapped in a plastic bag on a small tripod and composed this view of our tents, the hut and the Astraka peak behind. then set the camera on Bulb and used a simple cable release to lock the shutter. i intended to open it the next morning before dawn, and so i did.

after: exposure and sharpness were ok, the effect of the star trails plus the trails of our headlamps moving around was great but the Fujichrome transparency came out green, as expected. those familiar with really long exposures on film know very well what reciprocity failure is: when exposed for more than a few seconds all films suffer color shift - the longer the shutter speed the more unexpected phenomena appear. well, we had no WhiteBalance buttons on our cameras back then, but we have photoshop now and i used it for color, hue and contrast corrections ;)

credits: the russian Zenit is arguably the cheapest 35mm camera with B(ulb) function available but its shutter doesnt't need batteries to work so it can stay open forever - very few other 35mm cameras can do that and none of them is a digital, btw ;)

thank you

bruce_wayne, tehanu_f, brandstaetter, Henryk_Bilor, MayaG, Emiel_Skyfreak, Clairedelune, p_m_geraldes, vinicio, doubay, gigiotta, Baileys, Xalkida, dospordostres, madux, marula, Asiulus, steliosk, lucasgalodoido ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

bruce_wayne (1507) 2007-05-29 12:05

Hi Kostas
very good idea...you made a beautiful composition, long time of wxposition made an incredible image...very well done

Bruce W.

ifanik (21679) 2007-05-29 12:11

Kalispera Kosta
Ti na pei kaneis giayth thn yperoxh kai tromera endiaferoysa, gia thn texnikh ths, foto
Apla ena megalo Bravo
Pisteyw oti to apotelesma se antamipse
Ena erwthma mono exeis ksanabgalei fotografiew me thn idia texnikh pws ikseres oti o xronos ekthesis tha htan sostos?
Xairetw

[2] +

loneroc (1233) 2007-05-29 12:17

Hi Kostas,

Anyone who's willing to use 10 hours time for one photo deserves special recognition - even if it's done with Zenit and requires less attention. I really like this one and those light trails really make it even more interesting looking. Stars trails add to atmosphere as well.

Only thing that I would personally change is that frame (distorted edges don't fit too well here, I think). But it doesn't change the fact that this photo is superb. Well done.
Cheers!

tehanu_f (6896) 2007-05-29 12:34

What an experiment! 10 hours! The star trails in the sky is so incredible.

And you spent the night in a tent when it was -20! Wow! Another congratulations for that! )))

Fusun

[2]

brandstaetter (15915) 2007-05-29 13:22

Respect, very difficult to take !

Christian

gigiotta (453) 2007-05-29 13:24

Really interesting and with good results, compliment, Donatella

Henryk_Bilor (20803) 2007-05-29 13:54

Hi Kostas
Hehe, indeed it is a big advance of Zenit :).
Beautiful composition with all these lights. Great idea.
Regards

morswinek (428) 2007-05-29 15:42

Fantastyczne zdjecie, no comments.
Mor.

Clairedelune (4923) 2007-05-29 20:20

Hello Kostas,
Unusual. Really unusual. Yes, I saw before star trails. And tents in the snow. But what is very interesting here is that "plus": the headlamps trails, like some kind of will-o'-the-wisp! ;)) Your Zenit was indeed an invaluable tool to make such a photo. My digital would have died in the process, I guess. Reading your note, I guess you made a good job with PP to bring the colors right. 10 hours? I suspect it was really dark up there!
-20°C is indeed quite cold. But hey! That's the fun of it!
Claire

Polonaise (5802) 2007-05-29 21:19

The highest respect from our community must go to you Kostas, for this MAGNIFICENT photograph.
Everything is there…The knowledge about photography, real passion, determination to do and to show something quite unusual.
In the greatest 'LOOK' or NGO traditions.
Your PP is just about perfect. The scenery's breath taking.
It is probably the best Christmas photo I've seen in my life !!!
(Sure, it's not as 'hot' as my very own Christmas on the Florida's beach….About 40 deg.C less hot than mine
(:-))))))))))))))))))))))).

Wonderful presentation, pal.
Something to be really proud about.

