ALABAMA HILLS ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP 2021

SEPTEMBER 10th - 13th

Looking to blast your photography to outer space? This is a first of its kind workshop and we're so excited to roll out this super team of astrophotographers Kenny and Ian!

Ever wonder how people photograph such detailed images of the night sky? Are you passionate and curious about what’s up there in outer space? Well, we are going to show you deep space nebulas and galaxies close-up. Kenneth & Ian are excited to guide you into a world of infinite compositions and fresh new perspectives on your photography journey. Join us in the Eastern Sierras, where these mystical mountains provide the perfect backdrop for the brilliant night skies waiting to be captured by YOU!

What sets this workshop apart from others is the focus on Milky Way photography, shooting deep space with long focal length lenses, and the included star trackers and telescopes! This opens up the night sky, turning it into a playground that offers you endless creativity.

This workshop is a photography workshop and so much more. You’ll learn how to navigate the stars and photograph galaxies and nebulae, photograph the Milky Way and combine with your blue hour images seamlessly. We are all about building a tribe that supports one another and connecting with like-minded creatives and the vast universe above. Join us and experience the magic of the Eastern Sierras for an unforgettable photography workshop this Fall!

TRIP DATES

September 10th - September 13th

TRIP LOCATION

Lone Pine, California

(includes luxury single occupancy accommodations via Airbnb)

GROUP SIZE

Limited to a small group of 10 people

We decided to keep the group small and intimate, thus allowing us to focus and give you much more access to the instructors and 1-on-1 attention. Both instructors will always be with the group providing thoughts and real time critique as the light changes from sunset to the enchanting night skies.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

We are here to fine tune your creative eye, jump start an ever learning love and appreciation for the art of deep sky astrophotography, and teach you how to look at landscapes in a completely different way and master the art of composition. Whether it’s during golden hour or during the darkest part of night. Teaching YOU is our passion!

PLANNING YOUR SHOOTS

Planning your shots are essential for taking incredible photos. We'll show you how to set yourself up for success. You'll learn:

How to plan navigate the stars for deep space photography
How to align your star tracker and use a telescope
How to utilize your camera with a telescope for capturing the cosmos
Composing an image to grab the viewer's attention
Composing an image with a person in frame to show scale & tell a story
Choosing the right lens and filters for the job
How to shoot and plan for editing

CAPTURING YOUR IMAGES

Knowing what to do while in the field will help ensure your images are primed for editing. In this workshop, you'll learn:

How to use a star tracker to get insane detail & color in the Milky Way
Deep Space settings - dialing in your settings for shooting galaxies and nebulae
Calibration Frames - the secret to clean deep space images
Stacking for Noise Reduction - how to shoot the proper frames to stack
Histogram - how to read for perfectly exposed images
Bracketing, Perspective Blending and Focus Stacking
Focusing at night to capture sharp stars and foreground
Long Exposure - how to capture blue hour & Milky Way images

BRINGING THE IMAGE TO LIFE

See how your images come to life with our in-depth classroom sessions. You'll learn:

Lightroom & Photoshop - learn our post-processing workflow
PixInsight Introduction - learn the software professional astrophotographers use
Luminosity Masks, Layers, Dodging and Burning
Blue-hour Blends
Align and Combine - how to stack multiple star shots into a single image
Creating Orton glows and painting with light
Stretching your images - how to bring your deep space images out of the dark
How to quickly convert time-lapse still into a short video

COST: $1,995 / person

(Luxury Accommodations via Airbnb are included)

SAMPLE ITINERARY

Please note this itinerary is subject to change, this is here to give you an idea of what to expect

Friday

Our workshop begins at 3:00pm with a meet and greet. After we go over the agenda and get to know one another, we will grab our gear and head out to explore the magnificent rock formations of Alabama Hills. Exploring the magical and enchanting views and photographing the sunset, blue hour and break out the telescopes and trackers.

Saturday

Classroom session begins directly after an early lunch. We’ll be teaching you how to stack stars and edit your Milky Way shots with your blue hour image. After class it’s adventure time! We’ll head out to explore more iconic arches in Alabama Hills for some sunset, blue hour and deep space fun.

Sunday

Again, classroom session begins directly after an early lunch. We’ll be teaching you how to stack deep space objects such as nebulas and galaxies, as well as our editing workflow to bring out as much detail and color as possible. After class it’s adventure time up in Alabama Hills for sunset, blue hour and a final night filled with telescopes, trackers and fun!

Monday

Wrapping up our amazing few days with a morning classroom session to go over any final questions with our students. This is a great time to finalize any edits before leaving to head home.

*We will be chasing conditions and constantly monitoring the weather. The itinerary may change based on what conditions are during the workshop.

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

Lodging - Luxury accommodations via Airbnb ensure each person has have their own room near our shooting locations
Star Trackers provided by Sky-Watcher USA
Telescopes and camera adapters for camera attachment courtesy of OPT Telescopes
All photo instruction

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED?

Transportation
Your camera & lenses
Meals and snacks
Travel Insurance

We will send you a full list of equipment to bring in the time leading up to the workshop.

THE LOCATION

Our weekend takes us to the Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, California. Lodging accommodations are included as we have booked various Airbnb's around our shooting location, and each person will have their own luxury accommodations, which includes their own room, near or in Lone Pine, California.

Our goal is to leave you feeling confident, motivated and passionate about your photography with a new set of ideas and perspective! We will teach simple and actionable techniques, and the process of how to approach and execute unique photos in any environment or conditions.

Space is limited and is on a first come, first serve basis. Sign up before this event fills up!