IN A bid to help photographers in Test Valley take a perfect shot of the skies above, an independent photo retailer is offering its top tips on capturing the night sky using a mobile phone or camera.

Photos2Print offers a range of photo printing services in store and online, using the latest technology by Fujifilm. PHOTO by Fujifilm retailers offer a wide range of services – such as personalised gifts to restoring old and damaged photos, and professional printing.

Fujifilm has been supporting business owners since 1996 and boasts independent retail partners throughout the UK and Ireland.

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Owner of Photos2Print at 6 Bridge Street in Andover, Mark Simmonds, said: “Winter offers endless opportunities to capture the night sky in all its glory but without the right techniques, some stargazers are missing out on the perfect interstellar snap.

“Before taking out your mobile phone or digital camera to take a picture, there are a range of factors to contend with to make sure your photo is just as out of this world as the stars you’re snapping."

The first thing that budding photographers can expect to contend with is battling low lighting. Mark said: "Getting out of the bright city lights is key to removing ambient light, which impacts what the eye can see in the night sky. Take yourself away from the busy streets and head somewhere with minimal artificial lighting, such as a green space, which will show you what the night sky really has to offer.”

Contrary to popular belief as well, zooming in your lens to make the image bigger and more visible is not the best advice for capturing the constellations.

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Mark continued: "Small objects like stars can become heavily pixelated when zoom is used. Once you view the picture on a screen larger than your phone, you’ll be disappointed with a grainy image – and even more disappointed if you print your image.

“For those that don’t know, the shutter speed is the length of time that the digital sensor inside the camera is exposed to light when taking a photograph – it’s the key ingredient to achieving balanced brightness levels.

"Unfortunately, you can’t control this function on the majority of smartphones but that’s where camera apps can help. There is a range of apps to simulate the shutter effect for both iOS and Android, taking multiple photos in a short span to recreate long exposure.

"On some mobile devices, like newer Apple iPhones, the camera app often features built-in software as standard, such as Night Mode, which is designed to capture more detail and brighten shots in low-light situations automatically.”

“Once you’ve got the perfect photo, don’t hide it away in your camera gallery only to be forgotten. As a PHOTO by Fujifilm retailer, we offer the latest and greatest in photo printing technology that can bring your night sky photos to life.

"Whether you want to hang your photo with pride, or use it to customise a gift, our in-store printing services make it easy to use one of our printing kiosks – because a photo can never be brought to life on a mobile phone screen!”

For more information about Photos2Print, call 01264 390110.