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A little over a year ago I moved to Alaska where the Northern Lights are often visible from September to March. I will never forget the first time I saw them “dancing” in the sky.
Night sky photography has become a favorite ever since! I knew very little about photographing the night sky before moving here, but quickly found myself out in the middle of the night every chance I could!
To start off, here is a list of photography gear I highly recommend for night sky photography:
The following 5 tips will give you the basics of night sky photography and before you know it you will be taking some pretty amazing night time sky images!
Finding a location is just as important as the gear in your bag. The last thing you want to be doing is trying to explore a new location a night when it is pitch black out! It is not uncommon for me to scope out many different locations during the day before heading out at night. I also check the weather forecast before deciding to go out to shoot. If it is cloudy or snowing, the chances of getting a great shoot are very low. I also suggest taking a friend or two along at night!
Edited with Pastel Film I (Pastel Film Collection) settings ISO 2000, 35mm, f/1.8 at 3.2 seconds
This one might be slightly obvious, but the last thing you want is to be cold after setting up for your night time photoshoot! In the summer, during Milky Way season, this may not be an issue but the coldest I have gone out up here has been minus 40 degrees! Now that is cold!!
Layers and good cold weather gear are a must! As far as my camera goes, it has held up very well in the colder temperatures. Once I am out in the cold, my camera stays out on my tripod. I may go back to my vehicle to warm up, but do not bring my camera with me back to the car. When you bring in your camera from cold to hot, hot to cold, the chances are higher that there will be condensation build up - and the last thing you want is a fogged up lens!
Even after I am done shooting for the night I leave my camera bag in my entry way or garage to warm up slowly. I also have a handful of Silica Gel Packets at the bottom of my camera bag if there is any moisture.
I keep an extra battery in my inner coat pocket along with a hand warmer in case I need to change it out. The cold and longer exposures tend to drain batteries faster then normal. If you plan on shooting in the cold be sure to invest in a name brand back up battery instead of a cheaper knock off battery as the cheaper versions do not last nearly as long in comparison.
Edited with Pastel Film I (Pastel Film Collection) settings ISO 3200, 35mm, f/1.8 at 1.6 seconds
For shooting the Northern Lights, my settings change depending on the night. I always start out by turning my camera dial to M (Manual mode) then adjust the rest of my settings accordingly.
I set my first exposure or test shot at a 5 second exposure at 1600 ISO at f/2.8 and adjust from there. If the lights are moving “faster” my exposure time will be less (such as 3 seconds) with a higher ISO (such as 2000 or higher). If they are “slower” my exposure will be longer (up to 30 seconds) and I will keep my ISO around 1000-2000 to avoid lots of noise.
When shooting a starry sky, your settings will be slightly different then what I use for the Northern Lights. I would suggest starting out at 3200 ISO and a longer shutter speed such as 15 or 30 seconds.
A remote for you camera is also a plus. When you touch your shutter button, even on a tripod, you move your camera slightly which can show in your photo. If you do not have a remote, most cameras allow you to do a delayed shutter. On my Canon there is an option to delay the shutter by 2 seconds giving me plenty of time to press the shutter and not have to worry about bumping my camera.
For longer time lapses, you will need a remote to take advantage of the bulb mode setting that allows you to keep your camera’s shutter open for much longer periods of time. This is key to being able to catch shooting stars and their dazzling trails!
While a wide angle lens is a plus for night photography it is not a necessity. By using the widest aperture it will let in more light, therefore shortening the time you need to have your shutter open. Another favorite lens is my Tokina 11-20mm 2.8 that I still use on my older crop sensor.
If you are just testing the waters of night photography I highly suggest using what you have before upgrading. There are lots of great choices when it comes to wide angle lenses, but for the beginner I would suggest renting something first before making an investment. I used a kit lens for 6+ months before upgrading to something faster with a wider aperture.
Edited with Pastel Film II (Pastel Film Collection) ISO 2000, 35mm, f/1.8, at 0.6 seconds
Finding focus at night can be a bit tricky! You need to have your lens on manual focus to be able to take photos at night but the last thing you want is to get home and have a ton of blurry stars (trust me)!
The first way you can be sure you have great focus is by testing it out during the day. You can use your autofocus during the day at infinity then mark it with tape or mark your lens with a permanent marker that you can use your headlamp to find at night.
I personally prefer using the Live View mode on my camera then zoom in. I switch my lens to manual focus, turn it to infinity (if possible), then zoom on a bright star and adjust accordingly. I usually take a few test shots to double check. I prefer this method because I can check my focus in live view by simply zooming in! If you are worried about accidentally moving your lens, a little bit of tape can be placed around the barrel of your lens to keep it in place.
Happy night sky shooting! And if you get the chance to see the Northern Lights it is so worth it!
Do you have any questions or comments about my Night Sky Photography? Leave us a comment below - we would love to hear from you! And PLEASE SHARE this post using the social sharing buttons (we really appreciate it)!
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