Awesome Star Trails Over Bristol

Star Trails Over Iconic Bristol

Article by Bristol photographer – Phil Watson

I’ve been taking night photos for about 8 months (since June 2015) and one thing that fascinates me it how fast how fast the earth spins creating the visual effect of the stars moving.

Traditionally taking a night photo would involve nice sharp stars (using the 500 rule or some people prefer the 600 rule to calculate your maximum exposure time).  I had/have a lot of fun experimenting and exploring Bristol at night doing just this.
This project is on the other hand is to capture the movement and expose it in a way we can see and understand.

I planned out my locations (hopefully you’ll recognise most if not all of them). I visited them during the day for geeky photographer style information including angles and focal length etc. Then it’s the waiting game… clear night skies are the most important bit, one cloud can ruin the shot although a few wispy clouds did feature in a couple of shots! Early starts and late night have featured in this, the early part of 2016 when all images were taken.

Sometimes the patterns created are more interesting than others but I find them all mesmerising and have become somewhat addicted.

Images duration vary from 20 minutes to 100 minutes

Trail Carriages

The old train carriages of the M-shed – capturing a little piece of history mixed in with the modern life of the harbour.

Birdcage Walk

St Andrew’s graveyard looking even more eerie than normal.
I was lucky enough for one of the lights to be broken to capture the stars through the bare trees.

Bristol Harbour

The iconic M-shed Cranes.
I used a fisheye lens for this shot to add a different perspective as the cranes are one of the most photographed scenes on Bristol. One or two wispy clouds but hey, we are in the UK after all.

Christmas Steps

Does the action ever stop in Bristol? No is the simple answer to that! This shot was taken from across the road from the ‘To Christmas Steps’ sign at about 4am – many many cars passed me by.

Hospital Rings

Andrew Smith the artist of the sculpture has created something that surely makes children, parents and passers-by smile if just for a second.
Official name ‘Lollypop-Be-bop’ this also makes me smile – good work

Hotwells

Colourful houses, stars, reflections, star reflections…. No Grain Barge as it’s out of the water for maintenance.

SS Great Britain

A fine example of Old vs. New.
This ship needs no introduction. Go visit her, she’s a gem!

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Probably the most photographed view of Bristol. I for one never get bored of it.
55 minutes – start time 3.30am

Valentines Bridge

Wonderfully weird bridge made weirder by reflections, star trails and a fisheye lens.

Under the bridge

The longest star trails of the collection, 100 minutes under the Clifton Suspension Bridge. I still haven’t decided which way up it goes…

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