Posts

How-to: Photographing Carnival Lights
When was the last time you went to a carnival? You know, the traveling show you looked forward to as a kid that marked the start of summer. Yes, they are noisy, loud, and crowded but prime fodder for photographing a variety of whirling multi-colored…

How-to: Star Trails
Images with star trails are captivating. They are also easy to accomplish and can be created most anywhere, even in a light polluted city or your own backyard. Creating a star trail image is a great way to get started in astrolandscape photography.…

How-to: Photograph an Astrolandscape
Night photography is a challenge in many ways. Our night vision is quite pathetic so we need to lean (heavily) on our cameras to tell us how much light is actually available. Luckily, digital cameras see really well in the dark so this becomes…

How to: Create a Moonrise Time-lapse
An image of a full Moon is enchanting. However, a moonrise time-lapse leaves enchanting behind and gives the viewer a visceral kick in the head.
A moonrise can be a challenge to photograph, especially when the Moon is full and rises after…

Gear How-to – Benro Polaris Astro Setup
The Benro Polaris Astro is an amazing "smart" tripod head. I am very happy with the abilities of this amazing tool. When I purchased it, I discovered that that wasn't a lot of information on the setup. The manual isn't great, not unlike any…

In Search of the Pinpoint Star
This is probably the most difficult part of an astro photograph. It doesn't matter if we are talking about astrolandscapes or deep space photography, the perfectly focused pinpoint star is a challenge.
It's almost an oxymoron given that…

All the Noise Noise Noise Noise…
Camera noise. It is the nature of high ISO but it's nothing you need to be afraid of. You may actually stifle your photography by avoiding its use.
As an astrolandscape and infrared photographer, I can't avoid noise. Infrared is a noisy…

How to: Peaked Focus
One of my favorite features of my camera is focus peaking.
It is a feature that some cameras have that helps you achieve sharp focus when using manual lenses or focusing on a scene that the camera is struggling with due to low lighting…

Gadgetmania (Part 2)
Photography is one of those crafts that can span the extremes when it comes to accessories. Technically all you need is a camera to create a photograph. Yes, there is the vision of the photographer that is the driving force, but we are talking…

Long exposure photography – Hustle It Up
Night photography and ND filters require long exposures. Long exposure images are beautifully silky and visually rich. Clouds become soft and reveal the movement. Swaying trees become dreamy, and water becomes exquisitely glossy. However, they…