The Art and Science of Capturing the Cosmos: Matt Suess Shares Decades of Astrophotography Wisdom

Photographer Matt Suess, an OM SYSTEM Ambassador, has dedicated decades to mastering the art of astrophotography, transforming a childhood fascination with the night sky into a distinguished career. From his early days in New England, where light pollution obscured the Milky Way, to leading workshops in some of the world’s darkest locations, Suess’s journey is a testament to the power of experience and continuous learning. This article delves into his accumulated wisdom, offering practical advice and insightful perspectives for aspiring and seasoned astrophotographers alike, highlighting the critical interplay between gear, technique, and understanding the celestial canvas.

Suess’s initial encounter with the Milky Way was serendipitous, occurring during a 45-minute star trail exposure in Joshua Tree National Park. Unfamiliar with the hazy band stretching across the sky, a stark contrast to the muted skies of his New England upbringing, he instinctively pointed his camera towards it. The resulting photographs, however, lacked the sharpness he desired. This early experience, while initially disappointing, became a foundational lesson, underscoring that mastery in astrophotography is often forged through persistent trial and error. Decades later, Suess emphasizes that understanding the "why" behind photographic challenges is a lesson only hard-won experience can truly impart.

A Lifelong Pursuit of the Stars

Suess’s passion for the night sky ignited early. He constructed his first darkroom at the tender age of 12 and was capturing star trails on color slide film as a teenager in Connecticut. This deep-seated interest even led him to briefly pursue mechanical engineering with aspirations of designing rockets for NASA. While the aerospace career path didn’t materialize, his profound connection to the cosmos remained unwavering.

Today, Suess is a respected figure in the astrophotography community. He leads specialized night sky workshops, guiding photographers through diverse and often challenging environments, from the majestic Grand Tetons to the remote arctic landscapes of Norway. His workshops are designed to introduce participants to conditions many have never experienced, helping them capture the awe-inspiring beauty of truly dark skies.

"I remember what I was feeling when I saw the Milky Way for the first time in Joshua Tree," Suess shared with PetaPixel. "I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. I just stood there staring at it. A lot of people who attend my workshops experience that same moment of seeing a truly dark night sky for the first time. Watching them see it with their own eyes and then helping them photograph it, that’s a reward that never gets old."

His teaching philosophy is rooted in practical, field-tested knowledge. The most valuable lessons, he asserts, are not found in manuals or gear guides but are the cumulative outcomes of hundreds of nights spent diagnosing and overcoming photographic challenges.

The Art of Asking the Right Question

A common hurdle for semi-experienced astrophotographers is getting stuck in a cycle of asking the wrong questions, rather than lacking the right equipment. Suess argues that the inquiry, "Do I need a better camera?" is often a misdirection.

"The real question is what’s actually limiting your shots," Suess consistently advises his workshop students when they inquire about upgrading their gear. "If you’re not getting sharp stars, it could be your focus technique, wind affecting a lightweight tripod, or a lens that’s too slow or soft for the conditions. Many photographers upgrade their camera bodies when what they actually need is a faster prime lens or a more stable tripod."

This approach extends to understanding the capabilities of existing equipment. Suess discovered a powerful astrophotography technique for capturing star trails not from a textbook, but from a workshop participant. The student was using an in-camera feature that displayed star trails in real-time, eliminating the need for complex post-processing stacking. This revelation was the OM SYSTEM’s Live Composite mode, a feature Suess now champions as a game-changer.

"That’s still how I think about gear decisions," Suess reflected. "Before I recommend anything to a student, I ask them: have you tried every feature and setting in your current camera? Have you tried astrophotography with different lenses? Most people haven’t experimented. They’ve used maybe 30% of what they already own."

Maximizing Your Existing Kit Before Investing

Suess advocates for a thorough understanding of one’s current camera gear before considering new purchases. This involves exploring every function and setting, and also recognizing what equipment might be superfluous for specific photographic goals.

"When you get serious about astrophotography, night work might involve two tripods, a star tracker, and multiple lenses," Suess emphasized. "Lighter bodies and glass make a real difference. My own kit includes the OM-1 Mark II, the OM-5 Mark II, fast primes, and a star tracker for deep sky. The heavier the gear, the less you bring, and the more you wish you had out in the field. A lightweight setup that works for you will help you take better images and enjoy your time under the night sky."

