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Astrophotography
Hints & Tips
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Tip: Use a cable release |
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Explanation: Using a cable release to trigger the camera
shutter means you can keep your hands off the camera when
taking long exposures. This will minimise any camera shake
and leave your photographs as sharp as possible. |
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Tip: Always bracket exposures |
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Explanation: Film is the cheapest commodity available
to any photographer. Take loads of shots of the same thing,
but make sure each shot is different. For example, set
up the camera for the shot setting the aperture of the
lens to be as wide open as possible, e.g. f 2.8,
then take three exposures at 4, 8 and 12 seconds. Stop
down the aperture to the next available, e.g. f 4.
Take another three exposures at 4, 8 and 12 seconds. This
way, there will be more chance of getting the photograph
right. Take plenty of notes of all your exposures. This
will help to improve your astrophotography. |
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Tip: Use fast film |
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Explanation: Faster films capture more light. Film speed
is its ISO rating and the higher the better. ISO 50 or
100 are great for normal photography as they produce sharp
un-grainy images where as ISO 400 or 800 may create grainier
images but they react to faint light faster. The faster
the film, the more stars will be captured on film and
shorter exposures required to do so. Experiment with different
film speeds and compare the results. |
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Tip: Always set lens to focus
on infinity |
Explanation: When pointing the camera at the sky there
is absolutely no need to focus the camera at all. Everything
is so far away that setting the lens to focus on infinity
will ensure that the photo is sharp. Infinity is marked
as 
on the lens. If foreground interest is to be included
in the shot, make sure you are far enough away for it
to become focused or stop down the aperture of the lens. |
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Tip: A sturdy tripod is essential |
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Explanation: A sturdy tripod will minimise camera shake,
ensuring clear sharp images during long exposures. However
a heavy tripod is difficult to carry so try to use a relatively
light one. |
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Tip: Weigh down the tripod |
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Explanation: Even the sturdiest of tripods will move or
shake on a windy night so always take a carrier bag. If
you are unsure the tripod can withstand the wind, fill
it with stones or anything else that may be heavy enough
to stabilise the tripod. Then, tie this bag to the central
column of the tripod. |
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Tip: Get to know the night
sky |
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Explanation: Use a star chart or planetarium software
and compare it to what you can see in the night sky. This
is a quick and easy way to learn what is going to be where
and when, and allows you to become more familiar with
the constellations. |
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Tip: Find a dark site |
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Explanation: Try to get away from the light pollution
that can make it difficult for film to pick up the fainter
stars and planets. Not necessarily in the middle of no
where but far enough to prevent your images being a fuzzy
orange colour. It is also useful if you can make out what
you want to photograph. |
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Tip: Use a lens hood |
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Explanation: A lens hood will prevent stray light from
impacting your shots and reduces the risk from lens flare.
For example, if a bright moon is just outside the frame
of a picture, its light will still be picked up on film
during the long exposure. |
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Tip: Wrap up warm |
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Explanation: Sounds like common sense but even during
the summer, especially if there is no cloud cover, it
can get very cold, very quickly. It is difficult to use
a camera if you are shaking or cannot concentrate! |
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Tip: Remove Lens Filters |
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Explanation: It is common practice to leave Skylight or
UV filters on SLR camera lenses at all times. Doing this
protects the lens from accidental scratches , marks and
dust. Taking shots of bright objects with these filters
still attached to the lens can result in a double exposure
of that object. A lens cap is suitable lens protection
for one night out! |
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Tip: When exposing for a
long time, stop down the aperture |
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Explanation: When taking relatively short exposures it
is best to leave the aperture of the lens as wide open
as possible, f 1.8 or f 2.8, to gather as
much light as possible. However, when exposing for extended
periods, say for star trails, stop down the aperture to
f 4 or f 8 for better results. |
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Tip: Always take notes of
your exposures |
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Explanation: If you keep a record of each exposure you
take and compare this list with your actual results, you
will start to learn what conditions create better photographs.
Things to record are camera used, lens length, aperture
setting (f number), exposure length, sky conditions,
target and frame counter number. |
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Tip: Make the first shot
on a new film a daylight scene |
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Explanation: If you do this it will make it easier for
a lab to work out where the frames are on your film. This
will prevent them accidentally cutting through your precious
exposures. If, however, you're out when you need to change
the film, then make sure you have a bright object to shoot.
Take a flashgun with you, which will suffice, and take
a shot of something close by. If you have no flashgun
and you are out in your car, switch the high beam lights
on! However, don't get stuck with a flat battery! |
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