Watching a rocket tear skyward from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center is a visceral thrill—one that most people will remember for the rest of their lives. If you are a photographer, the memories are amplified when you freeze the moment in sharp, vibrant photographs. Even though a still photograph won’t come with the incredible sounds of the engines of a Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy as it breaks free of the bonds of gravity, a good photo will last a lifetime and keep the memories of your time here in Florida.
Author’s note: my apologies for this article being quite long. For several days after the first “completed” draft, I’ve thought of something else and added it so you have a better chance of success.
Kennedy Space Center offers several iconic viewing spots, each with its own character and challenges. Let’s take a look:
Location, Location, Location
A lot of the professional rocket photos you see in news articles or sites like this are taken from “privileged” positions — the Press Site, for example, or by cameras placed near the launch pad in advance that are triggered by devices like a MIOPS+, which activated the camera’s shutter when it “hears” the roar of the sounds from liftoff. Unless you are working press, you won’t be able to access those spots. That doesn’t mean you can’t take a great photo just as good as any.
There are three places where you can get as close as most anyone else viewing the launch:
1. Apollo-Saturn Center / Banana Creek Viewing Site
One of the most convenient locations is the Apollo/Saturn V Center, which lies just over a mile south of LC-39A. From the raised terraces and the old observation gantry, you enjoy clean sightlines to the pad without a cluttered foreground. You will usually need to purchase a ticket to the ASC in addition to parking and entrance to the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center, and that can add up.
KSCVC Admission Prices (General Admission)
- Adults (12+): Typically around $75 online
- Children (3–11): Generally about $65
Note: Prices can vary slightly depending on date and promotions
KSCVC Parking Fees
According to official Kennedy Space Center parking info:
- Automobiles (cars, SUVs, light trucks, minivans): $15 per day
- Motorcycles: $5 per day
- Oversized vehicles (RVs, motorhomes): $20 per day
Those are 2025 prices, and may change at any time, but this will give you an idea of how much it costs to gain entry. That’s just half of it: you usually need to purchase a Launch Viewing Ticket, and they can range from free (often with a Starlink launch), or as high as $250, which was the cost for Artemis I, Crew 7 and other high-profile flights.
Read the fine print of the ticket carefully too. A launch viewing ducat is good for that launch attempt, and if the mission scrubs, your ticket may be considered “used.” During Artemis I’s lengthy launch campaign with a number of scrubs, a lot of people found this out the hard way. Know before you go and decide if that’s for you, or not.
Check out: Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center: See A Launch
You will be about 3.9 miles from LC-39A and you will be as close as anyone. It’s a great experience and one I highly recommend, but it can be pricey for a family to undertake. I advise folks to get a 2-Day ticket and to fully explore KSCVC, it has a lot of displays that are well worth your time. You can see an actual Apollo capsule, a SpaceX booster, one of the very first Cargo Dragons, a Saturn IB that was saved to be a rescue rocket for Skylab if needed (it wasn’t), and a ton of other stuff. It’s space heaven.
What You Get:
A point-blank view.
Here’s a photo taken from the Banana Creek Viewing Site:
Typical Settings:
The EXIF information for the photograph above is shown to the left. I actually use different settings now, but this will get you started. Read on for a fuller explanation of camera settings.
2. Playalinda Beach, Cape Canaveral National Seashore
Playalinda is located adjacent to the launch pads at Kennedy Space Center, and it is an extremely popular place to go watch a launch. You’ll need to go there hours in advance to ensure you can gain entry — the National Park Service will stop people from entering if the parking lots are full or if it is 45 minutes or less until scheduled liftoff. Get there at least two hours early, and frankly, 3-4 hours is even better.
What You Get:
The closest you’re going to get outside of Banana Creek Viewing Site. The foreground of the beach and the crowd make for an excellent photograph, especially if you employ telephoto compression to your advantage. Consider the photo below. It looks like the crowd is almost next to the launch pad but in reality they are some 3.5 miles away. A Falcon 9 is some 22 stories tall, so it’s bigger than you might think.
Settings are similar to Banana Creek: shoot for an EV13 shot and bracket, or meter using -1 or -2 stops. Use a fast shutter speed, as mentioned below.
Here’s some more info on Playalinda:
3. Biolab Road
Biolab Road is a dirt road that runs along the very aptly named Mosquito Lagoon in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. For day launches, this can be a great place for your photographs, especially when Playalinda is full. You won’t be all that much further away from the launch pad than you will be at Playalinda, and the water in the lagoon can make a great foreground for your photos.
