Sony Alpha 1, FE 35mm F1.4 GM Lens, and an Epic RMNP Milky Way Photo

From my perspective, the heart of the milky way sets up a superb image. A reflective high mountain lake that nearly meets the sky and the character of spruce tree tops substantially raise the bar.

When the Sony Alpha 1 and FE 35mm F1.4 GM Lens are on the tripod in front of that scene, special results await.

Many focal lengths work well at this location, and the milky way will vertically fill the frame with the entire available range. But, I love how the milky way fills out the frame horizontally at the 35mm full-frame angle of view.

The 35mm magnification is stronger than more commonly used focal lengths, including 14mm, 20mm, and 24mm. Therefore, a slightly shorter shutter speed to avoid star trails is required relative to when the wider angle choices are used, but f/1.4 has you covered.

If you have never photographed the milky way from a dark location with an f/1.4 lens, you don't know what you are missing. I'll warn you — addiction awaits. The FE 35mm GM lens is an outstanding choice.

The Really Right Stuff TVC-24L Mk2 Carbon Fiber Tripod and BH-40 Ball Head never let me down for long exposures.

Images don't always tell the full story. In this case, a persistent wind caused stretched star reflections for most of the several hours I spent at this lake this night. Fortunately, I was blessed with still water for about one or two minutes just as the milky way rotated into the perfect position. With that combination, the rest of the evening's images will likely remain archived.