Why Sonoran Desert National Monument

I captured these images in the Sonoran Desert National Monument about 30-40 miles southwest of Phoenix. The light pollution from Phoenix fades and the spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy can be seen.

I chose the Sonoran Desert National Monument because I have lived in the Sonoran Desert most of my life and had never visited before. It was a good compromise between dark skies and drive time; drive took me an hour and a half each way.

Creating the Still Image

This composite image is the result of 114 still frames (30s f/2.8 ISO100) stacked using the lighten blend mode. This blend mode allows the brighter pixels of one image to show through to the layers above. It achieves the same effect as leaving the cameras shutter for the entire duration of the sequence. Except better, because the final image contains less noise and can be editing in additional ways, such as a timelapse sequence.

Creating the Timelapse Video

The video I edited also makes use of the lighten blend mode, in this case utilized in Adobe After Effects. As layers are sequentially made visible, the brighter parts remain visible, creating the illusion of the stars trailing across the sky.

I could also edit this video so the images use the “Normal” blend mode. This is basically just flipping through the images successively. Then the Milky Way and all the stars in the sky would move as single points across the sky. It’s a cool perspective too, but I like dramatic mood offered by the trailing effect.

Learn about a more difficult process I once used to create this same effect.

Future Plans for The Sonoran Desert Startrails Elements

One more idea I’d like to play around with would involve using After Effects expressions to code an animation effect. The goal being to turn several images within the stack on then off in sequence to create more interesting movement. For example, 20 image long streaks with 40 image long gaps, so the trails look like lights on a marquee.

Connect with Me

Thanks for reading my words and viewing my images. Please share your thoughts on them by leaving a comment below. Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed of my most recent updates.

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The Lone Tree Stats

If you own a copy of the larue.photo 2019 Fine Art Wall Calendar, then you may recognize this image as “May”. I call it “The Lone Tree with Startrails”

The Lone Tree with Startrails is a composite of 146 images captured over 87 minutes. Between 60-90 images contained light trails from airplanes which flew through during exposure. I manually removed each of those before compositing for a less distracting final product.

Last few digits of sequential Unique IDs_YYMMDD_HHMMSS
First Image
045 180504_205115
Last Image
190 180504_221648

Equals 1 hour 27 minutes 01:27:33 of shooting time

The Place Where the Lone Tree Stands

There is a lonely tree in a field near a highway that I notice every time I pass it. It stands all alone in a field off the I-17, the highway that connects Phoenix to Flagstaff. While in school in Flagstaff I would drive this route regularly, and every time I noticed one lone tree by itself in the field. I wanted to visit it. To see it up close, shake it’s branches; let it know it may be alone in this field, but not the world.

So, recently, I looked into how I could go visit it.

The simplest solution would be to park on the side of the highway and hop the barbed wire fence. I was pretty confident that would attract the authorities and earn me a citation. I found a place to park properly so I could hike.

The Hike

I found a trail head fairly near the tree and parked my car. Then I hiked up a hill with my 30lbs. of camera gear and water and got to work. That hill, BTW, looked easy enough from the satellite imagery, but turned out to be nearly steep enough to warrant scrambling.

The hill rose 198 feet in 599 feet equating to a 33.1% grade. I summited in 8 minutes, and very surprised and proud…and thirsty.

I made it to the tree 20-30 minutes before the beginning of Golden Hour and scouted the area for the most interesting vantage points.

Once the sun had set I began shooting timelapse of the tree under the stars with one camera, and a second timelapse of the passing cars on the highway with another camera.

My Take-Away

This shot was a fun adventure for me. A moderately difficult hike, and a fun logistical challenge in post-production solving the many airplanes dilemma. I enjoying seeing the results of a startrails image, and I hear positive feedback on them.

So, what did you think? Did I explain my process clearly? Is there an easier way to do this that I can employ next time? Tell me in the comments.  Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed of my most recent updates.

More Like This

The post The Lone Tree with Startrails – Behind the Shot appeared first on laruephoto.