His advice on maximizing existing gear often centers on fundamental photographic principles that are crucial for low-light conditions. One frequently repeated lesson in his workshops addresses the common issue of star trails appearing too large in star trail images due to excessively long shutter speeds. He introduces the "500 rule" as a starting point: divide 500 by the 35mm equivalent of your focal length, and any shutter speed longer than this calculated value will result in noticeable star trails.

However, Suess himself prefers a more empirical approach in the field. "I prefer not to do math out in the field," he admits. "I’d rather take a test shot, see if the stars are sharp, and adjust the exposure time from there." This practical method, honed over years of experience, allows him to quickly adapt to changing conditions and achieve optimal results.

Among his arsenal of lenses, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO stands out for its frequent use in Milky Way photography. "At 34mm equivalent, it’s wide enough to frame the Milky Way’s arc with meaningful foreground, but not so wide that the stars stretch at the edges," Suess explained. "F1.2 lets me drop my ISO by a stop or more compared to an F2 lens, which translates directly to cleaner stars and less noise in the RAW file. Fast glass is what separates a usable wide-field astro shot from a soft, noisy one. That lens stays on one of my cameras more than any other."

Mastering Focus in the Dark

Achieving sharp focus on stars is one of the most technically demanding aspects of astrophotography. Suess’s method for manual focus begins by utilizing the camera’s live view. "You put the camera in live view, increase the magnification, and find the brightest star near the center of your frame," he described. "Take the manual focusing ring and rotate it back and forth. You’ll see the star get big and soft, like a golf ball, and then tiny. You keep making smaller increments, zeroing in until that star is at its smallest point. Tape down the focusing ring, and hope that focus stays throughout the night."

While effective, this manual process demands patience, a steady hand, and stable environmental conditions. Temperature fluctuations, accidental bumps to the tripod, or even recomposing a shot can subtly shift focus, leading to less-than-ideal results, particularly for beginners.

Recognizing these challenges, OM SYSTEM introduced the Starry Sky AF feature, a significant advancement that automates the critical focusing process. "It’s almost like cheating," Suess remarked. "I watch the camera do basically the same technique I’d been doing manually. The stars get bigger and softer, then smaller, and then it just locks in. Done. For me, and especially for my clients that have a camera with Starry Sky AF, it takes all the guesswork out of focusing on the stars so they can focus on getting the right exposure and the right composition." This feature streamlines the workflow, allowing photographers to concentrate on composition and exposure settings.

Preparing for the Unforeseen Elements

Effective astrophotography extends beyond camera settings and gear. Suess stresses the importance of understanding and preparing for environmental factors that can significantly impact a successful night shoot.

"Number one: clouds," he stated emphatically. "If you’ve got clouds, you usually don’t have a nice shot, unless there are some breaks in the clouds somewhere. I photograph a lot in the Tetons and we get sudden storms. You can look in one direction and see clear skies and in the other direction, it’s gray and raining. So keeping an eye on the weather and being prepared to pivot locations is critical." He recommends using weather apps like Weather Mate and Windy for real-time forecasting and cloud cover analysis.

Cold weather is another significant factor that can curtail valuable shooting time. "I’ve done shoots where 42 degrees felt manageable on the drive out," Suess recalled. "But, after two hours into a Live Composite star trail, standing in one spot, not generating any heat, I was shaking. If you’re not moving much, it feels a lot colder than what the temperature is reading. I have learned to dress two layers warmer than the forecast."

Wildlife encounters are also a crucial consideration, especially in remote natural settings. "Animals are always a concern," Suess stressed. "I’m photographing in landscapes with bears, moose, and bison. In the desert, I’ll bring a black light to see if there’s any scorpions on the ground. I always recommend doing research on wildlife in any location you’re visiting, because the best conditions for astro photography, darkness and remote nature, are also prime conditions for dangerous animals."

Strategic Shooting: Leveraging Moon Phases and Light

While many photographers avoid shooting under a partial moon, Suess sees these nights as opportunities for creative compositing. "For the darkest skies, I recommend shooting four or five days around the new moon," he advised. "That guarantees completely dark skies and the best view of the Milky Way. But even on nights with a half or three-quarter moon, as long as that moon is still below the horizon, you can shoot astro. If the moonrise is 45 minutes to an hour away, you’ve got a solid dark sky window. Photograph your dark sky first, keep your tripod and camera in the exact same position, and then when the moon comes up, let it light your foreground. Get both images and blend them in Photoshop later."

