Astrophotography:The optimal preparation!

The Astro or star photography produces the most amazing results. Pictures taken on long nights truly allow a glimpse into the vastness of space. In fact, there is hardly a photographic discipline that is as dependent on good preparation as astrophotography. Just go spontaneously to the to photograph the starry sky Unfortunately, that doesn't always work. In the following we would like to go into more detail about what it takes to take first-class and impressive pictures of the moon, the planets, the Milky Way or even comets and asteroids from now on.

Safety always comes first!

Good astrophotography always depends on the location of the recording. Due to the light pollution , as is common in all cities and residential areas, photographers usually go to remote places that are as far away from civilization as possible. Of course, there is also a certain risk involved. In the best case, you don't set out on your adventure alone, but take an experienced friend with you. However, if you dare to do astrophotography alone, you should let us know at home if possible, give your route as precisely as possible and, if possible, keep in touch. Also are Flashlights or headlamps a must. Especially with the not always light equipment in the backpack, every root and every stone becomes a danger. Good footwear is just as important as the lighting, because the perfect spot is not always easy to reach.

Appropriate clothing is a must!

A clear, cloudless night is best for impressive astro photos . Unfortunately, such nights are also the coldest, especially in autumn or winter. In order not to risk catching a cold and to be able to focus on the recording in every respect, you need it appropriate clothing . Experienced photographers protect themselves from the wind, have a warm hat with them and often use photo gloves, which at the same time warm up and allow precise operation of the camera. Metallic objects, especially the tripod, cool down quickly on a windy night, making handling quickly a torture. It is therefore better to take a little more clothing with you than to suffer unnecessarily from the effects of the weather.

The batteries want it warm

Not only photographers, but also the equipment suffer from the cold. Particularly Batteries quickly lose capacity if they are exposed to low temperatures for too long. So it is best to use the batteries as much as possible close to the body to transport. There is now an alternative special heating sleeves that are powered by a power bank. These keep the batteries warm without overheating them. This means you never run out of battery power, even on long, starry nights.

Which lenses are suitable for astrophotography?

Most photographers use cameras interchangeable lenses return. Of course, particularly impressive results can be achieved with bright lenses , i.e. those with the largest possible initial aperture. These are often expensive, but there are now a number of third-party providers who offer surprisingly good variants at fair prices.

Other important items

Indispensable for astrophotography is a stable tripod , because the exposure times are usually long. Of course, it's tempting to grab a lightweight travel tripod, but one that's often not stable enough, especially when the wind is blowing. However, if you want to use your light carbon travel tripod, you should definitely weigh it down, because nothing is more annoying than after a long hike blurred images to come home.

Another tool that makes the procedure much easier for astrophotographers is a remote trigger . As already became clear with the tripod, it is important to avoid any shaking as much as possible. So that shock when triggered does not ruin the picture, can des self-timer be served, but it is more pleasant and easier to do it in one go remote trigger to fall back. This also makes it particularly easy to position yourself in the picture, which gives the composition a certain depth and scale.

What are the stars in the firmament??

Just go and hope that the stars are in the right direction, that rarely works. If you really want to get everything out of your pictures, use it planning apps . Examples of this are Photo-Pills and Sky Guide or the free tool Stellarium, which shows which star constellations can be found when and where.

A good picture takes time!

planning is half the photo! In the astrophotography It is important to overcome distances, wait for the best possible weather and pack wisely. If you know what steps to take before you take the picture, you increase your chances impressive pictures clearly.

If you too  unique astro images did, please tag usInstagram andFacebook with the hashtag#jinbeiphotobox. We look forward to your results!