You did great Matt, experimenting is one of the fun parts about photography. The sagital flaring in your stars were not your fault, that is a common lens design issue that very few lenses avoid. I use Sonys 16-35GM for landscapes and it can do astro, but even that pro lens has slight sagital flaring towards the edges. It wasnt until I saved up and got the 24GM f/1.4 that was designed specifically to minimize that affect edge to edge that my astro shots were large print worthy. My current video series from 2018 was on the 16-35GM. But when I returned to that area in Idaho fairly close to Craters of the Moon National Park (also a great dark sky area) that I had my new 24GM with me. My technique changed very little between the 2 trips yet the photos and especially time Lapses with the 24GM are at another level. Also using some of the open source stacking software's out there and stacking dozens of photos is another way to greatly increase quality. The other hard part about astro is in the edit in post. I struggle still to get that right. And I'm using luminosity masks and editing tools and have taken courses and I'm still needing to improve. The main thing is that you clearly enjoyed your time and enjoyed experimenting. Any way, really great stuff Matt, your production quality is outstanding. Have a great day and be safe out there
Very good info thanks. I am fine with my stars but always lookin to improve. I actually don't like most of what I see from the pros, I find it all to look so fake. Like you don't look up at the sky and see a bunch of orange clouds n stuff ya know. I try and make things look as they really looked. Holy shit your camera gear is epic! I have wanted something like a sony a7iii for awhile. Very jelous. Other than being expensive one thing that stops me is the stress it would cause. I would always be worrying about the camera being stolen or dropped.
@@MattCookOregon your eyes cant see what a UV altered camera sensor (mimicking a telescope) can see. I agree there are different kinds of astro photos, some along the same lines as what your eyes can see, but some that start gathering gases and light clusters you just cant see with your eyes. Especially when you start talking faster prime lenses, better low light sensors, and long shutter times and ISO that we dont have. Theres a whole world of photography that brings you another glimpse at something in a way you simply cant see (macro, telephoto, lowlight, long exposures, focus stacking, etc. For example one of the reasons some of my 120 image stacked photos of the moon (at an equivalent 1,200mm) look so fascinating is because your eyes simply cant see that level of detail. Similarly so with Milky way shots, with longer exposures and the right lens/sensor combos you can capture intriguing photos. You can even start getting galaxies, planets, nebulas, etc. Now where it gets out of hand is over post processing and faking gases and such, where the raw image you start with looks literally nothing like the final one and is highly manipulated. Those photographers never post time Lapses, because they could never do that level of manipulation on hundreds of frames the same way. I myself have only been shooting astro less than 10 years and only recently in the past couple of years started doing time Lapses. My 2019 Idaho videos coming up use the Edelkrone motion control system to combine sliding with panning and tilting over an hour or so to create steady movement throught the time lapse. The only post editing is light room exposure changes that are synced for the entire set of frames. I know in my Astro journey, I've always enjoyed the locations I backpack to and the composition with the foreground. The camera gear and post tools are cool, but nothing like seeing with your own eyes from a glorious location
@@MattCookOregon you hit the nail on the head with stress on the gear. The a7Riii with 16-35GM pretty much doesnt leave my site on backpacking trips. I do have that gear insured which includes me doing something dumb or loosing them, but it does give me anxiety. I've tried bringing other camera like an RX100m4 or RX10m4, and I even tried just my phone. For me, I want my best camera with me (that I can carry, lol). If I could Summit the kind of peaks you can (some day, but I'm not at your level yet), best I could probably carry would be a GoPro or something similar. Right now I seem to be most drawn to wildlife and their habitats, landscapes, and astro. And those usually pull me somewhere off the beaten trail (I dont like taking landscape photos I've seen a hundred times or going to a place where the animals are known to be there) Tons of respect for you Matt and what you are doing with your channel. Only giving you info on the few areas I might actually be able to help. I will be reaching out to you on the best way to Summit Shelly Mountain, the peak I've been photographing for years but still havent summited. So I feel obligated to return the favor in advanced ;-) Any way take care man, keep doing what you are doing.
