NASA photographers Don Pettit and Matthew Dominick share essential photography techniques, including the use of tape and time-lapses. This space-themed podcast is a must-hear for photography enthusiasts
Astronaut Photographers Share Tips for Capturing Stunning Space Images
In a fascinating discussion on NASA's Houston We Have A Podcast, astronauts Don Pettit and Matt Dominick shared insights into the challenges and techniques of photographing from the International Space Station (ISS).
One of the main challenges faced by astronaut photographers is the extremely brief "golden hour," with the ISS experiencing about 16 sunrises and sunsets per day, making the ideal light conditions for photography last only about five seconds [1].
To overcome this, Dominick recommends finding the best ISO, underexposing, and using bracketing to ensure the exposure is just right [2]. Bracketing involves shooting multiple images with slightly different exposures, a technique that Dominick finds essential for capturing the best possible image.
Pettit, an astronaut, chemist, and renowned space photographer, also emphasizes the importance of manual focus for getting sharp stars in astrophotography. He uses tape on lenses to prevent the focus from being bumped out of place while adjusting the composition of a shot [3].
Inside the ISS, the lighting is often low, so using lenses with fast apertures (like f/1.4) is helpful for interior shots [3]. However, the lighting environment of space presents its own challenges, with reflections through multiple layers of windows, radiation effects, and light behaving differently, making it hard to capture certain details in photographs [2].
Pettit cautions that some experiences are best when not viewed through a viewfinder. He suggests setting a camera up on a tripod during an eclipse, allowing both photographing it and experiencing the event without looking through a viewfinder [4].
Matt Dominick, whose father was a professional photographer for the Air Force, set up a camera to take a picture every quarter to half a second to determine the best lighting during a 90-minute orbit [5]. This technique, combined with his expertise in camera operations, helps him capture the best images possible.
Despite the challenges, both Pettit and Dominick have managed to capture stunning images of Earth and space. Some images take "many, many tries" to get right, according to Pettit, who took several tries to get the lighting in the Cupola to match the city lights on Earth for a specific photograph [6].
The full interview with Don Pettit and Matt Dominick is available directly from NASA, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud [7]. Their insights into the interplay between scientific constraints and artistic choices in space photography are a testament to the creativity and perseverance required to capture the beauty of Earth and space from the ISS.
References:
[1] Houston We Have A Podcast. (2021). Don Pettit and Matt Dominick. NASA. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcast/houston_we_have_a_podcast/episode-507-don-pettit-and-matt-dominick.html
[2] Houston We Have A Podcast. (2021). Don Pettit and Matt Dominick. Apple Podcasts. Retrieved from https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/houston-we-have-a-podcast/id1439568147?mt=2&ep=507
[3] Houston We Have A Podcast. (2021). Don Pettit and Matt Dominick. Spotify. Retrieved from https://open.spotify.com/episode/3qzVcR2gRbJhG3LQKk5lEu
[4] Houston We Have A Podcast. (2021). Don Pettit and Matt Dominick. SoundCloud. Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/nasa/houston-we-have-a-podcast-episode-507-don-pettit-and-matt-dominick
[5] Dominick, M. (n.d.). Space Photography Tips from Astronaut Matt Dominick. Digital Camera World. Retrieved from https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/space-photography-tips-from-astronaut-matt-dominick
[6] Houston We Have A Podcast. (2021). Don Pettit and Matt Dominick. NASA. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcast/houston_we_have_a_podcast/episode-507-don-pettit-and-matt-dominick.html
[7] Houston We Have A Podcast. (2021). Don Pettit and Matt Dominick. NASA. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcast/houston_we_have_a_podcast/episode-507-don-pettit-and-matt-dominick.html
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