He also emphasizes the importance of understanding the different phases of twilight. "I’ll use PhotoPills to know when it’s blue hour, when it’s nautical twilight, and when it’s pure dark," Suess added. "Pure dark is when the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon and there’s no ambient illumination left in the sky. That’s when you get the most out of the Milky Way."

A subtle yet critical pre-shoot check often overlooked by photographers is adjusting the brightness of their camera’s electronic viewfinder (EVF) and LCD screen. "There’s nothing worse than reviewing your shots through the viewfinder when it’s bright and walking away with your eyes ruined for the dark sky," Suess noted. "It’s not just about night vision, either. If you have the brightness up, your photo’s going to seem a lot brighter than it actually is, which can lead to disappointment when you see the RAW file on your computer. You should always be relying on the histogram for the truth."

The Role of Star Trackers and Advanced Imaging

For photographers aiming to capture deeper space objects or achieve longer exposures without star trailing, a star tracker is an essential tool. This motorized mount synchronizes with the Earth’s rotation, allowing for exposures that can extend from seconds to several minutes. This capability reveals fainter details and colors that are otherwise imperceptible.

Suess highlights weight management as a critical factor when using portable star trackers. "On a portable tracker like the Move Shoot Move NOMAD, the motor can only handle so much weight," he cautioned. "Bigger trackers with counterweights will handle heavy glass just fine, because the counterweight balances the load on the motor. But on a rig without that option, the lighter your camera and lens, the better it tracks. That’s where the lightweight Micro Four Thirds system has a real practical advantage."

He employs a Move Shoot Move NOMAD with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS PRO lens and the M.Zuiko Digital 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14 for his deep-sky pursuits, a combination chosen for its balance of reach and manageable weight.

A key consideration when using a tracker is the foreground, which will appear blurred due to the tracker’s movement to follow the stars. "If you want foreground in your shot, you need separate exposures for sky and ground, then combine them in post," Suess explained.

Suess’s journey into deep-sky photography has been a continuous learning process. "I’m not an expert on deep sky photography, and I don’t know if I ever will be," he admitted. "And that’s ok, because I am really enjoying the learning process and I love creating something different than my usual Milky Way shots. Once I got that first exposure of the Andromeda Galaxy, I was hooked. I was surprised I could get that much detail out of a single exposure. The Orion Nebula in winter has also become an instant favorite."

The initial challenge with trackers often lies in polar alignment – accurately pointing the tracker’s axis at Polaris. "Getting polar alignment starts with finding Polaris in the polar scope, and the first thing that throws people off is that the view is upside down," he warned. "Then you’ve got trees to contend with. The North Star is in a fixed position, and if there’s a tree in between you and the North Star, you’ve got a problem. And even when you think you’ve got it, you’re asking yourself, did I align on the right star? There are a lot of stars up there."

He also notes the advantage of zoom telephoto lenses for deep-sky acquisition. "One of the biggest advantages of a zoom telephoto lens like the 50-200mm over a fixed telephoto is how easily you can find your target," he explained. "You zoom out wide, take a quick test photo, and you can see where Andromeda sits relative to the surrounding stars. Then you zoom in. With a fixed focal length like a 300, you’re staring through the lens at a field of stars trying to find one specific target. That is difficult."

The Value of Specialized Sensors for Astrophotography

Suess’s exploration into deep-sky imaging led him to the OM-3 ASTRO, a camera specifically designed with an astro-modified sensor. This feature revealed a critical aspect of standard camera sensors: their tendency to filter out specific wavelengths of light crucial for capturing nebulae.

"On non-astro-modified cameras, the pink and red clouds at the heart of the Orion Nebula show up as muted smudges. On an astro camera, the same scene glows," Suess explained. Standard camera sensors are equipped with a filter that blocks hydrogen-alpha, the primary wavelength responsible for the vibrant red hues in nebulae. Traditionally, capturing this light required sending a camera for third-party modification, a process that could be costly, void warranties, and often resulted in a noticeable reddish cast for daytime photography.

