TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT
INCREASE THE ISO
Josh says… You need full control of your camera, so Manual mode is a must, and shooting wide open will allow you to get as much light into the body as possible – we started at ISO800 and topped out at ISO5000 as the night got darker. The shutter speed must be fast enough to prevent star trails.
FOCUS ON THE STARS
Josh says… Manual focus is the best way to focus on the stars. It doesn’t matter what star you focus on, but it’s best to zoom into Live View and find a bright example to work with. The infinity marker is a good starting point, but trial and error is often needed to find each lens’s sweet spot.
REMOTE CONTROL
Josh says… The slightest movement when shooting at long shutter speeds can render stars blurry. I always use a sturdy tripod that’s heavy enough not to accidentally move, and either a remote shutter release or a two-second self-timer to mitigate any movement caused by pressing the shutter button.
When Josh and Brian met amongst the neolithic W standing stones at Avebury in Wiltshire, UK – the largest stone circle in Europe – the hardest part of their astro photo shoot was already over. Careful planning (and a strategic postponement) had rewarded them with clear skies and a new moon – ideal conditions for shooting the Milky Way.
But weather isn’t the only consideration astrophotographers have to make when planning a shoot. Light pollution can have a
