Starting to feel cooped up this winter? Ready to get back outside? What better way than to join an especially dedicated party of photographers on a celestial quest? This spring and summer, we’ll be leading eight extremely limited groups out of the city—out of this world, in fact—to experience and record the the night skies at their clearest, in locations most transcendental.
Should you join us in one of these majestic and remote settings, you might find yourself worrying (as dusk descends and reveals the hidden shape of the universe) that the moon has been shattered into billions of pieces, but you needn’t fear: each of these workshops has simply been planned around the timing of the new moon, to ensure that the only light you’ll see will be lightyears away.
Each excursion includes intensive, on-site education and guidance to make sure you end up with the celestial landscapes of which you’ve dreamed… and, perhaps, a whole new obsession. We’ll cover astrophotography from start to finish: preparation, the actual shoot, and post-processing techniques.
Our emphasis will be on wide-field astrophotography—wide-angle landscapes in the dark—except in the Deep Sky expedition, which will require a telephoto lens. We’ll also take some time to clue you in on the secret weapon that is the PhotoPills app. If you do not already have the professional-level gear which will be required to get the results you’re hoping for, there’s still plenty of time to purchase what you need or arrange for rental.
Transportation and lodging are not included, but we’ve blocked out discounted hotel rates in the area for each workshop.
Click the links, below, to read the complete low-down on each class and to register for the very limited spots! There are no more than six spots available for each adventure, so don’t delay or you might miss out.
Deep Sky in Mesa Verde
Participant limit: 4
May 7–10 • Click here to register
May 10–13 • Click here to register
When people think about photographing deep-space landmarks like the Orion nebula or the Pinwheel galaxy, they tend to think of gigantic observatories. Good news: it’s easier and less-expensive than you might think to capture these wonders yourself. All you’ll need—aside from your camera and a nice, long lens—is a tracker, tripod, intervalometer, and enough practice to use your camera by feel in the dark, dark night.
Arches National Park
Participant limit: 6
June 6–10 • Click here to register
June 10–14 • Click here to register
We’ll be visiting some of the most iconic locations in Arches as well as a few lesser-known sites. Scheduled for the part of the month with the least moonlight possible, the stars in this IDA-recognized Dark Sky Park are sure to knock your socks off.
Yellowstone
Participant limit: 6
July 5–8 • Click here to register
September 1–4 • Click here to register
Sure, the Milky Way looks cool on its own, but imagine what a rocking image you’ll get when you pair it with one of the 10,000+ geothermal features of this iconic park in the heart of America. Whether you’re going for eerie or ethereal, spooky or spiritual, this is an opportunity to create some really unique art.
Grand Teton National Park
Unfortunately, this excursion has been canceled.
Participant limit: 6
August 4–7 • Click here to register
August 8–11 • Click here to register
Join us in Jackson, WY, where we’ll take advantage of the crisp, thin mountain air to capture worlds beyond our own. In addition to shooting the Milky Way, we’ll cover star trails, image stacking, exposure blending, and more. The jagged peaks of the Tetons are timeless icons of the West… won’t you take them on an intergalactic ride?