What did Samer Hobeika do during the Perseids? He guided several outdoor groups to introduce them to astronomy, but especially to starry sky photography. The trained engineer has been offering astrophotography adventures with his company Zenderfull since 2020.
Samer Hobeika became passionate about “astrophotography” in Lebanon thanks to work colleagues. “It piqued my curiosity, I found it very special,” he admits. Initially attracted by taking pictures, he learned more about astronomy by spending time with other amateurs. When he arrived in Quebec in 2016, he quickly noticed that there was a lack of guided outings.
This is how he began to create a small community around astrophotography. He organized outings in the region, in a “very community-based” way, once a month, to take photos of stars or other celestial phenomena. Samer Hobeika quickly saw that the demand was there. So he started his business, which officially took off four years ago.
A little later, he bought a chalet in Val-Racine that served as a base camp for participants during getaways in the region. And this is no coincidence, because Mont Mégantic is located in an International Dark Sky Reserve.
Outdoors under the stars
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ZENDERFULL
Samer Hobeika, owner of Zenderfull, also organizes trips to the North to better observe the Northern Lights.
Zenderfull’s most popular activity? The night hike that Samer Hobeika offers in a few locations: in Sutton, at Mount Pinacle and in the Laurentians. Participants meet at dusk and begin the climb, which is not too long, says the founder of Zenderfull. “I found ways to bring people to viewpoints at the top of mountains, but without making it a very difficult hike.”
Once the summit is reached and night has settled in, the guide moves on to explaining the sky, then to the photo section.
I’ll go one person at a time to show how to take beautiful photos. And often, it’s beautiful, even with a small phone.
Samer Hobeika, owner of Zenderfull
From stargazing on a paddleboard to trail running and biking the day after an evening of astrophotography, Samer Hobeika is gradually improving his offering to attract nature lovers. “When we think of the outdoors, we often think of daytime, so I try to change that idea so that people can enjoy it in the evening,” he explains.
“All these activities are a way to bring the world a little bit into astronomy or astrophotography, or just into observing the sky,” he adds. And what comments does he receive after his adventures? “People like it, because it’s often a new discovery and they live a magical moment.”
Visit the Zenderfull website
Tips for taking photos of the starry sky
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ZENDERFULL
Night hiking attracts many hikers who want to learn astrophotography.
Buy a small tripod
The tripod is essential, according to Samer Hobeika. The exposure of the photo must be longer to capture the light of the stars, so you don’t want a camera movement to result in a failed photo. Small, very lightweight tripods can be found in many specialty stores as well as online.
Set a timer
Along the same lines, you want to trigger the photo a few seconds after you press the shutter button to avoid camera shake. “You want to avoid any vibration, you want it to be stable.” A three- to 10-second delay will do the trick, he says.
Use night mode
Recent phones often have a night vision mode, so don’t hesitate to use it, says Samer Hobeika. “Then you’ll go more into the settings of the photo itself,” he explains. Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, it’s time to play with the settings of the phone or camera to find the right combination.