When photographer Bill Snyder wants inspiration, he looks to the sky.
The Pittsburgh native is the founder of Dark Sky Art, which specializes in astrophotography prints,
Snyder;s work is one over 100 vendors featured in the Maryland Christmas Show is a beloved holiday tradition in Frederick County, celebrating its 41st annual event this year. Held over two weekends—Nov. 22–24 and Nov. 29–Dec.1—the show takes place at the Frederick Fairgrounds. Tickets are $10 per person, with parking available for $2.
The Maryland Christmas Show has grown into a hub for holiday shopping, drawing vendors from across the East Coast. Snyder has found an audience there selling his work.
Astrophotography is the art of capturing images of celestial objects like stars, planets, and galaxies. Using specialized tools such as telescopes, long-exposure cameras, and tracking mounts, it reveals details of the night sky that are often invisible to the naked eye.
Snyder’s fascination with space began in childhood and led him to start astrophotography as a hobby 20 years ago. As the cost of advanced astronomy equipment rose, Snyder began selling prints of his work at local shows eight years into his hobby to fund his passion.
Originally working from his home observatory, Snyder decided Pennsylvania’s light pollution and atmospheric interference weren’t the best he could get for his pictures. Therefore, he partnered with a fellow amateur astronomer in Australia. He set up a remote telescope system in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, which they control over the internet.
What began as a few local shows has now expanded into a full-time endeavor, with Snyder traveling to around 20 events each year, including winter shows in Florida.
Creating these pieces involves meticulous technique.
Snyder said he starts by taking long-exposure images of celestial objects, using tracking stands to keep the camera aligned with the moving night sky. Initially captured in black and white, the images are later combined using red, blue, and green filters to create full-color photographs.
Once he has the color image, Snyder enhances it to make the final print visually striking, often adjusting saturation to highlight intricate details.
For some shots, he incorporates landscapes into the composition, taking separate exposures of the foreground to prevent the stars from appearing as streaks due to Earth’s rotation.
When asked what he thinks brings people to enjoy his art, he said:
“I think people see it as a gateway to something, you can tell a lot about a person based on what they see in the night sky.”
Snyder’s work captures the beauty and wonder of the cosmos, offering a glimpse into the universe for visitors at the Maryland Christmas Show and beyond.
If you want to learn more about Snyder’s business, check out darkskyart.com where he has pictures of all the pieces he brings to his shows and details on his process.
