We are here with another existing topic under photography – Milky way Photography. This is a perfect guide to capture some stunning night trails and milky ways.
1. Equipment needed? (Any Light Source) :
Any DSLR would do… even digital point and shoot or bridge cam with ISO 3200 will be ok. Result depend on low light performance of the camera. Only thing is that you will get more noise in entry level SLR. Other than that wide angle lens about 18mm will be fine. Tripod is must. No other light source is required for milky way. But u need light source for your foreground illumination. If foreground is landscape you can take 4-5 min that would look more natural.
2. Best place to shoot? (Seashore/Hill station) :
Only thing u have to do is find remote place where there is no light pollution..
3. Best time to shoot?
(Direction – North, East, South, West, Time-evening, midnight, early morning, With/Without Moonlight) :
You need dark sky so no moon day is best time or you have to capture before moon rise or after moon set and time also depend on when milky way rise and set…
Finding milky way have become easy task with android or iPhone. If you have any of this download sky map, in that search for Scorpius or Sagittarius. If not then you need to find it looking at sky , Check out on google how Scorpius look. On very dark night you will see milky way with your naked eyes.
4. How to shoot? Camera settings? (Aperture, ISO, Metering, Focus, RAW/JPEG, White Balance) :
Picture should be captured with wide open aperture , and shutter (in sec) <= (600/FX equivalent focal length you are using) , ISO you can vary between 1600 – 6400 (depend on light you need). Metering will not work so keep anything doesn’t matter. Focus need to be set to infinity. RAW or jpeg depends on you (RAW will better). White Balance depending on color you want. In RAW you can change it later in Post processing, but better set it on field so you get idea how it would look and can capture accordingly, I prefer Daylight.
5. Which tool to use for post processing?
What should be taken care while processing (Photoshop, Lightroom) : I use PS CS6. Most of the stuff i do in Camera RAW 7.2. Milky ways are captured with high ISO so there is lots of noise. When you extra do something, more and more noise will be added. More contrast or saturation will spoil your picture, so keep control on that. You require lots of dogging burning so milky way can be clearly seen. You have to do highlight dogging on milky way and shadow burning on other area.
Article by : Dhanraj Wadiwala
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