PHOTOGRAPHING THE MOON, STARS AND MILKY WAY
— Jennifer Wu
Intermediate
English
English
About This Course
Embarking on a journey into the world of night photography can be a thrilling experience. Guided by the skilled hand of instructor Jennifer, this course presents an immersive learning experience to understand and master the craft of night photography. This comprehensive curriculum, spanning over twelve carefully constructed lessons, ensures an engaging journey from understanding the basics to mastering the advanced aspects of night photography.
The course commences with an introductory session where Jennifer outlines the various topics that the course covers. She gives a broad overview of the skills and techniques students will learn, setting the stage for an engaging learning journey.
Subsequently, the course delves into the specifics of the tools of the trade - the equipment needed for night photography. Here, Jennifer meticulously details the recommended cameras, lenses, and other gear essentials that cater specifically to the requirements of night photography. This lesson underscores the crucial role equipment plays in achieving desired photographic results, especially under low light conditions.
The third lesson guides students on the enchanting quest to find the Milky Way and the Moon in the night sky. Jennifer introduces various resources that can help identify their location, thereby assisting photographers to plan their shoots accordingly. The lesson demonstrates the importance of planning and research in photography, particularly for celestial subjects.
Next, the course dives into the heart of night photography - understanding and setting the camera controls for capturing stars as points of light. Jennifer goes through five crucial camera settings that play a significant role in obtaining clear, sharp, and well-exposed images of the night sky. This lesson emphasizes the importance of technical proficiency in mastering the art of night photography.
Focusing under low light conditions can be challenging, and the fifth lesson is dedicated to overcoming these issues. Jennifer provides guidance on how to accurately focus on the night sky, a skill that is essential for capturing detailed and sharp celestial images.
With the theoretical and technical basics covered, the sixth lesson moves onto the practical aspect of night photography - scouting locations. After researching the rise of the Milky Way or Moon, the next step involves finding an appropriate location with interesting foreground elements to complement the celestial bodies. This lesson underscores the importance of location in enhancing the visual appeal of night photography.
Lesson seven delves into the artistic realm of photography – composition. Having all the elements in place – a clear sky, the right equipment, perfect settings, and a captivating location – the task now is to arrange these elements into an appealing composition. Jennifer shares insights on how to create compelling compositions in night photography, emphasizing the artistic aspect of the craft.
The eighth lesson focuses on one of the key subjects of night photography – the Moon. Jennifer discusses the various factors to consider while photographing the Moon, such as its phase, brightness, and position, among others. This lesson underscores the need for understanding the unique aspects of your subject in photography.
Next, the course introduces students to a creative technique - painting with light. This technique allows photographers to manipulate and control light in the frame creatively, providing unique opportunities for artistic expression after sundown.
Moving into the realm of post-processing, lesson ten shares insights on how to refine and enhance night photos. Jennifer goes over a workflow to correct any issues and make the photos truly stand out. This lesson reinforces the critical role of post-processing in shaping the final look and feel of photographs.
In the eleventh session, Jennifer explores more advanced post-processing techniques, such as blending multiple photos together. She demonstrates how to use Photoshop to combine different exposures into a single image for a greater dynamic range, highlighting the creative possibilities that post-processing tools offer.
The course concludes with an exciting introduction to time-lapse photography. This technique can be used to create a sequence of images capturing the movements of the night sky over a certain period, offering an immersive viewing experience. This session encapsulates the exploratory spirit of the course, encouraging students to continually learn, experiment, and push their creative boundaries in photography.
Acquired Knowledge
You'll learn about the equipment you need to capture the scene, how to research your subjects, the importance of scouting your location, the key camera settings, how to post process your photographs, and so much more!
Author
