Photographing a Space Shuttle launch

Photo Tips

1. Unless you were able to get tickets for the Kennedy Space Center’s viewing area or have a press pass, you’re stuck on the outside. No worries. There are plenty of good places to see the space shuttle go up.

2. Titusville is personally my favorite. There are spots with unobstructed views that include Space View Park, the A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway and empty lots along U.S. 1.

3. Other good locations are the Bennett Causeway near Cape Canaveral, the Cocoa Beach Pier and Jetty Park.

4. Arrive early. Popular places such as Space View Park and Jetty Park fill quickly. Many diehard shuttle watchers will probably camp overnight in their spot.

5. Be prepared to pay as much as $30 for parking. Don’t worry if you don’t want to pay this amount. Parking is free along the causeways and the view is still good.

6. Bring lots of water, sunscreen and snacks.

7. Bring lots of patience. Hundreds of thousands of people cram into the area. Traffic will be heavy, especially going home.

8. You won’t need a tripod unless you’re shooting video and want to eliminate camera shake or have a large, heavy lens for a DSLR camera.

9. The last launch is scheduled at 11:26 a.m., so the lighting will be harsh because the sun will almost be overhead. Depending on where you are standing (in Titusville or Cocoa Beach, for instance),the shuttle may be slightly backlit and your pictures could have flaring caused by the sun.

10. To avoid this, use a hand to shade the front of the lens from the sun. If you are holding the camera with the right hand, use the left to shield the lens. You can also make an impromptu lens shade by taping a piece of thin cardboard around a lens for a DSLR camera or on top of a point-and-shoot camera. WARNING: Be careful not to get your hand or the cardboard in the photo.

11. My advice is to set your camera to manual and expose for the sky so the shuttle’s contrail will contrast well against it. By using the camera's manual setting, instead of any of the automatic settings, you'll avoid the camera's exposure being altered by the sudden, intense light coming from the rockets. Digital is wonderful in that you can preview pictures and make adjustments as needed. Take some test shots 10 minutes before the launch time to make sure your exposure is good. That way, you have time to troubleshoot any issues and when the launch time comes, you won’t be fretting the the technical stuff.

12. Opt for a fast shutter speed and a wide aperture when finding your proper manual exposure.  Wide apertures reduce your picture's depth-of-field, but since you'll be far away and will likely be focused at infinity anyway, you won't need much depth-of-field.