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Barry Green Photography | all galleries >> Galleries >> on my doorstep (almost) > International Space Station
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28-Jul-2020 barry.green.foto

International Space Station

United Kingdom

My regular glamour and fashion photoshoots were suspended due to Covid19 so I decided to try something completely new which I could do from my home and at the same time improve my skills.
This photo is my first attempt at capturing the International Space Station (ISS) which passes around planet earth every 95 minutes. No kidding - this was my first and only exposure so far. It's great fun and easy to do.

There is a free mobile App (Android & iPhone devices) to show the dates and exact times when the ISS passes over every city (panel overlaid in image). Just set up and shoot, preferably just after sunset or before dawn.

The transit take around 5 minutes, and the fun is getting the ISS to show as a streak of light against a dark background. The regular technique is to shoot 10 sec exposures around ISO 1600 F2.8
Then stitch all shots together in photoshop. But that technique gives a dotted line not a continuous streak of light. I decided to do it the easy way with one single exposure and targetted luminosity masks....

Set the shutter on bulb and leave it open for whole transit visible with my 14mm lens with ISO 200 and f3.5. I captured one image with a feint but continuous ISS comet-like streak, but everything overexposed elsewhere.
The key to getting the photo looking correct is to use a targetted luminosity layer masks in photoshop. I used targetted lights & darks & color masks to modify sky and satelite luminosities. Give it a try.
Both these apps are user friendly, comprehensive & professional.

The App is here HeavensAbove.com - - The luminosity masking Photoshop addon panel is here ARCpanel.

Nikon D700 ,Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
Single exposure 189 seconds, f3.5, ISO 200, 14mm focal length, D700 with LongExposureNoiseReduction = ON
The 2 bright planets (left) are Saturn & Jupiter, plus Moon (which I should have avoided but the ARCpanel solved it all).

(the HeavensAbove sky plot is reversed as it is designed to be held above your head - the view is looking due south from my garden)
189s f/3.5 at 14.0mm iso200 hide exif

Full EXIF Info
Date/Time28-Jul-2020 22:33:24
MakeNikon
ModelNIKON D700
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length14 mm
Exposure Time189.00 sec
Aperturef/3.5
ISO Equivalent200
Exposure Bias-0.67
White Balance0
Metering Modematrix (5)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programmanual (1)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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