How to Shoot Astrophotography With a DSLR: A Beginner’s Guide
So, you want to do astrophotography, but are you worried you need expensive equipment to get started? Then you are in for a surprise. You can shoot beautiful night sky photos with a basic DSLR. That’s right: You don’t need pro-grade cameras or the latest mirrorless cameras.
If you own a DSLR that is collecting dust, take it out now, and you can be on your way to becoming an astrophotographer.
Shooting Astrophotography With a DSLR: Things to Know
A DSLR camera is handy for taking different types of astrophotos. For example, you can trylandscape astrophotography, star trails, Milky Way photography, and even some nebula photos. You can also get a T-ring and an adapter to connect your DSLR to a telescope.
The important thing to note is that astrophotography can be time-consuming—you will be working long nights to shoot and even longer nights editing the photos. Often, you will have to plan for the right conditions and travel to different locations for astrophotography.
Basic Equipment for Astrophotography
First, you need a DSLR—it doesn’t have to be the latest model or a full-frame one. If you have a crop sensor DSLR, that will work just fine. When it comes to lenses, you’re able to use your kit lens, but if you have a fast prime orwide-angle lens, it can work even better. You want to shoot at an aperture below f4.
As you work in low-light conditions, you must also use a slower shutter speed. So, a tripod is imperative to keep your camera steady. A shutter release, although not mandatory, can help. You can get inexpensive ones from Amazon.
If you’re into capturing deep-sky objects like nebulas, you have to take hundreds of photos and stack them together. You can use your camera’s in-built timelapse option to take pictures in a fixed time interval—it can become tiring if you have to press the shutter so many times.
Unfortunately, some cameras may not have the in-built timelapse option. You can buy an intervalometer instead of a simple shutter release for your camera. An intervalometer has a small display that will allow you to shoot timelapse photos.
A headlamp or flashlight is a critical piece of equipment you must carry. You don’t want to get lost or hurt yourself in the dark. Also, remember to choose a red light torch or red cellophane to cover your light. Using red light will help you retain your night vision.
If you want to use your smartphone, here ishow to change the iPhone’s screen color to red.
you could invest in a star tracker if you want to avoid star trails and have pinpoint stars in your images. A star tracker will move along with the Earth’s rotation to get you the sharp stars.
A light pollution filter is also an excellent accessory for astrophotography. you could avoid streetlights' glare and get rich-colored photos.
Find a Dark Sky Site
Astrophotography from your backyard can seem like a dream, but it is only possible if you live in a remote area. You need pitch darkness to avoid light pollution and capture the beauty of the night city. This means going to a dark place for your astrophotography adventures.
If you’re a city dweller, use apps likeDark Sky Finderor websites likeLight Pollution Mapto find dark areas near your home.
Use Software to Take Your Astrophotography Up a Notch
Knowing your subject is key to taking impactful photos. That’s very true in the case of astrophotography. You need to know where and when to find exciting subjects for your astrophotography. You don’t have to memorize the sky chart for that.
Apps likeSkyVieworSky Guidecan find planets and stars for you. Then, you could point your smartphone or tablet to locate them. There are also specific apps for photographers, likePhotoPillsorThe Photographer’s Ephemeris, that will precisely give you sunrise and sunset times, a lunar calendar, and the best times to photograph the Milky Way galaxy.
Brush Up on Your Basics
The auto mode on your camera is not going to work for astrophotography. Instead, you have to take complete control of your camera through manual mode. If you’ve forgotten the basics, refresh them before you try your hands at astrophotography.
You should have a firm grasp of theexposure triangleand be comfortable using the manual mode and tweaking different settings to get the proper exposure. In addition, you shouldshoot in RAWto get all the information from your camera’s sensor.
Learn Some Exposure Rules
Shooting in low light can be challenging for many, especially for a new photographer. Take the guesswork out of finding the correct exposure by using some astrophotography exposure rules.
Follow the Looney 11 if you are photographing the moon. Are you not using a star tracker? You can still get sharp stars with the500, 600, or NPF rule.
Focus Manually
Your camera will have a hard time focusing on the night scene, so manual focus is the way to go. Switch your lens to M mode, point it at the brightest star in the sky, and adjust the ring until you see it small and sharp. Use your camera’s screen rather than the viewfinder. Take a couple of sample shots and check at full resolution.
Some of the brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere are Arcturus, Altair, Deneb, and Vega. You can see the last three stars in the summer triangle.
Compose in Layers
Unless you’re shooting deep-sky objects, add interesting elements in the foreground. For example, flat images of stars, constellations, and galaxies can be boring. Having a building or person in the foreground will make your composition stand out.
Read aboutlayers in photography compositionhere.
Editing Is Crucial
You can get away with minimal editing if taking star trails, landscapes, or Milky Way photos. All you need to do is edit all the noise from using a high ISO and do some basic editing. But sometimes, you may have to do advanced techniques like stacking to reveal the details in your images.
If you’re not proficient in post-production, you must learn through some courses or YouTube videos.
For nebula photos, you have to prepare ahead and take calibration shots to increase the signal-to-noise ratio in the pictures. You also need special stacking software likeDeepSkyStackerorSirilto stack hundreds of images to get a clean image with less noise.
Astrophotography Is Not Easy, but It Is Humbling
Astrophotography is a rewarding hobby, but it needs quite a lot of planning and preparation. You must also fare the elements and rub shoulders with wildlife when working in the dark. Even with all these troubles, we are sure you will appreciate the beauty of the night sky and enjoy photographing it.
Just started dabbling in astrophotography? Here are the essentials you should invest in for breathtaking astrophotos.
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