The Complete Guide to Landscape Astrophotography

Understanding, Planning, Creating, and Processing Nightscape Images

Michael Shaw

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317410379
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Photography

The Complete Guide to Landscape Astrophotography is the ultimate manual for anyone looking to create spectacular landscape astrophotography images. By explaining the science of landscape astrophotography in clear and straightforward language, it provides insights into phenomena such as the appearance or absence of the Milky Way, the moon, and constellations. This unique approach, which combines the underlying scientific principles of astronomy with those of photography, will help deepen your understanding and give you the tools you need to fulfil your artistic vision.

Key features include:

• Distinguished Guest Gallery of images from renowned nightscape photographers such as Babak Tafreshi, Bryan Peterson, Alan Dyer, Brenda Tharp, Royce Bair, Wally Pacholka, and David Kingham

• The twenty-five best landscape astrophotography subjects and how to photograph them

• Astronomy 101 - build your knowledge of night sky objects and their motion: the Milky Way, moon, Aurora Borealis/Australis, constellations, meteors and comets

• Information on state-of-the-art planning software and apps designed to enable you to capture and enhance your landscape astrophotography

• Field guide for creating a detailed plan for your night shoot

• Description of the best moon phases for specific types of nightscape images, and the best months and times of night to see the Milky Way

• How-to guide for creating stunning time-lapse videos of the night sky, including Holy Grail transitions from pre-sunset to complete darkness

• Four detailed case studies on creating landscape astrophotography images of the Milky Way, full moon, star trails, and constellations

Section IV
Planning Successful Landscape Astrophotography Images

Section IV Introduction

Successful landscape astrophotographers have a plan. While it’s occasionally possible to create noteworthy images on the spur of the moment, there are just too many variables to do so consistently. Instead, spend a little time in the comfort of your warm, well-lit home to consider the key points we’ve covered so far: the phase of the moon, what night sky objects will be visible on the dates you’d like to go and at what time, the orientation of your foreground, the times of civil, nautical and astronomical twilights, likely exposure settings, and so forth. In doing so, you will find yourself at the right place at the right time, and with the right equipment and skill level needed to spend your energy fine-tuning your masterpiece rather than battling physical, photographic, and astronomical elements beyond your control.

Some might say that extensive planning is a waste of time, or that it somehow robs the result of artistic inspiration. I would argue the opposite; that in many ways, planning, preparation, and execution comprise the essence of artistic expression. Think of the cellist who spends thousands of hours perfecting her craft. Or the dancer that repeats the same movements over and over until they become ingrained, reflexive fluidity. I think most would agree that the process of creating masterpiece nightscape images is challenging, and requires practice and study.

The chapters in this section integrate the knowledge of the preceding sections on astronomy and photography into a single cohesive strategy and plan for each of your nightscape photo sessions. You might say that your plan will have four components: what, when, where, and how. We will start by reviewing the best subjects in landscape astrophotography with an example, a brief summary of suggested camera settings and schedules for each one. We will then develop the specifics of your concept through pre-visualization (what). We will narrow down a few good dates and times (when); and map the general destination area to pinpoint potential sites to best position the camera (where). We will identify the likely lens, range of exposure settings and sequences of images we wish to obtain based on our knowledge of photography (how). We will summarize our plan for the nightscape photo session in the form of a workflow timeline and checklist to confirm we have ample time for all our planned shots (how). Finally, we will ensure we have all the right equipment, including the appropriate lenses, ample empty memory cards and fully charged batteries, along with plenty of practice for whatever ventures we have in mind (how). With adequate preparation, your nightscape photo session will simply require arriving at the scene, assembling your camera and tripod at a known, pre-determined location, and at the correct time, pressing the shutter release and enjoying the results!

15
The 25 Best Landscape Astrophotography Targets

(And How to Photograph them)

This chapter presents the top twenty-five landscape astrophotography targets in alphabetical order. An example of each one is given along with a brief summary of suggested camera settings. Detailed descriptions of most of these subjects can be found elsewhere in the book. The suggested best times of night to shoot with respect to sunset/sunrise and the various stages of twilight are also noted. By doing so, you can easily make any necessary adjustments to account for your specific geographical locations or seasons. The number of images typically involved are also included, along with the suggested lens(es) that you might find appropriate. The majority of these images can be made anywhere in the world, with a few notable exceptions, so understanding these parameters can quickly get you up to speed.

Alpenglow

15.1 Alpenglow lights up luminous plumes of icy spindrift blown from the peak of Mt. Everest in the pre-dawn twilight.

LENS (MM)	All	START	Early civil twilight
ISO	Low: 100–500	END	Mid- to late civil twilight
APERTURE	Sharpest (minimum + 2 stops)	NO. IMAGES	Variable
SHUTTER (SEC)	Adjust as needed	COMMENT	Alpenglow fades rapidly—act quickly

Aurora Borealis/Australis

15.2 The shimmering lights of the Aurora Borealis have mesmerized people for generations. Here, intense curtains of light descend upon the shoreline of a frozen lake in northern Minnesota.

LENS (MM)	Fisheye, 14–50	START	Late astronomical twilight to full darkness
ISO	1600–12800	END	Early astronomical twilight (pre-dawn)
APERTURE	Minimum–sharpest	NO. IMAGES	Variable
SHUTTER (SEC)	Adjust as needed	COMMENT	Keep shutter speed low to retain structure

Belt of Venus

15.3 The so...