There is a total lunar eclipse coming up this Sunday night, January 20th, beginning around 7:30pm and ending about an hour after midnight. (AZ MTN; GMT-7)

This event will take place at the same time for all observers on Earth. What you call that time will depend on the timezone in which you are viewing.

I’ll be watching the eclipse in Arizona. Here is some of the information I’ve gathered to help me prepare to enjoy the eclipse.

Lunar Eclipse Timings

Finding dark sky

One of the best things you can do when watching a lunar eclipse (or any astronomical event, really) is to find some dark sky, as far from light pollution as possible.

You may be wondering, “How does light pollution refract off atmospheric dust to cloud my view of the night sky?” To which I’d say, “More or less like that, you answered your own question. Good job!”

Light pollution is caused by bright light sources shining up into the atmosphere and refracting off particulates in the air, causing the air to appear cloudy. This in turn means fewer stars will be visible.

The Stars Come Out

The difference in the number of visible stars between full moon and full eclipse is staggering. It’s more or less the same difference between seeing the sky on a moonless night vs seeing one during the full moon. The full moon lights up the atmosphere enough to drown out a lot of the stars. This effect is noticeable but takes a couple weeks to oscillate.

My favorite tool for finding a good area with dark sky is http://darksitefinder.com/map/. This interactive map allows you to see major cities and the fall off from their light pollution. I utilize this tool to easily, visually, find areas of darkest sky.

During a lunar eclipse, however, this effect can be seen oscillating over the course of just a few hours and is stunning to watch. I’m very much looking forward to seeing just a handful of stars in a blue sky, the watching as the moon falls into earths shadow, the sky darkens, and many more stars come out. The contrast will be exciting to witness.

Wear Layers of Warm Clothing

Lunar eclipses happen at night. That’s how the geometry works. I mean it is possible that a lunar eclipse could occur while you are on the daytime side of Earth, but in that case you will not be able to see the eclipse take place. (As Occured for Arizonans in July 2018)

That being said, you should make sure to dress warmly. One good way to stay warm is by building layers of clothing. Have a good pair of wool socks, thermal base layer, and a wind-proof outer shell. Coverings for your ears and hands will also be helpful and for the extra touch, consider using hand warmers.

My Past Lunar Eclipse Experiences

This will be the 3rd time I’ve chased a lunar eclipse with the intent of photographing it. Check out the results from my other lunar eclipse trips:

Joshua Tree 2018

Bloody Basin 2014

Have Fun!

Grab a Thermos full of your hot beverage of choice, a picnic blanket, sleeping bag, plenty of warm clothes, and your favorite cuddle buddy, and head out to an area of dark sky to enjoy this relatively rare celestial event. And tell me how it went for you in the comments below.

Check Back Here For Updates

I’ll be out chasing the eclipse this weekend. My plan is to capture 2 timelapse sequences. I’ll be uploading them as soon as they are ready to share, so be sure to follow my blog or

Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed of my most recent updates.

The post Lunar Eclipse This Weekend & What to Expect appeared first on laruephoto.

Order Now

It’s time to start looking for a 2019 Calendar, and larue.photo is selling a great one. We are now accepting orders for the 2019 larue.photo 12-Month Fine Art Wall Calendar. Get your’s before they’re gone.

About the Photos

The 2019 larue.photo Fine Art Wall Calendar contains 12 images from the larue.photo collection. Each month a new long exposure photograph depicting the passage of time. Moonlit landscapes of the Sonoran and Mohave deserts of Arizona and California.

Witness the relative stillness of the earths surface, as we spin with it through the cosmos.  The universe appears to streak by as earth bound boulders rest peacefully. So when life is overwhelming, let these photographs be your escape. Take a break from the chaos of life, grab some earth and hold on tight, because we’re spinning like mad. 

Calendar Specs

The 12-month calendar measures 12 inches x 8 inches, when folded. Spiral bound to allow the calendar to sit flat against the wall. The calendar grids contain plenty of space for you to write all the important things that are happening in your life. 

