ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY TRIP
For complete details, see our Milky Way Photography information page. You MUST go during the new moon or 10 days prior, when there is no moon visible at night, so the skies are dark. When the moon is visible, the Milky Way fades.
We like June through October. This is the time the Milky Way rises as soon as the sun sets. October has fall colors, but in Maine, it also gets cold. So keep that in mind. And pick what you like best.
In early March, you can see the Milky Way core for the first time in the year above the horizon, but it rises in the wee hours of the morning. Each month, it gets earlier and earlier. In June, it rises around 10:30, and each month it gets earlier. The Milky Way becomes visible one hour after sunset in September and October, then in November, the core goes below the horizon for the winter.
Locations & Composition
Again, on our Milky Way photography page, you will find the links to the dark sky maps. Maine has some very dark skies. The darker the sky, the better the Milky Way photography. Bortal One on the scale is the darkest sky in the world. Some of the Maine coasts are Bortle 3 and 4, which are suitable for Milky Way Photography.
Yes, when we visit most lighthouses after dark, most people are usually gone. And we’re often there by ourselves.
Gear & Technique
First of all, you absolutely have to be on a tripod. The settings will vary slightly depending on the lighting conditions, but the general rule of thumb is ISO 1600 to 3200, Shutter speed 20 seconds, and aperture 2.8. Always use your two-second timer to avoid camera shake.
The widest angle with the lowest aperture is best. The aperture on our lenses is 2.8. Other brands and models go lower; the lower the better. Our favorite lens is 16mm wide. Again, the wider the better.
IMPORTANT: Don’t listen to these AI articles or the amateurs who tell you anything differently. This is what the pros do. We say this because we see a lot of bad advice on the Internet, most of which is created by AI. After all, many authors are not out there doing this.
- How do I focus at night for lighthouse photography?
What we do is bring a flashlight and shine it on the spot to focus. Your camera won’t focus in the dark. Start exposing with the flashlight on and turn it off when the 2-second timer starts, before it exposes the image.
If you really want to get good at photography and do top-notch work like the pros, you should get a star tracker. Do multiple long exposures. Stack them.
- Should I astromodify my camera?
YES!! Astromodify your camera. Don’t use anybody except Spencer Camera for this. They’ve even done work for NASA in astromodification.
