Explore the journey of John's fine art photography through the about page. Uncover the passion, vision, and inspiration behind each captivating image. Explore his creative process that brings moments to life, and get to know the artist's unique perspective of nature. My name is John Falla. I am currently 19 years old. I have found a passion for photography which will soon become a profession. Capturing the moments of life to then share to others is what keeps my drive to continue photography.

Discover a world of visual storytelling through John Falla's fine art collection. Immerse yourself in captivating images that evoke emotion and capture the essence of moments frozen in time. Elevate your space with gallery-quality prints that celebrate the artistry of photography. Learn Imagery Start Now Start Now Start Now Start Now When and Where to Shoot Light is quite absent when it comes to shooting in the dead of night. To counter this issue we want to capture as much ambient light that the sky provides. To do so we must find a forecast of none to few clouds a nd a night with NO moon . Unfortunately, the clouds interfere with capturing the stars and the moon is an added illumination to the night sky. (both, affect the contrast and vividness of the stars) Another caveat to look for is the location to which you are shooting. When I had first learned about light pollution I had thought it was a conspiracy, however, the artificial light from cities, street lights, etc. very much so affects the details and colors of the stars. So, before you think of taking star photos find a location with no light pollution, no moon, and no clouds! those are three things to be aware of. Now Let's Get Into the Setup. The Setup The tripod is obviously used for holding the camera in place, but what is a star tracker ? What's the purpose of such? This piece of machinery, when used correctly, will track the stars to maintain sharpness in a photo during long exposures. A star tracker is not the most feasible thing to use, but when used correctly... Will create astonishing images! We will go more in-depth with star trackers later on. Moving further into the setup, a tripod mount is what attaches the camera body to the tripod or star tracker. The camera body should be a full frame sensor, but nothing smaller than a APC-S sensor size. This is optional, but on high wind days a bag of weights hooked beneath your tripod will help keep it in place. Next, a timer would be handy for those super-long exposures. (Your phone could be your timer). Lastly, the proper lens is quite imparative, therefore, a separate section will be dedicated to that. DSLR vs. Mirrorless There is one key difference to know between a DSLR and a mirrorless camera when talking about night photography. The main goal is to capture as much light as possible right? Well, when referring to a DSLR, the light passes through a mirror. The mirror minutely requires more light to pass through when compared to a camera with no mirror. In simpler wording, A DSLR camera is slightly worse in low-light situations. Another difference between the two is the sharpness of the image. A mirrorless camera has no mirror, therefore, what the camera captures is directly through the sensor, while a DSLR reflects from the mirror before reaching the sensor. Because of this, a slight loss of sharpness in the image occurs with DSLR's. A question to ask yourself is... Do I want to spend the extra $1,000 - $2,500 for a slightly sharper and better low-light mirrorless camera? Do your own research as to what kind of camera body woould suit you best. Finding the Right Lens and Tracker The lower the f-stop # the more light is captured in a shorter amount of time. Why do we want a lens that captures light quickly? Well... the earth rotates and long exposure shots need a steady subject to capture. We counter this issue by using a star tracker, a fast lens, and a wide focal length. Compatible Star Tracker Remember how we had briefly mentioned star trackers? Here are three things to consider when renting or purchasing a star tracker: Make sure the tracker supports the weight of your camera and lens, do research on the brand and model. Lastly, the portability and weight of the product. There are other warnings to look after for much advanced deep sky astrophotography, but those three things are all you need to consider before buying. Using the setup Once you have found the right lens, the best star tracker, a sturdy tripod, and a pretty decent camera body... you are ready to prepare for the shot! Assuming that you have found a location of good Astro shooting, the settings for your camera are the most important thing to have right! Earlier in the blog I have gave bullet points as to what settings would work accordingly. Simply follow what was mentioned above. A couple things to know about your setup is keeping a time of each shot. This will help you figure out how long your exposures should be. The other thing is to use the delayed shutter time setting in your camera when you press the shutter button. Doing such will prevent your camera from capturing the jitter it creates when you touch your camera. If needed the bag of weights for keeping your tripod sturdy from prevailing winds is also good to prepare for. The main piece of the set to worry about is the star tracker and knowing how to use it. There should be a view finder on the tracker for finding Polaris! What is Polaris? Well, it is the North star and the way to find it along with the billions of other stars out there is to first find the Little Dipper and the Bigger Dipper. Look for the end stars of the two dippers and this should lead your eyes to Polaris. If you are located below the equator will not see Polaris, but the farther North you are the more likely you are to spot the star. Find what works best when it comes to your settings, time of exposure, and the rest of your setup. In the bullet points I mention manual focus. There is a trick that people do when taking star photos. When pulling the focus of the stars, slightly miss the focus. Doing such will visually make the stars look bigger and will reduce the noise in the image. Ok now, let's recap on using the setup. Find Polaris, pull focus manually, follow the proper camera settings, time your shots, use weights if needed, and remember to shoot with a delayed shutter. Shoot Away! Click here to learn the process of revising and editing your Astro photo! Explore how to capture the stars -f1.2- f1.8 lens -DSLR or Mirrorless camera body -Full Frame sensor (recommended) -Star Tracker -Tripod -Tripod Mount -Timer - Assorted weights - Keep an ISO of 100 - 800 - Set an aperture of F1.8 or lower - Shoot in a RAW format - Choose a normal/vivid picture profile - Set your exposure to 5-10 minutes (varies a lot) - Find your focus manually - Shoot in a 3x2 format - Put in Manuel Mode - Delayed shutter This blog is for intermediate astrophotographers who want to capture the stars in one image, want to print, and have a minimum setup.