Astronomical Events

As a citizen of the universe, I find it important stay up to date on the astronomical events happening in my celestial neighborhood. So, I’ve collected the data and formatted for easy visual consumption. Now you can, too, can prepare for and be ready to witness the wonders of our solar system.

Full Moons / New Moon

This larue.photo 2019 Fine Art Wall Calendar labels several astronomical events throughout the year so you can be sure to plan to witness them all. Full moons and new moons are labeled along with the time they hit 100% or 0% illumination. So you’ll know not only which day the full and new moons occur, but also which night to go out for best viewing. All times are listed in AZ Mountain Time (GMT-7).

Eclipses

Eclipses are a relatively rare occurrence. So use this calendar to help you you prepare to watch. There is also a total lunar eclipse in January that you will not want to miss. An orange moon symbol to marks the date of that lunar eclipse.

Meteor Showers

There are many meteor showers each year. They occur regularly as the earth passes through debris fields left by passing comets. Some meteor showers are minor, yielding only 5-10 meteors per hour, while others boast up to 60 meteors per hour. This calendar will tell you which night to go out if you want to see the peak of any given major meteor shower. Make sure you’re ready with blankets and a warm beverage!

Holidays

Major holidays are labeled, including all US Federal Holidays, as well as several Christian, Jewish, and Muslim holidays. Also marked are the Solstices, Equinoxes, and Daylight Savings Time changes.

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The post 2019 Fine Art Wall Calendar – Order Now appeared first on laruephoto.

Balanced Rock Timelapse Loop

Accessible via Granite Mountain Trailhead at 136th St & Lone Mountain Rd.

Timelapse sequence captured over the course of 3.5 hours, beginning at 20:20 and ending around 23:11. My goal for this sequence was to create a startrails image similar to the Sedona Startrails image I published recently, but clouds affected that plan.

Clouds moved in as soon as I began shooting, so I modified my plan. Clouds can ruin a startrails sequence. Any area with clouds will be as bright or brighter that the stars. So exposures with clouds must be removed from a startrails stack. This will leave gaps in the star trails in the positions the star were during the time of the cloud cover. In the case of this sequence, those clouds were present through most of the sequence and only cleared momentarily.

Moon as a Light Source

In this sequence I used the full moon as the light source. It rose as the sun set. I waited about an hour after sunset for astronomical twilight to end, then began shooting once the sky was dark enough.  Look carefully at the sky and notice the stars moving behind the clouds.

EXIF

EXIF info for each of the 141 images captured to create this sequence.

Feedback

Thanks for reading this article. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay informed of my most recent updates.

The post Balanced Rock Timelapse in Granite Mountains appeared first on laruephoto.

It’s time to start looking for a 2019 Calendar, and larue.photo is selling a great one. We are accepting pre-sale orders for the 2019 larue.photo 12-Month Fine Art Wall Calendar.

The Photos

The 2019 larue.photo Fine Art Wall Calendar contains 12 images from the larue.photo collection. Each month a new long exposure photograph depicting the passage of time. Moonlit landscapes of the Sonoran and Mohave deserts of Arizona and California.

Witness the relative stillness of the earths surface, as we spin with it through the cosmos.  The universe appears to streak by as earth bound boulders rest peacefully. So when life is overwhelming, let these photographs be your escape. Take a break from the chaos of life, grab some earth and hold on tight, because we’re spinning like mad. 

Calendar Specs

The 12-month calendar measures 12 inches x 8 inches, when folded. Spiral bound to allow the calendar to sit flat against the wall. The calendar grids contain plenty of space for you to write all the important things that are happening in your life. 

Astronomical Events

As a citizen of the universe, I find it important stay up to date on the astronomical events happening in my celestial neighborhood. So, I’ve collected the data and formatted for easy visual consumption. Now you can, too, can prepare for and be ready to witness the wonders of our solar system.

Full Moons / New Moon

This 2019 Calendar labels several astronomical events throughout the year so you can be sure to plan to witness them all. Full moons and new moons are labeled along with the time they hit 100% or 0% illumination. So you’ll know not only which day the full and new moons occur, but also which night to go out for best viewing. All times are listed in AZ Mountain Time (GMT-7).