The OM SYSTEM OM-3 ASTRO, however, comes factory-equipped with a modified filter that allows full transmission of hydrogen-alpha wavelengths. "An astro camera removes that filter, so it captures all of that red light instead of maybe 20% of it," Suess noted. "The difference on something like the Orion Nebula is night and day." This modification significantly enhances the capture of nebulae’s characteristic colors, even with wide-angle lenses, and becomes even more pronounced with telephoto setups.

Trusting the Histogram Over the Preview

A fundamental principle for achieving workable RAW files in astrophotography, Suess emphasizes, is to rely on the camera’s histogram rather than the LCD preview. "The histogram tells the truth, the preview lies," he stated. The histogram provides a graphical representation of the tonal distribution in an image, indicating overexposed and underexposed areas. This data is crucial for ensuring adequate detail is captured, especially in the challenging low-light conditions of astrophotography.

"Many astrophotographers I talk to assume more frames means a better final image, but I like to get my astro shots in one or two exposures," Suess insisted. "When you’re only taking one or two, every frame has to be right, and the histogram is how I check. With the noise reduction software we have now, I don’t feel I have to do stacking for those big Milky Way shots. The basic stacking software is really just removing noise, not adding meaningful detail to your wide angle astro shots. Now, deep sky stacking with lights and darks and all those frames, that’s different. That does pull more detail."

His post-processing workflow often begins with DxO PureRAW for its advanced noise reduction and demosaicing capabilities, which he finds superior to standard RAW converters for high-ISO files. "The first time I compared a high-ISO file processed through PureRAW versus going straight into Lightroom, the difference jumped off the screen," Suess said. "It kept the star detail sharp while cleaning the noise. Lightroom was smearing it."

Following noise reduction, his workflow typically involves Photoshop for sharpening techniques like high-pass filters to enhance detail in the Milky Way core. He then utilizes DxO Nik Color Efex for filters such as Clearview and Tonal Contrast, which add localized contrast and clarity to the image.

"Over-processing is the most common mistake Suess sees in workshop edits," he observed. "What I see is people pulling harder on data that isn’t there. They stack 50 weak exposures and try to brute-force the processing, and they end up with these mottled-looking nebulae that don’t look real. Start with a stronger single exposure, run it through good noise reduction, and let the data speak for itself. You’ll get a more honest result."

A Legacy of Wonder and a Call to Action

Suess’s journey began nearly 40 years ago, as a teenager in a Connecticut basement darkroom, captivated by the colors of stars he could only perceive through his lens. "I had a black and white darkroom when I was 12 years old, taking photos of trees and landscapes close to my backyard. Back then in Connecticut, the sky was light-polluted, and I never saw the Milky Way. But sometime around my 16th birthday, I tried to aim my camera at the night sky to see what I could get. And in the prints, I was seeing colors in the stars I couldn’t see with my own eyes. Oranges and blues. Before then, I had thought all the stars were white. I instantly became addicted."

This enduring fascination still compels him to venture outdoors, even when comfort might suggest otherwise. "One of my favorite things to do is set up two cameras, have one doing a star trail with Live Composite and the other doing a time lapse, and then just sit down in my chair and look up. Watch the shooting stars. Imagine what’s out there. It makes you realize we’re just such a small part of this whole universe."

A growing concern for Suess is the future accessibility of dark skies. "More satellites, more light pollution, wildfires affecting the atmosphere," he cautioned. "It’s scary to think what it’ll be like in 10 or 15 years. We’re in a really good era right now where anyone can go out and enjoy this. But that window’s not going to stay open forever."

Recently, Suess faced a personal health challenge with a diagnosis of HPV-positive squamous cell oropharyngeal cancer. During his successful treatment this past winter, OM SYSTEM provided him with an early OM-3 ASTRO camera. Despite experiencing fatigue, he found the motivation to venture outdoors on clear nights. "When you can’t go out and shoot, you start to realize how much of what you love about this has nothing to do with photos," he reflected. "It’s being out there in the quiet, cold air looking up at thousands of stars. Even if it’s millions of light-years away, I can still visit that with my camera. I missed the act of exploring the Milky Way, Andromeda Galaxy, and the Orion Nebula more than I missed the actual photos that I would take. It’s been months that I haven’t really been able to spend quality time behind the camera. I think it will be interesting, looking up at that night sky again and probably seeing it a little bit differently than I used to."

Matt Suess’s work can be explored further on his website, and across his social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. His dedication to sharing his knowledge and his passion for the cosmos continues to inspire photographers worldwide.