UPAA Blog 2023-24 #14 3/7/24 (Text and photos by Anastasia Noonkesser)
Who are you?
My name is Anastasia Noonkesser (Instagram), I'm a senior at Bob Jones University and a student photographer for the BJU Marketing Department.
How did you do that?
I used a 15-35mm lens on a Canon EOS R6. Exposure was 20 seconds at f2.8 at ISO1250. I had the man walking in the photo turn off the flashlight before the exposure was over. This helped with the flashlight being a bit too bright. After I took it into Photoshop to correct the exposure levels.
What was this photo used for?
This image was used for both social media and personal projects.
Was there an inspiration for this shoot?
The head of marketing at Bob Jones University Hal Cook (Instagram) had been showing me and a few other student photographers his work. He had one with tents and stars shining brightly in the sky. I really wanted to try it, this brought me on a journey of finding the darkest places in the area and trying it myself.
What kind of help did you need?
It was just me but I do have staff over me. Both Derek Eckenroth and Hal Cook showed me examples and techniques before going out and doing it on my own.
What were the technical difficulties to overcome?
Figuring out the perfect exposure can be tricky with different light pollution levels. Some areas I went had a lot more light pollution than the others,. Every time has been a different and a new learning experience.
Would you approach it differently if you had to do it again?
I have done it again and it's taken a lot to figure out what I can do with this type of photography. I have since experimented with star trails and longer exposures.
Did anything stand out to you during the shoot?
It was a learning curve and exciting to learn new things. I would suggest some type of bear spray since we experienced large animals in the woods and ran for our lives.
If you have a photo and story that you think would make a great feature next month please contact David.Dick@cwu.edu