It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written a personal note. Between the corona blues & the upcoming ND2020, I’ve been either incredibly busy or incredibly slow. The ND2020 is picking up steam. A couple of entries have hit the forum and I’m starting to get very, very excited! I also had a midnight playdate last Saturday & that is doing wonders for my corona blues.
It’s not every day I leave the house just before the clock strikes midnight to go meet some strangers on a dark, deserted road. In fact, I can’t remember ever doing something like that. The more corona forges a new normal, the more I’m surprised at who I really am & what I really need. Obviously midnight playdates are something I really need.
And, honestly, they weren’t complete strangers. I’ve been a member of a local Facebook photographer group for just women for a couple of years. But. I broke my leg. I wasn’t able to go on any shoots. But now, with the leg 80% healed, and corona getting me down, I pushed out of my comfort zone & out of the house. A midnight playdate sounded like Heaven.
We met up outside of Burg Hohenzollern. On that dark & desert road at midnight. I pulled up as the last of four, everyone had brought a companion to venture out that late, so we were a group of eight Americans at the base of one of the most imposing neo-Gothic castles in Germany. Camera’s at the ready, determined to tackle astrophotography. Most of us for the very first time.
The goal had been to get the milky way in a shot behind the camera. I quickly discovered my lens (a Canon 50mm prime) would not capture the milky way. I need a wider lens & probably an equatorial mount. Or telescope. With a lot of patience, quite a bit of rolling around on that dark, cold road, I finally did get a gorgeous shot of the castle. My camera saw what my naked eye couldn’t.
The delight I felt when I got home, slept until after noon, and then used a little lightroom magic to see what was in my camera, was exhilarating. I had stars, hints of milky way, and a gorgeous almost-daylight clear castle on my memory card. I didn’t get the milky way + the castle. I did get a new addiction.
It’s surprising that for someone who loves space & stars so much, Saturday was my first stab at astrophotography. I cannot wait to go again.
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Stunning! Sounds like so much fun, too!
Amazing photo!! Great job, what an adventure!!
Great capture. It reminds me of Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyland.
WOW! That’s an incredible photo.
Beautiful picture!
Gorgeous! I’m so jealous…
Wow! That’s amazing! Absolutely gorgeous!
WOW!! so beautiful!!
Exciting! Artistic! Beautiful!
Beautiful capture!
Oh Toiny that was most definately well worth the midnight outing, getting down on the ground – the result is stunning. I’m loving the lockdowns except the time difference hahaha. Even managed to load my locks – I love them so pretty and sparkly. 🙂
Wow! Gorgeous photo, well worth the effort,
Gorgeous photo, Toiny! That must have been quite a sight to see!!