Eclipses

Eclipses are a relatively rare occurrence. So use this calendar to help you you prepare to watch. There is also a total lunar eclipse in January that you will not want to miss. An orange moon symbol to marks the date of that lunar eclipse.

Meteor Showers

There are many meteor showers each year. They occur regularly as the earth passes through debris fields left by passing comets. Some meteor showers are minor, yielding only 5-10 meteors per hour, while others boast up to 60 meteors per hour. This calendar will tell you which night to go out if you want to see the peak of any given major meteor shower. Make sure you’re ready with blankets and a warm beverage!

Holidays

Major holidays are labeled, including all US Federal Holidays, as well as several Christian, Jewish, and Muslim holidays. Also marked are the Solstices, Equinoxes, and Daylight Savings Time changes.

Connect With larue.photo

Connect with larue.photo on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to stay updated when new photos are released.

The post 2019 Calendar Pre-Order | 12-Month Fine Art Wall Calendar appeared first on laruephoto.

Lockett Meadow near Humphrey’s Peak outside Flagstaff in Northern Arizona. Purchase Print

It’s not really a true star trails image, nor does it fully reflect the goals of The Project dayStars series of images. Still, it was the first step I took toward taking on Project dayStars.  A piece of the original inspiration.

EXIF

Finding Lockett Meadow, Accidentally 

I captured this image on a cold November night. This was during my college days. I minored in photography and at that time I capture this image I was taking a photo class with a long term assignment in the syllabus.  So my mind was focused on coming up with a Fine Art Photography Series.

My assignment was to capture 5 portfolio worthy images with a common theme and I had 12 weeks. I decided to go out, chase the full moon and capture the light it cast. The moo would be full both at the beginning and end of the class term, so there were 4 full moons to work with, instead of just 3.

I intended to go North on Highway 180 from Flagstaff toward Snow Bowl, and turn right into the wilderness at Humphrey’s Basin. I guess I found it, then kept driving, further and further up the mountain until I came to a pass. And there I stopped.

I had found Lockett Meadow; accidentally. A place I had visited before, but had approached from the other side of the mountain. I had no idea I could get there the way I did.

I parked the car (oh, this is a sports coupe and I’m on a rocky, winding, dirt road, with one headlight and low clearance. Something I would later come to call, “A Standard Photo Adventure with Ian La Rue.”)

I park the car, grab my camera and tripod, and run across a field to frame the shot you see.

Capture Info

Shot on Bulb Mode with a cabled remote shutter release and locking button. The shutter remains open as long as the shutter release button is pressed. 

I stood with the moon over my right shoulder, and watched the light it cast illuminate a lone Ponderosa Pine tree amid a vast open field. I wanted to include the moon in the shot as well, but didn’t know how bright it is. (To capture details on the lunar surface you need a shutter speed of no more 1/125th of a second. To capture detail on the surface of earthly objects reflect moon light illuminates (when full) takes a shutter speed of 30 seconds at f/2.8 at ISO 100. That’s 12 stops different by my calculations.)

In order to capture the moon in the same exposure as the tree scene, I began by pointing the camera at the moon. I visualized the tree scene, then placed the moon in the viewfinder at the appropriate spot. I placed the lens cap over the lens then activated, and locked, the remote shutter release cable. 

Multiple Exposures In Camera

I carefully removed the lens cap, then let the moons image flash through the lens for the briefest moment my human body could manage, before replacing the lens cap. Then I turned the camera, with the lens covered and the shutter still open, toward the tree scene. I estimated the framing as well as I could, and when I felt ready, I removed the lens cap.

And I waited…

I allowed the lens to soak up as much reflected moon light as it could. But, how much was enough? And how much was too much? I didn’t know; I went on gut feeling.

My total capture time recorded is 328 seconds (5 minutes, 28 seconds). I have no way of proving what portion of that time was spent on which element. But I can say…

My Take Away

I had fun capturing this image. It was one of my early explorations into capturing long exposure images by moonlight; a proof of concept, which taught me that there is plenty to see by moonlight.

