How to take sky photos like a pro

Feeling starstruck? With tips from the pros, this beginner’s guide to night sky photography will help capture the beautiful views for lasting memories.

Story by Audrey Geib
Photography by Robbie Bischoff

Have you ever tried to snap a picture of the moon, only to end up with an out-of-focus, blurry white blob? You’re not alone. But with a bit of know-how (and maybe a tripod), the Lowcountry’s dark skies can become your personal photo studio. Local astrophotographer Zach Grether says half the fun is simply being out there.“It’s just a fun experience,” said Grether. “You get to go out there and just spend time, kind of just chilling. If you’re not enjoying being out there and being in the quiet and the solitude and seeing the sky, then you’re missing out.”

To capture the moment, Grether and fellow local astrophotographer Robbie Bischoff have practical advice for every stargazer. The solutions are simple, but they make a world of a difference.

Work with what you got

Today’s phones can handle long exposures surprisingly well. South Carolina-based astrophotographer Robbie Bischoff tested his iPhone 15 Pro Max and found the device can capture the Milky Way.

“I think it was like a six-second exposure, and it grabbed the Milky Way,” Bischoff said. “You can definitely do it with the newer iPhones and stuff that can do what they call ‘night mode,’ which is the longer exposures.”

Phone photos might not be award-winning, but they’re perfect for remembering a night under the Lowcountry sky.

Smartphone tips:

• Keep it steady. Even tiny movements blur stars. “I know it sounds so cliche, but you just can’t have any movement,” Bischoff said.
• Watch your exposure. Grether explained, “When you have exposures that go longer than, you know, 30 seconds, suddenly your stars start becoming elongated ellipses, and then eventually they turn into lines.” Still, every photo is different, and Grether says it’s all down to the artist behind the lens. “It’s cool if you want to do it that way, it’s just kind of an artistic decision,” he says.
• Add stability. A small phone mount or tripod makes a big difference.

Camera-ready

A good wide-angle lens, like DSLR or mirrorless cameras, and a sturdy tripod are must-haves for night sky photography. However, technology can’t do all the heavy lifting—good technique is just as essential. Gerther and Bischoff both warn beginners to pay extra attention to their camera’s settings when out in the field. “I would say the hardest thing is focusing,” Grether said. “You’ll take a test image and look at it on the back of the camera, and you’ll be like, ‘Oh, that looks pretty good.’ Then you’ll shoot like that for the next couple hours, and you get home and you’re like, ‘All of my stars look like little, tiny blobs.’”

There are different techniques to ensure the stars are in focus. Bischoff opts for focusing on a faraway object rather than the stars themselves, where Grether looks for the brightest star in the sky. Even if it is not in the shot he’s planning, he adjusts until that star is clear. And don’t skimp on a tripod—Bischoff noted that even a light breeze can ruin a crisp image, stressing the importance of a high-quality, stable tripod. Depending on your subject, even a gust of wind can ruin a crisp shot.

Setting suggestions:

• Shutter speed: Around 15-30 seconds
• ISO: Raise, but beware of added noise. Higher-end cameras handle this better.
• Aperture: Keep it wide open (f/2.8 or lower0

Editing magic

Phone apps like Lightroom Mobile or Snapseed can brighten stars and deepen skies. For cameras, desktop tools like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom allow more control.

Grether recommends shooting in camera RAW. “It gives you a lot more leeway when you process the image,” Grether explained. “You can basically turn it into the image you want.”

When and where to shoot in the Lowcountry

Timing matters as much as gear. New moon nights or evenings when the moon is still below the horizon offer the darkest skies.

Grether explains that during the fall and winter, the Milky Way is due south. This means it’s pointed toward Savannah and, unfortunately, is drowned out by the city’s bright lights. To capture galaxies, constellations or other mapped stars, plan to go when they will appear north- or eastward in our skies. That way, there will be the least amount of additional light in their area, letting the real cosmic beauty shine.

The Bigger Picture

Night sky photography doesn’t have to be intimidating. It’s about patience, wonder and a willingness to play around. That curiosity for what else is out there is what brought Bischoff into the field and keeps him coming back.

“It’s mainly just the curiosity and the feeling that everything is so much bigger than us, than what we realize,” Bischoff said. “When you do that type of photography, you really see like, ‘Wow, look how big space is, and what’s all out there?’”

So grab your phone, borrow a tripod or dust off that DSLR. The Lowcountry skies are waiting.