About
The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE) is an industry-leading planning tool built specifically for photographers who work with natural light. Available as a desktop web app and an iOS app, TPE lets you pinpoint the exact direction and timing of sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, golden hour, and twilight phases at any location on Earth — past, present, or future. For daytime photographers — whether shooting landscapes, wildlife, architecture, real estate, or weddings — TPE provides a map-based interface showing light direction, shadow angles, and sightlines so you can pre-visualize your shot before you ever arrive on location. Night photography is equally well supported. TPE offers rise/set times and 3D band visualization for the Milky Way's Galactic Center, meteor shower schedules, moon phase tracking, and lunar/solar eclipse data. The iOS app adds augmented reality, overlaying the sun, moon, and Milky Way directly onto your camera feed for real-time on-location scouting. TPE 3D, a companion iOS app, renders a three-dimensional landscape illuminated by accurate directional sunlight, ideal for composing mountain and terrain shots. The web platform's 3D Celestial Sphere lets desktop users hunt perfect celestial alignments visually. TPE is trusted by National Geographic and Outdoor Photographer magazine, and is used by hobbyists and professional photographers worldwide. A free tier makes it accessible to all, with premium features available for power users.
Key Features
- Sun & Moon Tracking: See the exact direction, timing, and arc of sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset at any location and date — past, present, or future.
- Night Sky Planning: Plan Milky Way and astrophotography shoots with Galactic Center rise/set times, a 3D band visualization, meteor shower schedules, and lunar eclipse data.
- Augmented Reality (iOS): Overlay the sun, moon, and Milky Way directly onto your device's camera feed to scout shots in real time on location.
- 3D Landscape & Celestial Sphere: TPE 3D renders a realistic 3D landscape lit by directional sunlight, while the web app's Celestial Sphere lets you visually search for perfect celestial alignments.
- Eclipse & Special Event Planning: Access dedicated planning pages for solar and lunar eclipses, including simulation maps, shadow overlays, and totality path data.
Use Cases
- A landscape photographer plans a golden hour mountain shoot by checking the exact sunset direction and shadow angles at a specific trail viewpoint three weeks in advance.
- An astrophotographer uses the Milky Way band 3D visualization and Galactic Center rise times to find the optimal night and composition for a star trail shot.
- A wedding photographer scouts an outdoor venue using AR mode on iPhone to preview where the sun will be during the ceremony at the scheduled time of day.
- A nature photographer tracks moon phase and moonrise direction to plan a 'supermoon over the horizon' wildlife shot at a specific coastal location.
- A photography enthusiast prepares for an upcoming solar eclipse using TPE's dedicated eclipse planning page, simulation maps, and path-of-totality shadow overlays.
Pros
- Unmatched Depth for Natural Light Photographers: Covers every relevant celestial data point — golden hour, twilight phases, moon phases, Milky Way, meteor showers, and eclipses — in one unified tool.
- Free Tier Available: Core web functionality is accessible for free, making it easy for photographers at any level to get started without upfront cost.
- Multi-Platform with AR Support: The iOS app adds augmented reality and star/asterism overlays not available on desktop, ideal for on-location scouting.
- Trusted by Leading Publications: Endorsed by National Geographic and Outdoor Photographer, reflecting its accuracy and reliability among professional photographers.
Cons
- Limited to Natural Light Use Cases: TPE is purpose-built for outdoor and natural light photography; it offers no utility for studio, product, or artificial-light scenarios.
- Advanced Features Require iOS App: Augmented reality, major star positions, and some eclipse features are exclusive to the iOS app, leaving web-only users with a reduced feature set.
- Learning Curve for New Users: The depth of celestial data and multiple visualization modes can be overwhelming for photographers who are new to light planning tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TPE free to use?
Yes, TPE offers a free tier for the web app so you can get started without paying. Premium features and the full iOS app may require a purchase or subscription.
What platforms does TPE support?
TPE is available as a desktop web app (browser-based) and as an iOS app. A companion app called TPE 3D is also available for iOS for three-dimensional landscape planning.
Can I plan night photography sessions with TPE?
Absolutely. TPE provides Milky Way Galactic Center rise/set times, a 3D visualization of the Milky Way band, meteor shower details, moon phase data, and lunar eclipse information specifically for night photography planning.
Does TPE support planning for past and future dates?
Yes. You can check light and celestial conditions for any date — past, present, or future — making it useful for researching historical conditions or planning shoots years in advance.
What is augmented reality used for in the iOS app?
The AR feature overlays the real-time positions of the sun, moon, and Milky Way onto your device's live camera feed, letting you visualize exactly where celestial objects will appear in your frame while scouting a location.
