Impossible Self-Portrait

[sk66]

With a long exposure and flash, you can get up and leave the scene after the flash has gone off (or enter just before) which can actually show less motion blur than being in the scene the entire time.

[brianxlt]

Originally Posted by mwatson

I can honestly say that I have never done star trails, but I can only assume it should be the same as landscape photography with something in the foreground and not just stars. The thing in the foreground is not the subject but an anchor.

The thing about portraits is the human is the subject. That is not to say you cannot place a person in a landscape shot, there should just be things to lead the viewer’s eye to person (subject). That bring said, the point of star trails is to have this really neat symmetrical trail of lights through the sky. Like you said, the stars are the subject.

But, when you place a person in a star trails photo, you run the risk of confusing the viewer into what the subject is. Just like sentence structure, you can only have one subject (I don’t mean one person; a group of people could be your subject).

So I really think placing a person in your star trails photo or vice versa does not lead to a solid photo.

Just my opinion, take it or leave it.

MWatson,
I made a star trail image where the stars are not the main subject but rather extra elements to the image. The project was to shoot the truck with just parking lights at night, so to add an enhancing element I thought I would do a long exposure to get the trails and used the key fob and flash light to get the truck lite up. I pushed the fob to make the parking lights come on several times during the exposure (until I thought it was right) then painted the frunt of the truck with a flash light (again until I thought it was right) and then closed the shudder. Star trails are not usaly the subject but an enhancing element to the image. Can't post as I am at work and can't get to my Flickr.

Frank,
If you were using a graduated ND filter on the fire or as MWtason stated you may have stepped out of the scene after or in just before the flash. Also if the fire wasn't very big and the night was rather dark it may have not blown out on the chairs. Also it doesn’t look like you were very comfortable in the chair so I would vote on moving in or out of the scene quickly may have been the way you achieved this. Also it does look as though you have something in your right hand (maybe the remote)

[mwatson]

Originally Posted by brianxlt

MWatson,
I made a star trail image where the stars are not the main subject but rather extra elements to the image. The project was to shoot the truck with just parking lights at night, so to add an enhancing element I thought I would do a long exposure to get the trails and used the key fob and flash light to get the truck lite up. I pushed the fob to make the parking lights come on several times during the exposure (until I thought it was right) then painted the frunt of the truck with a flash light (again until I thought it was right) and then closed the shudder. Star trails are not usaly the subject but an enhancing element to the image. Can't post as I am at work and can't get to my Flickr.

Frank,
If you were using a graduated ND filter on the fire or as MWtason stated you may have stepped out of the scene after or in just before the flash. Also if the fire wasn't very big and the night was rather dark it may have not blown out on the chairs. Also it doesn’t look like you were very comfortable in the chair so I would vote on moving in or out of the scene quickly may have been the way you achieved this. Also it does look as though you have something in your right hand (maybe the remote)

I re-read my statement and it could have come off fairly rude. I did not mean it that way and I am sorry if it came off that way.

I guess I need to clarify myself. The reason I said the star trails are typically the subject is because every time I look at a star trails photo that is where my eyes typically stay.

What I was referring to is placing a person in the foreground and taking a portrait. That is what I believe will confuse the viewer.

But, like I said, it is just my opinion.

[brianxlt]

Mwatson,

I didn't take offence to your statement. Just injecting my own opinion. I
rarely think of star trails as the subject in an image, but rather an
enhancing element to it. Just goes to show that different people look at
ART and see different things. No harm no foul.