What You Get:
Here is the view of LC-39A from Biolab Road, taken with a wide angle lens. You can go further down the road for closer views.
One thing to note is that Biolab Road is open from dawn to dusk, and KSC Police and/or the National Park Service will request that you leave if you’re present after hours. Those agencies can and will give you a pretty expensive ticket if you fail to comply, so the best idea is don’t do it. It’s also a bad idea for a visitor to the area to be on Biolab Road at night, because there are all kinds of critters there that will take a bite out of you: mosquitoes, no-see-ums, alligators and so forth, with the latter being a clear and present danger there.
Daylight hours are generally safe, but when the sun gets low and the temperatures are warm, gators will be hunting for their next meal. Don’t be that meal, so be wildlife aware.
There is also an entry fee for Biolab Road, but it there is no gate. As soon as you turn onto it, you may notice a payment box. If you have a National Parks Pass, you’re good to go. If not, pay the fee. I think it’s $15. Paying the fee is the right thing to do, defrays costs for operating the park and may save you from getting a ticket.
Bring insect repellent, drinks and everything you need. This is part of the “wildlife” areas in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, so don’t expect a cantina with cool beers while you wait for liftoff.
Cameras and Settings
Photographing a launch is part science, part art. By picking the right vantage points—from the Apollo/Saturn V Center’s terraces to Playalinda Beach or Biolab Road — you set the stage for your composition. Then, by mastering exposure through underexposure and thoughtful bracketing, you ensure every photograph captures not only the power of the engines but the intricate beauty of the flame plume itself. Plan diligently, practice your workflow, and you’ll be ready to chase that plume into the heavens.
Your camera choice should be a DSLR or mirrorless body. You don’t necessarily need a high-end model, and I have seen great photos taken with entry level DSLR cameras. A telephoto zoom in the 70–200 mm or 100–400 mm range lets you isolate the rocket, while a wider 24–70 mm lens captures more of the landscape and sky. If you have a super-telephoto (500+ mm) consider using that. Wind and crowds make a firm tripod—or at least a monopod—essential for slower shutter speeds and a remote shutter release will guard against any camera shake. Make sure your memory cards can handle burst shooting, and bring an extra battery, since Florida’s heat and breeze can sap power faster than you expect.
Shoot In RAW+JPEG
Given the high dynamic range and rapidly changing light during launch, RAW files capture all the minimally processed data from your camera sensor, offering 12‑ to 14‑bit depth, compared to only 8‑bit in JPEGs. That means you get thousands more tonal levels to work with, preserving far more detail in both the blazing highlights of rocket exhaust and the darker shadows of the plume or sky. This will help you in preserving the details and colors of the flame plume.
- TLDR; You get many more shades and colors using RAW:
- “An 8-bit JPEG can capture over 16 million colors. However, it can only capture 256 unique colors per RGB channel. That’s 256 reds (R), 256 greens (G), and 256 blues (B). When you combine all three channels (all the shades you have), you will see this: 256 x 256 x 256 = 16,777,216 colors.”
- “A 12-bit RAW file can contain 4,096 colors per RGB channel or over 68 billion colors. When you combine the RGB channels you have: 4,096 x 4,096 x 4,096 = 68,719,476,736 colors.
- “A 14–bit RAW file can contain 16,384 colors per RGB channel or over 4 trillion shades. When you combine the RGB channels you have: 16,384 x 16,384 x 16,384 = 4,398,046,511,104 colors.“
per Nikonians.org
Shooting in RAW also gives you maximum latitude to recover exposure errors or adjust settings in post-production. If your meter underexposes or overexposes the scene—common in rocket photography where metering faces extreme contrast—you can lift shadows or tone down highlights without severe artifacts. RAW also lets you tweak white balance afterward without degrading image quality, something you can’t do as effectively with JPEGs.
Sure, the files are a lot bigger, but you don’t have to keep them all, just the ones you like the most, to use for future edits. And when it comes time to share your photo(s), you can save them in almost any format, including JPEG. For the most flexibility before that, shoot RAW.
Underexpose
Perhaps the single most critical exposure tactic is to underexpose by one or two stops. A rocket’s flame plume can exceed 2,000 °C, and that means it’s going to be BRIGHT. If you meter for midtones—like the launch pad structure or the sky—the highlights in the flame will blow out into featureless white. By dialing in –1 EV or even –2 EV of exposure compensation, you preserve texture in the brightest areas, revealing the billows and shock diamonds that make these plumes so visually striking. Always glance at your histogram: you want the right shoulder to approach, but not touch, the edge. For underexposed areas, you can easily fix that in post-processing, save for night launches. They are an entirely different animal…it’s a form of photographic voodoo to fix those shots.
