BIG BEND ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP 2021
November 4th - November 8th
Looking to blast your photography to outer space?
Experience this one of a kind workshop with astrophotographers Kenny and Ian!
What makes this workshop one of a kind?
We provide Star Trackers and Telescopes so you can get detailed images of deep space, galaxies, and the night sky.
Join Kenny and Ian in Alpine, Texas (near Big Bend) where you will capture the beauty of the night from the one of the darkest skies in the world.
TRIP DATES
November 4th - November 8th
TRIP LOCATION
Alpine, Texas
(single occupancy accommodations included)
GROUP SIZE
Limited to a small group of 10 people
Small group sizes allow us to 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
Whether you are a complete beginner a seasoned veteran, we've got you covered. Let's jump start an ever-learning love and appreciation for the art of deep sky astrophotography together. You'll learn how to look at landscapes in a different way while mastering the art of composition. 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 detail & color in the Milky Way
- Deep Space settings - dialing them in 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
- 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 Classic & 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: $2,595 / person
(Lodging Included)
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
- Lodging - Accommodations ensure each person has their own room
- 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, and additional equipment
- Meals and snacks
- Travel Insurance
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
- DSLR or Mirrorless Camera capable of shooting (at minimum) ISO1000 with little noise.
- Dependable tripod
- Wide angle lens of at least 24mm (preferably with an aperture of f2.8 or faster)
- Laptop with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Classic installed
- Intervalometer (for long exposures, if you camera is unable to do more than 30 seconds)
- Spare batteries and SD cards for your camera
A full equipment list will be sent out prior to the workshop to ensure you have everything you need.
THE LOCATION
Our weekend takes us to the isolated areas just outside of Big Bend, Texas, which has some of the darkest skies in the United States. Lodging accommodations in Alpine, Texas are included, and each student will have their own room in Big Bend.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Our workshop begins at 3:00pm with a meet and greet at the hotel in Alpine. After we go over the agenda and get to know one another, we will grab our gear and head out to explore the magnificent desert terrain near Big Bend National Park. Exploring the magical and enchanting views and photographing the sunset, blue hour and break out the telescopes and trackers to photograph our first target(s).
*We will be chasing conditions and constantly monitoring the weather. The itinerary may change based on what conditions are during the workshop.
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!
COST: $2,595 / person
(Lodging Included)
Got a question?
We're happy to help! Contact us here.
About the Photographers
Learn more about Kenny & Ian HERE
Testimonials
"This was such a great experience - I've never learned this much at a photography workshop in the past!" - Sarah C.
"The environment Ian and Kenny created was so welcoming, fun and hilarious! You guys did an incredible job matching everyone's learning styles and pace. I learned so much that I felt like a literal human sponge. Your excitement about the shots we got and the end results after edits was contagious. Very literally one of the top best experiences of my life." - Nannie C.
"Thank you for organizing the workshop, it was more than just a high quality training, it was also a place to meet wonderful people." - Cory C.
Thank you to our sponsors OPT Telescopes and Sky-Watcher USA:
Please read our Cancellation and Refund Policy here.