Packing for a Night Photography or Star Gazing Trip
Heading out for a trip or shoot always require preparation. But night photography and star gazing, especially in cold weather, requires additional planning and foresight. After my recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park to photograph the night sky and the Leonid Meteor Shower, I decided to write down some tips to share.
1. Check the weather. Photographing stars and meteors require a clear view of the sky. Before you head out, make sure you have favorable skies. A forecast calling for thunderstorms may not make for a fun night. Of course, check the hour by hour forecast break down to see if there’s any hope that clouds may disappear. Even in Southern California, you can’t always expect favorable conditions. Especially in the winter and spring, overcast skies and wet weather are possible.
2. Dress Appropriately. In a high desert environment like Joshua Tree, it may be hot during the day but the temperature can plummet to near freezing at night. Also, you will become more sensitive to the cold temperatures as you become more sleepy, tired and/or hungry. Make sure you bring more than enough warm clothes and gear with you. If you’re too warm you can always take stuff off later. Dress in layers. Bring a warm hat or hoodie. Cozy up in a warm sleeping bag (you can get in a sleeping bag and either lie down on the ground or sit in a lounge chair). Pack some hand and feet warmers that skiers and snowboarders use. They last 5-6 hours or more — enough for a night out. I did not dress enough for my trip and by the middle of the night I was shivering and making constant trips to my car to warm up.
3. Pack snacks and food. You don’t want to go hungry. I usually pack lots of energy bars, dried fruits, nuts, jerky and cookies. A thermos full of hot water/tea/coffee/cocoa will help keep you warm. I also bring my trusty MSR Pocket Rocket
4. Lights. In Joshua Tree, it gets dark. Real dark. I swear by my Black Diamond Spot Headlamp
5. Bring a lounge chair or ground pad. With each shot taking upwards of 30 minutes to an hour or more, you want to stay comfortable while you are waiting for your shot to finish. Bring a cushioned ground pad if you want to just lie down and stare up at the sky. Not all ground pads are the same. Get one with a thick cushioning that also insulates you from the cold ground. The Therm-a-Rest Luxury Camp
6. Get some sleep before hand. I highly recommend sleeping before your trip or getting there ahead of time so you can sleep before heading out to your site. This way, you’ll be alert, awake and feeling energized most of the night.
7. Remember your emergency and backup supplies for worst case scenarios. Freak storms, car problems, injuries, etc. You don’t want them to happen but you should prepare for them. For me this includes:
- The Adventure Medical Kits – Weekender Kit
– I highly recommend AMK’s Medical Kit. They have other kits for longer treks or special uses. Buy one that’s right for you
- Emergency Blanket or Bivvy
– These very thin and light blankets are surprisingly warm.
- Back up batteries for all my lights and devices.
- At least 2 lighters. In case one fails you are not screwed. A box of waterproof/wind proof matches or an all weather flint and steel fire striker
would be great too.
- A map of the area and/or GPS system. At night time in the middle of nowhere, having a GPS has been a huge convenience. I have the Garmin nüvi 265WT
which has traffic information (another time saver) and a wide screen. The GPS showed all the little unnamed back roads when I used it to explore Joshua Tree and Owens Valley.
- Water! I bring 1 or 2 gallons even on an overnight trip.
- Tire chains for your car.
- Make sure your car’s maintenance is up to date. You don’t want car troubles out in the middle of nowhere.
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