Feedback

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The post Lockett Meadow by Moonlight | Featured Image appeared first on laruephoto.

We candidly capture the smiles, interactions, and details of your event to tell the story. Thereby creating lasting memories of the event, for the sake of preserving history, allowing for nostalgia, or promoting an annual event in the following year.

Wedding Photography

Hire larue.photo for your wedding – Request a Quote

Intimate Moments Sessions

The goal of an intimate moments photoshoot is to capture the connection you two share, and the comfort you find in one another. Because of this, these moments often create the most memorable images from the entire day.

Wedding Photography Packages

We understand how expensive it is to plan a wedding. Especially a small wedding. So we’re committed to working with you in creating a photo package that fits within your budget.

WED1 – 3 hours of event photography, and intimate moments – $500
WED2 – 5 hours of event photography, intimate moments, and group portraits (up to 16 people, with 8 subgroups)  – $800
WED3 – 5 hours of event photography, intimate moments, and group portraits (up to 25 people, with 15 subgroups)  – $1000
WED4 – Custom Wedding Photography Package – Request a Quote

All packages include:
Digital delivery of all usable photos at Print & Web Resolutions, plus
Copyright Release form to allow unlimited prints for personal use.

Corporate Event Photography

Hire larue.photo for your next corporate event – Request a Quote

We know you put a lot of effort into planning a memorable party. So, we make it our priority to capture all the details of the day.

Event Photography Packages

EVP1 – 3 hours of event photography – $500
EVP2 – 5 hours of photography, group (up to 16) portraits, including up to 8 subgroups – $800
EVP3+2 – 3 hours candid event photography, 2 hours photobooth usage –  $1,000

All packages include:
Digital delivery of all usable photos at Print & Web Resolutions, plus
Copyright Release form to allow unlimited prints for personal use. Promotional Use Licence pricing available upon request.

Photo Booth

Our photobooth set up at Grandma’s 90th Birthday Party. Yes, you read that right. 90 years, and still she looks so young and vibrant!

Our friendly, knowledgeable photographers remain on site during the entire period. We set up lighting, a background of your choice, and provide fun props so you and your guests can dress up and get silly. We’ll capture the fun and provide each guest with one 4×6 print to remember the night.

PB1 – Up to 50 Guests – 2 Hours of photobooth usage – $500
PB2 – Up to 100 Guests – 4 Hours of photobooth usage – $900
100+ Guests – Request a Quote

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A new school year is upon us, and with it a new graduating class. High School and College Seniors Class of 2019, Schedule a Photo Session for your Senior Portraits with larue.photo.

How to Prepare for Your Senior Portraits Photo Shoot

So you’ve booked a Senior Portraits with larue.photo. What can you do before hand to get the most out of your portrait session time? How can you prepare, so we can capture the best portraits of you that we can during your session?

Brainstorm Places with Special Significance to You

We want to tell your story from senior portrait session. And part your story are the places you love spending time.  Is there a park with a fountain and ducks you like to feed? Your schools softball field? How about that old tire swing where you and your sweetie shared your first kiss? 

I find though, that the senior portraits with the most personality are the one’s we create outdoors, on location, during golden hour, in a place that has special meaning to you. Those are the portraits that will be the most meaningful to you for years to come.

Get a Hair Cut 5-7 days before

You want to look your best for the photos we’ll create together.  Getting your hair cut can make you look much nicer. And you know how you don’t like to way your new hair cut looks, because it’s still fresh and obviously new? Go get it cut a week or so before your photoshoot to give it time to look a bit more natural and lived in.

Bring an Outfit Change

By bringing 2-3 outfits with you, we will be able to deliver a more varied final product to you. Try to bring 1 formal outfit, 1 casual outfit, and 1 outfit which reflects your favorite hobby.  These pieces of clothing reflect who you are in 3 different aspects of you life, and we want to capture each of those sides of your personality.

