As the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition opens for entries, Katie Sawers spoke to previous winners and this year’s judges to get their tips on capturing a best-in-class image
February is here once again, and that means the 14th Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition is now open for entries. Run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and supported by Liberty Specialty Markets, it is the world’s biggest astrophotography competition.
Every year since 2009 the competition showcases an incredible mix of technical expertise and artistic flourish from talented astrophotographers around the globe. It welcomes photographers of all ages and experience to submit their best astro images across a variety of categories in the hope of scooping the top prize, as well as the chance to have a photo displayed in an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum later in the year.
But what does it take to create an award-winning astrophoto? We asked some of this year’s judges and previous winners for top tips.
If you’re considering entering this year’s competition, read on…
Melissa Brobby
2022 judge
The competition is a wonderful way to showcase the astronomical objects that can be seen – whether that’s with the naked eye, with a telescope or through a camera lens – to get people’s imaginations flared up about what exists beyond our planet. As a judge I’m looking for an image that makes you stop in your tracks, which makes all else fall away because you’re so engrossed in what you’re looking at. It should take your breath away. I find that the images that tend to do that are the ones that contain a human element in them.
Perhaps you’re inspired to take part in this year’s competition but don’t know how to start. I would advise just learning as much as you can about astrophotography and then practise, practise, practise. If you’re happy with what you’ve produced, brilliant; share it! You never know, it might be one of the images we end up choosing and, if not, that’s fine because you will have produced an image you can be proud of. You can take that and continue to expand on that knowledge and expand on that interest. That’s always my motto: just give it a go.
The winners’ viewpoint
Past champions offer advice on how to capture award-winning images
Nicolas Lefaudeux
2020 winner
Creating a good astrophoto is more about originality and composition than pure technique. It is really astronomy photography: it’s the artistic element and what the image inspires that matters more than the technical quality.
What motivates me are interesting ideas, difficult projects or something that has not been done very much – if at all – before. You might produce an interesting or even a winning image, or maybe it will turn out not so interesting, but that’s how you produce something that will grab people’s attention: it’s something they haven’t seen before. The taste of the judges, and how people react to it, is the mystery of the art.
From looking back at past entries, I think that the competition has gone from being very technical at the start, to being more artistic and more about composition. By going in this direction it means more people can enter and produce images that are different and will be of interest.
Brad Goldpaint
2018 winner
Remain authentic to who you are as a photographer, and if you do not know what that is, find it for yourself. This is essential for being able to convey your unique voice through visual media. Secondly, remain true to the beauty of the night.
The night is filled with magical moments from the cosmos, so try and avoid digitally over-enhancing an already spectacular display. Planning can put you in the right place at the right time for a special event, but be open to unexpected surprises; negative or positive.
Some of my images have taken over five years to fully capture; when all the various elements align and you achieve that serendipitous moment, taking the picture can often be the easiest part.
Lastly, one of my secrets for choosing an image is my wife. She waits until the images are complete and experiences her first visceral response without any preconceived ideas. Eliciting a positive emotional reaction from an image is a wonderful gift.
László Francsics
2019 winner, 2022 judge
Don’t look at astrophotos as ‘documentarist’ images that happen to depict celestial objects. Think of them as a means of expressing artistic thoughts about the world and also about humanity, combined with the highest-level representation of the celestial bodies. Perfection is not the goal, but it is a criterion.
The best photos in the competition are perfect according to almost all criteria, and on top of that they can suggest something more: novelty, a relevant message and a unique vision. I can’t suggest tips on these because everyone has to find them for themselves and within themselves. However, I can give advice on the perfect technical and photographic solutions. Never forget the rules of good composition: the image should always have its dynamics and the contrast and colour chosen according to the theme. Make the image sharp, the background homogeneous, and black should be black (only close to black for deep-sky photos).
Make the photo look natural, but at the same time captivating, possessing a strong visual impact. Make it stand out, but don’t overdo it.
