All Things Photographic
My Astrophotography Journey: Dew Prevention
One of my main goals in starting out in astrophotography is to avoid the need to spend all night outside in the cold watching the telescope. In this post I cover fitting the Dew Heaters to the telescope and ASIair Plus.
My Astrophotography Journey: The ZWO Electronic Autofocuser
One of my main goals in starting out in astrophotography is to avoid the need to spend all night outside in the cold watching the telescope. In this post I cover fitting the ZWO EAF to the ASIair Plus mini computer system.
My Astrophotography Journey: Switching to a Refractor
One of my main goals in starting out in astrophotography is to avoid the need to spend all night outside in the cold watching the telescope. In this post I cover the switch to a dedicated refractor telescope.
My Astrophotography Journey: First Steps in Autoguiding
One of my main goals in starting out in astrophotography is to avoid the need to spend all night outside in the cold watching the telescope. In this post I cover auto guiding with the ASIair and a separate guide scope and camera.
My Astrophotography Journey: The ZWO ASIAir Plus
One of my main goals in starting out in astrophotography is to avoid the need to spend all night outside in the cold watching the telescope. In this post I cover setting up an ASIair Plus mini computer.
Setting the Home position of the Star Adventurer GTi
I have noticed quite a number of forum posts regarding the accuracy of the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer GTi initial GOTO operation and thought I would give my method of setting up the Star Adventurer to produce the best GOTO operation.
Sky Watcher Star Adventurer GTi
A few months ago, I placed an order for the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi, the latest in their Star Adventurer series of star trackers. After using the Star Adventurer 2i Pro package let’s see if upgrade to the GTi has met my expectations.
Manual GOTO for the Star Adventurer 2i
Programs like Sky Guide, Sky Safari or Stellarium can help you find objects but with a manual star tracker and DSLR or Mirrorless camera how can you be sure you’re pointing at the correct part of space, especially with long focal length lenses?
Star Tracking
I have always been fascinated by the night sky. As far back as I can remember I have been interested in the stars,. In this post I detail how I have started combining my love of astronomy with photography..
Which Shooting Mode do I use most ?
There are always questions asked about which is the best mode to use your camera, should you use Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual or Program mode. In this post I detail my favourite mode.
A Matter of Colour Pt 2: Camera Calibration
In the last blog post I discussed the calibration of my workflow from computer monitor to printing in order to get consistent and predictable colours for my final images. In this post I have looked further at the camera calibration part of this process using a number of commercially available colour checker charts and software profilers.
A Matter of Colour
When I started out in photography I relied upon film laboratories to process negative or slide film to get the appropriate output, either prints or mounted slides. Once the image was taken in the camera the actual processing was beyond my control but in general there was good agreement between my memories of the scene and the actual image. Step forward in time to digital image capture and home printing. Like many people the images coming from my printer weren’t showing the same as the images on my computer screen. They were dark, lacking in vibrancy and quite often disappointing.
Use a Teleconverter or Crop the Image ?
Many photographers dream have having the perfect collection of lenses that will enable them to get the perfect shot. When it comes to telephoto lenses, however, you never seem to be able to get in tight enough to your subject and always crave that extra reach. The wealth of internet wisdom currently suggests that post capture cropping provides superior results to using teleconverters. While I can see the logic behind these claims I did wonder whether there was any limit to how much cropping would be acceptable so decided to test it for myself
Video Heads for Stills Shooters
The Search for the Perfect Tripod Head - Tripods are very personal things and what suits one person may not suit another. With that in mind though there are some general considerations that apply to all photographers, whether beginner or advanced. In this article I talk through how I believe I have finally created the perfect combination of tripod legs and head that allows me to get the majority of images I take.
Mobility issues and wheelchair use in Cumbria and the Lake District.
Cumbria has a stunning landscape but the very terrain that makes it so beautiful can also make it inaccessible in some areas to people with mobility issues and wheelchair users.
How To: Photograph a Total Lunar Eclipse
Astronomy enthusiasts will witness the first total lunar eclipse of 2021 on May 26 so it is timely for this post. Total lunar eclipses occur when the Earth comes in between the Sun and the Moon and completely blocks the Sun’s rays from reaching the Moon. This is particularly challenging for the budding astrophotographer.
How To: Create Little Planets
I have always liked those round creations which look like your own little worlds, and wanted to try to make one so I finally did by following a simple tutorial on the internet.
How To: Photograph Garden Birds
The recent pandemic lockdowns prevented many people from travelling to pursue their photography hobby but, while stuck at home, photographing garden birds can be the perfect way to try a different subject.