Sky has always been another world of mystery to us. Isn’t it? Although thousands of stars always appear in the sky just to say you goodnight. They all look the same. Maybe that’s how astrophotography came into the mind of photographers? I mean, photographers have gone through so many things just to amaze us. If it were not for them, I don’t know, maybe we could never know astrology that clearly. Yes, in this blog we’ll talk about the pros & cons of astrophotography. Let’s dig in!
What Is Astrophotography?
Have you heard about different types of photography? If so, then know that astrophotography is just another type of photography. But here you’ll have to take still life pictures most of the time. If you’re too lucky, you can stop a falling star in your camera. Very nice, isn’t it? Yeah, I can feel it too. Because I always take photos of a cloudy sky or the moon.
But astrophotography isn’t just about the sky, the moon, or the sun photos. There are so many things in there. Besides, I must admit, even if you take a photo of the night sky with your smartphone, you never get the expected view. That’s where astrophotography comes into action.
In short, when you take photos of the night sky for getting a clear view of the galaxy, or to get a closer view of any planet, you can call yourself an astrophotographer. Meaning, it’s known as astrophotography.
Who Needs Galaxy or The Photos Of Planets or The Night Sky?
Well, everyone loves the moon and stars. Isn’t it? Also, everyone loves to see eclipses or the lunar eclipse. Shooting stars and comets are rarely seen. Even I’ve seen a shooting star only for 3 seconds. Let alone the comets.
So, you realize everyone wants to see these kinds of photos. National or international newspapers or news channels, different kinds of Astro exhibition companies, NASA, or any organizations that work with the solar world and its members need it.
Some Tools You’ll Need For Astrophotography
Astrophotography comes in two parts. It’s a long exposure style & a short exposure style. Now, you may wonder about these styles. So let’s get to it.
The astronomy world doesn’t always call for a closer shot of any object. Objects like shooting stars or bolides, lunar eclipses, etc. Why? Because these objects look nicer when you go for a long exposure. Mostly, astrophotography means doing this style.
But some of the objects in the astrology world call for a closer shot. For example, scientists call for a closer photo of an eclipse for their research works. So, you can take a short exposure or closer photo. Besides, you can also see closer astrophotos in different kinds of books and magazines.
Now let’s see, what you’ll need for astrophotography.
Camera:
Well, the whole concept of photography depends on this single thing. So, you’ll definitely need a camera. For both kinds of shots, you’ll need a camera that has a cheap point-and-shoot. I mean, you’ll need a DSLR camera. A DSLR camera that comes with interchangeable lenses and manual controls. Okay, it might seem like an expensive one but you can do better without it too!
For entry-level astrophotography, a DSLR camera and some lenses combination that you’ll need to change manually will do great. Canon, Sony, Nikon have some of the best DSLR cameras perfectly fine for astrophotography.
A Star Tracker Mount:
Do you know how fast our earth turns? Well, it turns at almost 1600 kilometers per hour. Pretty faster than you’ve imagined, right? I know! As we’re going to take long exposure photos most of the time, so we’ll need a star tracker mount.
Because it will help us from getting a blurry photo. Because the speed won’t let us take a clear photo of the stars or the other planets. A star tracker mount is an equatorial and motorized mount that is fitted on a tripod to follow stars, comets, shooting stars, etc.
A Tripod:
We are not shooting for a model here. So we definitely need a tripod. A tripod where you can set your camera and turn it to a different side as per your need.
Some Lenses:
Do you really need lenses? The answer is, ‘yes. With the star tracker set on your tripod, you’ll need wide-angle and medium focal length lenses. Because which lens you’re using and when you’re using it definitely affect your photos.
A Headlamp:
This is totally optional. But it’ll improve your astrophotography. Because the night sky is really dark sometimes. And it looks dreamy when you use a headlamp on your way of subject. Trust, me it really looks nice.
Now then, if you’re packed with all these things. Let’s go outside to grab some stunning photos.
Some Astrophotography Tips For Beginners:
I promised to give some secret headshots for your astrophotography. So, let’s get to it!
Start With A Telesope:
A star tracker mount is excellent if you can afford it even before your astrophotography. Don’t get depressed. Because every single photographer suffered from this pain when began their photography. Besides, I think it’s pretty good to save dollars at the very first beginning.
So, get out there at night and search for stars with a telescope. Practice is always good. Besides, it’ll let you take photos of galaxies, nebulas, etc.
Use Some Apps:
Don’t get surprised. It’s a simple harmless helping hand for your astrophotography. And as I said it’ll be astrophotography for the beginners, so note it down.
As an astrophotographer, you’ll need to be aware of the time and date of the new moon, the full moon, the blue moon, or the night of the month when it’s the darkest. It’s easy to forget these things. So, a reminder or a notifying app will really help. Don’t you think? ‘Moonphase’, moongiant.com, etc are excellent choices for this.
Keep Your Camera Steady:
When you go for astrophotography, a tripod is a must-needed tool along with a DSLR camera. Why? Because keeping your camera is a vital point. Because during a photoshoot, if your camera moves an inch even, your whole photo is ruined. So, using a tripod is very good. If you use a carbon fiber tripod that’s very lightweight, you’ll get the most perfect shot.
Make A Habit Of Patience:
Look, most of the photography concepts represent the term patience. Because some terms like supermoon, the blue moon, comet happen very rare. Also, stars don’t come out of their houses too early. So what you’ll need to do is to develop a habit of being out under the open sky. Maybe for the whole night sometimes? So make sure to take your girlfriend or boyfriend with you in case the trust issue hurts.
Choose A Place That’s Good For Astrophotography:
Of course, you’ll need a clear sky that is dark enough to see the stars. Not always the sky is dark enough! Besides, specific stars show up on the different sides of the sky. Also, you’ll need to go to a place where street lights don’t ruin your view.
Edit Your Astrophotos:
Astrophotography is considered the most sensitive kind of photography. So, make sure you’re going for a professional photo editing company for your photos. As it’s really a long and long distance from the earth, so it’s easy to get a star-trailed blurrily photo and a hazy one. Besides, the exact color doesn’t show up in the photo. As this blog is about astrophotography tips for beginners, so, this is quite necessary.
So it’s really important to rely on someone who can realize your need and deliver your requirements on time. Also, watch for the costs. If you’re searching for any, I request you have a little visit to Clipping Amazon‘s website.
These tips aside, camera settings, ISO settings, camera exposure, suitable lens, and noise reduction are also very important astrophotography tips for beginners. Well, not just the beginners, for the professionals too.
What Is Clipping Amazon?
Well, all the help you need for your astrophoto’s exhibition, you’ll find in one place. That’s Clipping Amazon. A professional photo editing company at your service! You can find 17 types of photo editing services here. Background removal, color correction, image cleaning services, image masking services, etc. And all these services are needed in astrophotography. If you’re looking for different kinds of photography concepts, you can check our blog site. Lastly, missing out to have such a trusted companion would be a loss, don’t you think?
