What to do during long exposures?

[Don Komarechka]

Hey all, trying my hand at star trail photography this evening. Currently waiting for a 37 minute exposure to complete. I walked back to the comfort of my truck while I wait, but I am curious:

what do you all do to pass the time while you wait for your long exposure photos to complete?

[Todd Lambert]

Usually eat, drink, sleep, masturbate, etc... (not necessarily in that order either)

lol ;-)

[Jim G]

Stomp around complaining about the freezing cold to anything which will listen... which is usually nothing as nobody else is silly enough to be up at 4am taking photos :p

[sbcorros]

After making sure that you've covered the viewfinder with some dark material as to not let any light leak through your sensor, you can do anything except forgetting you've left your camera somewhere in the dark gazing up at the sky. ;D

[astrostu]

First I set a timer. Then I read e-mail, forums like this, listen to podcasts, watch movies or TV on my computer, more rarely do actual work on my computer.

[Adrena1in]

I do all my shooting at home, so when I leave the camera to do it's thing I'll either

a) Go inside, watch telly, drink a hot drink, (if it's really cold out), or
b) Stay outside with binoculars and a star-map and lie on the ground gazing up and learning what's up there, (if it's not too cold outside). :)

[MintMark]

Stomp around complaining about the freezing cold to anything which will listen... which is usually nothing as nobody else is silly enough to be up at 4am taking photos :p

No stomping! That would ruin the exposure :)

[troypiggo]

I pulled an all-nighter on Saturday night. First time. I was surprised how quickly the night went. Spent the time simply gazing up and looking around, trying to learn some more constellations and star names, occasionally pulling out the binoculars for a more detailed look, checking the guiding/camera was still ticking over nicely, making coffee, eating. If I was in a group I'd be chatting and drinking more beer.

[Adrena1in]

I pulled an all-nighter on Saturday night. First time. I was surprised how quickly the night went... If I was in a group I'd be chatting and drinking more beer.

Hoping to go to a dark site with a small group this Saturday, and who knows, it might turn into an all-nighter if the conditions are really good. Must make sure I have enough coffee in the thermos. And have all my camera batteries charged! :)

[troypiggo]

Hoping to go to a dark site with a small group this Saturday, and who knows, it might turn into an all-nighter if the conditions are really good. Must make sure I have enough coffee in the thermos. And have all my camera batteries charged! :)

Beer. Don't forget the beer. :)

[Adrena1in]

Beer. Don't forget the beer. :)

Hmm, driving home at 2am after being up for twenty hours, with beer in me as well?! Nah, I'll stick with the coffee. Perhaps when I attend a weekend-long star-party, when I'm viewing right next to my tent, then I'll take your advice! ;)

[A.S.I.G.N. Observatory]

Someone say beer?

[ecce_lex]

I stay quietly by the scope, feed the hedgehogs that come to check me out (there's 3 of em), drink cofee with cognac, count satellites and send drunken sms-es to ex girlfriends. then i usually realize there's no more batteries lesft, or that i've forgot to focus properly, or that i'm at iso 3200, or that the white balance-s all wrong (i don't shoot raw)..

astrophoto's great fun :P

[Boatski]

Buy iPhone or Android.
Play games.

[moonyguy]

You can count meteors. Very useful scientifically!
Vishnu

[JATO]

I always multi-task. My system is setup for remote operation and is fully automated. I rarely ever spend time at the eyepiece. If a run is done ove night then the images are saved, but I rarely post process the photos.

The images are exposed only long enough to see what my naked eye can't. I refer to it as remote observing when done real-time. During real-time captures I read, watch TV whatever. On overnight runs..I sleep.

[Cham_001]

Depending on the weather:
a) chilled beer
b) chilled fresh juice/shakes (orange/coconut/mango/cashew/banana)
-...-...-...-
c) tea/coffee with suitable biscuits and cakes
d) set alarm and 'snooze' for the 30mins

Depending on female availability:
i) a quick-one with any bored local babe/concubine
ii) use backup camera and shoot model/babe/concubine
iii) hunt for a backup concubine for good times for the additional shots of 2,3,4,5.....etc

:confused:

[troypiggo]

Depending on the weather:
a) chilled beer
b) chilled fresh juice/shakes (orange/coconut/mango/cashew/banana)
-...-...-...-
c) tea/coffee with suitable biscuits and cakes
d) set alarm and 'snooze' for the 30mins

Depending on female availability:
i) a quick-one with any bored local babe/concubine
ii) use backup camera and shoot model/babe/concubine
iii) hunt for a backup concubine for good times for the additional shots of 2,3,4,5.....etc

:confused:

Hmm, I like the way you think. :)

You probably haven't been to the same dark sites as me, but local babe/concubine quality isn't very high in those areas, hence the beer...

[Cham_001]

Hmm, I like the way you think. :)

You probably haven't been to the same dark sites as me, but local babe/concubine quality isn't very high in those areas, hence the beer...

Senhor Troy - you need to be in NE Brazil, the beaches have no end of available babes! ;)

[troypiggo]

:(

They're not too shabby here either. Grew up on the Gold Coast. But the skies aren't dark. So you have to make a choice, astro or babes. :)

[thedge]

Red or yellow LED light and read a book.

[A.S.I.G.N. Observatory]

Red or yellow LED light and read a book.

Does this mean red-light districts are premium astronomy dark sites? :lol: