A few night shots! C&C (Re edited!)

[FITBMX]

Ditto on live view, it is the best way to focus on stars. Wider aperture is better, regardless of your shutter speed. The added light will allow you to pick up detail in the sky that your eye can't see, and that you definitely won't be able to pick up with anything smaller than f2.8. Use a flashlight to light up the scene, it will help you focus and compose. Have fun, it is a learning process but an adventure as well.

This is the first time I've tried star photos, so I have a lot to learn!

It's all bout gathering the light. Lots of noise in your photo and to start don't have anything to close in the foreground until you get the hang of getting the stars in focus. Do a landscape with far away mountains or hills. Focus to infinity and just slightly back. This should get you better detail in the stars. 25 seconds is the max exposure without star trailing so try and adjust your iso and aperture based on 25 seconds. Your camera has a lot to do with the noise and that is not anything you can fix. Keep trying. What camera do you have? Get a remote release and good tripod.View attachment 93160

I have Canon T3i so it gets noisy very quickly!
I did get my telescope tripod rigged up to hold my camera, and it is rather steady.
I need to save up for a remote, there have been several times it would have been great to have one!

 

[FITBMX]

I forgot, that is a great photo! Is it yours?

 

[MikeFlorendo]

I forgot, that is a great photo! Is it yours?

Yes it's mine I just wanted to show you what I do so you don't think i'm full-O-it. Thanks it's one of my better ones.

 

[BananaRepublic]

[

Ditto on live view, it is the best way to focus on stars. Wider aperture is better, regardless of your shutter speed. The added light will allow you to pick up detail in the sky that your eye can't see, and that you definitely won't be able to pick up with anything smaller than f2.8. Use a flashlight to light up the scene, it will help you focus and compose. Have fun, it is a learning process but an adventure as well.

This is the first time I've tried star photos, so I have a lot to learn!

I think these are good for a first attempt. The first photo is the best the composition then slips a bit in the second perhaps the barn pics would be better if motion blur was not present in sky.

Some Tips: If cold is something that puts you off consider some long johns/thermals, they don't need to be arctic gauge.

A tripod,
Flash light, a pocket one is convenient but also a more powerful is no harm.
A cable release, for longer then 30 second exposure, they can be wireless too just google your camera type.
Gloves, smart phone ones are fine for me.
Have a look at some youtube tutorials.
Try to have you camera settings done b4 you leave the house, monitor brightness and other thing that you have to dive into the menu to sort.
You need not spend a lot of money.

 

[kanuski]

You could also try taking shots with the star trails. Then you can use iso 100 and leave the shutter open for 2-3 minutes.But then again you need a remote shutter release for that too.
I would avoid the cheap InfraRed units. I use these RF triggers:
Yongnuo RF 603 C1 Wireless Remote 2 4GHz Flash Trigger Shutter Release FOR Canon | eBay

 

[FITBMX]

I forgot, that is a great photo! Is it yours?

Yes it's mine I just wanted to show you what I do so you don't think i'm full-O-it. Thanks it's one of my better ones.

[

Ditto on live view, it is the best way to focus on stars. Wider aperture is better, regardless of your shutter speed. The added light will allow you to pick up detail in the sky that your eye can't see, and that you definitely won't be able to pick up with anything smaller than f2.8. Use a flashlight to light up the scene, it will help you focus and compose. Have fun, it is a learning process but an adventure as well.

This is the first time I've tried star photos, so I have a lot to learn!

I think these are good for a first attempt. The first photo is the best the composition then slips a bit in the second perhaps the barn pics would be better if motion blur was not present in sky.

Some Tips: If cold is something that puts you off consider some long johns/thermals, they don't need to be arctic gauge.

A tripod,
Flash light, a pocket one is convenient but also a more powerful is no harm.
A cable release, for longer then 30 second exposure, they can be wireless too just google your camera type.
Gloves, smart phone ones are fine for me.
Have a look at some youtube tutorials.
Try to have you camera settings done b4 you leave the house, monitor brightness and other thing that you have to dive into the menu to sort.
You need not spend a lot of money.

You could also try taking shots with the star trails. Then you can use iso 100 and leave the shutter open for 2-3 minutes.But then again you need a remote shutter release for that too.
I would avoid the cheap InfraRed units. I use these RF triggers:
Yongnuo RF 603 C1 Wireless Remote 2 4GHz Flash Trigger Shutter Release FOR Canon | eBay

Thanks for the great help!
I am looking at remotes right now!

 

[kanuski]

One more thing. Plan to go on dark nights when there is no moon. There are tons of apps that can give you the moon rise and setting times. I have an app called Stellarium Mobile that shows the night sky at any time and date that you choose. It is easy to see when and where the moon will rise and where the Milky Way will be.

 

[kanuski]

Thanks for the great help!
I am looking at remotes right now!

To use the Yongnou Flash triggers as a remote shutter release you will also need a short 2.5mm cable. I think this would work for your camera:
Nero Trigger Nero Trigger Cable for Canon Sub Mini CABLE-C2 B&H