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Night Sky Photography Tips
Take Your Night Photography to the
Next Level!
The night sky is
variable. Some nights are grey and overcast, some filled with stars, yet others
are busy with the movement of clouds on weather fronts.
Long shutter speeds
are the key to capturing imaginative and beautiful images of the sky at night,
so be patient and this kind of photography will become second nature to you.
1.
Star
Trails
Due to the Earth’s
rotation about its axis, it seems that the light from stars moves in circles
around the celestial pole. These movements are detectable after about 5 to 10
minutes and can be traced by your camera in the form of a streak.
To photograph this
magical effect, you need a sturdy tripod and lots of patience. Focus the lens
to infinity and set the camera’s mode at Manual or Bulb shooting mode. With the
use of a cable release, you will capture the stars moving across the sky.
These exposures can be
a few minutes to several hours long. If you keep a few things in mind, such as
the timing, composition, and power of the battery, you can make photographing
star trails simpler for you.
The best place to view
and photograph the night sky is in the rural countryside because cities have
artificial lights which cause a phenomenon known as light pollution.
You need to get away
from artificial lights in order to see the stars well. A truly dark sky is
preferred, but artificial lights keep the night sky from being truly dark.
Many beginners aim at
capturing the longest star trails by keeping the shutter open for long periods
of time. However, they tend to underestimate the impact generated by ambient
light in the sky, which can be hard to notice at times.
In addition, residual
light (such as moonlight) can have a devastating impact on long shutter speed
photos. This is because when you keep the shutter open for say, nearly 20
minutes, an hour after the sunset, the camera may perceive it as a day shot.
Similarly, a full moon
night photo with an exposure time of around 10 minutes could also look like a
day shot. Therefore, it is best to attempt such a picture with either a new
moon or well before the moonrise or after the moonset. The light emerging from
the stars would be more evident at this time and the picture would be perfect.
3. Use Long Shutter Speeds
When photographing the
night sky with a long exposure, exposures of 15 minutes or longer will show the
rotation of the Earth.
You’ll need a wide-angle
lens and a sturdy tripod, of course. You’ll want to use a cable release to
eliminate camera shake of any kind, as it will RUIN your photo.
Focus the lens to
infinity and set the camera to B “Bulb” shooting mode. Set your aperture
between f/2.8 and f/4 for optimal results, and depress the remote to open the
shutter. You should keep your ISO at 100 to keep the digital noise at a minimum
because the sky is so dark and less prone to producing digital noise when the
exposure is above 15 seconds.
To complete the photo
after your desired elapsed time, depress the remote again, and release the
shutter.
Photographing the atmospheric
phenomenon of aurora borealis is a challenge for photographers.
This difficulty is due
to frequent spectacular changes in the brightness of the light. The charged
solar particles move very fast and sometimes get hidden making it impossible to
shoot them. However, if you follow these tips, you will be able to get the best
aurora borealis photos.
Anchor your camera on
a strong tripod to keep it steady for longer exposures. Set the ISO at the
range of 100 to 400. Shutter speed can be as long as 30 seconds depending on
the amount of light available. Do not rely on the built-in light meter, which
is better left for day time use.
Although any kind of lens will do for aurora borealis photography, you should choose a wide-angle and faster lens.
5. Cloudy Skies
As the light begins to
fall, look at the cloudy skies. Watch the colors and how they merge through the
clouds.
Even though it is
dark, you should try using an 80A blue cooling filter to enhance the blue cast
of the sky and to reduce the yellow cast from the artificial lights.
Use a wide-angle lens
and opt for longer exposures.
You can first try a
few test shots and then assess them carefully on your digital camera.
You should be able to
decide on the best range of exposures to capture some good photographs of an
overcast sky.
Recommended
Settings
Metering after dark
can be a problem, so make sure you choose the best option for your particular
situation.
If the conditions are
both light and dark you need to use spot metering for an accurate reading. If
the darkness is even you can use center-weighted or evaluative metering.
Don’t use flash if you
can help it as this can affect the resulting image, creating an area of the
photograph that is over-lit.
Manual and Bulb modes are the best shooting modes for this kind of photography.
Night skies should
always be photographed with the assistance of a tripod.
Don’t forget to buy a
cable release or remote control for taking the picture – this is important
because some shots will take up to 30 seconds or even more.
Your lens ideally
should have an infinity focusing mode and your camera should have the ability
to do a mirror lock up – a feature in which the mirror in the camera moves out
of the way before the shutter is released. This feature eliminates the
vibration that occurs when the mirror slaps up into the camera housing.
A wide-angle lens is
the best choice for night skies, and a zoom makes it even more versatile.
Conclusion
When taking pictures
of the night sky, remember that patience is as important as is the ability to
look at an image’s composition critically and decide what you need to change
next time to make it better.
As we stated earlier,
the process of finding the right exposure length for the image you want is
going to be a process of trial and error (in terms of lens length, shutter
speed, aperture setting, as all three allow for different effects).
With long exposures of
over 30 seconds, a cable release is necessary to ensure tack sharp final
images. For additional variety and perhaps better photographs of stars in the
sky, you might want to try a few B&W shots.
Dress warmly if the
weather is cold, because sitting still on a cold night is much colder than
walking in the cold, so extra layers may be needed.
Remember to take a
flashlight with you so you can adjust your camera in the dark.
The more images of the
night sky you take, the more you will learn the best way to photograph them.
Source: https://www.exposureguide.com/night-sky-photography-tips/