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Know when to head out. Have a shot in mind when you get there.
Shutter Scout helps landscape and night-sky photographers choose a shooting window before loading the car. Bring weather, moonlight, aurora conditions and the timing of the light into one photography planner.
Made by photographers, backed by science. Created by a Pacific Northwest photographer, Shutter Scout combines weather forecasts, Sun and Moon calculations, and NOAA space-weather data with practical guidance for the field.
START WITH THE OUTING
Get the free Today overview, then explore the detailed forecasts and planning tools with Shutter Scout Pro. Compare your saved locations, inspect the conditions behind a score and decide which spot fits the photograph you want to make. The Week Ahead shows the coming days at a glance.
FIND A CLEARER SKY
Sky Cover is a forecast map built for photographers: smooth, detailed cloud, clarity and fog out to 72 hours, with clouds that drift with the wind. PRECIP shows rain and snow for the next three days with thunder marked, and WIND adds gusts, alongside smoke, radar and live lightning. Tap the map for the reading at any spot.
PLAN MILKY WAY PHOTOGRAPHY
Check darkness, moonlight and Milky Way timing. Use the map planner to explore Sun, Moon and Milky Way directions around a location, and build your composition before dark. Sky Tonight draws NASA's survey of the Milky Way and every bright star for your spot and minute, in every season. In winter, Orion, Andromeda and the winter Milky Way show rise and set times, and the Field Guide suggests them on dark, clear nights.
LINE UP THE SHOT
Drop a pin on a peak, lighthouse or skyline and the Viewfinder draws the Sun, Moon or Milky Way core over your subject, with real terrain. Find the Spot suggests where to stand for the alignment you want, and the Alignment Window lists upcoming dates when it clears the skyline. An hour-by-hour planner shows which hour looks best for your shot and what is limiting it. Live View, Lens Tools and offline trip packages come along into the field.
FOLLOW THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
Read NOAA aurora and solar-wind data together, including Kp, wind speed and Bz. Understand the signals alongside your local sky conditions before setting out to photograph the aurora.
LOOK FOR PROMISING LIGHT
Emberlight brings sunrise and sunset forecasts to your shooting spots. Scores hold steady and say when the forecast is uncertain. Compare light potential, golden hour, blue hour and twilight to help choose when to set up.
WATCH FALL COLOR
Tap anywhere in North America, Europe, or Japan and Korea for a fall color score and the typical peak date, then press play to watch autumn foliage sweep across the map. PEAK WEEK shows where color usually peaks this week, and PLACES finds any place by name and lists your saved spots with their color on the chosen date. Save a spot or plan the shot straight from the map.
TAKE THE PLAN INTO THE FIELD
Check coastal tide predictions where supported, save the places you photograph and use the photography Field Guide and red-light tool. US weather warnings also cover your saved spots. Optional alerts can help you follow changing conditions.
FREE TO START. PRO FOR DEEPER PLANNING.
The Today overview, The Week Ahead strip and the Field Guide are free. Detailed forecasts, Sky Cover, the Night Sky Suite, Emberlight, the Fall Color Map and Aurora Command require Shutter Scout Pro. Choose a monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time Lifetime purchase. Current prices and any eligible trial offers are shown in the app before purchase.
Forecasts and scores are planning estimates, not guarantees of clear skies, sunset color or visible aurora. Data coverage and freshness vary by location and source; live forecasts need an internet connection. Check local conditions and official safety guidance before heading out.
Questions about your next shoot or the app? Contact support@shutterscoutapp.com.