Astro Landscape Photography Start To Finish
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2024
- Today I'd like to discuss some of the principles and techniques I learnt on my milky way photography journey over the years. Shooting astro landscape photography is not easy and requires commitment and dedication to succeed.
I hope you find this video both helpful and inspiring.
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I apologise for the cropped video. I'm not sure what went wrong but I can't fix it now without losing all of the comments.
No problem Richard, post the cut part as part 2
I thought TH-cam allowed replacing the video without touching the comments or likes? Anyway, not a problem. Thanks!
@@mariopereira8261 There isn't anything really important cut off.
@@alandyer910 It appears not Alan. You can replace the thumbnail and details, description etc .. but not the video as a whole.
Richard. I sincerely mean this: they should award you a PhD in Astrophotography: you don't just understand photography, but it is the Philosophy of Photography and Astro particularly, that you understand so much and this extends to the psychology which you explained so clearly in this video: these combined elements are critical to be able to teach which you do with clarity and joy, which inspires this wider community. Thank you so very much Mate!! Will have to start calling you the Astro Doc🙂
Haha, well I certainly appreciate your kind words Manjul. Some might call it an extended rave . .. !!!!
Thank You Richard for your valuable advice and philosofical context. Your words should be listed in every textbook about photography.
Well I'm not too sure about that Peter, but thanks for watching.
Hi Richard. For one horrible moment I thought, from the title, that you were announcing your retirement!! Thank goodness you’re not. You haven’t taught me all I need to know yet. I agree with your sentiments about the personal timeline of creating astro landscapes. From the basic to the not so basic. I started by doing some star trails and became hooked. It’s been good for me. I’ve had some fantastic nights under the UK stars which haven’t always produced what I was hoping for. When I show my pics to friends I find myself talking more about the night’s experience rather than the equipment and settings. Thanks for your advice and patience in your videos. I return to them time after time.
Your comments are very much appreciated Peter, thanks so much.
Great to hear a psychological approach to shooting at night.
We need to understand it is a struggle and journey and we get better as we practice more as we go up our learning curve in software and equipment
Keep up the good work 👍
I very much appreciate your comments Peter. Thanks so much.
I enjoy all of your stuff
I luv an Aussie point of view
Keep on keeping on. 😎
Thank Richard, a very insightful piece. One thing I've found is my nightscaping/light painting and IR work has become a history tracker. I'm from California, and weather, fires, development, and time have ravaged many things I've shot, and they are gone now. That's always something to hold on to as well.
That's so true Paul. I think one of the greatest elements of photography is that we can look back on our life journey . .good and bad.
Really well explained and things could not be said any better. One thing I really appreciate is when masters and legends of landscape astro, like yourself, show their first images. To see what progress, determination and being open minded can do, I'd say this can be one of the biggest inspirations and motivations to those who are starting out.
Thanks so much for your kind comments Matej. I remember those first images like they were yesterday . .and they were very important to me at the time.
Every one of your videos is so helpful. I'm so glad every time you drop a new one. You make a difference in this life of ours.
Your comments are greatly appreciated Russell.
I have only started my journey in this field. Have photographed my family through the decades. & now can take the time to explore a creative experience to my photography. Thank you for your insights. And yes, I am enjoying the experience .
Thank you so much for watching William, appreciate your comments.
Great words of encouragement Richard, particularly for those mid way through the steep learning curve. Embrace the failures - that's how you learn. Learn your gear and processing - that's how you avoid the failures. Then learn the technique and the art - that's how you get the moments of spectacular success!
Good on you Levin. Always appreciate your wise words mate.
Thank you Richard, it’s refreshing you showing us your first Astro photos and how far your photography has progressed. It just goes to show that if you stick with it you can improve to.
I’ve been struggling with my photography but this video has inspired me to keep at it. Than you
We always have our peaks and troughs Julie. The reality is that it always comes back to our desire to be out there shooting and why we do it in the first place. Keep it simple and don't put pressure on yourself.
You're right, this is not a technical how-to guide, and thanks for making this not that! You hit on some very important points.
