So… after photographing the Milky Way over the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre, we moved on to the famous red-roofed hut. There had been a few doubts in my mind though, as I have only used it for star trails before, with a 16mm lens. That lens isn’t fast enough for the Milky Way and I knew I would have to use my f/2.8 24-70mm lens. It’s perfect for this type of photography, but I wondered if the longer focal length would make the hut too large in the frame. There is almost no light pollution on the reserve, apart from a line of flashing red and white lights down the channel leading to the harbour. It’s possible to stand in the right spot and the hut blocks these from view, but I had never tried it with this lens before.
I needn’t have worried. Shuffling back and forth, I eventually found the right location and with my first test image I gave an audible gasp. The hut was just the right size and the Milky Way arched across exactly as I had planned in PhotoPills. This was the image I had been wanting for the past couple of years.
Now I have photographs of this hut with the Milky Way and star trails, there is just one left. I have a plan for the full moon rising, but that will require perfect weather at exactly the right day and time. Watch this space!
Steve
25 Jun 2023Excellent shot and glad that it worked out. I’m going to have a go soon 🙂
Zooey
25 Jun 2023You know… the hardest part with astrophotography is getting out there in the first place 😀
Sid
29 Jun 2023Waiting for the full moon. But in the while I will admire that red roof and all those splendid stars in the sky 😜
Ciao
Sid
Zooey
29 Jun 2023Three days to go and the weather is still looking good. The stars are splendid though, whether you have a camera in the rucksack or not. I remember doing our animals outside in the dark after work (before we retired) and memorising the names of a handful of stars 🙂