How to photograph stars with your smartphone

1. Find the perfect location for truly stellar photos

There is nothing more magical than capturing the beauty of a night sky, but it is important to remember that not every location is the same. First of all, find a dark place far from the light pollution of the city.

In locations with very little artificial light, it will be much easier to see the stars shining, so head बाहर the city — perhaps to lie down in a park or enjoy the peace of the countryside. Then find a spot where you can admire the starry sky without distractions and remember: the darker the sky, the more visible the stars will be in your photograph.

2. Set your camera to Night mode or Manual mode

Professional cameras are naturally better at capturing detail in any lighting conditions, although most modern smartphones now come with a night mode that is perfect for photographing the stars with an iPhone or a Samsung device.

This setting automatically adjusts the camera parameters to capture light in the best possible way after sunset. If you are just getting started, this is the option we recommend when you want to photograph the Milky Way.

However, if you are comfortable with your camera’s manual settings, you can also experiment and find the right balance of exposure, ISO and shutter speed. The latest models offer plenty of room for customization.

3. Use a stable support

Knowing the basic rules of photography is a great starting point, but it will not help much if the main issue when taking night photos is a lack of stability: even the slightest camera movement can result in blurry images.

Luckily, the solution is very simple. Make sure to use a tripod or any kind of stable support to keep your smartphone still while shooting. If you do not have anything like that on hand, you can always improvise. Objects such as walls, poles or even a book to rest your phone on can be enough to help you get a sharp, well-defined photo.

But there is one more useful tip. If you want even better results and do not want to rely only on the shutter timer, consider buying a Bluetooth remote so you can control your camera from a distance. You can find plenty of affordable options online.

4. Always adjust the exposure and focus

When photographing the stars, it is essential to find the right balance between exposure and focus. Since there is no fixed rule, you can experiment with different settings to achieve the result you want.

For example, you can increase the exposure to capture more detail in the stars, or adjust the focus so that the stars appear sharp and well-defined.

5. Try astrophotography apps

As Steve Jobs once said, “There’s an app for everything.” So let’s make the most of the technology we have at our fingertips because, when it comes to photographing the stars, there are plenty of apps to choose from.

Some focus on giving you the most accurate weather forecasts — you do not want to end up with photos of a cloudy sky, do you? Others show moon phases and even the positions of the constellations. A quick search in your app store will reveal lots of handy apps that can make it easier to photograph a starry sky and preserve a wonderful photographic memory.

During your photography adventure, did you happen to spot a shooting star? We hope you made a wish, because at Album di Figurine we know how to turn those photos into memories that will last forever: discover our personalized sticker albums.