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Challenge: Perseid Meteor Shower (Standard Editing*)
Collection: Portfolio
Camera: Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/4.0L IS
Location: Cape Neddick Lighthouse, York, Maine
Date: Aug 10, 2018
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 3200
Shutter: 25 seconds
Date Uploaded: Aug 22, 2018

 With all the hype over this year's Perseid Meteor shower, I didn't want to miss it regardless of the challenge. Unfortunately, the local forecast called for clouds and rain for a solid week, so I drove 5 hours to Maine hoping to catch a glimpse of meteors two days before the peak. Even there the forecast called for 40% cloud cover, but my gamble paid off.

While I brought a whole truckload of professional astronomy gear with me, this 25 second exposure was taken with a regular DSLR and 16mm lens simply propped up on a chair. It's almost entirely a single exposure, too. I stacked the two meteors on the right from other frames in luminosity mode, but everything else is one shot. By sheer, dumb luck, a car pulled in right behind me and illuminated the island with its headlights during this shot as the meteor passed.

A couple of outtakes are posted in the forum thread.

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 9
Avg (all users): 7.6667
Avg (commenters): 8.6667
Avg (participants): 8.7500
Avg (non-participants): 7.5932
Views since voting: 1391
Views during voting: 199
Votes: 63
Comments: 18
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 09/03/2018 02:19:54 PM
Wonderful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/01/2018 10:21:08 AM
King of the night sky! Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/31/2018 01:04:36 PM
Originally posted by tanguera:
Did you thank that guy? Great shot with a very well timed headlights assist.

I didn't realize it was a benefit at the time and probably gave him the evil eye.
 08/31/2018 11:49:24 AM
Did you thank that guy? Great shot with a very well timed headlights assist.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/31/2018 10:03:47 AM
Way to go! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/31/2018 09:24:14 AM
This is beautiful! Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/31/2018 05:38:21 AM
Stunning shot, Shannon. Many congrats on the red.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/31/2018 04:53:49 AM
The pop of red set this off, congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/31/2018 01:20:02 AM
I really thought I had shooting stars. I am sorry.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/31/2018 12:37:47 AM
Originally posted by JulietNN:
This should have been Blue, you actually have shooting stars in it.

Can't say I disagree, but I've won blue ribbons with DNMC images, too (notably this one), so no complaints. I also agree that this looks fake, like a model or diorama. I have outtakes with foreground rocks that dispel the illusion, but I cropped tight to get the meteors as prominent as possible.
 08/31/2018 12:17:27 AM
This should have been Blue, you actually have shooting stars in it. My comment about it being fake (ish) yeah still kinda stand by it, BUT you have the luck of the Irish, with that car. It illuminated everything so perfectly and made it the crispest, sharpest shot in the pack, with real live shooting stars. Mine is full of space crap. I think you deserve an extra Ribbon for having shooting stars.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
08/30/2018 11:54:40 PM
This is a fantastic shot, not sure if they are shooting stars , they look like them for sure (to me), so full marks on them. It is the island that bothers me somewhat. It kinda looks a like a model of an island. Everything is so perfect and sharp and clear and in focus and bright. It is a great shot, I just wish I could stop looking at it and thinking it is fake. But interesting side note, I looked up if lighthouses had red lights as I have never seen one or heard of it. And they do, it is for warning ships who obviously didn't think the white was saying danger. SO I learnt something new today! Bump up a point for that
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/30/2018 10:15:44 PM
Fabulous! Top shot. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/30/2018 09:52:41 PM
Lovely capture. Great exposure. I smelled ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/30/2018 11:10:19 AM
Even without the meteors this would be an exciting image. Though a lighthouse is for guidance and warning, here it feels more like aspiration, to the stars and beyond. And what a nice set of meteors, kindly disposing themselves for this composition. I'm also charmed by the telephone lines stretching from the mainland (I'm supposing) to this tiny island, which now seems, itself, to be taking its own tentative first step into the beyond.
Personal favorite of the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/27/2018 03:46:51 PM
fantastic!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/27/2018 04:16:11 AM
Really spectacular image. Lighting is amazing, I expect this to ribbon, most likely the blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/25/2018 06:31:40 PM
gorgeous!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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