And Bracket
Because plume brightness and lighting conditions vary by rocket type—whether it’s a Falcon 9, an Atlas V, New Glenn or the massive Space Launch System—you’ll also want to bracket your shots. Many cameras offer Auto Exposure Bracketing, which can capture three frames at different exposure offsets (for example, –2 EV, 0 EV, +2 EV). Later, in Lightroom or your preferred editor, you can quickly choose the frame that best balances the rocket, the plume, and the background.
This launch will only happen once, and if you’ve traveled far to get here, it may be your only chance. So, increase your odds of success by bracketing. Think of it as insurance, even if you miss the exposure a little, one of the three or even five shots in a bracket will be good. Consult your camera’s manual if you aren’t sure how to do that. (You can also ask ChatGPT, it will give you a step-by-step list.)
Why Do I Use A Higher Shutter Speed, Even If I Have To Increase ISO?
I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I now prefer a higher shutter speed when I photograph a launch. Here’s why: most of my “bad” shots I took years ago were due to camera shake or movement during the launch. I used tripods to compensate for a while, but then I had an epiphany: just use a shutter speed of at least twice my focal length and that problem will disappear. It’s not important that I may need to raise my ISO from 100 to, say, 800, because noise reduction will automagically cure that problem. Consider using the automatic ISO if your camera features it. If you’re hand-holding your shot an your camera has vibration reduction, enable it. If you are using a tripod, don’t.
Why Do I Prefocus And Tape?
You’re going to shoot at infinity or very close to it, no matter what lens you are using. That end of the focusing scale can be very sensitive, even with a higher aperture, and it is very easy to bump the focus ring while you are shooting and thus have less than optimal photos.
To prevent that, I’ll focus on the rocket, take an inch or two of gaffer’s tape — the non-residue kind — and lock down the focus. Easy enough.
I don’t use autofocus because the dynamic range can “confuse” an autofocus system, especially when the rocket is high in the sky and thus is smaller in the viewfinder. That’s not when I want the camera to be hunting for focus, so I’ll use manual focus instead.
Summer and Lightning
No matter where you are, be weather aware. Thunderstorms are a part of life in Florida, especially in summer months, and can form at any time, anywhere. Be safe — get in your car or inside a building if a storm is approaching. Don’t worry about missing the launch, weather rules preclude launching with a thunderstorm anywhere nearby.
Even if a thunderstorm is not imminently on top of you, still be lightning aware. It is very rare, but there have been bolts from the blue in the Space Coast region. Even a relatively distant thunderstorm can be dangerous.
Hurry Up And Wait
In the field, arrive early to claim your spot and let your gear settle. By “settle” you are letting the camera and the air temperatures equalize. It takes some time, especially if it is a hot day and your lenses are a lot cooler than the ambient air, and condensation will quickly form. You may have experienced the same thing when you step outside from an air-conditioned building wearing glasses — they fog up. That can happen during a long drive to the Cape if you have the AC on in the car. If that does happen and your lenses fog, don’t fret. Trying to clean it off with a lens cloth will just smear the lens, and it the fog will be right back in seconds anyway.
Just allow some time for the lens temperature to equalize with the air, and the moisture will evaporate. Use The Force, Luke, and be patient.
Auto-Magic (Automatic Settings)
If you want to let your camera do the metering, consider using Shutter priority with the following settings as a baseline for a bright sunny day: partly cloudy with the sun high in the sky. Check your histogram and tune as needed.
Fast shutter freezes the rocket, plume, and fast-moving background.
f/8 aperture gives suitable depth of field and image sharpness.
ISO 100 reduces noise—use auto‑ISO if light conditions drop.
Exposure compensation and bracketing help manage overexposure of the plume, virtually guaranteeing a properly exposed shot somewhere in the set.
Continuous shooting and evaluative metering respond well to changing light and action.
Based on a standard EV chart or calculation, the exposure value for this combination is roughly EV 16. Go down one or two stops (EV 15 or EV 14) if the sun if its very early or very late in the day. I like to do it in ISO, because noise isn’t really an issue in daytime launches. It’s nothing Lightroom or Photoshop’s RAW filter can’t handle.
Take test shots and evaluate. From there, make any necessary minor adjustments. Remember you are purposely underexposing a bit, so keep that in mind as you review your settings.
Don’t to forget to focus and tape!
Manual Labor (Manual Exposure)
If you decide not to use automatic settings, switch your camera to manual mode. Set a mid-range aperture, around f/8 or f/11, a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 s to freeze motion, and an ISO in the 100–400 range.
