Lesser roads lead to more remote and dark areas for our workshop in Central Utah. This 3-day workshop is specifically designed to get away from the more popular tourist areas. We head towards an area where the topography is characterized by mud flats with unusual pot marked sandstone and flat-topped hills devoid of any vegetation, giving it an alien-like quality. The appeal lies in these small-scale erosional features coupled with wider landscapes and scattered outcrops of photogenic eroded rocks, petrified wood, yellow mounds and shallow slot canyons. It’s all so urbane in its brutality; that’s what makes it so crushing set against the beauty of the night sky.

Next, we take you to a designated dark sky reserve containing thousands of mushroom-shaped pinnacles that have taken millions of years to form. The varied formations produce caves and small arches of cream-colored rock in stark contrast to the glowing drama of a dark sky.
Every bit as beautiful as the more famous Utah National Parks further south, each less-traveled location promises no urban light interruptions.

Workshop Gallery

Topics Covered

This 3 day workshop begins with a 4 hour ‘Introduction to Night Photography’ class at an indoor facility near Hanksville, UT. In addition, we will shoot two nights at numerous locations throughout the area, and end with a 4-hour post processing in-class session. During this workshop, we will concentrate on capturing the Milky Way, create star trails, panoramas, and much more. You will receive a copy of our 50 page workshop booklet with step-by-step instructions about all phases of post processing for personal reference. During all field work, we will follow “Leave No Trace” principles to minimize any impact on the fragile, desert environment. With over 65 topics you will:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the night sky (Earth’s orbit, location of the Milky Way, meteor showers, moon cycles, etc.)
• Appreciate the importance of planning for your shoot
• Understand the differences between shutter speed/aperture/ISO/white balance, and more
• Learn how to focus your lens at night
• Begin to master the art of capturing the Milky Way, create star trails, panoramas, composites, and more
• Learn about light painting
• Understand noise reduction (how and when to use it)
• Receive personal tips and special techniques
• Learn how to blend multiple exposures together in post processing using Adobe Photoshop
• Gain new skills with advanced post processing methods in Bridge & Photoshop

What equipment do I need to bring?

We encourage you to visit our ‘Workshop FAQ’s Page’ for required equipment during your workshop, itinerary examples, and much more.

Register

*Must be 18 or older to participate. Prices do not include meals, accommodations, gear, transportation, or incidentals. A 50%, non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your space for the workshop. The remaining balance is due 60 days prior to the scheduled workshop start date. Please pay the balance in full by February 9, 2019, or your space may be forfeited. Please read our terms & conditions for more info.

Accommodations & Transportation

Accommodations and transportation are not included in the workshop fee. We understand each person has different needs and may want to stay in a hotel or campsite. For those who prefer to stay in a hotel, we recommend arranging your accommodations in the city of Hanksville, UT. The group will meet for introductions and at that time, arrange to carpool, exchange information, etc. We generally try to arrange our classroom instruction in hotel meeting rooms similar to a Best Western or Holiday Inn Express, when available. You will receive a detailed itinerary well before the workshop date to assist you as you make your travel arrangements.

Questions

If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by sending an email to info[at]goldpaintphotography.com.