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I Accidentally Captured The ISS While Shooting My Friend
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I Accidentally Captured The ISS While Shooting My Friend

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Last Saturday, Perseiden storms were predicted for that upcoming night so I planned to go out shooting with a friend. The sky in the evening was crystal clear so it was a perfect opportunity. This actually does not happen a lot in our country, the Netherlands. We have a lot of light pollution.

That night, I decided I wanted to make some selfies with Milky Way, meaning me and my friend standing in front of it. Photographs like this just show how tiny we really are as earthlings. When I was shooting my friend, who was standing on top of a hill in front of the Milky Way, I noticed something in the sky. This was definitely no meteor because it was moving much slower. It faded out after a few seconds and when I checked the shot I took in my view finder I saw the white stripe. This did not look like an airplane. I took many of these shots before and airplanes usually have some color, and are way uglier and more dominating as stripes. So at first, I thought it was a bright meteor or some kind of satellite.

When I came home, after processing the image I started to post the image to a local astronomy forum. These guys have helped me before and obviously, they helped me again. After some measuring and checking the exact time of the photo, (which was 23:51:16 btw) they determined this had to be the ISS (international space station). Obviously I was very excited about this!

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Some people have been telling me I’m not telling the truth about that this was accidental. I can not prove anything, and these people just have to take my word for it. If I planned this shot I would have simply said I did. It doesn’t change the photo. Also, a lot of media outlets are labelling this as a selfie. Technically this is not entirely correct. I was taking the photo of my friend at the moment, so it really is a portrait (with the ISS photobombing it)!

More info: albertdros.com

ISS Photobomb!

Sony A7II, Samyang 14mm f2.8 lens at f2.8 (wide open) | ISO 3200 | exposure time 20 seconds

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Albert

Albert

Author, Community member

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Passionate Dutch Photographer!

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Albert

Albert

Author, Community member

Passionate Dutch Photographer!

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HanlimYee
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For some reason there I thought I saw ISIS instead of ISS

PeterPeake
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At first I was dubious, not about the ISS, but that there was a hill in the Netherlands. I've visited twice and haven't seen one yet. Great photo's though.

Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

haha, yeah it's not a 'hill' like you know hills probably. Everything is flat here so we tend to call a 50 cm rise of terrain a hill :D

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GlynisLailann
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Suggestion: I think you should submit your photo to National Geographic. they had a photo competition running called 'Un-expected discoveries' a while ago. Your photo is commendable.

RjΓΆrkeDecker
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exposure time of 20 seconds? How on earth did your subject manage to stand still for that long and avoid all blur under such low-light conditions? That's at least as impressive as capturing the ISS by chance!

SusannaVesna
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How far did u stand from the camera to capture that last photo? Or is just a great zoom out lens? (Sorry, I am limited in photography knowledge)

BonnieBeechler
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those are stunning. I especially like the one of the two figures dwarfed by the majesty of the sky. GREAT photos!

NikitaJagora
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Taken out of context, this article sounds like it's about something entirely different

Chantalvddool
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

De lucht was geweldig mooi de afgelopen nachten. En dat voor ons kikkerlandje. Ontzettend genoten van de sterren en vallende sterren en geprobeerd er een paar vast te leggen met de camera. Prachtige foto!!

DavidLongfils
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fantastic = how lucky to capture this image Other photos are great as well!

LaraAndersen
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beautiful photos! You would never see a sky like that here. How cool that you had that opportunity:)

Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why not Lara? Where are you from? A lot of people in my country think the same as you :) the Netherlands is one of the worst for this kind of photography.

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HanlimYee
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For some reason there I thought I saw ISIS instead of ISS

PeterPeake
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At first I was dubious, not about the ISS, but that there was a hill in the Netherlands. I've visited twice and haven't seen one yet. Great photo's though.

Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

haha, yeah it's not a 'hill' like you know hills probably. Everything is flat here so we tend to call a 50 cm rise of terrain a hill :D

Load More Replies...
GlynisLailann
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Suggestion: I think you should submit your photo to National Geographic. they had a photo competition running called 'Un-expected discoveries' a while ago. Your photo is commendable.

RjΓΆrkeDecker
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exposure time of 20 seconds? How on earth did your subject manage to stand still for that long and avoid all blur under such low-light conditions? That's at least as impressive as capturing the ISS by chance!

SusannaVesna
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How far did u stand from the camera to capture that last photo? Or is just a great zoom out lens? (Sorry, I am limited in photography knowledge)

BonnieBeechler
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those are stunning. I especially like the one of the two figures dwarfed by the majesty of the sky. GREAT photos!

NikitaJagora
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Taken out of context, this article sounds like it's about something entirely different

Chantalvddool
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

De lucht was geweldig mooi de afgelopen nachten. En dat voor ons kikkerlandje. Ontzettend genoten van de sterren en vallende sterren en geprobeerd er een paar vast te leggen met de camera. Prachtige foto!!

DavidLongfils
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fantastic = how lucky to capture this image Other photos are great as well!

LaraAndersen
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beautiful photos! You would never see a sky like that here. How cool that you had that opportunity:)

Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why not Lara? Where are you from? A lot of people in my country think the same as you :) the Netherlands is one of the worst for this kind of photography.

Load More Replies...
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