Shoot for The Stars

Today we’re offering you a technique by courtesy of our friend, Luke.

These chilly & clear wintry weather nights are perfect for shooting star trails like a pro. You’re on your own for the hot chocolate or coffee and hand-warmers, but the stars and the software required are all entirely free!

It seems that with a little help from a program (app), you can photograph the stars as they glide their way through the sky and get mesmerizing results if you’re out there on the right night in the right place. The great news is that there are lots of right places and most of the nights these days are really right nights.

Luke has perfected the process of shooting star trails and here’s one of his recent photographs.

Wow, no? That’s my favorite one. It takes some doing though, so here’s some help…

- A free action for Photoshop to stack several images together.

- A free program to do this cool thing.

- A “how to” guide to bring it all together.

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“If you’re shooting star trails in the winter and you think you have enough enough clothes on, add two more layers. Oh yeah, and take a chair because standing in the same spot for four hours is a mighty long time. Your feet will thank you.” -Luke Hertzfeld

Why don’t I do this myself and just share the way it is done instead? Maybe my Winter coat is at the dry cleaners, okay?