As we lean into the 4th of July weekend in the US, we're thinking about a different kind of star-spangled view...looking up at night sky. There are few things as awe-inspiring as looking up to see a sky filled with stars, and capturing that level of magnificence is no easy feat. This week we’re featuring a group of photographers who have created stellar astroscapes and posted their work on Instagram. Take a look at their work below and give them a follow for more celestial beauty in your feed. Tag your own Sony shots on Instagram with #BeAlpha for the chance to be featured on AlphaUniverse.com, and give @sonyalpha a follow for your daily dose of creative inspiration.

Tag your Sony shots with #BeAlpha for the chance to be featured on AlphaUniverse.com, and follow @sonyalpha for your daily dose of Sony inspiration.

Gary Hart (@garyhartphoto)

Sony Artisan of Imagery Gary Hart points his Sony Alpha cameras (usually his α7S II) and lenses at the sky often. In 2019 he led a group from the Sony Alpha Imaging Collective on an intense photo expedition through New Zealand. The days were long and after-dark shoots went long into the night, but, As Gary is explains it was well worth the effort. "To say I was inspired by the creativity and spirit of this group would be an understatement," he writes. "This day started 16 hours before I took this picture, with a 3 a.m. shoot of the Milky Way dropping in the western sky above Lake Wanaka. This image came that night, in Aoraki-Mt. Cook National Park, at what I thought was the final shoot of the day. Here the Milky Way rises in the east, above Tasman Lake. Probably the longest photo day of my life, but worth every second." See more about Gary's essential gear for night photography in this What's In My Bag article and check out our artcile about his astrophotography workflow, from planning to post-processing, HERE.  

Autumn Schrock (@autpops)

Sony Alpha Imaging Collective member Autumn Schrock's adventures take her around the world. from auroras in Norway to the desert southwest in the US, she has refined her gear techniques.  This image is a combination of separate foreground and sky exposures shot with the α7R III and Sony 20mm f/1.8 G lens. "I shot this with the newer Sony 20mm f/1.8 G lens and am still blown away by the little guy." See more about Autumn's gear for and camera setup for capturing astroscapes in our Astrophotography Guide and on her blog HERE.

Rachel Jones Ross – @rachel_jones_ross

If you haven’t come across Rachel’s astrophotography yet, trust us when we say you’ve been missing out. The Banff-based Alpha Collective member is a total pro when it comes to capturing the stars. She created the astro shot below in Banff and says, “I scrambled to work such a wide comp on my Sony 16mm f/2.8 and managed to get a few shots of the Milky Way before it faded into twilight. The sky was perfectly clear until just moments before sunrise. Then, as if special ordered just for us, the clouds came in just enough to explode with the most amazing colour I’d ever seen here for sunrise.” Learn how to capture the stars using different exposures from Rachel in this video and read more about her in the highlights from her #CreatorConversations AMA.

Quay Hu – @aroundq

Quay Hu is a member of the Sony Alpha Imaging Collective. He specializes in travel, lifestyle and portrait photography. His Instagram account has epic captures from his travels, including vast landscapes and astroscapes mixed with dense cityscapes. Swipe through all of the different captures of the Milky Way in his post below and give him a follow for more beautiful views in your feed.

Tobi Shinobi – @tobishinobi

Tobi is another member of the Alpha Collective, and on his account you’ll find photos featuring mind-bending perspectives and fascinating light. His use of the shapes and symmetry found in architecture makes him a fun follow for your feed. We love the perspective in this bridge/astro shot below he took in California. You can learn more about where he gets his inspiration in the highlights from his #CreatorConversations AMA, and see the Sony Alpha gear he uses in his What’s In My Bag article.

MasaHiro IKEDA – @masahiroikedaphotography

MasaHiro is world-traveling photographer and videographer. He posts breathtaking landscapes and astroscapes with entrancing views. Scroll through his account to see more natural beauty of land, sea, and sky. He took this beautiful shot below in New Zealand using his Sony α7R III and Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master.

Andrew J. Clarke – @andrew.j.clarke

Andrew J. Clarke is a commercial, land/astroscape and travel photographer based in Perth, Western Australia. His account is filled with colorful scenes from both day and night. Clarke also captures moving water in his beautiful landscapes and astroscapes, and you can learn more about how he fine tunes the moving water in his photos here. He took the astro shot below with the Sony α7 III and Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master.