Here is a step-by-step installation of the Alpaca Benro Polaris V2.0 (ABP). Since its release, I have installed it along with N.I.N.A, Stellarium, ASCOM 7.1 on a desktop computer, a laptop, and a mini PC. I am not a Mac user, but I expect the process is similar. This post addresses ABP installation on Windows-based […]
Overview of the Alpaca Benro Polaris V2.0 A new version of Alpaca Benro Polaris (ABP) was released this month, and it is impressive! It is easier to set up than V1.0; it has streamlined many steps, and the Benro Connect app is no longer required for the initial connection to the PC (or Mac). The […]
Here we are, looking ahead to the celestial events of the upcoming year. As I always do, I load up my calendar with the happenings that are coming up. These include planet events, lunar and solar eclipses, meteor showers, expected comets, Moon phases, and Milky Way core visibility. Interspersed with these events, there are delightful […]
The Screw Plate Struggle: Why It’s Holding You Back Picture this: You’re hiking to that epic sunset spot, tripod in tow, only to fumble with a tiny screw knob for agonizing minutes while golden hour slips away. Sound familiar? That’s the silent killer of outdoor photography: the stock screw plate on your ball head. How […]
As a night shooter, I am always on the lookout for filters that can fight the ever-invasive light pollution. My first light pollution filter was the Benro True Night filter, and to date, it remains a favorite. I have since tried others on the market. This is a review of the Kase Neutral Night filter, […]
I recently received a complimentary 82mm Kase Bright Star Focus Focusing Tool to evaluate and review. A little background first: I am an astrolandscape photographer. I teach night photography, and I evaluate photographic gear with a special interest in the gear that assists with night photography. I own various Kase filters and find them to […]
Photographing an astrolandscape is becoming increasingly popular. People are discovering that their digital cameras see very well in the dark and can capture the splendor of the starry skies. Infrared Milky Way photography ramps up the ability to see more detail of the magnificence of a star-filled landscape. Using digital infrared converted cameras expands their […]
What do you struggle with in your photography? Is it difficult to pick up your camera and dedicate time to explore and push your capabilities forward? Or are you in the other camp, photographing constantly but hitting the doldrums in your art? Like anything else we do, investing time is required to become proficient and with this, boredom can set in. If you are proficient in using your camera and it’s not in your hands as often as it once was, it is time to reassess your photographic vision. Likewise, if you aren’t proficient with your camera yet it is time to tackle the barriers.
Ooolala, Milky Way! The Milky Way’s galactic core is now visible in the Northern Hemisphere and rises in the early hours before dawn. Tis the season of galactic splendor in which my psyche oscillates between euphoria and frustration. Perfect “seeing” conditions are rare in New England. Correct forecasts are even rarer. Those of you who […]
Intentional camera movement, or ICM, is a technique that creates unique, painterly images. These are often a single photograph but can also be created utilizing in-camera multiple exposures or combining images in post. As photographers, we most often use our cameras to capture a moment in the literal sense, documenting it in a photojournalistic way. […]
