How did they do that

[youngboy]

i saw a great photo in a magazine the other day and would like to try it. instructions said aim at polaris(check), set aperature to 5.6(check), and expose for 4-5 hours( : )
anyone know how to do that? does it vary by the camera?
thx

[Hoffmaster]

Hi youngboy.
If you have a SLR camera, (single-lens reflex; it's the kind you can change the lenses on), set it on a tripod and compose your picture. Turn the shutter speed dial to the "B". That is the bulb setting. It keeps the shutter open for as long as you hold the shutter button down. Here's how to do that for 4-5 hours: Go to the camera store (like Kits or Tempe Camera) and get a cable release. Depending on your camera, it will either screw into the shutter button itself or plug into the camera somewhere. On most cable releases, you can lock them once you push the button down. Then just start a stopwatch or countdown timer and wait for the hours to go by. I'm assuming you are trying to get the shot where the stars basically make circles of light around the sky? If that's what you're going to do, you should let me know. maybe I could join you? Photography is my thing, and I'd be happy to offer tips. Hope this helps. Good luck.

matt

[youngboy]

I'm assuming you are trying to get the shot where the stars basically make circles of light around the sky?

exactly, thanks for the info

[Dschur]

The only thing is with that is to see if you camera operates with the battery to hold the shutter open if it does know how long the batteries will last. Some of the cameras today take the batteries in doing that if you don't want you pictures to die in the middle of an exposture....That is a cool way to get some pictures also of the Northern lights that we have here in AZ about 6 or more times during the peak of the sunspot cycle. Check out my husbands website at http://www.psiaz.com/schur/astro/auroramain.html for some pictures of the aurora from Payson AZ.
Dschur