Check the Weather, ‘Cause You’re Gonna Need a Cloudless, Clear Sky, Too!

Not only do you need a location without any light pollution, you’re going to need a clear, cloudless sky—if you have a bunch of clouds (or fog or haze) blocking even part of the sky, you’re not going to be happy with the results. So, you’re going to need to know the weather in advance for the location you scouted. You’re looking for an empty sky, like the one you see above, which is the opposite of what we want for nearly every other type of landscape photograph, where we desperately need clouds or fog for atmospheric effects. I know, there’s a lot of up-front research and planning, help from Mother Nature, and a bit of luck that goes into creating a successful night sky shoot, but that’s partially why people love seeing these shots so much. It takes a bit of doing (even before you touch your camera gear) to create a great night sky shot, but when it all comes together, it’s a pretty magical thing.