On a clear day, Mount Shasta can be seen from over 100 miles (160 km) away. Free from big city lights, this popular destination allows you to enjoy star-filled nights under a rich and complex wilderness backdrop. This snow-covered, sacred landmark towering over Shasta/Trinity National Forest land, is just 60 miles south of the Oregon border in wooded northern California, midway between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Her dormant volcano peak rises 14,179 feet (4322 m) high and is the second highest volcano within the Pacific Basin’s notorious “Ring of Fire.” Water from five glaciers provide moisture for lush meadows teaming with wildflowers, great pine and red fir forests, high alpine lakes, tumbling streams and dramatic waterfalls before finally flowing down the Sacramento Valley and into the San Francisco Bay.

This 5-day workshop is specifically designed around capturing early evening views of the Milky Way and utilizing moonlight to illuminate foreground elements. Structured around peak wildflower season (if Mother Nature cooperates), you will hike over terrains mainly on established trails to photograph unspoiled areas. Due to the remoteness of each location, there are limited facilities available.

Workshop Gallery

Topics Covered & Materials Included

This 5-day workshop begins with a 3 hour ‘Introduction to Night Photography’ class at a nearby indoor facility in Mount Shasta, CA. In addition, we will shoot three nights at numerous locations throughout the Mount Shasta Area with two 4-hour post processing in-class sessions. This workshop will concentrate on capturing the Milky Way, create star trails, panoramas, depth-of-field stacking, and much more. As part of your introduction, you will receive an updated 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 alpine environment. With over 65 topics you will:

• Receive an exclusive, updated copy of our 50+ page workshop booklet. This valuable guidebook contains step-by-step instructions about all phases of post processing, exposure guides for capturing the Milky Way, ‘Planning Your Shoot’, and much more.
• 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 May 13, 2020, 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 Mount Shasta, CA. 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.

This business operates under special use permit with the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English. To file a complaint alleging discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html , or at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provided in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected] This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Some images taken by Thomas Piekunka. See more of his work by visiting Piekunka Photographic Imagery