Getting Started: Long Exposure Astrophotography

I just finished my first reading of Getting Started: Long Exposure Photography. Finally, a book that makes some sense of the maze that is astrophotography. Thank you Allen! I suspect there will be 2 or 3 more readings before I really get it but this book is pointing me in the right direction. The up side is that I now have a clear direction to move ahead, the down side is that I now have a very long shopping list of software and equipment that I need to get where I want to be. In spite of the long list, I at least have a good idea of what is required. I am a professional photographer and have been conducting photography workshops for about 10 years so I assumed that getting into astrophotography would be pretty smooth. Bad assumption! The tools, software, and techniques are very different from the routines that I use. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in getting into astrophotography. It is a practical and down to earth overview of the tools and techniques required to be successful in getting started. I think the idea behind this book is to help a beginner get started and if that is the goal the book is a great success. I am not overwhelmed by the information in the book but have a long list of new ideas to try, a clear set of steps to take to get to the next level, and a good reference to go to when I run into a problem. It is still a long road ahead to learn all the new software, the telescope, mount, and guider routines, the camera techniques, and the post processing routines but before reading this book I was at a standstill, unsure of what to do next. Now...all I need are some clear skies instead of all this rain!!

This is an excellent book. Allan’s writing style is down-to earth, a bit humorous, yet he explains the topic extremely well. In some cases, he uses simple analogies to illustrate the point, other times he can be extremely detailed explaining the physics behind the topic. I am new to Astrophotography, but I wanted a deep dive into the subject. I wanted to know about the equipment needed, the techniques, as well as the science behind the subject of astronomy and Astrophotography. This book was perfect for my needs. The book covers the types of scopes best suited for various celestial objects, such as planets, galaxies, Messier objects, types of cameras that may be used and related equipment needed. Telescope alignment tools and methods are covered. The book includes discussion of softwares used to align, shoot, and process images. It covers in detail how to shoot darks, lights, bias frames needed, and the concept of “stacking” multiple images for processing images better than you can see through the scope. Exposure variations and methods of shooting multiple shots are discussed. The book is a wealth of information on long exposure astrophotography and I highly recommend it for those with interests similar to mine as described above. I had previously purchased and read Allan’s related book “Getting Started - Budget Astrophotography” that explains some of the same concepts, but more generic to all types of astrophotography, not just long exposure shots. Some of the material (such as how to shoot dark, light and bias frames for stacking) is covered in both books. I would recommend reading it first to get solid detail on astrophotography in general. I think that helped me fully understand the long exposure aspects better.

I used this book to go from ZERO to Astrophotographer. I have purchased some other books on the subject, as well, but this remains my favorite go-to problem solver. I guess one of my favorite things about the book, (and it is a theme that runs through several of Mr. Hall's other books, (I think I now own everything he's published on the subject of astronomy)), is that he solves problems with techniques that do not all involve spending large sums of money... he can lead the aspiring astrophotographer into the hobby without putting them into the poor house. (Mind you, there's no way to do any of this stuff for free, however.) He helps one spend their money where it does the most good. I consider the book indispensable, and I continue to get more good information out of it as I learn more. If I had to choose among the books that I have on the subject, this one would be my choice, hands down. (But, to be clear, I am greatly relieved that I am not forced to make that choice.) I bought this book before I purchased any astronomy gear. I believe that reading it and largely, if not completely, following Mr. Hall's advice, helped me build up an inventory of astrophotography gear that I use regularly, and helped me avoid spending money on things that I don't need, or that I would later want to replace with something "better" meaning that I'd have spent money twice on one thing. The book is a great investment. KWL

I got this book on a whim as I couldn't really find any other beginners Astrophotography books, especially in a reasonable price range. I was a little hesitant to order because of the lack of reviews but I am glad I did. To let you know my experience level: I am below amateur. I haven't even bought any equipment (other than a Celestron 60AZ which isn't good for much in this area, just bought it so I could learn the stars) I haven't read the whole book yet either but I am about 1/4 through it. The author is very fair, he talks about his preferred methods and equipment but does not skimp on the details for the other options that are available. The very first thing he discusses in the book is everyone's greatest concern: cost. It is very detailed (like everything else in the book) and does not direct you one way or another, just lets you know the options depending on your desired result. He talks in detail about the different mounts, autoguiders, telescopes, cameras, accessories, and programs needed to process the images. This book is really a one-stop-shop as far as it goes for astrophotography. I have learned more in reading 75 pages of this book than I have with about a month of research browsing forums online. I am pleasantly surprised and highly recommend this book for anyone looking to start this hobby!

Useful introduction to astrophotography. Clear descriptions and instructions.