Find answers to your questions about our exquisite fine art prints in our FAQ section. Explore common inquiries about our curated collection, styles, ordering process, and more. Elevate your understanding of our gallery-quality prints with clear and concise answers. What brand paper is used? Here at EastCoastCollectives we purchase from www.redriverpaper.com Red River brings quality first and then pricing second. What is your largest print size? Our largest print size avaliable is a 20" X 30" only for standard orders. Our custom orders can be request any size and any medium printed on. what's the difference between matte and glossy prints? Matte prints are papers of which absorb more ink yet producing a more natural color. Matte printing is also less reflective to ambient light sources. Glossy prints are far more reflective, but visually appear more vivid in color and slightly more crisp in detail. How is shipping calculated? Any purchase under a value of $80 will be charged with a flat rate shipping cost of $12. Note: we only do standard 1-2 week business day deliveries. What gear is used to capture your imagery? I shoot with the Nikon D3500. The lenses I use is the Sigma Art Lens 20mm F1.4. The one other lens I travel with is the Sigma 150-600mm F5-F6.3 lens. What kind of payments are accepted? this is a answer to a question. Where are you located? Currently, we do not have a store front, but I am based out of Middletown, Delaware. What are collection prints? Collection prints are prints of which are complete through a collection of multiple prints that comprehend with each other through color and the medium used. What is the difference between an artist proof and a limited edition print? Artist Proofs are prints containing imperfections during the printing process, such as the way it was cut, printed, and the small altercations that took place while narrowing down to the desired print. An artist proof will have "A. P" written on the print. Artist proof are the scarcest types of prints. A limited-edition print is after an artist proof and is printed consecutively for a set number of prints. A limited edition would have the artist signature and would have a fraction of what number print it is. For ex: (1/100). Some limited editions also have written 1,2, or however many batches of that edition. For ex: (2nd edition) How do I access my account? On the top left of the home screen, there is a hamburger menu that opens up to a button that says MY ACCOUNT. Along with your account you can access your credit card info, profile, orders, subscriptions, rewards, and your cart! What does it mean when a print is "Ready to Pull?" A "Ready to Pull" print is the final print that is ready for sale. These types are only before limited edition prints and would be labeled as the 1st limited print. (The most rare of prints) Do you hold any exhibitions or any type of art gallery? As of right now we hold a couple local vendors, but in the near future we will start placing our artwork into galleries and will eventually enter some exhibitions. What states and islands are not part of the 48 lower states? Alaska and Hawaii and all other offshore insular areas, such as American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are not part of the lower 48 states! What are the estimated delivery dates provided? Firstly, all of our products are delivered through standard shipping and have an estimated delivery time of 1 - 2 weeks. If your order date is over 2 weeks upon delivery then feel free to give us a call or send us an email and we will redo your order completely free. Are there tax advantages when buying from East Coast Collectives? Art write offs are not applicable to the average buyer. There are many caveats and is not practical to purchase solely for the purpose of a tax write off. Are there tax advantages when buying from East Coast Collectives? Art write offs are not applicable to the average buyer. There are many caveats and is not practical to purchase solely for the purpose of a tax write off. How does shipping work? At East Coast Collectives we ship nationally and globally. A flat rate shipping cost is applied to national orders under $80; orders above $80 include free shipping of any product. Free shipping is only applicable to shipping addresses within the U.S. States excluded are AK, HI, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Global shipping rates vary. Frequently Asked Questions