Hello steemit :) As an amateur astronomer and a photo freak, I thought it'll be great to share a few astro-photography tips with you. Sunrises and sunsets make for impressive photos, and they are surprisingly simple to take – even with a mobile camera.
Capturing a beautiful sky has never been easier with your smartphone in your pocket. It is the light and location, not the equipment, which makes a good sunrise or sunset picture.
Phone & Compact Camera
◾Tap the screen to focus on your surroundings.
◾Never have your flash on auto. Turn it on if you want to light up the details of your subject.
◾Not happy with the result? Try again.
DSLR Cameras
A good digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR), can give more control over the image components.
◾Put your camera on a tripod or anywhere stable like a fence or the ground. Use the preview screen to view your composition.
◾Focus manually if your camera allows it, as autofocus is not very good in the dark.
◾Switch to manual exposure. Expose for the sun and the sky, and then focus on your subject. Underexposure gives richer colors.
◾If using flash to light up your subject, set the exposure for the sun and sky.
◾Keep shooting! Play around with different exposures and focus on different subjects. The light changes continually.
Composition
◾Make sure you have plenty of time at the location and take test shots to decide the composition of your photo.
◾Let the most interesting part of your composition dominate two thirds of the picture, this is called the rule of thirds.
◾Keep your camera straight. Crooked horizons wreck a good shot.
◾Use a flash if you want to take portraits with the sun in the background. This is best done during twilight to catch the details in the surroundings, and balancing out the flash.
◾Turn around! Sometimes the best picture is behind you, lit by the golden color of the sunrise or sunset.
Plan Ahead!
◾Know when the sun rises and sets where you want to shoot the picture.
◾Check the weather! Clouds give for more interesting skies catching the light. Early morning mist and fog can add interest to landscapes.
◾Lakes, the ocean, windows and buildings reflect light and add extra oomph to your picture.
◾A foreground like trees, people and buildings silhouetted against the colorful sky gives your photo depth and is a common trick used by professional photographers.
That's all there is for now, I hope you enjoyed reading. There's more coming. Cheers! :)