TimeScapes is the worlds first movie to be sold to the public in 4K. 4K is an amazing 4096 x 2304 pixels, although most modern TV’s only go up to 1920 x 1080 pixels. If you decide to download TimeScapes you are going to need to clear out some hard drive space, because the movie is 160GB in 4K
TimeScapes was created by Tom Lowe, who spent 250 nights outdoors under the stars, while his Canon 5D Mark II and a 4K Red MX camera was capturing the amazing timelapes. Last year Tom won the Astronomy Photographer of the year award, for his photo “Blazing Bristlecone” (below), which was just one frame from his film. You can buy a copy of Timescapes here, or on iTunes.
I love the stars, there is nothing better than laying down on a grass field, far away from the city lights and just looking up at the night sky. If you are like me than you will want to try to capture the beauty of the stars on your camera. Ben Canales is an amazing night time photographer, he has put together a basic video guide to takeing some amazing night time photos.
Some things to keep in mind when taking photos of the stars:
Have a plan and know where you are going.
Prepare: check the weather, bring a flashlight, know your camera, check your camera, bring and use a tripod and preset your camera.
Turn off auto-focus.
Use your cameras timer to reduce camera movement.
Take photos in RAW (if available).
Crank up your ISO (2000-4000).
Open up the aperture.
The rule of 600 or 400 helps you determine the max exposure you can set your camera to, before you will see star trails.
For full frame cameras take 600 and divide it by the focal length of your lens.
For crop body cameras take 400 and divide it by the focal length of your lens.
If you have a 20mm lens, take 600/20 = 30 seconds so you can set your camera to 30 seconds, or 400/20 = 20 seconds.
Watch out for clouds.
Point your camera away from cities otherwise light pollution may show up in your photos.