1) take a step back & Composition - I used to say once you track, you never go back. Then I went back. I shot a 7x15s ISO 8000 shot from a tripod and it's one of my best to date. Not because of HOW I aquired the data, but because of WHAT the data represented, WHAT I was shooting! Composition has been the hardest for me and I've worked on it a little this Summer and have made great strides.
2) Enjoy the experience NOW - LOVE this. They will become memories and that is invaluable. The pictures should be ways for us to INVOKE those memories, and if you had a horrible time capturing the image or weren't present in the moment, the photo is not worth as much.
3) Have a WHY - It wasn't until I recently developed my reason for shooting landscape astro did it actually make me do it MORE and inspire me to actually sit down and edit my backlog. My why is to fight light pollution and spread awareness of the importance of the natural night for all life on Earth, and once I discovered that, it has put a whole new lens (pun intended) on my view of my astrophotography journey. I am on a mission.
You're one of the greats! Thanks Richard.
That's a very comprehensive analysis and I really appreciate your encouragement. Sometimes what we need to find is right there staring us in the face. .we simply need to understand what we are looking for.
GURU! This video has so much wisdom. I'm doing a series of introduction to landscape astrophotography talks to camera clubs this UK winter. You and your channel will be highly recommended! Thank you, Paul.
Snap! Richard’s channel is always top of the list in my talks. ✅
You're a legend Paul. I appreciate your great support.
Very sound advice Richard! Your channel has pointed me in the correct direction over the years. Thanks for the insights and hints you have given me over the years.
Always appreciate your comments Pat
Such great advice Richard, as you know in the old “film” days we only had 36 exposures on a roll ! Knowing the camera, lenses and theory was paramount. Software and digital technology have made it much more accessible for all. Great video mate 😊
Really good insights Greg .. very true about the old film days for sure.
I found this latest video of yours to be very helpful. I have enjoyed viewing your videos and gleaning info from them to assist me in astrophotography. Look forward to more of your instructive photo adventures.
I very much appreciate you watching.
Great advice Richard 👏🏻
Always appreciate you watching Bern.
Everything you say is true, Richard. It takes a long time to become a skilled photographer in any field and sometimes it can be a lonely struggle. But I’ll tell you another thing that’s turning people away from astro photography, the cost of gear. The Nikon Z6 MkIII, for example, is more than $4000 body-only, and the Nikon 20mm f1.8S, said to be the biggest, heaviest and most expensive super wide-angle Nikon has ever made, is about $1600. (Taking into account the pathetic Australian dollar, we pay nearly $600 more than Americans pay for the same lens.)
I used to buy gear from B&H in New York when our dollar was worth about $US1.05. It was a good deal back then because gear was cheaper over there to begin with. Now the Aussie dollar is practically worthless at 67 US cents, emphasising the current reality that not everyone can stick his hand in his pocket and pull out nearly $6000 for one camera and one lens - before trotting off to buy the latest $600 carbon fibre tripod.
Yes you've hit on a very important point Barry. I think us Aussies get left out of the picture. Prices in the US are always so much less than here for camera gear. I guess it may make us wait for second hand equipment to pop up. I have bought quite a few used cameras and lenses over the years.
Richard another great video, I only wish I had discovered your work before I purchased my gear. It would have saved me from having to buy so much stuff. I am one of those ‘kids in a lolly shop’ must have. Slowly learning now. Thanks
We are all a bit like that at times Wayne. Appreciate you watching.
Great way to start my weekend watching your video Richard, so I made my coffee and got the popcorn (no popcorn really) and really enjoyed it. I'm off camping in the rain for the weekend, hope you enjoy yours! I think one thing that makes our journey easier with any form of photography is our passion to learn and will to be better. 🙂
Yes very good thoughts Rob. I hope the camping trip goes well.
Great video and thanks for these tips they are always important to remember ;)
Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
As usual, lots of sound advice. And your advice about finding someone who inspires you, well, we all know where to find him! Keep up the good work.
Haha, thanks for watching again David. I'm sure we all have a buddy we can get to tag along with us out there on a cold night ..!!!
Another great video with a lot of advice I wholeheartedly agree and would do well to apply to myself more often 😂. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for your kind words of encouragement Eric. Always appreciated.
Hi Richard. Thank you very much for your words of wisdom and and encouragement.
Take care, Jerry
You're always very welcome Jerry. Appreciate you tuning in.
