When you get a chance to speak with an expert, you take advantage. At this year’s OPTIC 2017 Conference, when Lance Keimig and Chris Nicholson passed by our mobile studio, we did just that. Keimig is an author, instructor, and above all, a photographer who specializes in night photography. Well before digital technology made photographing the Milky Way an easy endeavor, Keimig was experimenting with film stock and developing processes to create long-exposure images in dark settings. He is currently an instructor at National Parks at Night and along with Nicholson, offers workshops at many US National Parks.

On today’s episode, we speak with Keimig and Nicholson about the differences between creating night photography with film and with digital cameras. There are obviously many modes and functions on a digital camera that make night photography simpler, but at the heart of the enterprise, is the process the same? We ask this question and discuss techniques used with film and the advantages that accompany digital cameras. We also ask “What is night photography?” and “What are the charms that keep these two photographers interested in this specific discipline?” Listen as Keimig provides insight into the history of night photography and Nicholson discusses his shooting methods and ideas on composition that he applies while working in national parks. For those interested in night photography, this episode is a must-listen.

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Gear mentioned in this episode:

Nikon D750 DSLR Camera

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Lens

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera

Guests: Lance Keimig and Chris Nicholson

Photograph by Lance Keimig