Backyard Astronomy Photography in Bay Area, as Showcased by Imran Badr
Chasing Starry Dreams:Imran Badr is an astrophotographer who turns his backyard into a celestial canvas, capturing mesmerizing deep sky images. Here's a lowdown on his approach:
Hometown and Work:Born on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, Imran now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his family. By day, he's a tech whiz in the field of Embedded Systems, while by night, he's a stargazer, chasing photons.
Astrophotography Journey:Imran jumped into the world of astrophotography in 2008, armed with a 6-inch SCT on an Alt-Az mount. Fast forward to 2022, he immersed himself fully, investing in gear like the ZWO AM5 mount, Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED telescope, and the ZWO ASI2600MC Pro camera. Keep your eyes peeled for his work on Astrobin and Instagram, under @astrobayarea.
Proud Milestones:Within two and a half years, Imran has earned plenty of accolades in astrophotography, including recognition from NASA, Astrobin, and ZWO ASIWeek. His work has also earned him Top Picks and Nominations on Astrobin. One of his images even nabbed the NASA APOD in June 2024.
Myriad Setups:Imran deploys various gear combinations for different tasks—Setup 1: ZWO AM5, Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED, ZWO ASI2600MM Pro, and more. He modifies his setup depending on the target, aiming for the perfect balance between gear and sky conditions.
Planning and Framing:To make the most of his San Jose backdrop, Imran meticulously plans his imaging projects, considering factors like target brightness, elevation, and weather conditions. When it comes to framing, he carefully composes each shot to guide the viewer's focus to the main subject.
Exposure and Integration:Exposure times vary based on targets, from long ones like his OIII arc over the Andromeda Galaxy (over 223 hours) to shorter times for brighter subjects, such as the Orion Nebula. There's no one-size-fits-all formula for exposure times; it's always a dance between target, sky conditions, and data.
Software and Processing Workflow:Imran's choice of tools ranges from PixInsight, RC Astro, and Adobe Photoshop for pre-processing, stacking, and post-processing. With DBE and GraXpert, he works tirelessly to find the optimal background extraction, ensuring his images are impactful and vivid.
Learning Journey:Imran's learning journey began with YouTube tutorials and Facebook forums. He recommends the ZWO Astrophotography forum for tips and tricks. Additionally, he encourages beginners to join local astronomy clubs and engage with the astrophotography community. For more in-depth learning, he suggests visiting Astrobin and websites offering advanced tutorials, specifically mentioning Adam Block's subscription-based tutorials.
[1] More details about Imran's astrophotography can be found in the original article featured by Skies & Scopes.
