There is a way to calculate this maximum exposure time, and that is the “ 500 Rule.” Here is the formula.įor a full-frame sensor, simply divide 500 by the focal length of the lens and that will tell you the maximum shutter speed to avoid star trails. To avoid this you will need to keep your exposure time less than the time that star trails will appear in the photograph. Shutter Speed and How to Avoid Star Trailsĭue to the Earth’s rotation, if an exposure is set beyond a certain time frame, the stars will seem to be out of focus and appear as streaks or trails of light. Lightroom and other post-processing software greatly help with reducing noise that is inherent with higher ISO settings, but it is better to keep the noise down on the original image. I prefer to keep the ISO maximum setting at 3200. It’s recommended to keep the ISO settings low when possible, but with a good quality camera sensor amazing results may still be obtained with up to ISO 3200 and even higher. Realize that this may not be the optimum setting of the lens used to obtain maximum sharpness (usually for most lenses it is f/8 to f/11) and some depth of field will be lost, so you may want to adjust the ISO and shutter speed accordingly to increase sharpness and depth of field. You will need to set the lens used to the widest aperture possible to keep the shutter speed and ISO to a minimum. Some adjustments will need to be made within the exposure triangle (aperture, ISO, and shutter speed) to achieve optimum results. The moon reflects between 3 and 12 percent of light from the sun, so you will be operating in a very low light situation. Shooting moonlit landscapes is quite different from shooting using sunlight as your light source. Consider a headlamp that offers a red light setting in order to help preserve your “night vision.” Lighting – in addition to a bright flashlight to use while walking you may find a headlamp is useful so you have both hands free to use.Cheat Sheets – listing maximum exposure times for each lens used to prevent star trails and camera settings.Extra batteries for your camera – as you may wish to use the Live View mode during your shoot and that really drains the battery.If you do not have a cable release or remote shutter release you can use the self-timer on the camera. Cable release or remote shutter release – a must to reduce camera shake.A sturdy tripod – this is an absolute necessity.In addition to a good quality camera and lenses here some additional items to consider using: Also add a compass app on your phone, or better yet, carry a real compass.īadwater, Death Valley, CA, 14mm, f/5.6, 25 seconds, ISO 2000 Equipment If possible, take a partner along with you and carry a physical map some remote locations still do not have cell service so your phone’s map may not work. It is just a little unnerving to be out in the desert or hills alone and lost at night. Some of the places I have been are quite rugged and desolate, and I felt a lot more comfortable in knowing the trail beforehand. If this is less than a well traveled area or path I like to visit the location and first walk the layout in daylight. A useful website to help find “dark” locations is Dark Sky. As always, aim for a location with very little light pollution, and use the PhotoPills app to help you find the best positioning to capture the Milky WayĪreas that have the least light pollution possible have the darkest skies, and that is most preferable when deciding on a location to shoot. If you’re hoping to get great shots of a starry sky or the Milky Way rather than a moonlit landscape, then schedule your shoot around the new moon rather than the full moon. But if you find a location with very little light pollution, you’ll be able to capture more stars (and maybe even a planet or two). It also shows paths of the sun and Milky Way in the same manner.ĭuring a full moon, fewer stars are visible than during a new moon. You can also easily program it for a particular day and time for help in planning dates, times, and locations to set up for the shoot. This app offers 3D augmented reality views including times and from what direction the moon will rise and set. The best time to shoot is the night of the full moon, but a couple of days either side of that date will also work.Īn app that I found very useful in the planning moonlit shoots is PhotoPills. Photographing by moonlight has its own set of challenges, but with a few setting and technique adjustments to your normal shooting routine it can produce outstanding results. Badwater, Death Valley, CA, 14mm, f/4, 8 seconds, ISO 3200
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