What I carry for a night under the stars

Night photography needs less gear than people think. It needs warm clothes and a lot of patience. This is what goes in my pack for a night on the ridge.

The list

• One full-frame camera and one fast wide lens, 20 mm at f/1.8
• A heavy tripod, because wind is the enemy at night
• A headlamp with a red light, so my eyes stay used to the dark
• A lens heater strip and a spare battery for it
• A down jacket, a hat, and a second pair of gloves
• A thermos of tea and something sweet

What I always forget

The spare gloves, the car keys in the other jacket, and to turn off the screen light before the first exposure. After fourteen years, I still check all three twice.

Most clear nights end before midnight. Bring the tea anyway.

Field notes, February 2025