Many beginners find astrophotography and nightscape photography intimidating because they think it requires sophisticated gear. However, that’s just a common misconception, as you can actually get beautiful nightscape shots even with basic camera gear. So, are you in the mood to photograph the night sky but a standard DSLR and kit lens are all you have? The video above is worth the watch!
Trevor Jones of AstroBackyard walks us through the entire process of shooting and editing a stellar nightscape photo. All you need is your basic camera gear and a basic but sturdy tripod. Of course, you’ll also have to scout a great location with an interesting landscape, and well away from light pollution. It’s important to head to the darkest spot nearest to you during the new moon phase. This way, the moonlight doesn’t affect the brightness of the stars against the night sky. The interesting elements of the location will make for a more dramatic shot compared to, say, a sprawling and flat grassland.
Next, Jones walks us through the basic gear he used, and the camera settings needed to capture as much light as possible. He also dropped some tips for avoiding star trails, using image stacking, focusing the lens and camera and stitching the sky and foreground landscape for the final image. However, keep in mind that you’re free to experiment with the camera settings and composition as well.
By all means, consider these tips as your gateway to getting started with astrophotography. You’ll definitely learn more as you go along. Eventually, you’ll build more confidence to progress to more complex gear for photographing the night sky!
Need more astrophotography tips and tricks like this? Don’t forget to join our group discussions if you’re already part of the Photofocus Community!