Learning the building blocks, to build and develop skills on. One thing I noticed is the more photographs I take, the more it changes. I hate autofocus.
Appreciate your insights Phillip. The journey is long, and it's up to us to enjoy all the twists and turns.
@@nightscapeimages.richard I learnt to use a camera with film, back in the days an external light meter
Oh so many great suggestions, and alot of these ideas can be used in other forms of photography. Many times ofn the side lines of a sports match/game I see new togs fiddling about with there camaras not knowing what settings they should use ,or even what lens. Then the following week or so they turn up with an even longer lens, but there still playing /fiddling with there camera all the way there the game ! When you go over and ask then about the gear they have got the answer is that the person in the shop told them this lens will be fantastic to shoot with, but they still dont know theree Camera !
Nice one Richard.
Thanks for your comments Paul, really appreciated.
I'm in the queue, always want a Richard Tatti calendar
Thanks so much Suzie . .always appreciate your support.
Hi friend Richard. Thank you very much for your advice, mainly about knowing the photographic equipment we have and knowing how to use it. I like your work and the atmosphere you give to your photos. Greetings, have a good weekend.🌌⭐👍
I very much appreciate you watching Javier
Solid advice! I've been guilty of plenty of those things over the years. This has motivated me to leave the tracker in the car one night.......maybe 😅
Haha .. well your tracker is your right arm John .. but you also could never be accused of buying new gear every 5 minutes either ..!!! Those old black sky watchers are a dying breed mate.
Great video ❤ I'm just starting out and taking my time and trying to avoid the trap of buying all those gadgets. Now, I got to figure out the editing... That's the tricky bit for me, at the moment. But plenty time to learn. 👍😃
I think that's certainly the best way to approach it Jaune. Thanks for watching.
That was a great video, so so true! For me it’s been about being out under the stars, the mate ships formed and the journey. Though also about growth, learning and becoming better at what we do. You’re an inspiration mate! Well done as always…
Great insights as always Al. Thanks again for watching mate.
I heard a phrase commonly used these day in photography. since all the photoshop and post production. It goes as "They are not good photographers, they are good editors" I find it more and more true as time goes on and people rely on AI and photoshop instead of composition and technique.
That's so true. And it's even moreso the case when shooting nightscape photography as the editing becomes more difficult.
Without a doubt Richard, the crux of the matter is to keep things as simple as possible within the level we are photographing, and to be persistent and repeat the exercises (Photos) until we reach perfection. Practice makes perfect. I want Calendars 😃
You have summed it up very well Mario. Thanks for your support.
Interesting reflections and sound advice from your nightscape journey Richard 👍.
Long may it continue!
Many thanks indeed Paul
100% good advice here. Being a photographer myself since 40 years, I can recommend to all beginners to follow Richard’s suggestions. Start with a used D750, D780, Z6 or Z6ii body (yes, less megapixels are better as more, 24 are totally sufficient), spend your budget on a good used lens like the Z 20mm 1.8 S (if it’s a Z body) a sturdy carbon tripod and then build up your skills based on your passion. - I may add a personal hint: if you find a mom and pop camera store trading also with used gear, get it there instead at the big auction places. They check the gear when taking it in, help with good advice, things you don’t get from the giga companies. Last but not least: Book a workshop with Richard, workshops are the warp drive for building up your skills.
Thanks for your great encouragement and insights Roland.
Simplicity and wisdom: thanks for sharing.
I think that is the key. Appreciate you watching.
Fantastic advice, beautifully put. I’ve enjoyed my astrophotography so much more since I realised that (a) the experience was as important as the final image, for me; and (b) deep sky was just not my bag, despite yearning for an observatory since being a young lad. I appreciate all the advice and wisdom you’ve brought to me and many others, Richard. 🙌
Thanks again for your very kind words Paul. I also wanted an observatory when I was a kid but then I realised I needed that connection with earth bound elements to really make me happy.
Dear Richard,
If today I feel happy with my astrophotography, despite the limited equipment I have, I owe a lot to you for all the learning and inspiration I've gained over the past years with your channel. I've learned a lot, and I still have much to learn. I hope one day I'll be able to thank you in person! Thank you very much!
