Deep Sky Object Photography
Not an Expert!
This site is not one for any form of advertising, promotion or adulation, it is simply a personal record of my journey in Astro Photography for personal enjoyment. A digital portfolio, if you will that I can share with friends and family.
If you have found it, well done and you are more than welcome to look around.
Please do not take anything you find on here as good advice or good practice, as the title suggests, I am not an expert!
There is much I know I do not know. In addition, I do not know what I do not know.
I am very much still climbing this rather steep learning curve.
If you are an astro photographer and you can see I am pointing in the wrong direction, feel free to drop me a line, any and all advice is welcome, or if you just like the images, then enjoy.
I have been an avid photographer for many years, mainly people and portraiture, less so today but I still enjoy it on occasion.
I had always been drawn to what was above us and like many with a long lens, I took a few shots of the moon, just to see if I could.
This image was taken in 2004 I think.
It is, I think my first Astro Photography image, taken before I even knew that Astronauts Photography existed or it was a thing.
The story continues and if you are interested, you can read more in my Journey Section.
It would be very easy to leave out the images that are sub-par, just add the best images have to show how clever I am, but then I’m not showing my development.
Whilst I would say the Moon shot is my first non-terrestrial image, thew North American Nebula NGC 7000 is my first DSO (Deep Sky Object)
I took this with a cheap UV filter, processed it with Siril and was happy as a schoolboy with it.
For me, the early, poorly processed images with errors are as important as my recent ones.
I have got better, but I know that I will look back on the images I am taking now, the same way I look back on this one.
It is fair to say that due to the lack of understanding on how to take the image or images, I have heavily over-processed this one to compensate.
I can do that better!
Skipping ahead a little, I am still imaging from my garden, I have discovered I can image targets over multiple days and am slowly getting better.
I have discovered Pixinsight, which has helped no end and am now using the correct filters for galaxies and Nebula.
I have yet to re-shoot the moon.
I still have the same mount and tripod, but now have a Williams Optics FLT132.
The Redcat gave me a focal length of 349mm, this one gives me 906mm.
I can shoot more distant objects with greater focal length.
Skipping ahead a little, I am still imaging from my garden, I have discovered I can image targets over multiple days and am slowly getting better.
I have discovered Pixinsight, which has helped no end and am now using the correct filters.
I have yet to re-shoot the moon.
I still have the same mount and tripod, but now have a Williams Optics FLT132.
It is fair to say, for now, I am happy with where I am, but I k ow I have a long way to go before I can repeat others images I see.
This is one of my latest images, If you like this, you can see more in the gallery.
