Tomi Kelley
July 2025 - Milky Way over Mono Lake
About the Image(s)
Canon R3 Canon 24-70mm 2.8 RF lens
24 mm, 30 second exposure, f 2.8, ISO 3200
I had a wonderful trip a couple weeks ago to meet some women photographers in the Mono Lake area in the Eastern Sierra Mountains of California. We met during the day to photograph wild horses East of Mono Lake. Some of those photos may follow in months to come. Several of us also met in the late evening to try to capture the Milky Way as there was little to no moon. This image is from my second night. I know the foreground could be more interesting, but I like what I learned for exposure and the reflected light on the lake. There is a lot to learn about post processing as well. Have any of you attempted milky way shots? What did you learn? I also attempted an eight photo merge to get the entire visible milky way, but didn’t quite get enough coverage to successfully merge. Always a work in progress...
8 comments posted
Tomi - I do a bit of MW shooting in the fall when the Galactic Core is above the horizon and the MW itself is more perpendicular. Frankly I'm amazed at how well this came out and capturing the light from the setting sun and its reflection was the pièce de résistance. Foreground is always the key element in Milky Way photography and you really captured this well. As you probably know, the stroke would not be allowed in a PSA nature competition but it's a nice touch. I'm also a bit surprised at the clarity and lack of blur shooting at 30 seconds and would be curious as to how you arrived at those settings. I'd also be curious to know which camera you prefer, the R3 or the R5 and why - in any event, this is really a great effort and real keeper - thanks for sharing Posted: 07/10/2025 00:11:49
I added the stroke to separate it from the black webpage. Posted: 07/11/2025 21:36:40
Thank you, Butch, for the kind comments. I bought the R5 as a second camera when I went to South Africa last year. I honestly haven't given it my full attention because I really like my R3. I bought the R3 when I was down with Covid in 2021. I work in healthcare. It gave me something to learn while I isolated at home for a couple weeks. But one-handing the heavier R3 with a 70-200 last month while on horseback makes me wish I had spent more time with the R5 to feel confident.
For shooting the MW, I watched a few tutorials recommended to our group. Most seemed to recommend starting with 20-30 sec exposures, f2.8. I was also battling traffic on Hwy 395 that actually runs along my shot on the right. Waiting in between cars and trucks was challenging. This is one of my better captures. Some were out of focus or had more blur. I agree, this is better than I expected. I also adjusted white balance down to 3700 for some shots, auto ISO for others. Do you adjust your WB? I should have compared the R3 and R5, but I only used the R3 for these. Posted: 07/20/2025 17:18:44
For shooting the MW, I watched a few tutorials recommended to our group. Most seemed to recommend starting with 20-30 sec exposures, f2.8. I was also battling traffic on Hwy 395 that actually runs along my shot on the right. Waiting in between cars and trucks was challenging. This is one of my better captures. Some were out of focus or had more blur. I agree, this is better than I expected. I also adjusted white balance down to 3700 for some shots, auto ISO for others. Do you adjust your WB? I should have compared the R3 and R5, but I only used the R3 for these. Posted: 07/20/2025 17:18:44
Tomi - Since I shoot in RAW it all 'depends' re: the White Balance. But whatever I do, I do in post instead of in the camera when I'm shooting I keep my R5 on Auto WB - I think I'll use one of my MW photos next month so you can see and give me your thoughts. Posted: 07/20/2025 19:06:44
That sounds like a fun trip, and I look forward to some of the wild horse images. I did try photographing the milky way about 5 years ago. They did not turn out nearly good as yours. I think that the foreground is okay, the reflections in the lake and the lakeside areas are nice. Of course having something unique in the image would be good, but that would be hard to find.
With all of the light pollution now, it is hard to find a dark area. I can remember when I was a kid (I am now 80) the milky way was very visible when out camping not too far from towns. Keep trying new things and have fun with your photography. Posted: 07/11/2025 21:48:37
With all of the light pollution now, it is hard to find a dark area. I can remember when I was a kid (I am now 80) the milky way was very visible when out camping not too far from towns. Keep trying new things and have fun with your photography. Posted: 07/11/2025 21:48:37
have not tried Milky Way photos. The ones I have seen don't seem as authentic as this one. I like the diagonal Milky Way sweep across the photo. The moon (I suspect) is a about to destroy your evening but adds so much with the lake and reflection at this position. Posted: 07/14/2025 04:20:23
The glow is actually a small town just south of me, but I like the effect it gives. Timing in between cars and trucks on the highway on my right was the biggest challenge. I probably spent two hours out there once the milky way came up. And it was a little stinky down by the water of Mono Lake. Haha. The things we endure for a shot. I also learned how to use the app, PhotoPills, so lots of good education for future attempts. Posted: 07/20/2025 17:26:53
I live in a small island and it is very difficult to do Milky Way photography because of the light pollution. However,i find that Tomi had a good shot . Posted: 07/19/2025 04:48:29