Basic Tips for Night-time Photography
Capturing the stars with these simple tips from some of our photographers. Turn your photos into something to be admired and magical.
Over the years, cameras and technology have evolved to make photography much more accessible. And now, with advances in camera technology, people of all ages can capture those treasured memories from a favourite vacation or outdoor adventure. Exceptional images take us back to the joys and effort that went into their capture and are a great way of sharing the experience with loved ones. Of course, the trend is to post on social media or create a travel blog. Still, the best pictures will make themed photo books to ensure those special memories and experiences last forever.
Night-time photography is a specialised pursuit, so you must know how your camera works. Because you are working in the dark, get comfortable with the controls and how to access the camera’s menu. So, get used to holding the camera, zooming in and out, composing a scene, taking shots, and reviewing the images.
Night photography can be addictive and very time-consuming. A photo at sunset might only take 15 minutes of your day. Still, at night it's not unusual to experiment with exposures and composition for hours until you achieve the desired result. The good thing is that once you have the right camera combinations, they rarely change, and your later attempts will be much more successful.
Perfect Night Sky Shooting
Regional, remote and outback locations with minimal light pollution are the best places to view the stars in the vast night sky and capture them.
Digital photography makes wide field astrophotography well within most peoples’ reach. However, key considerations and basic equipment are required to achieve that elusive perfect night sky image.
So, let’s begin with the basic equipment:
The camera – most digital SLR cameras are more than capable of photographing the starry night skies. However, those with a full-frame sensor and excellent low light capabilities will yield better results. In addition, many mirrorless cameras on the market are also ideal for astrophotography.
Higher-end Olympus cameras offer computational photography to make amazing nighttime images in the camera and allow the photographer to capture very long exposures without blowing out any of the highlights. The camera records a base image and only records any changes according to your chosen exposure parameters. This will render long exposure star trails as they move while keeping the landscape at the desired exposure level.
Which lenses? For wide field astrophotography, you require a lens with a large aperture to allow as much light as possible to pass through the lens. Ideally, this is f2.8, but you can still achieve a good result with an f4 lens. The Milky Way is massive, so a lens with a wide field of view will make it easier to capture as much of it as possible. A lens with a 14mm-16mm focal range is ideal. And as we shall see, the broader field of view will also allow the use of longer shutter speeds to gather more light.
The tripod - a sturdy tripod is essential due to the long exposure times associated with astrophotography. A solid platform is a must, as most exposures will be in the 15 to 30-second range. If you don't have a tripod, place the camera on a sturdy surface like a rock and use the camera's self-timer to take your picture. A camera with a swivelling viewfinder will make it easier to compose your shot without too many contorted manoeuvres to see the image.
A head torch - allows you to keep your hands free to work your camera and controls while providing light to see in the dark.
An intervalometer - will allow you to trigger your camera remotely without needing to touch it, preventing vibration in the camera. An intervalometer will also enable you to make time-lapse sequences and star trails. Check if your camera has a built-in intervalometer, as most do these days. Many cameras these days can be controlled by your smartphone, eliminating the need for a remote altogether.
Planning is vital
Matt Williams has been travelling and photographing the outback for years. He tells us that when it comes to astrophotography, the key factors to consider and action for the best outcomes are planning, settings and composition. Planning is vital, be familiar with the location. Always try to schedule your night sky shoots when the full moon is new or nearly new to achieve the best results and know where the stars are at any given time. This will assist when planning your composition. Modern technology - the smartphone - comes in handy with access to information and apps. Two of the best apps on the market are PhotoPills and TPE (The Photographer's Ephemeris), which provides you with sunrise/sunset times along with the moon phase and the Milky Way position- very handy indeed.
Then, Matt suggests setting everything in manual mode. Manual focus. Manual Exposure. Manual ISO. Manual White Balance. Anything that can be in manual, put it in manual to control the light entering the lens. “As a general rule, I start with the following settings:
ISO 3200, 30 seconds, f/2.8. This is what I call my 'go-to' settings for my 14mm lens. This will get you a good exposure 90% of the time and is a good starting point. From there, you can adjust your ISO and shutter speed for optimum exposure after looking at the result.
From March to October is the best time to view the Milky Way. The air is cleaner due to the lack of humidity in the cooler months and the nights darker, making this an ideal time for stargazing and astrophotography. Just remember to rug up and that the stars are better viewed in remote rural locations!
Mark Daffey suggests that a good rule when taking shots of the Milky Way is to include something in the foreground with the Milky Way arcing over it like a rainbow or curving skywards towards the top or side of the frame. A foreground subject might be a lighthouse or a cottage or tree, or even something recognisable like Uluru or the Devil's Marbles.
Don’t forget to focus
Focus is the most challenging part and critical in any form of photography but even more so for astrophotography due to the lack of light. You can't use autofocus in the dark, so switch into manual and try to make any distant pinpricks of light in the viewfinder sharp. After having a good focus 'locked in', you can compose your shot. It pays to always take a test shot of the stars to ensure your exposure settings are correct and focus is good. Once happy with the focus, cover the focus ring to avoid accidental bumps – gaffer tape is suitable for this.
Long shutter speeds allow you to collect light over time; the longer you go, the brighter the stars and Milky Way will be. However, as the earth is rotating, if the shutter is open for too long, you will create star trails – not ideal for a Milky Way shot. To avoid this, you need to know how long an exposure time you can set. This will vary depending on what focal length lens you use. The longer the lens, the shorter the exposure, and vice versa. Follow the 500 rule, which basically divides 500 by your focal length, giving you your shutter speed. For example, if using a 20mm lens, you divide 500 by 20 to provide you with the maximum amount of time you can keep your shutter open without the stars trailing (500/20 = 25 seconds).
Remember to set your aperture to the smallest number possible (f2.8, f4) with the lens you’re using to ensure the maximum amount of light will pass through the lens and hit the sensor as possible.
White balance can be tricky. If possible, set the camera to around 3800 Kelvin or perhaps a tungsten light source for a pleasant blue tone. You can also adjust colour later in photoshop or similar programs for dramatic results.
The key to ensuring a bright Milky Way is with a high ISO – don't be afraid to push the limits of your camera. This is the only way to capture enough light to create great images. Start with ISO 3200 and move up and down until you get the exposure you want. Unfortunately, higher ISO settings will introduce what’s called ‘noise’ or graininess into the image, so don’t go too high. Having found a suitable exposure, you can usually maintain it throughout the night.
To lift your night sky shot to another level, it is important to tie it to the surrounding landscape. One of the composition rules that stands out is that your image must have a 'point of interest' to hold your viewers' attention. This could be as simple as a rock formation against the starry night sky or people sitting around a campfire – simple yet impactful! Oh, and remember that if the horizon is in the shot, it needs to be horizontal.
So, let's plan that trip, get out there, have fun and capture some unforgettable moments! Remember, the only way to get better pictures is to keep practising – so snap those photos, experiment with angles and have fun!