Photography: Night Sky: A Field Guide for Shooting after Dark

Learn to shoot the night sky like a pro

Photograph the full moon or the shimmering glow of a meteor streaking across the sky. Peer more deeply into our galaxy--aided by the powerful lens of your camera, which can sense stars too far away for the human eye to see.

In this handbook, awardwinning photographers Jennifer Wu and James Martin share their tips for taking stunning photographs in the dark and overcoming the unique issue--such as equipment limitations and cold--that confront nighttime photographers. Wu reveals her innovative methods for:

• Photographing star trails, moon phases, and twilight
• Capturing celestial phenomena such as auroras, noctilucent clouds, and meteors
• Exploring urban-lit nights or glowing volcanoes
• Light-painting and controlling unwanted light
• Defining the subject, framing, and foreground
• Managing exposure, color temperature, and focus

Wu and Martin also delve into finishing images on the computer, explaining the settings and procedures that elevate your image from mundane to striking, as well as how to best utilize the latest software programs. With additional chapters on equipment and preparation, this practical guide will help photographers of all levels portray the dazzling spectacle of the night sky.

A trip leader for Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, JAMES MARTIN has contributed to Outdoor Photographer magazine and has seventeen books to his credit. For the Planet Ice project, he has ventured to Antarctica, Greenland, Baffin Island, the Alaska Range, Mount Everest, Patagonia, Central Africa's Ruwenzori Mountains, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Alps, the Canadian Rockies, Glacier National Park in Montana, Ecuador's volcanoes, Washington State's Cascade Mountains, Alaska's North Slope, the Three Gorges in China's Yunnan Province, and Shishapangma, also in China. He is represented by Getty Images and ImageState. For more information on Martin and his newly released book with Braided River, please visit www.planeticebook.com or Planet Ice.

Jennifer Wu is a nature and landscape photographer, specializing in creating stunning images of the night sky and stars. Her images have been published in numerous magazines, newspaper articles and advertisements including: Fortune, Popular Photography, Photo District News, Sierra Club, Sierra Styles, ProfiFoto, Outdoor Photography, Digital Photo, Shutterbug, Bloomberg, BusinessWeek, Time, Canon U.S.A., and many more. Her work has also been exhibited at nationally recognized galleries and art shows.

Jennifer has taught photography and digital imaging at The California State University of Sacramento. She enjoys sharing her passion and techniques for shooting nature photography through seminars and workshops. She leads workshops in the US in Yosemite, Eastern Sierra, Death Valley, Big Sur, Alaska, Hawaii and internationally in Iceland, Tanzania, Namibia, Greenland and more. When Jennifer is not shooting in world’s unique locations or leading a workshop, she resides in Nevada City, CA.