{"id":40156,"date":"2023-01-19T11:20:49","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T11:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=40156"},"modified":"2023-01-19T11:20:48","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T11:20:48","slug":"first-date-with-a-dslr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/2023\/01\/19\/first-date-with-a-dslr\/","title":{"rendered":"First date with a DSLR"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Taking nightscapes and star trails with a DSLR camera is a great way to get started in astrophotography. Stuart Atkinson <\/strong>gives his best tips for beginners <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
The night sky\u2019s the limit: follow our tips in this feature and you too could become an award-winning astrophotographer <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

The cameras that are built in our smartphones are incredible pieces of technology. Today, many people use their smartphone cameras to capture images of the night sky using \u2018Night\u2019 or \u2018Low Light\u2019 settings, or even dedicated apps. These are great for photos of bright things, such as lunar haloes, planetary conjunctions and bright comets, but eventually anyone wanting to take astrophotos of constellations, nebulae and other celestial delights will have to consider a better option. They need to bite the bullet and buy what many people still consider \u2018a proper camera\u2019 \u2013 a DSLR, or Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. The only problem is, then they have to use it\u2026 <\/p>\n\n

This feature is going to take you by the hand and lead you gently through the minefield of taking and processing your very first astrophotos. After that, you can start experimenting with settings and composition to make your photos even better. <\/p>\n\n

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Star trails, easy to do, impressive to look at<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

There\u2019s no better time to make a start, as the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Awards 2023 has just opened for entries. The awards have a special prize for newcomers who have only recently started taking astrophotos \u2013 perhaps one of yours could be the one to take home the prize. <\/p>\n\n

But first, let\u2019s get started with your first photo! <\/p>\n\n

Setting up your equipment <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Getting the right kit is key to getting a good first photo <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Make sure you\u2019ve got all the kit you need when you get started<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

What will you need to take your first astrophoto with a DSLR? Obviously the most essential thing is a DSLR, and we\u2019re going to assume you already have one of those! The make is irrelevant, they all do the same job, which is to collect light on a sensor chip that is turned into an image. You\u2019ll also need a memory card in your camera. This sounds obvious but trust me, you don\u2019t want to be standing in the middle of a field in the dark and see the words \u2018No Memory Card In Camera\u2019 appear on your screen because you left it at home \u2013 not that I\u2019ve ever done that, of course! <\/p>\n\n

If you use your DSLR for daytime photography you\u2019ve probably got several lenses, but which one should you use for taking your first astrophoto? The 18\u201355mm \u2018kit lens\u2019 or standard 50mm lens that came with your camera will be fine. Don\u2019t use anything \u2018bigger\u2019 than 50mm yet. <\/p>\n\n

You will need to have a good tripod to mount your camera on, because (despite what some people will tell you) you just won\u2019t get the same results from pushing your camera down into a bean bag or rolled-up jumper plonked on the top of your car. A remote shutter release is highly recommended, but not essential. Take along the red flashlight or head torch you use when you\u2019re out stargazing. If you don\u2019t have one, install a \u2018Red Light\u2019 app onto your phone. <\/p>\n\n

Lastly, but very importantly, you\u2019ll need a good location to take your photos from. If you\u2019re restricted to your back garden that\u2019s fine, you can still take pictures, but if you can get away from all the streetlights, security lights and illuminated shop signs to a dark-sky site, those pictures will be much better. <\/p>\n\n

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Try to avoid ambient light sources that can interrupt your night shoot <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n\n

Taking your first astrophoto <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Bright constellations like Orion are a great target to get started <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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You\u2019ll be amazed at the different star colours you can pick out in Orion <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

One of the aspects of astrophotography that newcomers find most difficult is focusing their camera. It\u2019s easy photographing a friend\u2019s wedding reception, or your sleepy kitten in the daytime, but the first time you try to focus your camera on the night sky you\u2019ll probably want to throw it into the bushes in frustration. Finding focus is actually quite easy once you know how. First, take off the lens cap (personal tip here: get into the habit of always putting lens caps into your left pocket, think \u2018Left for Lens\u2019, so you won\u2019t forget where they are). Next, set your camera focus to \u2018Manual\u2019 instead of \u2018Auto Focus\u2019 and then point it at a streetlight or a light on the side of a distant building \u2013 not a star. Focus on it roughly using the viewfinder, then use the \u2018Live View\u2019 feature on your camera screen to fine-tune the focus until it\u2019s sharp. Now swing your camera towards a bright object in the sky \u2013 perhaps the star Sirius, or the planet Mars, both of which will be prominent as you read this \u2013 and use \u2018Live View\u2019 to focus as sharply on it as you can. After that, leave it alone. <\/p>\n\n

Next, aim your camera towards the constellation of Orion, centred roughly on Orion\u2019s Belt. Don\u2019t worry about framing, or foregrounds, you\u2019re just trying to photograph some stars this very first time. When you can see stars clearly on your camera screen, set its \u2018Mode\u2019 to \u2018Manual\u2019 by turning the appropriate dial, or selecting it from a \u2018Settings\u2019 menu. Next, set your camera\u2019s ISO (which mimics the film speed of film cameras) to 1600. Then set the \u2018Exposure Time\u2019 to 15 seconds if you\u2019re using a wide-angle kit lens, or 4 seconds if using a standard 50mm lens.<\/p>\n\n