Best Wishes,
Rafael
You're a very kind man indeed Rafael. Thanks so much.
Richard. As always, the generous giving of sound and realistic advice. It is so pleasing to see how much love you have retained for photography and astro for all the years we have known each other (although never met).
Your ongoing support and encouragement is very much appreciated Kevin.
Fantastic advice Richard! I hope that I can join one of your workshops one day. Thanks for sharing all your wisdom! 😊
Very kind of you Tim. Thank you.
Very wonderful advice. I started my journey just capturing the milkyway from my home back in 2016. Just a camera and a simple tripod. A couple years later. I got a tracker. Which led me to capturing the Andromeda Galaxy with a long focal length lens. I then embarked on my journey of Deep sky objects. Using an Equatorial mount, scope and everything else that goes with it. Even though I have all this great gear. I'll still grab my camera and tripod to capture the milkyway. Just going back to my roots. It's totally satisfying to me when I get back to it again. Though I haven't done any landscape milkyway. My goal is to one day give it a go. Thanks for the wonderful video!!! Good health and Clear skies!
Thanks so much for your kind comments my friend.
Paid, looking forward to seeing it
You're a champion Suzie
Great video, and one I wish I’d seen a couple of years ago 😂. When I first started out in photography 4 years ago, I was intrigued by Astro images and set out watching videos and trying to capture images. I thought I didn’t have the right gear, contemplated getting it all, but decided to move away from Astro. A few years later, I realise my main issue is actually finding and getting to a decent composition. I’ll now try again when I get opportunity with my F4 lens until I start to get decent compositions and images.
Nothing wrong with starting slow and gradually working through the challenges Dave. Appreciate you watching.
Sound advice Richard, for me it is all about the experience and developing and improving along the way.
Thanks Dennis. I think many would be the same as you for sure.
Always a masterpiece. Everything is here...
Thanks so much for tuning in Raphael
Great video Richard! Absolutely agree with you here! It is so easy to get caught up with all the tech that is available these days. Crawling before you walk is definitely the key here! Thanks for the video! Matt
Thanks heaps for tuning in Matt, appreciate your comments mate.
RIchard, this is one of the best videos for the Astro Photography and how to embrace editing/photoshop and basics of Night Photography. I stronly believe these fundamentals are true to anything you do in life. You should be on Teds presenting Richard ! Thank you Sir
Your kind words mean a lot Virat. You are a living testament to many of the ideals I've mentioned here. . hard work, dedication and willingness to improve yourself every time you go out.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thank you Richard and I've learnt a lot from you and so good to put what you learn into a practice.. Also believe that never take anything for granted, do basics and share the kowledge with others.. One day, we will shoot together
Thanks for the video and input.
You're very welcome my friend.
Thanks Richard
Appreciate you watching Wayne
thank you for all the tips, hints and answers in the comment section. Cannot wait for the soring when the core returns.
I really appreciate you tuning in Chris
Another great video, I have gone down the gear rabbit hole 😂 eventually deciding on Sony gear n the new Nomad tracker. It is great advice to take a step back n revisit your own beginnings. Clear skies n May the cloud gods be kind 🖖
Thanks so much for your ongoing support Gavin.
Some fantastic tips in there Richard, thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend.
Many thanks indeed Andrew
I thoroughly agree with your points about an obsession with image detail for astro nightscapes. It's not about getting the MOST detail from the Milky Way (we aint gonna beat Hubble, Webb, or even advanced astro amateurs), it's about putting it in context with the foreground and making a beautiful composition. It's meant to be art, not data accuracy. I have a Benro Polaris, and although I have used tracking for some deep sky work, I don't for Milky Way nightscapes because A: I'm too lazy to composite a separate foreground and sky panorama (and most I've seen don't look "right") and B: It can lead to "cheating". Since you're composting anyway, why not use a Milky Way shot from another time/place?
I love the honesty of getting all the shots in one shoot, and the reward of scouting and composing your location, and the sheer joy of capture in that space. I find few things more rewarding than that magical experience.
Thanks for your great insights Adam, always appreciate your comments.
Awesome video Sir, and thank you so much for all your advices ☺️🙏🏻
Thank you. I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Very wise words Richard, totally sound advice. Thanks for sharing!!
