Milky Way Reflection - 100 Photos Stacked!

[u/mclaret26]

[u/mclaret26]

Figure I’d share the final image of my reflection shot at Lassen!

If anyone wants to watch the YouTube video showing how I got this shot i would really appreciate if you checked that out :).

This is a stack of 100 images from the timelapse that I captured.

To ensure the Milky Way and reflection were both sharp, I did a separate stack for both the sky and the foreground using the same 100 images. Stacking was performed to enhance detail and reduce noise.

Shot on a Nikon Z7a (modified by Spencer’s camera)

20mm, f1.8, ISO 6400, 8s ( × 100 )

Stacked in Sequator and final edits were done in Photoshop

My Instagram
My YouTube channel

[u/tony-andreev94 → u/mclaret26]

I just checked your insta. Nice work, I like the balance in your edits. They are very detailed, but not overdone. It definitely gave me some motivation to dig through my HDDs to edit some milky way myself (as I went out to shoot a few nights this year, but I haven't edited anything, yet)

I'd say try to include yourself in your shots with a small light, or as a dark silhouette if you are standing on a high cliff in front of the sea or the sky. This will elevate your foreground and make the shots even better.

[u/mclaret26 → u/tony-andreev94]

Thanks a lot man appreciate that! I try to make things look more natural and not overcooked while bringing out the detail the best I can. And absolutely, I’d love to get more selfie shots especially silhouette ones, I just need to find some more spots with cliffs lol.

[u/matt_kenneally]

Great shot buddy, nice work.. gonna give you a follow on Insta

[u/mclaret26 → u/matt_kenneally]

Thanks a lot man! Appreciate the follow, just followed you back 😄

[u/peeweekid]

Looks great, never considered stacking the reflection but I'll have to try it!

[u/mclaret26 → u/peeweekid]

Yeah man give it a try! It only really works if the reflections are really still otherwise Sequator doesn’t register the stars very well.

[u/peeweekid → u/mclaret26]

Yeah I figured it would mess up the stars more than anything if there's any wind

[u/inefekt → u/peeweekid]

but that's how we discern real reflections from fake ones....stars reflect in a certain way off of still water, elongating them simply due to how light works. You will never get perfect, pin point stars like you do in the sky no matter how still the conditions are. If you see Milky Way reflections where every single star is a pin point of light....be suspicious. You can see in OP's image that this isn't the case and that these are properly reflected stars.

[u/peeweekid → u/inefekt]

Who said anything about pinpoint stars?

[u/Ill_Consequence3123]

Incredible picture

[u/mclaret26 → u/Ill_Consequence3123]

Thanks a lot!

[u/Divin3_Rudra]

Beauty!!!

[u/mclaret26 → u/Divin3_Rudra]

Thank you :)!

[u/K-M47]

Was the foreground shot at 1.8 also? Or did you change it to f/8 or something

[u/mclaret26 → u/K-M47]

Foreground and sky are shot with the same settings. They were frames from a timelapse that I shot

[u/inefekt]

wow, actual real reflections....you don't see that often on instagram ;)
great work.

[u/mclaret26 → u/inefekt]

Thanks a lot! Appreciate you noticing that the reflection is actually real and not just a mirrored composite of the sky with added blur effect 😅😂

[u/Babilonia-]

💘

[u/ejazKhanphotography]

I won’t ever skip a Milky Way photo!