Best wishes
george

sotirios (20) 2007-05-30 1:28

Καλημέρα Κώστα
Πραγματικά εκπληκτική φωτογραφία. Πολύ σωστή και έξυπνη η σύνθεσή σου για αυτό το είδος φωτογράφισης. Θα κάνουμε πολύ καιρό να δούμε αυτού του τύπου φωτογραφίες με ψηφιακές μηχανές.
Χαιρετώ Σωτήρης

Hellas (7123) 2007-05-30 4:15

Κώστα,
η φωτογραφία σου είναι υπέροχη που δίνει επίσης και κίνηση στο σκηνικό. Η τεχνική που εφάρμοσες δούλεψε άψογα και το αποτέλεσμα είναι καταπληκτικό. Βλέπω τους φακούς κεφαλής που έχουν "γράψει" καθώς επίσης και το καταφύγιο που τότε ήταν το μισό του σημερινού. Το φαινόμενο της τροχιάς των άστρων στον καθαρό ουρανό είναι φαντασμαγορικό πραγματικά. Φαντάζομαι την ικανοποίησή σου από αυτή την εξόρμηση. Πρέπει να γέμισες αρκετά τις μπαταρίες σου.
Συγχαρητήρια και πάντα επιτυχίες.
Θανάσης.

p_m_geraldes (774) 2007-05-30 6:08

Hi, Kostas!

Very good idea and even better results!
I like this creative photo very much.

Regards

marianita (3455) 2007-05-30 8:13

Kosta
excellent work on this shot! the image is so different than a usual camping out on teh mountain photo
excellent work
marianna

vinicio (23423) 2007-05-30 10:19

Great night image Kostas, compliments for all that you have done in order to have this result, I like this because you have joined both the sky and its passing stars and also our earth with its life (your lamps are really beautiful).
Ciao
Vinicio

doubay (674) 2007-05-30 11:16

Gia su Burzum!
Ti na scholiaso tora akoma? Ta echun pi ola i ali. Apla ine ekpliktiki fotografia. Ke poli didaktiki. To megisto pu echo travxi ego mechri tora ine 2 lepta peripu. Ala 10 ores? Afto ine ali diastasi. Tha prospathiso oposdipote na se mimitho molis vro tin katalili efkeria. Ean fisika andexi i bataria. Ke mia techniki aporia: Me toso makri chrono ekthesis den dimiurgite provlima me tus kradasmus - apo ton aera gia paradigma? Otan archisa na skefteome diafora simia pu endechomenos prosferonde gia mia tetiu idus fotogrfisi diapistosa oti ta perisotera ine arketa ektethimena.
Ke mia defterevusas simasias kritiki sto telos: Nomizo oti tha tis pigene kalitera ean iches epilexi ena pio aplo kadro. Mia tetia fotografia den echi anagi apo garnitures.
Filika
Andreas

Xalkida (11744) 2007-06-02 16:54

Ασυνήθιστη και εξαιρετικά επιτυχημένη λήψη. Μου αρέσει η καταγαρφή της τροχιάς των άστρων αλλά και η καταγραφή των πυρσών στην κατασκήνωση. Έξοχο και το σημείωμα.

dospordostres (1170) 2007-08-01 23:46

Hi Kostas,
Really amazing shot you got that night. I still own a 12xp, my first SLR camera, and though I have retired it from service a while ago, I keep the old piece of iron machinery in a good place.

The star trails are great, and the mountain has that beautiful dark glow that peaks have at night when you're close to them.

Regrads,
Daniel

btw: I clearly see that two of the people with headlamps were female (easier with people than with birds) :)

spyros60 (158) 2007-12-03 14:13

Just great, unbelievable, a MAGNIFICENT photo!!!
Regards

afroditi (731) 2008-05-16 2:48 [Comment]

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steliosk (4802) 2008-06-19 5:55

ee ok ksefrenh poreia.. apsogo grapsimo, to entypwsiako einai oti ta phres ola auta se ena kare. Fantazomai sto PS dior8wses WB/HUE/SAT opws anafereis.
To mh overexposed grapsimo omws einai seminariako!!
H Zenit einai 8hrio se autes tis periptwseis rwsikh mafia ;)
H kampylothta twn asteriwn mou kinei th periergeia, pws kai den egrapsan akoma pio kyklika? opws sthn allh pou sxoliasa. profanws paizei rolo to ypsos pou anafereis, alla toso poly?

Kwsta mou sou xrwstaw +2 akoma, les kai an edinan unlimited points oi admin 8a htan eglhma gia ton fwtografiko okgo pou parousiazei to site kai 8es na symmetexeis energa.

lucasgalodoido (27698) 2008-06-20 11:59

Olá Kostas,
bem interessante mesmo essa ultra-longa exposição sua aqui, e o resultado ficou formidável. Gostei do efeito das lanternas e das estrelas no céu também.
Parabéns e Abraço!

mortocaltese (4) 2008-10-31 18:14 [Comment]