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Vent: My best shot of the Orion Nebula got ruined by a neighbor's porch light
I was out in my backyard in Phoenix last night, about two hours into a 30-minute exposure. Everything was tracking perfectly. Then my neighbor came home and flipped on his bright white porch light, flooding my sensor. The whole frame was washed out. I had to pack up and start over from scratch. Has anyone else dealt with sudden light pollution like that? What do you even say to the guy?
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the_shane1mo ago
Yeah, that porch light is brutal. Actually, @michaelcoleman, a light pollution filter won't really fix a direct blast like that, they're more for the general sky glow. You'd need a physical shield. I've had to politely ask a neighbor before, just explained I was doing a long camera shot and if he could maybe use a motion light instead. It worked, but it's an awkward chat for sure.
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michaelcoleman1mo ago
Read about using a light pollution filter.
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charlie_stone7216d ago
Light pollution filters have this weird catch where people think they fix everything. I bought one thinking it would help with my neighbor's security light that points right at my back deck. Nope. All it did was make the whole image look slightly purple and washed out. Ended up just inviting the guy over for a beer and showed him what I was trying to shoot. He didn't care about the stars but he liked the free beer. Have you ever tried just talking to them or building a cheap wooden shield instead?
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