There\u2019s just a few more tweaks and you\u2019ll be ready. Set a \u2018Time Delay\u2019 \u2013 around 3 seconds or 10 seconds, depending on the make of your camera \u2013 as this will give a few seconds to reduce vibrations after clicking the camera\u2019s shutter, keeping your stars as points of light instead of squiggles. Alternatively, if you have one, use a remote shutter release to take the picture without touching the camera. <\/p>\n\n

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Get into the habit of setting your camera\u2019s ISO to 1600 for a colourful wide-field shot of Orion <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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Using a remote shutter release is a great way to ensure there is no camera shake on your images <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Finally, set the \u2018Image Format\u2019 to \u2018RAW\u2019 if you want, but it\u2019s not essential at this early stage, no matter what some people may tell you. RAW format images record more information, so give better processing results, but it\u2019s perfectly fine to just stick to JPEG format on the first night if you\u2019re more comfortable with that (or you just forget). <\/p>\n\n

Then take a deep breath and push the button to take your first photo. <\/p>\n\n

It will feel like time has stood still as your camera drinks in all the starlight, but eventually you\u2019ll hear a click telling you it\u2019s finished. If everything worked you\u2019ll have just taken your first astrophoto, so take a look on the preview screen. If a wide-angle lens was used all of Orion will be on it, while a 50mm lens won\u2019t quite get all of it. If it\u2019s a little wonky, don\u2019t worry, it doesn\u2019t matter \u2013 this is just your first try. Just look how many more stars are on it compared to pictures taken with your phone camera, and how colourful they are. How cool is that? Congratulations! <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Taking better photos <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

If your first attempt doesn\u2019t work, there\u2019s plenty of things to try <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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A heavily light-polluted image can be avoided by adjusting the camera\u2019s White Balance <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

There are several common problems that might crop up on your first astrophoto. If your image is too dark, increase either the ISO or \u2018Exposure Time\u2019. If your image is too bright, decrease either the ISO or \u2018Exposure Time\u2019. If your stars look like squiggles, something moved during the exposure, so tighten everything up, especially on your tripod. If your image looks orange, change the \u2018White Balance\u2019 from sunlight (a \u2018Sun\u2019 symbol) to artificial light (usually a symbol that looks like a \u2018Lightbulb\u2019 or a strip light), which will get rid of the orange cast produced by light pollution. <\/p>\n\n

Now try again \u2013 your second photo should be better than your first. <\/p>\n\n

Then keep going. Try a variety of different ISOs and exposures, just to see the difference that changing these basic settings makes. When you have found a selection of settings that collectively give you good images, stick to it. Leave Orion and try imaging different parts of the sky, maybe Mars, or Sirius, or Cassiopeia \u2013 it doesn\u2019t matter which. You\u2019ve done the hard part, now it\u2019s time to just experiment and have fun!<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n

Processing your first image <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A little experimentation can give great results <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having taken your first images, you need to get them off your camera and into a computer if you want to see them, improve them and share them with others. This is called processing and getting started can be quite daunting, so we\u2019re just going to look at the absolute basics here. Follow these, and you\u2019re on your way to creating incredible astrophotos. You will need: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25ba A USB card reader to insert into your computer, or its card-reading slot 
\u25ba The memory card from your camera
\u25ba Image-processing software on your laptop <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1 <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remove your camera\u2019s memory card and insert it into your computer\u2019s in-built card reader, or an external one. Find the relevant external drive folder and click on it to locate your images. We recommend that you change the settings on your computer so images show as pictures, not just meaningless file names. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2 <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Open your image-processing software and import one of your images. On the screen your image won\u2019t look as bright or as detailed as it did on the back of your camera, but don\u2019t panic! You were looking at a high-contrast version, in the dark, on a bright screen. Once enlarged it will look less punchy, but the processing will change that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3 <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

First, use the \u2018Curves\u2019 function to change how your image looks. Experiment by moving the curve around to adjust the brightness and contrast until it looks better. Don\u2019t go overboard \u2013 remember that less is more when it comes to astro image-processing. You can always undo your work if you go too far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 4 <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Use the \u2018Saturation\u2019 function to change how colourful your image looks. If the colours of the stars are too garish you can reduce that, or if they are too bland you can boost them. But again, don\u2019t go mad or you can end up making the stars too bright and blown out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 5 <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Use the \u2018Sharpen\u2019 function to make your image clearer, especially if your focus wasn\u2019t as sharp as you thought it was. If you used RAW format when shooting, your images will look a lot cleaner than JPEGs, but at this stage that\u2019s not too important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 6 <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When you have a processed image you\u2019re happy with, create a new folder on your computer \u2013 put the date you took your images in the title to help you find them again \u2013 and export your image into it. Use \u2018Save As\u2019 to create a new file with its own name, leaving the original on your memory card for now. You might want to go back to it later. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Stuart Atkinson is a lifelong amateur astronomer and author of 11 books on astronomy.<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>\n\n

PHOTOS: JASONFANG\/OSCAR GUTIERREZ ZOZULIA\/ISTOCK\/GETTY IMAGES, MATTEO COLOMBO\/ISTOCK\/GETTY IMAGES, STUART ATKINSON, WILL GATER X 3, 1298073728\/ISTOCK\/GETTY IMAGES, STUART ATKINSON X 6<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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