Dolomites astro-landscape

[mcrowle]

I’ve recently returned from my first foreign trip since the pandemic, to Canazei in the Italian Dolomites. As usual I planned to include some landscape-astrophotography, so took along fairly fast 24mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses as well as a standard zoom for daylight photography.

I’d scouted a location using Googlemaps before the trip, but found that the mountains hid much of the Milky Way core and that I was having to look across the resort lights when imaging it. Still, I was happy with some of the results.

The following is my favourite so far (I may add others to the thread as I process them). 5 x 8-sec exposures at f/2.8 and ISO 3200, taken with an EOS 5D MkIII (acquired used during the pandemic) and a 1980s Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 lens. The frames were stacked in Sequator, then Paint Shop Pro used to adjust contrast via curves in post-processing.

Thanks for reading, and clear skies!

Edited September 21, 2023 by mcrowle

[mcrowle]

I should mention that I also reduced the stars in post-processing, using Noel Carboni’s tools, to help the Milky Way star clouds stand out more.

Regards, Mike.

[FenlandPaul]

Superb, Mike - that is definitely on my list of places I'd love to travel to and be nocturnal with a camera!  Love the composition.

Paul

[mcrowle]

Many thanks, Paul! Yes, the region is well worth a visit for landscape astro, and I’m sure I’ll be back there before long.

Regards, Mike.

[mcrowle]

Another image, taken from the same footpath above Canazei, but looking in the opposite direction. It shows Perseus, Cassiopeia and Andromeda over Sass Pordoi (2950m), part of the Sella massif.

The details were 5 x 15-sec exposures at F/2.8 and ISO 3200, with the 5D MkIII and Sigma 35mm f/1.4; frames stacked and post-processed as before.

Regards, Mike.

Edited September 21, 2023 by mcrowle