Andrea Curzi's Stunning Nighttime Snapshots of Italian Landscapes
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In the heart of Italy, nestled in the Marche region, lies the workshop of Andrea Curzi, a renowned landscape astrophotographer. His captivating images of the night sky, illuminated against the backdrop of Italy's breathtaking landscapes, have earned him accolades and a dedicated following.
Curzi's post-processing journey begins with Pixinsight, a powerful tool for long stacking sessions in RGB and H-alpha. After refining the images, he moves on to Photoshop, aided by DXO's Nik Collection, for colour management and final touches.
Recently, Curzi implemented two Astronomik filters: the CLS for light pollution and a 12nm H-alpha filter for hydrogen. These additions have revolutionised his photographs, bringing out vibrant details in the Milky Way and the surrounding landscapes.
Curzi's expertise doesn't stop at photography. He offers a video tutorial on his website, suitable for both beginners and intermediate users, providing valuable insights into his techniques.
For those interested in learning directly from Curzi, he conducts workshops, both private and group, and even leads trips abroad.
The Dolomites, with their jagged peaks and alpine landscapes, are one of Curzi's favourite locations for landscape astrophotography. These locations, along with Tuscany and other nearby alpine regions, offer varied astrophotography opportunities due to their low light pollution and dramatic terrain.
Curzi's planning process involves careful consideration of the moon phase, weather, and cloud conditions, ensuring he captures the night sky at its best. He uses various apps and software, such as Google Earth Pro, Google Street View, Photopills, Sun Surveyor, Stellarium, and Facebook and Instagram groups for inspiration.
In terms of gear, Curzi uses a Canon EOS R for foregrounds and star trails, a Canon EOS 6D (astromodified) for the sky, a Tamron 17-35 F2.8-4 lens, and a Canon 50mm F1.8 lens for mosaics. For stability, he relies on simple and inexpensive star trackers like the Omegon Minitrack LX2, Omegon Minitrack LX3, Omegon Minitrack LX Quattro, and Move Shoot Move Nomad.
Curzi's post-processing techniques involve noise reduction, star detail enhancement, and colour and light balance to bring out the Milky Way details and landscape illumination without overpowering the natural look.
Curzi's dedication to his craft has earned him recognition, with him being a finalist for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 competition held in London at the Royal Museum Greenwich, and being awarded the Milky Way Photographer of the Year 2024 from Capture The Atlas.
For those eager to follow Curzi's journey, he can be found on Instagram, Facebook, and his website.
References:
[1] Dolomites Landscape Astrophotography
[2] Astrophotography in the Dolomites
[3] Best Locations for Landscape Astrophotography
[4] Night Sky Photography Guide
[5] Dolomites Astrophotography Video Tour
- Photographers utilizing Curzi's tutorials can improve their techniques in astrophotography, aiding their personal growth and education-and-self-development.
- Andrea Curzi conducts workshops and leads trips, offering astrophotography enthusiasts the opportunity for direct learning and personal interaction.
- For optimal astrophotography conditions, Curzi carefully plans his shoots, taking into account factors such as moon phase, weather, and cloud conditions.
- In addition to cameras like the Canon EOS R and EOS 6D, Curzi's gear includes a variety of lenses and inexpensive star trackers, such as the Omegon Minitrack series and Move Shoot Move Nomad.
- Curzi's innovative usage of gear, including Astronomik filters and Pixinsight for processing, has significantly improved the vibrancy of the deep sky and star tracker images in his astrophotography work.
- Recently, astronomers have praised Curzi's captivating depictions of the night sky in Italy's landscapes, with Curzi being recognized in case studies and winning awards, such as the Milky Way Photographer of the Year 2024 and the finalist position for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 competition.
