Embrace the enchantment of winter nights by capturing the celestial beauty above with expert tips from a local Swindon photo retailer.
Great Western Cameras, located in the Town Centre, shares valuable insights on how to capture the perfect winter night sky photo using mobile phones or cameras.
Owner Ian Jones guides overcoming low lighting challenges, avoiding zoom pitfalls, utilising photography apps, and achieving steady shots for a stellar result.
“Winter offers endless opportunities to capture the night sky in all its glory but without the right techniques, some stargazers are missing out on the perfect interstellar snap.” said Ian.
“Before taking out your mobile phone or digital camera to take a picture, there are a range of factors to contend with to make sure your photo is just as out of this world as the stars you’re snapping!”
Battling Low Lighting: Capture the true splendor of the night sky by escaping the city lights.
“The night sky has its drawbacks – the main one being that it’s dark, which makes photography tricky when not using a digital camera such as the Fujifilm X-S20. A lack of lighting makes it hard even for the most up-to-date smartphones to capture high-quality imagery. Getting out of the bright city lights is key to removing ambient light, which impacts what the eye can see in the night sky. Take yourself away from the busy streets and head somewhere with minimal artificial lighting, such as a green space, which will show you what the night sky really has to offer.”
Say No to Zoom: Resist the urge to zoom in on stars when capturing them with your smartphone.
“When we take a picture of something small with a smartphone, our instinct is to zoom in to make it look bigger and more visible. However, when it comes to the stars, your zoom setting needs to be kept away. Small objects like stars can become heavily pixelated when zoom is used. Once you view the picture on a screen larger than your phone, you’ll be disappointed with a grainy image – and even more disappointed if you print your image.”
Apps to Help You: Utilise camera apps to simulate long exposure, a crucial element for balanced brightness levels.
“For those that don’t know, the shutter speed is the length of time that the digital sensor inside the camera is exposed to light when taking a photograph – it’s the key ingredient to achieving balanced brightness levels. Unfortunately, you can’t control this function on the majority of smartphones but that’s where camera apps can help. There is a range of apps to simulate the shutter effect for both iOS and Android, taking multiple photos in a short span to recreate long exposure. On some mobile devices, like newer Apple iPhones, the camera app often features built-in software as standard, such as Night Mode, which is designed to capture more detail and brighten shots in low-light situations automatically.”
Ready, Steady, Go! Ensure stability by using a tripod for your camera or smartphone.
“Contending with low light is a lot easier with a steady hand. Using a tripod ensures you have a stable surface which reduces shake and avoids UFOs (Unidentified Fuzzy Objects) in your photos. With a steady set-up, you might find yourself capturing a real-life UFO – you never know when photographing the unknown up above!”
Once you’ve captured the perfect shot, Great Western Cameras invites you to bring it to life. As a PHOTO by Fujifilm retailer, they offer cutting-edge photo printing services, ensuring your night sky photos shine. Whether you choose to proudly display your photo or use it for a customized gift, Great Western Cameras’ in-store printing services, equipped with Fujifilm’s latest technology, make the process seamless.
Discover the magic of your winter night sky photos with Great Western Cameras. For more information, call 01793 537436.
