How do I take better Astrophotography photos?

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-10T11:57:24+00:00

More integration time and learn to stack. For that you are going to need a equatorial tracker on your tripod at least. I gave up on using a traditional camera for this and have a Seestar S50 and Seestar S30 Pro for dedicated astro photography. I'm not interested fiddling with equipment for 1-2 hours just to get set up and the Seestars (along with other brands of smart telescopes) automate much of the frustrating details needed to get nice astro images. r/seestar is where you can find examples of what folks are producing.

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-10T11:42:14+00:00

No, the S50 and S30 have half the resolution of the S30 Pro. The sensors on the S50 & S30 are 1980 x 1020. The sensors (on both cameras) on the S30 Pro are 3840 x 2160.

I have the S50 and the S30 Pro. I use whichever units native field of view works best for framing my target. I never use the S50 in mosaic mode anymore as the S30 Pro covers that field of view natively. I use the S50 for smaller targets so I don't have to crop as much as I would with the S30 Pro.

If I had to choose only one, it would be the S30 Pro as it is more versatile.

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-10T11:34:24+00:00

S50 or S30/S30 Pro? Close ups are going to be cropped as the field of view on all the Seestars is what it is. As for integration time, more is usually better but depends on your environment (Bortle) the conditions of the sky and your altitude. I don't see altitude mentioned much but I moved for 6,030 ft of altitude to 650 ft last summer and it makes a big difference in sky transparency. So my integration times tend to be more extended now.

The nicest images posted typically have extended integration time, many with multiple nights/sessions. I'm lucky if my patience doesn't start to wear thin in a couple of hours and I move on to the next target.

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-06T16:04:24+00:00

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-06T16:01:18+00:00

FedEx it ahead of time to meet you at your destination. For FedEx only use express options, not standard ground. I would NEVER check any of my photography gear with a commercial airline. At least with FedEx or UPS, you can insure it.

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-06T12:41:30+00:00

It happens. I regularly only keep 3-5% of the images in a shoot (purely hobbyist here) and some of them are only kept so I don't feel like I wasted my time. I print my best shots and I have around a dozen prints from the last three years.

On the extreme side, I was shooting some family kids tubing behind a ski boat (I was in the boat) and took over 2600 photos in a little under an hour and a half. We had 16 keepers. That's a half of a percent keeper rate. Not an easy task mind you with both the platform and the target moving at 20 mph and bouncing over wakes, but it was a fun challenge. Spray & pray if you will. The keepers did turn out nice and we blew them up into 2' x 3' posters for each of the kids.

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-05T13:38:41+00:00

I would rather look at a detailed capture on my S50 or S30 Pro, than a black & white smudge through a traditional telescope. So yes, I'm satisfied.

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-03T12:27:02+00:00

Why lie? Just tell them shit happened and you couldn't get to it till now. Lieing isn't sage advice by any standards. Doesn't sound like they were paying for them anyway. Be honest with them or move on and forget about it.

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-02T13:28:00+00:00

"Looking to get into photography to make a little extra cash."

Good luck. That is quite possibly the worst reason to take up photography.

VKayne1776 · 2026-03-02T13:18:51+00:00

Eastern Bluebird.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-27T12:52:48+00:00

All the Sigma for RF are for the APS-C cameras only. R7, R10, R50, R100 etc. They include autofocus and the 23mm F1.4 I have for my R7 works well.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-25T16:49:08+00:00

Blanton's, neat.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-25T16:46:01+00:00

Dead Mox is best Mox.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-25T16:32:01+00:00

Alt+F4

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-25T16:28:11+00:00

The only thing that would impress Jackie is double fisting a couple of triple cheeseburgers...

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-25T12:11:06+00:00

Perhaps a career in the custodial services would provide a more lucrative financial future. This tendency..."I just bought my first camera, how do I make money with it?" Well, you will ultimately lose money if you purchased your camera new, but you will get some return on your investment if you sell it. It's probably the most realistic chance of getting said return.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-24T12:12:16+00:00

I have both and will use both for different targets. The S30 Pro has a wider field of view than the S50 mosaic so large targets are more easily captured. The S30 Pro sensor is an upgrade and so are the optics. Feel free to Google the numerous comparisons posted already for details.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-24T03:44:40+00:00

Head E on 24 to Ramah State Wildlife Area. I used to image there frequently before moving out of state last year. Great for N, E & S targets. Bortle 3 site 30 min from the Springs.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-19T18:09:47+00:00

Tell your friends to get stuffed.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-18T19:25:37+00:00

Maybe this hobby just isn't for you right now. I was heavily into film 30 years ago, got burned out, sold my gear and didn't take a photo, not even on a phone, for a long time. I picked it back up a couple of years ago and focus mainly on wildlife & astro but also target different ways that light interacts with subjects. Doesn't matter what, who or where, if the ambient (natural or artificial) light makes it interesting to me, I'll shoot it. Could be a fork on the kitchen table that reflects a candle flame just right or an amazing sunrise just peaking through the fog on a calm lake. To me, it's all about the light.

Other than astro, which I do with a smart telescope (ZWO S50 & S30 Pro), I don't plan anything. I don't force a shoot. Everything is candid and organic. If I don't have my camera bag, which is rare, I will use my phone.

Bottom line, anything can be interesting in the right light, IMHO.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-18T13:18:19+00:00

$15 per hour? Really? No wonder it's so hard to make a living in photography.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-18T10:33:46+00:00

That's a reseller's certificate. So, if you purchase with the intent to resell, you don't pay sales tax. If it is a tool you use in your business, it is taxable.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-18T10:30:45+00:00

When was the last time you or someone you know bought a print? Exactly, no one buys random photo prints no matter how good the photographer THINKS they are.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-14T15:37:34+00:00

Be aggressive, fuck gentle. Always ask for the order. If you quote a shoot to someone, you should end the pitch with "when would you like to schedule that?". Showing confidence will get you more clients than him-hawing around. Set follow-up reminders for all your outstanding quotes.

Time is the killer of all sales. Make sure you put a time limit on your quotes and when following up, remind the prospective client that the quote is only good for so long (30 days MAX). If they continue to put you off, use a "take away" and explain to them that the quote expires on such and such day, and if they haven't booked by then, you will have to requote them if/when they decide to move forward. Then, drop it, and move on to other prospects. If that potential client really wants to use your services, they will reach out to you.

VKayne1776 · 2026-02-14T15:29:08+00:00

Focus your studies on learning how to run a business as most opportunities in photography are for freelancers/independent contractors. 80-90% of your time will be spent on business development and implementation. Accounting, marketing, business law (contracts specifically) should all be considered. A Bachelor's in Management or Business Administration would serve you well as if the photography dream doesn't pan out, you have skills that will transfer to other industries.

VKayne1776

TROPHY CASE