Again, I like 1/1000th or even faster, as it freezes the plume and preserves more detail. Test, check your histograms (remember, you’re underexposing one or two shots.)
You may notice that the manual settings are f11 instead of f8 in the Shutter mode settings. That’s because in manual you’re not metering and you have to, ahem, manually do it for yourself. f8 -> minus one stop -> f11.
Pre-focus on the pad, then flip to manual focus to lock it in. I use gaffer’s tape (NOT duct tape) to “lock” my focus ring down in case I accidentally bump it.
Same as above: I recommend focusing and taping with gaffer’s tape, and switching the camera to manual focus. Just be sure you are in focus before locking in.
Compose Your Shot In Advance
Figure out the picture you want to shoot in advance. By that, I mean that it’s a good idea to compose your shot long before liftoff so you don’t have to think about it when the countdown is heading towards zero. Everyone, including the most seasoned pros, gets an adrenaline rush at liftoff. I’ve seen something like 1000 launches in my life and I still get a thrill during liftoff. It’s an immense show of power!
I like to shoot with the pad offset—following the rule of thirds—leaving space above for the rocket’s ascent and 2/3 of the screen for the steam plume for straight pad shots.
Perhaps you can include nearby structures, railings, or even beachgoers at dawn to give scale and context. Like I showed up in the Playalinda shots, having people in the foreground can really give a sense of scale to the proceedings. This shot from the Press Site shows the same thing:
When you have that composition nailed down, widen it out about 10%. Why? To give yourself some wiggle room to straighten the photo, or to bump the picture a bit left or right and so forth later. Do that, you may be very glad you did.
Most of all, use your imagination in your compositions…it’s your photo!
Keep Up With Proceedings.
Days before the launch, schedule info is available everywhere, here on this site: Florida Launch Schedule or better, Spaceflight Now’s schedule page.
If you have a cellular signal, you can follow the launch on YouTube on Spacefight Now’s feed. They will have all the latest and greatest information. One thing: they are 7-10 seconds behind real time in the countdown…it takes that long for the signal to go through the Internet and reach you. SpaceX.com is just as good, but they come on later. Spaceflight Now is live an hour before T-0, SpaceX either 5 or 15 minutes, usually. Check their sites for specific info in advance.
Finally, if everything goes right with the rocket, the weather and the range, it’s time for a launch. Be ready at least 20-30 seconds in advance, so you can be sure you won’t miss anything!
Showtime: Taking Your Photos
At ignition, let the rocket rise slightly, then snap as fast as your camera’s image buffer will allow. You will have 3-5 seconds before the rocket clears the pad, and another 3 seconds or so while the pad itself is visible in the photo. Those latter shots are great because of the billowing steam from the sound suppression systems, and they can really add to a shot.
As the rocket starts its ascent into the sky, follow it with your camera. There are some special points in the rocket’s flight that can give some great photos:
- Falcon 9’s first stage typically passes through the speed of sound (Mach 1) around T+1:10, which is just before maximum dynamic pressure (Max Q) at about T+1:13 during ascent. There may be a vapor cone that flashes quickly, and it is very photogenic. Consult the SpaceX webpage for the specific flight timeline.
- After Max-Q, Falcon 9 usually creates a vapor trail for several seconds. That can be very photogenic, especially if the sun is low and the vapor trail casts a shadow.
- Closer to staging (usually around T+2:30), Falcon 9’s plume lengthens and can be very photogenic.
- Staging is a critical point in the flight. The rocket will be very high but if you have a high shutter speed, impeccable focus and a steady hand (or a solid tripod) you can capture this phase of flight. Those photos are difficult for even a professional, but try anyways. I consider those shots optional and from time to time I will get a good one when the lighting is right. The best times for those shots is around dawn or dusk.
Post-Processing
More than likely, you’re going to need to do some work to bring the disparate lighting conditions of the flame plume and the rocket body together. That’s going to require some masking in Lightroom, and/or some dodging and burning in Photoshop. Either one (or an equivalent app) will work, and don’t forget noise reduction if you’re using a higher ISO.
Post-processing is an article on its own, and is half art, half learned skill. At some point in the future, I will write an article detailing how I do things, and maybe you can learn from that.
Check Out: Rocket Launch Viewing From LC-39A
In closing, the most important thing you can do is to enjoy the experience!
If you’re coming for the first time, make a plan. Maybe even a checklist of things to bring, your planned settings and so forth. It can be very de-stressing to work down a list as opposed to trying to remember everything.
And don’t worry. You’re gonna do great!
