Peter Baumgarten is an award-winning nature photographer and educator based on Canada’s Manitoulin Island. He specializes in astrophotography and has over 40 years of experience using OM SYSTEM cameras. Baumgarten shared some valuable tips and tricks for capturing stunning night sky photos.
Understanding the Night Sky:
– The best time to photograph the Milky Way’s photogenic core is in late winter and early spring. In the northern hemisphere, it rises in the east during this time, gradually moving south.
– As spring turns to summer, the Milky Way appears more vertical in the night sky.
– To plan Milky Way arc photos, use websites like Time and Date to determine moon phases and rise/set times, aiming for around two weeks with ideal shooting conditions each month.
Fighting Light Pollution:
– Avoid light pollution by photographing during the night’s true darkness, which starts about 90 minutes after sunset.
– Use websites like Dark Site Finder to locate the darkest possible locations for your shoot.
– Moonlight can enhance night images if captured at the right angle. Around a 30% moon can softly illuminate the foreground while preserving the Milky Way.
Generating a Plan:
– Use tools like Clear Outside and Zoom.earth to check cloud cover and weather conditions for your chosen location.
– Apps like PhotoPills and The Photographer’s Ephemeris help plan your shots’ ideal time and position, using augmented reality features for precise planning.
Camera Gear and Settings:
– Pack light and know your equipment well to quickly start capturing images in the dark and cold night conditions.
– Use fast and wide lenses (e.g., M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm F2.0 and M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO) to capture the Milky Way and stars with minimal noise and sharpness.
– Set a wide-open aperture (f/1.8 or f/2) and use a shutter speed calculated using the 400 rule to avoid star trails.
– Adjust ISO (e.g., starting at ISO 1600) to achieve well-exposed night images while managing noise.
Setting Up and Focusing:
– Arrive at your location early to set up and get familiar with manual mode and RAW shooting.
– Focus manually using manual focus assist or focus peaking, aiming for sharp stars. Consider using OM SYSTEM’s Starry Sky AF feature for precise autofocusing on stars, particularly useful with telephoto lenses.
These tips allow you to plan and capture breathtaking night sky photos like Peter Baumgarten’s stunning works. Remember to be patient and prepared to make the most of the dark sky conditions and capture the beauty of the Milky Way and stars. Happy astrophotography!
