Hanle, Ladakh, India has to be hands down one of the finest locations for astrophotography in the world. At 14500ft above sea level much of the dense atmosphere is below us making for some exceptionally clear skies. That the area is a cold desert in the rain shadow means it is cloud and haze free much of the year. If one can brave the high altitude and the resulting drop in oxygen level, the possibility of mountain sickness and the cold temperatures and winds which gust up to 50kmph, then there is no better place for astrophotography than Hanle. Of late I have been dabbling with longer focal lengths above 50mm. The sky is tracked and then later blended with the untracked blue hour foreground. Seen here is one such effort in 55mm. My assistant who accompanies me on almost all my trips gracefully forms the human element in this frame…..
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