Dan Zafra of Capture the Atlas presents: Wide-field astrophotography
Dan Zafra will share his approach to wide field photography, drawing on years of experience as a professional landscape astrophotographer and founder of Capture the Atlas, a leading online photography resource. His talk will cover the planning, shooting, and processing techniques he developed through deep immersion in the craft, including things that made a real difference in the quality of his images.
Those steps included learning to plan shoots using astronomy apps and tools, studying composition by analyzing what made the best wide field images work, researching gear and adding a star tracker, and logging hundreds of hours both in the field testing shooting techniques and in post-processing developing an astronomy-specific workflow. The result was images with cleaner detail, richer color, and stronger compositional impact.
Dan also created the Capture the Atlas Milky Way Calendars, used by more than 80,000 photographers worldwide to plan their shots, and curates The Milky Way Photographer of the Year, a well-known annual showcase of night sky photography.
Biography
Dan Zafra’s path to photography began with a detour through business and law school. It was his first paycheck at a multinational bank that changed everything when he invested it in a camera and never looked back.
That decision launched a life of travel and visual exploration. As Dan moved through different cultures and landscapes, he discovered night photography, and the challenge of capturing the Milky Way and the Northern Lights drew him deep into astrophotography. The technical demands of the craft suited him, and the results speak for themselves.
Dan co-founded Capture the Atlas, where he has built a large and engaged community of photographers at every skill level. Through his blog, YouTube channel, photography tours and workshops, and the Capture the Atlas Photography Academy, he has helped people around the world develop their eye and their technique for capturing the night sky.
On July 12th, Dan will bring that experience and perspective to NOVAC. Whether you are just starting out in astrophotography or looking to sharpen skills you already have, his talk promises to be an evening worth clearing your calendar for.
Meeting details
All NOVAC members, guests, and the public are welcome to attend — no RSVP required. You can attend the meeting virtually via Google Meet. Sign on at 4 pm to connect with fellow astronomers. The meeting starts at 4:30 with club information and general announcements. Program speaker starts at 5:00 pm.
We are NOT meeting at GMU for the July meeting
Join Virtually
Google Meet
meet.google.com/cbf-jusw-dsm
Dial In
+1 252-344-1407 PIN: 937 923 741
Meeting Schedule
4:00 PM – Open participant discussion
4:30 PM – NOVAC news, announcements, and upcoming events
5:00 PM – Presentation
This program will be recorded and available a few days after the meeting on the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club YouTube channel
