My First Dive into Astrophotography: A Beginner's Journey and Tips
Hello fellow stargazers and photography enthusiasts!
I've recently embarked on a thrilling new journey: astrophotography. It all started when I discovered the incredible possibility of capturing the night sky using just my phone's camera. That spark ignited a passion, and I soon acquired a Canon DSLR and a tripod, eager to translate that fascination into tangible images.
This is my very first attempt at capturing the cosmos with my new setup. I'd be incredibly grateful for any feedback or suggestions on how I can improve my techniques. You can see the result of my efforts here:
For those interested in the technical details, here's a breakdown of my settings:
- Exposures: 94 x 6-second exposures
- Dark Frames: 50
- ISO: 3200
- Aperture: f/3.5
- Focal Length: 18mm
- Camera: Canon 600D
Post-processing involved stacking all the exposures using Sequator, followed by some editing in Lightroom.
Seeking Advice for Improvement
While I'm thrilled with the initial results, I know there's always room to grow. I'm particularly interested in learning from those with more experience. Any advice on settings, processing techniques, or even different approaches to capturing the night sky would be highly appreciated.
One piece of advice I received was to try simplifying the process for "nightscapes," which is the style of photography I'm aiming for. The suggestion was to use ISO 3200 or 6400, shoot wide open (f/2.8 on a 14mm lens), and take 25-30 second single shots. I did try a similar approach, but wasn't entirely happy with the initial outcome, though it's worth noting this version hasn't been edited yet:
The goal is to achieve a more natural and less over-processed look, as seen in some of the stunning examples I've encountered online.
I'm excited to continue learning and sharing my astrophotography adventures with you all. Stay tuned for more celestial captures!
