Workshop FAQ’s

How many participants are allowed to attend?

Typically a total of 6 students may participate in each workshop. Limited class sizes allows me to give you my full attention and provide you with the best teaching environment possible.

Typical workshop schedule:

• Meet at first location around 6:00pm sharp for tutorial about understanding the night sky, planning your shoot, camera settings, etc.
• Sunset shoot
• Travel to first night sky shooting location
• More instruction on camera settings, composition, and focusing at night
• Shoot at 2 additional locations throughout the night, spending roughly 2-3 hours at each location, capturing various compositions, receiving additional instruction on camera settings, creating star trails and time-lapse videos.
• Sunrise shoot
• Rest break for 4-5 hours
• Overview of technique and advanced post processing (4-5 hours)

What will I learn during a landscape astrophotography workshop?

• A comprehensive understanding of the night sky (Earth’s orbit, location of the Milky Way, meteor showers, moon cycles, etc.)
• Learn how to plan for your shoot
• Understand the differences between shutter speed/aperture/ISO/white balance, and more
• How to focus your lens at night
• How to capture the Milky Way, create star trails, and create your own time-lapse video
• Learning about light painting and long exposures
• Understand noise reduction (how and when to use it)
• Personal tips and special techniques
• Advanced post processing methods in Lightroom/Photoshop/Quicktime/AfterEffects

What do I need to bring for the workshop?

• A DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera with at least 2 extra batteries (depending on your camera body) and a minimum 16gb memory card. We will be shooting in RAW format all night so you will need a large memory card and additional batteries.
• A wide angle lens, at least 24mm or wider, and f/3.5 or faster. Note: You can rent lenses and camera bodies at www.borrowlenses.com for the workshop if needed.
• Intervalometer (Click HERE for an example)
• A sturdy tripod
• Headlamp (Must include a red light. Click HERE for an example.) and flashlight
• Warm clothes (it can get very cold)
• Mosquito repellent and/or headnet (mosquitoes will be very active this time of year, but usually disappear after sunset)
• Extra food and/or necessities you may require
• You will not need your computer during the shooting portion, but I recommend all participants bring a laptop to the post processing tutorial with a copy of Lightroom/Photoshop installed. You can install a 30 day trial from Adobe. Click HERE for more details.

What kind of physical shape do I need to be in for your workshop?

My workshops are designed with minimal hiking in most situations. Please check the description of each workshop’s ‘Fitness Level’ for more info. All participants are expected to hike with all of their necessary camera gear, food, water, personal items, etc…

Weather:

Ultimately, weather is an uncontrollable factor with night sky photography. Regardless of the conditions (for example, a freak blizzard in the middle of summer) we will stay out and shoot. I request all participants attending my workshops to arrive one day before our scheduled meeting (if possible). If weather becomes an issue, we may need to be flexible and shoot the night before. Clouds play a significant role while capturing the night sky. Even during completely overcast conditions, I promise you will come away with beautiful images, knowledge, and capabilities of capturing the night sky.

Am I allowed to bring a spouse or friend who will not be taking pictures?

Sure you can! However, due to additional permit fees, materials, logistics, etc… a 50% additional fee will be charged per person.

Refund Policy:

Unfortunately, I am unable to give refunds due to unforeseen weather events during our workshop. However, I will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate your schedule and needs. For more info regarding refunds and/or rescheduling, click HERE.

If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Fill in the contact form below and I will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.