Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

T

he universe is back in fashion.

Everywhere you look there are

astonishing images of the night sky.

Visit Instagram and you’ll see the

Milky Way and the northern lights arching

across the sky above beautiful landscapes,

while NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope

fill the internet with close-ups of planets,

galaxies, nebulae and sparkling star clusters.

All that takes expensive equipment and

trips to exotic places, right? Wrong. With a

DSLR or mirrorless camera – and even a

compact camera if it has a full Manual mode

• you can take incredible images at night.

Night-sky photography is all about taking

long exposures, but there are two distinct

disciplines; deep-space astrophotography

and nightscapes. The former is largely the

reserve of astronomers and involves the

purchase and use of telescopes. It’s an

expensive and time-consuming pursuit that

involves stacking and processing video

frames, and also requires travel in order to

be under the darkest skies.

That’s not what we’re concentrating

on here. Instead, you could say that

we’re exploring nightscapes; landscape

photographs that feature the night sky. You

can just point your camera up and take

images of stars, but the end result is not

likely to be very interesting. It’s far better

to craft a nicely composed image with an

unusual celestial backdrop.

Via star trails, the Milky Way, the ethereal

northern lights and much more, we’ll learn

how – and just as importantly when and

where – to become a proficient nightscape

photographer. So get your eyes to the skies!

Jamie Carter is the author of A Stargazing

Program For Beginners: A Pocket Field Guide

and edits WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com

he universe is back in fashion.

Everywhere you look there are

astonishing images of the night sky.

Visit Instagram and you’ll see the

Milky Way and the northern lights arching

across the sky above beautiful landscapes,

while NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope

fill the internet with close-ups ofplanets,

gaalaxies, nebulae and sparkling star clusters.

AlAlllththat takes expensive equipment and

trips toeexoxotic places, right? Wrong. With a

DSLRor mirrororlelesscamera – and evena

compact camera if fitit has a full Manual mode

• you can take incredible imimagages at night.

Night-sky photography is all about taking

long exposures, but there are two distinct

disciplines; deep-space astrophotography

and nightscapes. The former is largely the

reserve ofastronomersandinvolvesthe

purchase and use of telescopes. It’s an

expensive and time-consumingpursuit that

involves stacking and processing video

frames, and also requires travel in order to

be under the darkest skies.

That’s not what we’re concentrating

on here. Instead, you could say that

we’re exploring nightscapes; landscape

photographs that feature the night sky. You

can justpointyour camera up and take

images of stars, but the end result is not

likely to be very interesting. It’s far better

to craft a nicely composed image with an

unusual celestial backdrop.

Via star trails, the Milky Way, the ethereal

northern lights and much more, we’ll learn

how – and just as importantly when and

where – to become a proficient nightscape

photographer. So get your eyes to the skiees!s!

Jamie Carteristheauthorof A Sttararggazing

Program For Beginners: APPococket Field Guide

and editsWhenIsThheNeNextEclipse.com

10 STEPS TO AWESOME

Jamie Carter demystifies the wonder of nighttime

photography in ten simple steps

© Craig Bill

TECHNIQUES

heuniverseisbackinfashion.

Everywhereyoulookthereare

astonishingimagesofthenight sky.

VisitInstagramandyou’llseethe

MilkyWayandthe northernlights arching

acrosstheskyabovebeautifullandscapes,

whileNASAandtheHubble SpaceTelescope

fill the internetwith close-ups ofplanets,

gaalaxies,nebulaeandsparkling starclusters.

AlAlllththattakesexpensiveequipmentand

trips toeexoxoticplaces,right?Wrong.Witha

DSLRormirrororlelesscamera–andevena

compactcameraiffitithasafull Manualmode

• you can take incredibleimimagagesatnight.

Night-skyphotographyisallabouttaking

longexposures,buttherearetwodistinct

disciplines;deep-spaceastrophotography

andnightscapes.Theformerislargelythe

reserveofastronomersandinvolvesthe

purchaseanduseoftelescopes.It’san

expensiveandtime-consumingpursuitthat

involvesstackingandprocessingvideo

frames,and alsorequirestravelin order to

be underthedarkestskies.

That’snotwhatwe’reconcentrating

onhere.Instead,youcouldsaythat

we’reexploringnightscapes;landscape

photographs thatfeaturethenightsky. You

canjustpointyour cameraupandtake

imagesofstars,buttheendresult isnot

likelytobeveryinteresting. It’sfarbetter

tocraft a nicelycomposedimage withan

unusualcelestialbackdrop.

Via startrails,theMilkyWay, the ethereal

northernlights andmuchmore,we’lllearn

how– andjustasimportantlywhenand

where– tobecomea proficientnightscape

photographer.Sogetyoureyestotheskies!s!

JamieCarteristheauthorofASttarargazing

ProgramForBeginners:APoocketFieldGuide

andeditsWhenIsThheNeNextEclipse.com

Jamie Carter demystifies the wonder of nighttime

photography in ten simple steps

© Craig Bill

TECHNIQUES