Stargazing footage is always a bonus! Exploring, camping and stargazing go hand in hand! It still blows my mind when I look up at the stars and realize you are looking at the past. Thanks for your contribution.
Thank you. Stargazing footage is extra hard cause video at night is almost always black. Have to use some magic to get the footage viewable. I do love shooting the stars and probably don't have the best camera for that. I hope to do another stargazing one soon.
Matt Cook, that was one of the most professional video presentations I have ever seen on any topic. Choice of visuals was excellent, topographic 3d map was excellent, voice delivery was excellent, music choice and volume was excellent. You should consider creating such presentations at a professional level. Excellent work. Thank you. Subscribed.
Thank you very much! I enjoy putting my all into these. Big video coming on lighthouses in about a month. I am not exactly sure which direction to go with professional video work. So far groups like Travel Oregon have wanted nothing to do with me. That is OK, I get to have my freedom that way. If any ideas or leads on professional work I would love to hear them.
Thank you. The difficulty of star footage to me is trying to make it look like what it really looks like. That big open view feeling it gives is something I am still working on.
Thank you sir! Jesus you gain a thousand subscribers every time I look. Soon I am gonna start searching for you in the woods so I can popout and shoutout my instagram.
Great video, Matt! I’ve lived in Oregon all my life and I’ve never heard of this amazing place. It’s definitely on my list of things to do next year, as soon as they open up again in May 😊
Excellent video! I was at Mt. Thielsen and Diamond Lake in the summer of 2020 and that burn scar in your footage wasn't there, then. I had crystal clear weather the day I went down (I live in Shelton, WA) and when I was at Crater Lake the day before, I took photos of The Three Sisters and Mount Bachelor from near the Wizard Island Overlook. I cannot wait to go back. Your video brought back a lot of memories of that trip!
Thank you. I feel like your comment may be from another video, Thielsen maybe. Crater lake is nice, I hardly go cause all the dog restrictions. Maybe one day I will do a video there.
Really cool views at the observatory!! That paraglider was really cool to see. Awesome video bro!! I’m hopefully going to do the South Sister in August. I hope 🤞
Oh really! The permit system was delayed so that will be good news for you. Let me know if any questions I have been up it about 10 times. I would try to join but I have something keeping me very busy starting in August.
Another great, informative, interestingly fascinating video Matt!! This whole series you've been doing could easily be a TV show. Very cool how they open that property and facilities up for use and to get people interested in star gazing. I had to wait until I could watch it need to end (for your watch time % metric ;-) Have a great day and be safe out there
Thanks so much man. I do want the show to grow into something. Have tried to work with companies but they haven't given me a bite yet. One thought is to just stay solo and eventually become their competitor!
@@MattCookOregon I like that idea a lot! I havent watched mainstream TV in several years mostly because of channels like yours. Few people will know all the efforts that go into quality productions like yours. Heck my last edit was so intense, I'm still recovering, lol. The amount of thought and heart that goes into these productions you can feel when you watch them. Unlike most of the soulless shows out there that are produced as a product. What ever I can do to help let me know Matt. Keep creating this content. :-)
Wow stunning video... thanks for this... Plz help me knowing 1. If there's any fee for going there... 2. Did u take ur RV, 3. Can We go any day and observe the sky through the telescope? Thanks a ton!!!
Thank you. Last I was there when it was open, there was a recommended 5$ donation. When it wasn't open we camped for free and used the grounds outside the telescope. We do not have an RV, I think the road is too rough for those. They only open on weekend nights.
Is any of the camping open right now with al,mor this Covid distancing going on? None of my usual night photog spots nearby are open. Thought this might be a good alt.e
The campground is closed. But there are forest roads you can camp on. No problem primitive camping if you leave the place in as good condition as it was before you arrived.
Absolutely. All my footage except the last few minutes was during closed times. Last I checked the campsite was closed but day trips or dispersed camping is an option.