I appreciate you watching Thanos.
Thank you Richard. We have always learned a lot from you.
You are very kind Rogerio.
As always, great tips and advice!
Always appreciate your comments Kerry
Thank you so much for the great tips!
You are most welcome Marvin
Great advice 👍
Thanks so much for tuning in Stig
Great video. Thank you for your thoughts,
You're very welcome Phillip
Very good advice Richard,awesome work mate
Always appreciated Brad mate.
Great tips, Richard.
Thanks for watching Steve
Ha ah . I didn’t get the camera altered but I did buy a tracker . I haven’t used it yet because I’m still learning how to edit and camera set up . Dark skies are my down fall at the moment. Will need to travel to get less light pollution . Happy with my pictures but they really aren’t that good at the moment.
No worries with any of that Chris. Remember . .it's always one step at a time.
Is it only me or is the video accidentally uploaded in 4:3 format? Nevertheless it was a great watch! Very well structured and thought out. Some good advice here, even for someone who has been shooting for some years :-).
Hmmm .. yes it is in 4:3. The original is definitely 16x9. Not sure what happened there . .or how that happened Jeroen.
Great video and advices! Where in Melbourne can I get my EOS R Astro modified?
Thanks a lot Dan. I'd go to Imaging by Design. See here: imagingbydesign.com.au/
Bonsoir Richard je suis bien en accord avec ce que tu dis on progresse pas à pas et connaître son matériel est hyper important surtout la nuit, avoir un compagnon pour la soirée est hyper sage car un accident est vite arrivé , tu dois avoir des aurores boréales en ce moment mais ce doit être l'été chez toi et les nuits sont courtes ici en France nous sommes en automne les nuits sont un peu plus longue chaque jour mais le temps ne s'y prête pas il pleut souvent et le ciel est couvert mais j'espère bien arriver en a voir une et que je puisse la photographier . Dommage que nous soyons si loin j'aurais vraiment aimé te connaître d'avantage je te souhaite bon ciel mon ami !
Thanks as always for your kind words Patrick
Have there been any advances in software that can help with the delicate process of merging ground and sky into realistic looking composites? Working with highly irregular horizons and blending them in a highly convincing way is I think the peak technical & artistic challenge of this whole form of photography. I wonder if any significant advancements have happened that have moved the needle on this, such as AI-assisted "sky replacement". Are folks out there using this new technology - or otherwise - in nightscapes and deepscapes to their advantage, and with high quality results?
Many people use the Sky Replacement feature in photoshop to do this . .I do as well .. simply use the software to place the sky I shot into the foreground scene. The trick is to shoot it in a way that makes all of that easier in the first place.
I'd say any tracked sky image you see online is blended something like this . .there are many methods that people use.
@@nightscapeimages.richardthank you for your reply. I have tried this in PS, with variable results. It seems to me that Sky Replacement - at least in PS - is a RAM and CPU limited operation. My 2017 era PC and MBP both have 16 GB RAM, both are around 2.8-2.9 GHz Quad core i7’s, both have internal discrete graphics (PC has 2 GB VRAM, MBP has 4 GB VRAM). The AI features in PS and LR work sometimes for me, and other times they simply refuse to complete. I’ve also tried Luminar Neo and ON1, and both also get unstable / unreliable in their own ways when I try to stitch together two detailed TIFF / DNG / PNG files in automated ways. Manual stitching seems to be the only way for me with these 2017 era computers running the very latest mass market photo SW… this is why I wonder if someone else out there with a higher level of SW expertise specifically in astronomical imaging have also made advancements in AI stitching? I’m wondering about PixInsight, and other stacking and image processing apps used by astronomers and astrophotographers.
@@nightscapeimages.richard I typed a detailed reply to you about things I've tried with varied results, and I'm somewhat disappointed to see my comment was removed. Never had one of my comments removed anywhere, as I didn't say anything bad about anyone or anything. Very surprised and confused here right now.
Z6 III full sensor video coverage be like:
I'm enjoying the Z6ii camera for photos. I haven't done a lot of video with it.
Hi Richard calendar too small
It's a great size.
Got mine two weeks ago. Great calendar 👍🏻
Thanks for your support Jeff
Good info
Glad you enjoyed it Jeff