As for focusing the image, I tried a number of techniques, including using nearby car lights as well as LiveView and zooming into a star to focus. I kept the shutter speed open only long enough to work with the other setups and minimize any star trails.

Metering the image was a matter of opening up the aperture on this Nikkor 20mm lens as wide as I could and finding the right ISO that I could bring in enough light while avoiding any ISO noise. The view is looking to the southwest just above the interstate highway that passes through the national park. Another work of short poetry or prose to complement the image captured one evening while standing at the north main entrance gate to Petrified Forest National Park. I Came to Petrified Forest National Park to See the Trees, Fallen from a time many millions of years ago But the first thing I saw was above in the night skies So dark and overflowing with an unimagined number of stars The Milky Way filled the night almost from west to east Moments like that can give thought to so much more The wonders of life and the need to share with others. I Came to Petrified Forest (Petrified Forest National Park) by Mark Stevens

Dxo photolab 3 skin smoothing