Photography tools are no longer just confined to what is in your camera bag. One of the most important tools I use in my photo shoots is my mobile phone, home to numerous reference and feature rich applications. Being able to reference and use the following applications for my adventures in night photography has made it easier for me to plan photo logistics and successfully capture  high impact photography. If you don’t have these applications on your phone or tablet computer yet be sure to add them.

After you check out the following apps for night photographers be sure to check out Jim’s iPhone/iPad App List for more mobile applications worthy of your attention.

GoSkyWatch

An amazing application that allows you to point your device to the night sky and see a real-time display of what planets, stars and constellations are in your field of view.
iPhone   iPad

Moon Seeker

Is an application that all you to track and/or project the path of the moon at any time of day. The application includes an augmented reality feature “3D view” that activates your camera to overlay the trajectory of the moon and the moons current location on your device display in relation to the scene before you.
iPhone

StarMap

A powerful resource that includes a detailed map of the night sky including planets, constellations, starts, galaxies, clusters, nebulae and more. Each of these points of interest include detailed information about their rise timek set time, brightness and more
iPhone   iPad

Satellite Visibility

Displays predictions for when satellites (including the Hubble telescope, International Space Station, etc.) will be visible based on your location.
iPhone

ISS Visibility

A very cool app that displays 10-30 day predictions of where and when the International Space Station will be visible based on your location.iPhone   iPad

Penki

Penki allows you to use your iPad or iPhone to create 3-dimensional light painting messages. This was featured in a video by Dentsu London in 2010, Making Future Magic: iPad Light Painting.
iPhone / iPad

Aurora Forecast

If you’re fortunate to live in an area that you can see the Aurora Borealis during the winter months this app is for you. This app shows daily Auroral activity forecast from the Geophysical Institute of UAF.
iPhone

The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE)

Is an incredibly powerful planning tool that calculates sun and moon positions in relation to a user specified location for any time of day, any location, any altitude, etc.
iPhone / iPad

FocalWare

Not nearly as powerful as TPE this application provides a quick an dirty mechanism to see sunset/rise and moonset/rise information along with elevation data over the course of the day/night all with the flick of your thumb.
iPhone

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