ADVANCED GUIDE TO STARSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

Starscape photography is a technique that combines the night sky and the landscape into a single composition. By including striking foreground elements, it dramatically showcases the presence of the celestial realm within the natural environment. The stars must appear as distinct points or trails of light, while the terrestrial elements remain recognizable as the landscape.

For a visually appealing composition, it's recommended to allocate approximately 20% of the frame to the foreground elements. This balance allows the sky to dominate the image while still providing context and grounding through the landscape. 

Embark on a celestial journey as we unveil the secrets to capturing breathtaking starscape photography. Let's dive into the step-by-step process that will transform your night sky images from ordinary to extraordinary.

1. Location and Timing:

• Location
  Choose a site with minimal light pollution. Use tools like the Light Pollution Map to find dark sky locations. High altitudes are preferable for unobstructed views.
  www.lightpollutionmap.info/
  
  
• Timing: Plan your shoot around the moon phase. A new moon or a moonless night is ideal. Use apps like PhotoPills or Stellarium to check star visibility and moon rise/set times.
  www.photopills.com/
  https://stellarium.org/

2. Essential Equipment:

• Camera: A DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual mode. A titling LCD screen or fully articulating display is highly recommended.
• Lens: A wide-angle lens (16-35mm) with a large aperture (F2.8 or faster) is ideal.
• Tripod: A sturdy tripod with a ball head is ideal. To prevent camera shake caused by wind, avoid extending the center column of your tripod. 
• Filter/StarScape: For reducing artificial light pollution and enhancing bluish night sky.

For your reference, below picture shows how different lens angles affect the appearance of the Milky Way (35mm equivalent)

3. Camera Settings:

The widest focal lengths/angle of view that allow for a 30-second exposure without visible star trails are:

• Full-frame: 16mm
• APS-C: 10mm
• Micro Four Thirds (M4/3): 8mm

For lenses with longer focal lengths than these, stars will appear as trails rather than points if you use a 30-second exposure. Therefore, you'll need to shorten the shutter speed.
Keep in mind that the wider the angle of view, the longer you can set your shutter speed.

• Mode: Manual mode.
• Format: RAW for maximum post-processing flexibility.
• ISO: Start with ISO 1600-3200, and adjust based on light conditions.
• Aperture: Set to the widest possible (e.g., F2.8).
• Shutter Speed: Typically 25-30 seconds. Adjust based on focal length to avoid star trails turning into streaks
• Focus: Set manual focus with self-timer. Focus on the brightest star using live view magnification.

• Include interesting foreground elements to add depth and context to your starcape. Aim for the landscape to occupy about 20% of the frame.

• Setup: Ensure your tripod is stable. Compose your shot and set your focus.
• Avoid Camera Shake: Use a remote shutter release or the camera’s timer function to avoid any movement.
  

• Battery and Storage: Bring extra batteries and memory cards. Long exposure sessions can drain batteries quickly and fill up storage.
• Weather: Check the weather forecast to ensure clear skies. Apps like Clear Outside can be helpful.
  https://clearoutside.com/page/app/
• Safety and Comfort: Dress warmly, bring a headlamp with a red light to preserve night vision, and consider bringing a chair and snacks for comfort during long sessions.

7. Time Lapse

StarScape is ideal for capturing time-lapse videos of starry skies and cityscapes. To demonstrate the movement of the Milky Way and the effectiveness of the StarScape, we created a time-lapse video.
Even when shooting in .jpg format, StarScape ensures excellent color balance, minimizing the need for extensive post-processing, which is particularly useful when handling large volumes of image data for time-lapse videos.

Time-lapse starscape photography with Marumi StarScape ©Teruyasu Kitayama

The following time-lapse video was created from a total of 384 images, with 192 images for each half. The first half was shot without the StarScape filter, resulting in a night sky with a slight yellow tint due to light pollution. The second half, from midnight to dawn, was shot with the StarScape filter, which effectively removed the yellow tint, rendering a cooler and clearer night sky.Settings used: aperture at f/2.8, ISO 3200, and a shutter speed of 25 seconds, with an interval of 30 seconds between each shot. This setup captured nearly all events in the southern to southwestern sky over 192 minutes (3 hours and 12 minutes) from around midnight to dawn.In the video, the bright point moving from right to left across the Milky Way at the beginning is the ISS. Numerous shooting stars are also visible. The sudden increase in bright lines at dawn is due to a combination of shooting stars, satellites, and increased aircraft activity. Wny not try using Marumi StarScape filters to create your own dynamic time-lapse videos?

By following these advanced techniques and tips, you can capture stunning star trail images that showcase the beauty of the night sky and the Earth's rotation.

Thank you for your attention!
Marumi team