The Thousand Solutions Blog

Star Trail Photography: What is it and how to Go About It | Blog

Jul 14, 2022

A starry night sky already makes for a majestic photograph. With star trail photography using lengthy exposure techniques into use to produce a more wondrous photograph.

The process for star trail photography is similar to that of the general long exposure process, however there are some key differences. This is what you must know to get started with this technique, which includes a brief overview of essential equipment as well as the best way to maximize the settings of your camera.

What exactly is What is Star Trail Photography?

The long exposure photography showcases diurnal circular circles--the spiral shapes created by the stars when the earth spins around its the axis.

What equipment is required for Star Trail Photography

A Great Manual Camera

Manual cameras are an absolute must since you'll require control of your ISO, aperture, and shutter speed to take your photos. It's even better if the camera has a built-in intervalometer.

External Intervalometer

If the camera you're using doesn't come with a built-in intervalometer, you'll need to buy one you can connect to.

Intervalometers allow you to extend the exposure times on the images you take and allow for pictures in bursts with high quality. It won't do all of the hard work for you (you'll still need to nail your shutter speed and general timing), but it will make sure that, if you have your settings right, your camera can execute.

Wide Angle Lens

Tripod

A tripod that is sturdy will be the ideal tool for photographing star trails. Since long exposures demand that you keep the camera in place for several minutes (and sometimes even hours) at a time, using a tripod can ensure that your camera doesn't shake and ruin your photo. This is another area where the investment in quality is well worth it, especially if you're planning to set up on uneven ground.

   Brighten Your Night Shots  

   Low-Light Photography Settings and Tips for Capturing the Dark  

Star Trail Photography Settings

There are three primary camera settings to be aware of when planning your main trail photo including the shutter speed, aperture, and your ISO.

Between 20 and 90 seconds are perfect for taking photos of trails in the sky and must be combined with an aperture that is that is between f/2.8 and f/5.6. The ideal ISO depends on the camera's capabilities and light conditions in which you're shooting. Between 400 and 3200 is the ideal ISO beginning at the lower end, and then moving up the results you get.

Tips for Taking Epic Star Trail Photos

Star trail photos are amazing in their own right. But, there are extra things that you can use to bring your photos to the next step.

Take a look at your composition

The star trails are obviously one of the most important elements in your photograph, but it's important to anchor them in the shot by incorporating other elements to consider. Mountain ranges, trees, or buildings all make for stunning compositional elements in a star trail photograph as well as help achieve an even more compelling outcome.

Focus On the Star with the Most Bright Light

Are you unsure of where to point your camera? Beyond setting up your general arrangement, a good guideline is to zoom in slightly on the brightest star on the screen, and use the rule of thirds to position it within the frame.

Make sure you shoot with the biggest aperture your Lens allows

The larger the aperture, the more light will be allowed into the frame and the higher quality image you'll get. It will also lead to you getting more stars in the image you take.

The Rotation is shown in action

Utilize time-lapse photography to record the exact motion of the trails. This will not only create an enchanting effect, you'll also have the ability to look it up for stills and pull out that perfect frame when you find it.

Go Panoramic

Star trails are well suited to be used in a panoramic shot. This is a great opportunity to experiment with stitching versus one single long exposure. Be sure to align the camera in order to can see your overall frame still the same when you move.

Planning Your Star Trail Shoot

It isn't feasible to shoot star trails in the absence of stars visible. Certain clouds can be acceptable (and may actually provide additional interest to your image) so long as there are still stars. However, you must have enough of a clear sky so that the trails of stars aren't at all, or are mostly hidden. Go to the app store to download an app for stargazing such as Star Tracker or SkyView Lite to find out more about what the sky will look at any time of night, and pay attention to general weather patterns as well.

   Are you just beginning to get started?  

   Photography Essentials: Understanding the Basics