Humans have often loved and adored the stars. By simply looking up at the dark sky, which shines with glints of diamonds, we realise how tiny we are in the grand scheme of things. With many interested in the genre but unsure how to begin, we have decided to list a few suggestions to help photographers get better shots. Scroll down for more on astrophotography.
- Dark sky: The first and most important step is to find a dark night sky, away from pollution. So, get away from the city as far as you can. Also, keep an eye out for when you are going so that there is no moon in the sky.
- Manual mode: Your camera can’t see the darkness as you can. This is why you must stick to manual mode, as it gives you full control over exposure. Once set on this, you can control the bulb mode, aperture, and ISO with ease.
- Manual focus: Autofocus can not work in the dark. To get the focus right, switch to manual focus, use live view to zoom in on a bright star, and adjust the focus until it appears small and sharp. Focus can shift due to temperature, so check it every 20-30 minutes.
- Widest aperture: A wide-angle lens is the best option. Think of 14mm, 16mm, or even 24mm prime lenses that provide an f2.8 aperture. A wider aperture can get you more light, and the stars will appear bright without relying on longer exposures.
- Get a nice tripod: Avoid extending the tripod to its thinnest leg sections, and never raise the center column. A stable base is critical for sharp stars. If it is windy, hang your camera bag from it to increase stability.
- High ISO: Begin your shots at ISO 3200. But if you are using an older DSLR, stick to ISO 1600. The latter can lead to noise, resulting in grainy photos.
- Shutter speed: Start with a 15-second exposure. This means you can capture stars without trailing. If you are shooting on APS-C, stick to 18mm or wider. Also, ensure you are shooting at 15 seconds, with a tripod, and not at 1/15th of a second. Some cameras have (“) quotation marks indicating seconds.
- White balance: A white balance of about 4000K gives a neutral-looking night sky. You can adjust this better if you are shooting in RAW.
- Timer: To avoid shake, you can use a remote trigger to set off the shutter, or a self-timer of 2 to 10 seconds.