Think About Props You Can Bring

What are your hobbies? What are the tools you use for those hobbies?  Bring those things and help visually tell the story of who you are, and what makes you unique.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Seniors, Bring:

  

  • Cap & Gown
  • Suit & Tie or Dress
• Athletes, Bring:
  • Your sports gear…no wait…your sports gear is filthy and smells awful. Mom knows. Wash it first. Or better yet, bring…
  • A brand new ball, bat, glove, hat, etc.
• Musicians, Bring:
  • Your instrument(s) and accessories
  • Sheet music
  • Marching Band: Ask your band director if you can borrow your uniform, shako and plume
  • Drummers: sticks, mallets, practice pad, a drum and/or drum head, and a cymbal or two
• Eagle Scouts Bring:
  • Class A: That includes Shirt, Pants, Belt, Hat, Socks, Merit Badge Sash, Neckerchief
  • Scout Handbook
  • Tent, Pack, Stove, Camping Gear

Bring Some Music to Listen to

Feel free to put together a playlist of your favorite songs to play during the shoot. I find that hearing familiar music can be comforting, and can help relax you if you’re feeling nervous about being photographed.  These shoots are meant to be fun, and I want you to feel as comfortable as possible so that I’m able to capture the true, inner you.  We all have plenty of pictures of ourselves giving that same practiced smile.  You know, the one that you put on after hearing “Say Cheese!”  That’s not what I’m after. I want to capture the candid moments that show you as you truly are.  So gather your favorite tunes, and get ready for a fun photoshoot with larue.photo.

Other Milestone Portraits We Capture:

Family Portraits
Engagement Portraits
Maternity Portraits
New Born Portraits
High School Senior Portraits
College Senior Portraits

Take a look at my portraits portfolio

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The post Senior Portraits with larue.photo, Scheduling, How to Prepare appeared first on laruephoto.

I’m very excited to share with you this Animated Star Trails GIF I created.

Those of you who own a copy of the larue.photo 2018 Fine Art Wall Calendar may recognize this weeks image as “August”.  The still version seen below anyway. I made an animated version and I’d like to tell you about how I captured it, and share my post-processing techniques.

Capture Notes

To create this series I captured 372 still images over the course of 4 hours 4 minutes and 33 seconds. Each image was a 25 second exposure, except 1 image at 30 seconds for the foreground.

When I shot the beginning of the sequence, the waxing gibbous moon was getting ready to set. This gave me a deep golden light with long shadows to work with. With that light I was able to capture the images necessary to build the foreground layer. Shortly thereafter the moon set, causing the foreground and sky to go dark, but the stars continued shining brightly, allowing me to continue capturing their trails.

Below is the result of stacking 372 images into a single composite image.

Creating Animated Star Trails

Creating the animated star trails GIF seen at the top of this page was a rather involving manual process.

First, I made adjustments to all the RAW images using either Lightroom or Bridge. Then I exported all images at 72dpi and 1280px wide. Since my final output for this project would be screen, there was no sense in working with large files.

Next, I loaded all 372 images in Photoshop as a stack. And finally it was time for the labor intensive portion. I started with just one layer visible, the first shot captured, and exported a JPEG. Then I turned on the next layer and set the blend mode to lighten. The lighten blend mode allows the brighter parts to shine through while the darker parts are ignored.

In this way each subsequent image shows the position of the stars in each previous image.  By exporting each new image this way I was able to create a series of frames in which the star trail grows.

Once I created all the frames I loaded them all in Photoshop as a stack and made frames from layers. Exporting a GIF using all the frames would have resulted in a very long and slow GIF, with a very large file size. Instead I used only every 20th frame to create a 2 second animation which grows, then reverses and shrinks back a single star.

I’m certain there is a simpler way to accomplish this same effect. Something like a video editing program that can utilize the lighten blend mode. Tell me in the comments if you know an easier way.

Feedback

So, what did you think? Did I explain my process clearly? Is there an easier way to do this that I can employ next time? Tell me in the comments.  Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed of my most recent updates.

The post Animated Star Trails from 4 Hour Timelapse Captured in Sedona, AZ appeared first on laruephoto.