roycebair Loc: Utah, USA

Here is a NightScape I took last week of The Organ in Zion National Park (flanked left and right by The Great White Throne and Angel's Landing). Light painting added to enhance recognition. This vertical, fisheye lens view shows the canyon wall behind me at the top of the image.

Would you like me to do a tutorial discussion here (with how-to photos) of how this photo was taken? Your questions would be appreciated :-D

Canon 5D Mk3 • 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye @ f/3.5 • 30 sec. • ISO 6400

Natures wonders Loc: Ross on why Great Britain

Fantastic love it. Thanks

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

that is a great shot...very well done.


Any good info you could provide for us lesser mortals would be appreciated.

roycebair Loc: Utah, USA

Funny! ;-) I'm happy to see there is some interest here. I'm not necessarily a better photographer, I've just spent about 30 years studying and doing night photography. I'm glad to share a little of that knowledge here, if there is interest...

The first thing I do is obtain a knowledge of the area and its positioning. I've been to this unique area of the "Big Bend" in Zion Canyon many times. Here is a view from the same position as the top NightScape, but taken with my 24mm lens just 3 hours earlier, as the sun was setting.

The second thing I do is to research the position of the Milky Way via Stellarium (a 3D planetarium software) so I'd know exactly where it would be in relationship to the all the monument features (using maps and a compass). Here's a similar night view (bottom photo) that I took in May, with the same fisheye lens used in the original top view, but in a horizontal position. The land features are lit only by starlight and an approaching dawn. Note the much higher position of the Milky Way in this late Spring view (from late Fall through the Winter months, the bright bulge of the Milky Way can only be seen in the Southern Hemisphere).

Tomorrow, I'll answer other questions, i.e. the light-painting techniques I used on the top image ...or whatever else is of interest to you.

"The Organ" (in the "Big Bend" area of Zion Canyon) at sunset. Using a 24mm lens


A NightScape taken last May - lit only by starlight & approaching dawn. Note higher position of the MW.

GeneM Loc: Upstate PA

Very interesting pics. Love them all. Thanks for sharing. Have you tried this forum?: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-109-1.html

Carolina Wings Loc: Flew from North Carolina to Pennsylvania

Breathtaking!!!

roycebair Loc: Utah, USA

You are the second person to mention this group to me, but I have yet to post anything there. Thanks for the reminder! So far I have only been a "lurker". I will have to start sharing, soon.

molsonice Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Exceptional Photography, Thank you for sharing your expertise will UHH.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Gorgeous. I am always interested in how different shots are done.

roycebair Loc: Utah, USA

Definitions: BTW, I define "NightScapes" as night skies with a landscape feature -- some refer to this style as "astro-landscapes".

The next thing in this tutorial I want to discuss is light painting. My personal opinion is that light painting should only be used in natural NightScape photography if it will enhance the recognition of the land feature and not distract from it. If one just adds light painting as a gimmick to the NightScape, then I feel it is out of place --there are already groups that have a following for splashy, light painting photos.

Still, there are those that feel that any light painting on a natural landscape is distracting and should be avoided. What is your opinion?

In the comparison photo below, I show my NightScape of The Organ with and w/o light painting, and I'll let you judge for yourself: Is it appropriate here? I try to be subtle, and not too over-powering. I feel that the correct light painting provides an opportunity to show the natural landscape in a new "light" (pun intended). For instance, The Organ is facing North. It only gets light on this side during the month of June, when the sun is in its northern-most seasonal cycle. However, because the canyon is so deep here at The Bend, only the tip gets that light, and never the front. Good light paint not only can enhance recognition, but it can show off enhanced texture to a feature never seen by natural man. (For instance, compare the beautiful color and texture of the front sandstone of The Organ in the before and after photo below, to this daylight view.)

Please let me hear your feedback, opinions, and questions before I continue with my next segment on how to properly light a landscape feature at night.

Before and after light painting of The Organ

jmdenver Loc: Colorado

No question the light painting adds a dramatic element to the photo. Without it, the blackness of "the Organ" creates too large a void in the photo. The one on the right is far better than the one on the left.

How long an exposure did you use for this photo? And what type of light source did you use to paint such a large area?

sczurs Loc: Pa, Fl.

Great shot and thanks for sharing your technique. Did you do the light painting in Photo Shop, or ?

roycebair Loc: Utah, USA

No Photoshop trickery --this is the real deal :)



30 seconds on this one. Thanks for your kind words. Starting next week, I'll show photos and diagrams explaining the type of light source I use to paint such a large area. I'll also discuss exposure techniques and etc. Please keep those questions coming! (I feel like I'm at a workshop) ;-)

amyinsparta Loc: White county, TN

"Please let me hear your feedback, opinions, and questions before I continue with my next segment on how to properly light a landscape feature at night."

Those are awesome shots, Royce. I would do night photography, but the best I can do now is look out my window and admire Orion when I get up to go to the bathroom! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.

Excellent photos Royce. :thumbup: