The night sky may be the most awe-inspiring spectacle that any of us will ever see. It can, however, be difficult to capture in a photograph, as it requires specialized techniques that are rarely used when shooting images during the day.
In this fully-updated 2nd edition, Grant Collier sheds light on how to capture these otherworldly images by sharing secrets he has learned over the past 17 years. He explains how to take photos of the Milky Way, northern lights, meteors, eclipses, lightning, and much more.
Grant begins by reviewing equipment and supplies that are helpful when photographing at night. He then discusses many software programs, web sites, and mobile apps that will help you plan your shots. Finally, he offers extensive advice on how to capture and process images at night. He goes beyond the basics and teaches how to blend multiple exposures and create huge stitched images to capture incredibly detailed photos that you never before thought possible!
The 2nd edition has been completely updated and includes 50 new images. The sections on cameras and lenses have been rewritten and now include tables to make it easier to see all the recommended gear. All of the web links have been updated, and include many new web pages you can use to plan your photoshoots. All information on post-processing has been updated for use with Photoshop and Lightroom CC 2020. This includes some powerful new techniques for blending multiple exposures taken at night. There is also new information on Photoshop plug-ins and other software that is useful for night photography.
Some of the topics covered include:
- What equipment to use.
- Software programs and apps for planning your shots.
- What camera settings to use.
- What moon phases to shoot under.
- Light painting the foreground and recommended flashlights.
- Capturing star trails, including special effects like comet-like trails.
- Stitching huge images that can be printed very large.
- Stacking images and blending multiple exposures to increase detail.
- Focus stacking to increase depth of field.
- Using an equatorial mount (or star tracker).
- Enlarging star size to bring out constellations.
- How to photograph the Milky Way, northern lights, eclipses, meteors, lightning, air glow, lava, and more!
- Minimizing noise, light pollution, and elongated stars in post-processing.