Álvaro López Moreta is a Physical Education teacher but his real passion is photography, night photography. One of his works, a photograph of a Moon observation meeting, organized by the Salamanca Association of Astronautics and Space, to which he belongs, on the occasion of the International Moon Observation Day, was selected by NASA in 2021 to illustrate one of its publications worldwide.

Hi Álvaro. How did you discover your passion for night photography and light painting?

Well, I discovered my passion as such little by little. My father left me his camera around 2017 since he wanted to renew his equipment, and I started to investigate and discover that you could do very interesting things. Everything was to start practicing and little by little photographs that I liked came out, to which I was adding night photography, since astronomy, yes, I was passionate about as a child.

What techniques do you use to achieve creative effects in your photos?

 I don't use any particular technique because, with a single tool, we can create different effects, for example, a flashlight can be used to illuminate people, to make names or if we put it in a plastic bottle, we could create different effects ... everything is to try and practice to see what effect we like the most.

What are your favorite places for night photography and why?

 Any place that is away from light pollution is already my favorite place. I don't have a unique or different place that I like, I try to innovate, get to know other places, and take advantage of them to do night photography, each place is unique.

How do you plan a night photography session?

 The first thing I do is to check the weather because if it rains the session is over. Once the weather is right, I try to go to places I know or different places seen during the day, and think about what I could do there. I try to go to places with a pre-established idea, so I don't get there and not know what to do. Now I'm starting to do little sketches on paper and if then it doesn't come out what I wanted I improvise what I can.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced when shooting night photography and how did you overcome it?

 Especially deep sky photography, because you have to have special equipment for it and know how to handle it. Also, after taking the photos, you have to process them with specific programs...all of that takes a lot of work and time and it's not easy at all. Thanks to my colleagues at the OSAE (Organización Salmantina de la Astronáutica y el Espacio) who have helped me to know how to do things better and to handle the editing programs in a basic way. Then putting hours and practice in youtube videos you complete the process hehehehe.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get started in the night and star photography?

Well, first of all, patience because they are sacrificed photographs and they take a long time to do them. Then learn how to handle your camera to know how to set the parameters. Later on, join an astronomy association, because your companions will always help you and you will be able to meet people to go out and share experiences. And finally, practice, fail, practice, fail... and don't give up, because the results will come if you want them.

What has been your most memorable project or photo shoot and why?

 Well, I have several memorable moments, but to name just one, I'd like to mention a session I did for a colleague from the OSAE, who asked me if I could take a picture of his wife and son with the moon. Of course, I said yes, but it would be better if I could take a picture of the 3 of them, as a family. So I took the picture of Pablo, his wife Vanesa, and little Enzo, almost a newborn, and it was a very nice, tender, and very special session.

What photographic equipment would you recommend for someone who wants to start in the night and star photography?

 To start in night photography, there is no basic and essential equipment for star photography. A camera with manual mode and a tripod would indeed be perhaps the most basic, but even with a cell phone, you could do night photography (as long as you know how to handle the parameters of the cell phone, not in automatic mode).

What is your source of inspiration to create your photographs?

 Mostly Instagram and Flickr. I see a lot of photography from colleagues, acquaintances, and people I follow...I see what they do, I try to keep what I like, practice it or get ideas for future sessions.

How do you select the locations for your night photography and light painting sessions?

 Well, it depends on the type of photography I want to do, if outdoors, indoors, with the Milky Way, without the Milky Way... I don't know, there are many factors, I can't stick with something in particular, so I think first about what I would like to do and from there, I see the possibilities I have of all the places I know.

What importance do you give to postproduction in your light-painting photographs?

 I don't give it importance, in fact in the world of light painting it is very frowned upon to "retouch" the photos. The photos have to come almost directly from the camera so that the processing is minimal. If on camera something has not turned out well, then you repeat it and enjoy, that's the beauty of light painting, enjoy what you are doing.

How do you think technology has affected the world of night photography?

 In some aspects it has influenced for the better, in terms of cheaper and more advanced devices, specific programs for developing deep sky photographs, knowing where the deep sky objects are with special programs, better cameras... but in other cases I think it can affect for the worse, as is the case of the current AI (Artificial Intelligence), because you can create things without leaving home, without enjoying the night, the stars, sharing moments with colleagues... But well, everyone is free to choose one method or another.

What technical aspects are important to take into account when taking pictures of stars?

 Above all, knowing your camera and knowing how to handle it, knowing what happens if I change this or that parameter... why I get so much "noise" in the photo, and how I can avoid it so that it comes out sharper... And if you don't control these parameters, the best thing to do is to sign up for a photography course that teaches me how to handle the camera, because this is key in night photography.