Last Updated on January 13, 2019
Staring at the night sky is quite the experience. It’s a perfect activity to think about the vast expanse of the universe or to reflect on your life and the future.
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Thanks to the power of photography, the beauty of the night sky can forever be immortalized for people to see and appreciate at any given time of day. Not only that, photographers have the ability to capture the night as stunning as the real thing.
As photography continues to transcend and improve into new bounds, so are its reach to photographers all over the world. Gone are the days where only professional photographers can achieve stunning photographs of the night sky. Today, even beginners can produce professional-like results.
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To learn how to photograph the night sky, here are some tips.
Photograph the Night Sky: What you need
If you’re thinking about capturing the night sky with the best shot of the stars, having the right gear is essential. To get started, here are some of the essential equipment that will help you get by.
- Tripod – When taking photos of the sky at night, you’re going to use long exposure shots. Therefore, stability is key. In order to perfectly execute the shots, your tripod is your best friend.
- Fish-eye Lens – These lenses have the ability to widen the view of the frame. Want to capture wide-angle night sky shots? Fish-eye lens is the answer.
- Full-frame Camera – Cameras have a wide range of categories with its own capabilities and features. When taking photos of the night sky, you will need a camera that allows better ISO capabilities. Therefore, using a full-frame camera is the way.
Capturing Night Sky Photographs Perfectly
In setting your camera, always go for your manual modes. Set your camera with a 25-second exposure, an f2.8 aperture, and an ISO setting to 1600. Stars will usually be clearer and stunning stars minus the star trails.
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This way, your shot makes the night sky more jaw-dropping if stars are clear and vibrant. If your lens is not capable with an f2.8 aperture, photographers can try setting it to a 30-second exposure with an f4 aperture and ISO 1600.
Keep in mind that these settings won’t work well with a full or half moon. Therefore, you will need to get away from those if you want better star shots. Also, try not to take photos with large light sources. To achieve this, always go away from the city lights and with nature.
Post processing is always best with Adobe Lightroom. When you retouch your shots and make just the right enhancements, there are a few things you need to look into.
First, try boosting your exposure a little to give the right amount of light and vibrancy. Next, noise reduction is a great tool to get rid of that annoying white, red, or blue pixels that are usually present in high ISO shots.
Finally, you can play with the hue and temperature setting that fits your preference the most. Remember, post-processing your shots depends on what you think will make your photographs achieve perfection.