How to Photograph the Night Sky

Maine photographer Benjamin Williamson offers his tips and tricks for capturing the cosmos.

The night sky over Seguin Island Light Station
The night sky over Seguin Island Light Station. Photo by Benjamin Williamson
By Will Grunewald
From our November 2024 issue

Location

The first rule of astrophotography is to go somewhere far from bright lights — rural and remote. “Light pollution is more pronounced in photos because cameras are so much more sensitive to light than our eyes are, so it’s easy for stars to get washed out,” Williamson says. The darker the sky, the greater the likelihood of success.

Timing

Set your alarm for the dead of night, well after nightfall and well before dawn. And obvious as it may seem, picking a cloudless night is crucial (weather apps such as Atmospheric and Clear Outside can be especially helpful to that end). The phase of the moon matters too, as a fuller, brighter moon means less contrast between the stars and the sky.

Equipment

Bioluminescent surf and the Milky Way at Reid State Park
Bioluminescent surf and the Milky Way at Reid State Park. Photo by Benjamin Williamson

Nothing will do as good a job as a full-frame DSLR camera. The newer the better, Williamson notes, as cameras have gotten increasingly good at minimizing grainy visual noise. Perhaps the most important piece of equipment, though, is the humble tripod, keeping the camera perfectly still during long exposures.

Specs

The general idea is to process enough light to let the stars really pop. A wide aperture setting (f-stop of 2.8 to 4), high light sensitivity (ISO of 3,200 to 6,400), and a long-but-not-too-long exposure (20 to 30 seconds) should do the trick. Too long of an exposure will turn stars from discrete little dots to streaks, the camera capturing their otherwise imperceptible movement.

Subject Matter

Sure, you got out of bed at some ungodly hour specifically to shoot a spectacular night sky, but there’s more to consider when it comes to composing great photos. “One of the most important things,” Williamson says, “is thinking about what’s in your foreground.” Maybe it’s a beach or a pond or a lighthouse — whatever it is, it’s the element that could really make the image shine.

Check out our Stargazer’s Guide to Maine for tips on where to best view the cosmos, how to photograph the night sky, and more.

Down East Magazine, November 2024

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