How We Shot It: 15 Minute Self-Portrait Under The Stars!

Matthew Saville

Updated on:

Hey guys, Matthew Saville here with another video version of our “How I Shot It” series! Have you ever wondered how people take pictures of the stars, when there is almost no light at all?  Your light meter can’t be trusted, and autofocus is downright useless.  Well, recently in my travels to Joshua Tree and Death Valley, I created a self-portrait during an extended exposure.

Basically after picking my camera settings what I did was I opened up the shutter in “bulb” mode using a cable release, climbed up onto the arch, set a timer on my phone, and sat there.  It was freezing cold and windy, so I definitely wanted to get this shot as soon as possible and get back into my sleeping bag!  🙂

In this video, I’ll cover the two reliable tricks that I always use for getting shots like this as quickly as possible.  Enjoy!

 

The “guess” – the shot-in-the-dark test exposure:

 

The “keeper” – un-edited RAW original:

 

The final image, edited using the SLR Lounge Preset System:

Nikon D700, Nikon 24-70 f/2.8,
Oben Tripod, Aputure shutter release / remote control

The Lightroom 4 Preset System

ej add to cart Creating a Warm, Sunset Mood Image in Lightroom 4ej view cart Creating a Warm, Sunset Mood Image in Lightroom 4

The SLR Lounge Lightroom 4 Preset System is designed to enable users to achieve virtually any look and effect within 3-5 simple clicks. From basic color correction, vintage fades, black & white effects, tilt-shift effects, faux HDR, retouching, detail enhancing, and so much more. The sky is the limit with what has been dubbed the most powerful and intuitive preset system available. Click the link above to learn more/purchase.

You can also purchase the LR4 Preset System as part of the Lightroom 4 Workshop Collection.

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