The Core of the Milky Way Reflected in a Calm Lake
Our daytime is marked by the motion of a single star sliding across our sky. Our nights are marked by a billion tiny suns sparkling with various intensities and colors. As the Earth rotates beneath them, these beacons of luminance in an otherwise dark sky slide across the heavens. If you find a place with calm water and patiently wait, you might just be able to watch the stars in the water reflecting the glory of the sky above.
This stunning image captures that very magic, showcasing the majestic core of our Milky Way galaxy mirrored in the tranquil surface of a lake.
Behind the Shot
The photographer utilized a Nikon D850 paired with a Sigma Art 20mm f/1.4 lens to capture this incredible scene. The details of the capture and processing are as follows:
- Sky and Reflection: ISO 8000, f/1.8, 10 seconds
- Land: ISO 2000, f/3.2, 200 seconds
The process involved stacking 10 light and 10 dark images using Starry Landscape Stacker. Noise reduction was performed in Topaz Sharpen, and the final image was blended in Photoshop with the "Ministars" action applied at Level 3. Further processing was done in Lightroom Classic CC.
A Deeper Dive into the Technique
A common question arises about the long exposure for the land. The reasoning is to capture enough detail from the landscape to match the illuminated sky. To achieve a similar amount of light as the sky shots (ISO 8000, f/1.8, 10s) at f/3.2 and ISO 2000, an exposure of approximately 2 minutes and 7 seconds is needed. The 200-second exposure provides a bit more light, ensuring the land isn't underexposed and can be blended seamlessly with the sky without introducing excessive noise or trailing stars. Attempting a single shot would either underexpose the land or overexpose the stars, leading to star trails.
The location for this breathtaking shot was Hyalite Reservoir near Bozeman, Montana, captured in June. Finding the right location with calm weather conditions is paramount for achieving such a clear reflection.
This image is a testament to the power of dedicated equipment, patient planning, and skillful post-processing in the realm of astrophotography.
