Luna Stars [Contest #193 - September, 2022 (Stars)] 09-17-2022, 11:00 PM
Luna Park, in Milsons Point (Sydney), has a long and convoluted history. It was constructed in 1935 and became an iconic part of the harbourside scene - sitting in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge and alongside the North Sydney Olympic Pool (built for the 1938 Empire Games). Following a lethal fire in 1979, believed to have some connection to organised crime, it closed and this prime part of Sydney real estate seemed likely to disappear. It was largely demolished but then, against the odds, rebuilt - operating until 1988, when it again closed due to concerns about its condition. It opened again in 1995, but closed once again following concerns about its state of repair and complaints from nearby residents about noise. It has been redeveloped yet again, reopening in 2004 - since when it has been open continuously. I don't want to tempt fate, but it seems secure now as part of the famous Harbour scene.
The iconic Luna Park face is lit up for most of the day, but there are a few hours in the very early morning when its own lights go off and it's only illuminated by an adjoining floodlight, making a picture like this possible for someone mad enough to attempt it.
Think of how many generations of kids have enjoyed this place then become parents and grandparents taking their kids there. Yet even this passage of time is nothing to the stars, which have wheeled and shone down since before Earth was even formed...
Stacked files shot over 90 minutes, each of which was ISO 1250 for 1.6 seconds @ f5. Although each of these shots showed the scene wholly as in the final picture, I wanted the face to show in better quality, so I shot the face on ISO100 much longer, using f13, then blended the star trails stack with this file.
Last edited by Ed Hurst; 09-18-2022 at 08:29 PM.
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