Luck sometimes favors the prepared. I had put all my ducks in a row. Back in July 2018, I had contacted Cal Tech to obtain permission to photograph Owens Valley Radio Telescope near Bishop, CA. They had contacted security to let them know it was OK. But what I couldn’t
What are some good methods for finding fascinating foregrounds and locations for night photography? I’ll walk you through some of the methods I use. A word about composition in night photography My philosophy is that regardless of whether it you are photographing the night sky or not, it’s all about
I often get asked about what mobile apps I use for night photography. When I mention that one of my favorites is Clear Outside, most people have never heard of it. However, I app-solutely (um, sorry) love this app and find it extremely accurate. In fact, several of my non-night
My friend has six acres of property pressed up against Topanga State Park in California. I visited there in September, eager to create a spooky ghost on a swing set for the holiday using a form of photography called “light writing.” It doesn’t take much equipment. You need some cheap
The short version Northern Hemisphere: Wait until “Milky Way season,” about April through October. Get away from light. Look south.Southern Hemisphere: Wait until “Milky Way season,” about September through March. Get away from light. Look high up. Short and sweet. But should I end the article right here? Let’s keep
I was instant messaging with a night photographer I had known mostly online for a few years when he extended the invitation: “It’s a secret area that only a few of us know. There are no trails, and we have to hike out really far to some rocky arch formations
I wanted a vivid, bold composition of a subject that had been photographed a fair amount by other night photographers. This was photographed at a desert art installation known as the International Car Forest of the Last Church outside Goldfield, NV, a field of old cars that are wildly painted
I do long-exposure photography almost exclusively, so I look for specific qualities in ball heads. If I am adjusting the ball head in the dark for a series of photos for stacking for Milky Way photos or two-hour-long star trails, I want something easy to use and rock solid. We’ll
How you pack and organize your backpack for hiking or travel directly impacts your experience. This is true of all forms of photography, but perhaps especially night photography. After all, you will need to access your belongings repeatedly in the dark. Probably like you, the way you pack will change
How do we find the best dark skies? How do we plan for night photos with Milky Ways? I’ll discuss some sites that will help you in this quest. It’s worth it, after all Night photography road trips are exciting. The long drives, strange music, late night taco stands, the
Some photographers out there still find it hard to go out and shoot. Others don’t even feel inspired to do any photography. Whether it’s a lack of motivation or ideas, finding inspiration sometimes means just taking the first step to making it happen. For some photographers, it’s amazing what a
Welcome back to another episode of the Tamron Recipes podcast, brought to you by Tamron USA and SkipCohenUniversity.com. Get ready to be inspired and grow your creativity by seeing what your fellow photographers are doing in the industry! In this show, Skip Cohen and I interview fellow photographers and discuss the elements
