Night Sky Photography Tips

TPWD photographers offer the following tips for taking photographs of the sky at night:

  • Don’t forget your headlamp or penlight.
  • Mount camera on tripod to keep shot steady.
  • Use self-timer delay (2 seconds) or cable release to ensure stability.
  • Set camera settings to manual.
  • Set film speed to high ISO (800-3200).
  • Set shutter speed (a few to 30 seconds or longer if you want to show star trails).
  • Open aperture all the way (smallest f number, f1.8).
  • Use manual focus, focus to infinity.
  • Keep away from moon or man-made lighting.
  • Use handheld lights to "paint" the foreground.
  • Shoot in RAW if possible.

For more information and ideas, check out these articles:

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