Emily Drabek-Maunder
2022 judge
An entry needs to have a bit of everything to stand out from the crowd. The most striking astrophotos are visually engaging, technically challenging and tell an interesting story. I love images of our Solar System, particularly planets and moons. They can be challenging to observe, but I enjoy seeing new and creative ways to photograph these objects. From capturing the phases of Venus to the bright blues and greens of our outermost planets, astrophotographers can be innovative and reimagine how we picture these worlds.
Like most people, I am often in awe when I see photos of our cosmos. Space is a completely alien place to humans, unfathomably large and extraordinarily beautiful. My background in astronomy influences the way I look at astrophotography by helping me understand the context of what I am looking at.
As an astronomer, I have studied everything from distant galaxies to the formation of solar systems in our own Galaxy. The science happening inside galaxies, nebulae and other places in space is just as moving and fascinating as their striking appearances. I love understanding the story of what is happening beneath the surface of these images and communicating that with people.
Jon Culshaw
2022 judge
Each year we think the competition can’t get any better than the year before, but every year it seems to. After the entries have been looked at and the shortlist produced, those images will be sent across to me, and I look at them utterly mesmerised. It’s like space travel from your own armchair. Some captures are very quick – there’s been a serendipitous grab and a wonderful picture has come up – while other images are produced by experts who are really experienced, so you get a wonderful mix. To look through all those for the first time really leaves you in awe.
Then we get to the judging day. The technical people come in – maybe previous winners, people who’ve made some of those fantastically technical images we remember from past years. I tend to come in with another view, that of an amateur astronomer. I look for something scientifically fascinating, but which visually has that impact as well, so it’s a blend of perspectives. There are times judging day can be quite argumentative, because people have built up these almost emotional connections to certain images. You want to champion them. People think, “That’s one of mine, I feel strongly about that one,” and they will shout and stick up for it!
HOW TO ENTER
All you need to know to enter the world’s biggest and best astrophotography competition
The 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition is open for entries, and a grand prize of £10,000 is up for grabs. Entrants are allowed to submit up to 10 images across all of this year’s categories, and there are prizes of £1,500 for the winning images in individual categories, including the Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year. Runners up and Highly Commended entries will win £500 and £250 respectively.
And don’t forget, you can still vote for your favourite image of 2021 by taking part in the People’s Choice Award. Visit https://bit.ly/apypeopleschoice2021
Here are #APY14’s 11 categories. You can enter each one multiple times:
Planets, Comets and Asteroids
A celebration of our cosmic neighbourhood. Will Comet A1 Leonard make the shortlist?
Aurorae
The Northern and Southern Lights are among nature’s most beautiful displays.
People and Space
Exploring the connection between humanity and the wonderful night sky above.
Skyscapes
Landscapes or cityscapes with a focus on celestial objects and dazzling starry night skies.
Our Moon
The ever-changing face of the Moon offers a host of astro imaging opportunities.
Our Sun
Recent solar activity could make this category the one to watch in the 2022 competition.
Stars and Nebulae
There are countless beautiful sights to be discovered in these ethereal deep-sky objects.
Galaxies
The Universe is home to billions of galaxies, providing ample astrophoto opportunities.
Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Showcasing the best new talent. Open to entrants under 16 years of age.
Special Prize: Prize for Best Newcomer
Never photographed the night sky before? This category is for those finding their imaging feet.
Special Prize: Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation
This special prize asks entrants to process data from professional sources in an innovative way. Each year entrants create beautiful falsecolour images, combining data from multiple Earth-based observatories and robotic space missions to produce mindblowing spectacles.
Dates for the diary
Competition opens: 10 Jan 2022 Entry closing date: 4 Mar 2022
Entrance fee: £10 for up to 10 images People’s Choice closes: 20 Feb 2022
How to enter and rules: Find out more by visiting the Astronomy Photographer of the Year website: www.rmg.co.uk/astrocomp
Katie Sawers is a science writer specialising in cosmology and the history of astronomy