It's a friendly, easy-to-ready book. I recommend to anyone starting out. Props to Mr. Hall for what must be a true labor of love. I couldn't imagine putting such a book together! I purchased this book (my first DSLR AP book) in Dec 2013. Before that I found other more recommended sources from the guys in the forums at stargazerslounge: "Making Every Photon Count" by Steve Richards, but found myself put off by the very high price: ~40 UK pounds = $67; 20 for the book and 20 for shipping. To date it's not on amazon, which to the credit of the author is a likely way to protect his investment/cashflow. Good for him, not good for me. As a beginner, shelling out so much for a book, is well, quite an initial expenditure. So in contrast I want to thank Mr. Hall for providing such affordable learning of such a profoundly overwhelming topic in a clear and easy to read package. So I found many books on the subject and decided based off of the reviews to go with this book. This book is written as if the author were speaking which I found fine. This makes the reading a little more interesting. The charts and photos are black/gray and white. I would have preferred color for some images but still found them appealing. Mr. Hall lays out his credentials/background in AP and takes care to mention many important considerations for the beginner, for example, Mr. Hall highlights the cost vs performance "continuum", as I like to call it. Mr. Hall covers the subject chapter by chapter in a very satisfactory way, with opinion, detailed explanations, many charts, and many many online references and sources. Mr. Hall even cover's some of the math equations involved very well! He knows his math!! The book covered: setup, scope and related equipment, mounts, various cameras, controls, related control and support softwares. The book is full of tips and suggestions and a few recommended lists, which I found very helpful. Also the subject of Spectroscopy surprised me; very cool!! I'll say it again, I found this to be a friendly, easy to ready book. I recommend to anyone starting out, particularly if you plan on using a telescope. It covered more than I needed as I am only starting out with a DSLR and DSLR lenses.

The author approached the topic from the premise the reader has never done in Astrophotography which in my case is true. One particular section of the book I liked showed a price estimate of different systems ranging from a few hundred dollars through many thousands of dollars along with the advantages of each system. I actually used this as a guide to put together my system. Each system lists the main components including the telescope, software, camera, mounts, etc. Albeit, I have substituted many components in my system, but having a starting point from a price vs performance standpoint got me much closer to finding all the components I needed quicker than starting from scratch. The author also listed every single component of his system which was extremely helpful. All the 'minor' components such as filters to flashlights add up to be a sizable amount of money and needs to taken into account when selecting the components for your system. I found the easiest way to put together my system was to list all the components needed by name and then set the total dollar amount I wanted to spend. After that it becomes a balancing act as to how much you can afford to spend on each component. My list of components consists of 50 items. My toughest dilemma is deciding on what type of camera to use. The basic technology of telescopes doesn't change much over the years, but the camera technology and CCD capabilities are changing quickly and there are many choices. I am still researching. I also think going ahead and spending the 'extra' money on top of the line software and a good telescope mount is of major importance from a photography standpoint. I have had many hobbies in my life and the one thing I find to be true is that if you truly think you are going to immerse yourself in a particular hobby then go ahead and spend the money upfront to get what you probably will end up with in the end. Starting with 'sub par' equipment and then working your way up to the system you really want in my opinion is a frustrating route to take and not the best from a financial, time, and enjoyment standpoint. I would say this is especially true with Astrophotography. Going to all the trouble that it takes to get a photograph of a planet or a deep space object to find out that the quality isn't what you are wanting isn't my idea of a good time. If I want a full size truck I don't need to start with a wheelbarrow. But, then again I don't have an unlimited budget so the importance of picking and choosing the components with a budgeted amount of money becomes important which with me is an enjoyable part of any hobby. Did I get the best bang for my buck?! In that regard this book pointed me down a good path. I don't think an experienced photographer would find this book 'hard to put down', but as a newbie to Astrophotography this book was very valuable and I will forever blame this book in causing me to spend more money on this hobby than I wanted. LOL

Beginner guide to astrophotography told from an astronomer's point of view. If the title of the book read: "Getting Started in Long Exposure Photography for Astronomers" then I would not have bought it. That's not a bad thing, just not as helpful for me as I expected. It wasn't until half way through the book (around page 160) did Hall talk about the camera and the configuration. He spend a lot of time on astronomy equipment and the software. Very little on the actual photography part. Furthermore his explanations on aspects of photography such as refraction and aperture was kind of clumsy. I have a photography background and I even found his explanations a bit hard to follow, I can't imagine what it would be like for a complete beginner. While Hall prefaces the book by saying that this is not an exhaustive guide and the equipment and setup he talks in depth about is the set up he actually uses, through out the book he makes it as if the only way to take decent astrophotographs is by his way or a similar version. To the newb you believe that in order to take quality photos you NEED a telescope. Not true. You need a decent EQ tripod and tracker. An inexpensive 800mm or 1800 mirror telephoto lenses by Vivitar or Optek gets the Job done. This book isn't bad if you your hobby is astronomy.

Fine for beginers and advanced people.

Aborda vários aspectos da astrofotografia, no entanto se atem muito a dar tutoriais de softwares, o que é uma perda de tempo, dada a atualização constante dos mesmos e não ser o local apropriado para tal. Auxilia o iniciante na escolha dos equipamentos a serem primeiramente utilizados.

This book is one of the lower priced books on astrophotography. Usually Astrophotography books are expensive, especially on for the DSLR Cameras. The book on the whole goes in great lengths to provide a comprehensive guide for newbies to Astrophotography, which in fact has steep learning curve. Allan Hall also provides an in depth guide to stacking towards the end of the book. Overall a good buy.

Ce livre est vraiment super (en anglais!) Il y a une description plutôt détaillée de toutes les étapes du choix du matériel à l’acquisition autoguidée. Une étoile de mois pour le noir et blanc : on voit mal les photos, mais le prix est adapte donc je la remets l’étoile.

Sehr viele Details aus der Praxis und tolle Tipps zu Astro-Software! Hat großen Spaß gemacht es zu lesen und man merkt, daß der Autor weiß, wovon er spricht!