Complete a gear checklist before heading out!
a) Camera Body
b) Wide angle lens
c) Sturdy tripod
d) Extra memory cards
e) Extra batteries
f) Headlamp or flash with red LED
Find your location during the day
The lack of light pollution in Jasper means you’ll be in store for some amazing starry scenes. It also means getting around after sunset may be a bit more difficult. Stay safe and scout out locations before it gets dark.
Plan Around the Moon phase
Shooting when the moon is near a quarter phase will help light up the foreground without being too bright to fill your image with stars.
Mobile Apps
There are several great apps for your phone to help you learn as you stargaze. By holding your phone up to the sky, you can find out what you’re looking at or where to look to see events like meteor showers.
Let Your Eyes Adjust & Enjoy!
After you're all set up and know where to look, put away anything that will create artificial light. It takes your eyes a long time to adjust to the dark and removing any unneeded light will give a serious advantage to your night vision. You may be surprised at how much more you're able to see once your eyes have fully adjusted to the darkness. If you do need to move around, using a red light will help keep your night vision intact!
"Between the incredible dark sky and the beautiful mountains, Jasper is hands down one of my favorite places to take pictures of the stars."
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