Night photography offers a wide range of options as far as styles go.

You can do street photography at night, the sky, the Milky Way, moonscapes, and the list goes on. One of the beautiful aspects of night photography is that you can return to familiar locations, and they will present you with a fresh or different look. This “fresh look” will be true, even if you’re simply stepping out into your backyard at a different time of night, or depending on the moon phases. But it can be hit or miss – as with most photography genres when you’re practicing. We’ve rounded up three free guides (and some bonuses too) to help you get the perfect shot!

1. An Intro To Night Photography

Kent DuFault rounds up all the basic information you should consider when starting out in night photography, like basic gear and settings. He also takes a look at an array of night photograph examples to unpack what makes a successful shot so you can pick up actual tips on what works! Download here →

2. 5 Tips for Night Photography

Author Shari Hunt is an avid night photographer. In this guide, Hunt gives you an insight into her own process in order to achieve an amazing night shot. She covers the different types of night sky photography, equipment requirements, finding dark skies and how to determine if they will be clear. Download here →

3. What Lenses Work Best

While you can get away with minimum equipment, if you wish to pursue night photography on a more regular basis, you might want to invest in the proper lens. In this short guide, Aaron Seefeld guides you through the considerations you should have before your purchase and what qualities you’ll want to look for in a lens. Download here →

Bonus #1: Capturing The Milky Way

Finding the right night sky in order to capture the Milky Way requires a little know-how. Author Jason D. Little has you covered. He not only gives you tips to find that clear night sky, but also what settings are recommended; how to compose your shot; and what considerations to keep in mind in order to post-process your shot afterwards. Download here →

If you want to spark your creativity and practice your night photography, we recommend checking out these Night Photography Creativity Prompts. Get 45 pages to walk you through the content and 35 assignments to try out your own night shots. Read more here →