New Jersey Milky Way Workshop -

I'm excited to head back out to one of my favorite places to photograph the night sky! My last workshop in NJ sold out in less than 24 hours and resulted in a waitlist. If you reach this page and it's already sold out, please let me know and I can add you to the waitlist for the next workshop.

Workshop space will be very limited to ensure everyone has 1 on 1 instruction time.

We will be taking photos of the Milky Way and ending our night shooting Moonrise!

The workshop will consist of: 

September 29th - Classroom Session - 7-9pm

October 1st - In Field Workshop -  Start 6:30/7pm (Rain/Cloud Date - Oct 2nd) We will be out shooting as a group until at least 12AM.

October 4th - Post Processing - 7-9pm 

Details

1 Classroom Session: (Online) 1.5-2 Hours:  

Prior to heading in to the field, we will go over all of the skills we will be applying in the while shooting.

Topics will cover

• Gear - Everything you need before heading in to the field
• Planning & Scouting - Before we take a great image, we need to know when and where to take it. 
• Camera Settings & Techniques - Learn how to best take advantage of your equipment and dial in your approach.
• Composition Tips - What makes a great astro photo?
• Dealing with Light Pollution - The best ways to approach difficult locations
• Shooting Styles - From single exposures to image stacking there are an endless variety of approaches when heading out under the stars. We will cover some of the most effectives methods for capturing a great photo.
• Open Q & A  + Discussion 

1 Field Session:  Taking all of the knowledge learned in the classroom session and applying it in the field. 

• We will meet on location with time to scout and plan compositions. 
• I'll share my personal approach to how I would plan an entire night to maximize my time shooting and ensure that I leave with images I'm excited about. 
• The night will begin chasing as many Milky Way compositions and shooting techniques as possible and with time to shoot star trails.
• We will end the night by shoot the Moonrise just after Midnight. We'll have some time to continue shooting a few compositions as the Moon rises, but before it is too high in the sky.

Post Processing: (Online) 2 Hours -

For those interested, there will be an optional post processing session covering a start to finish workflow. Having a basic understanding of Lightroom and Photoshop will be important for this portion of the workshop. If you're new to these programs and would like to schedule a private session, please contact me separately. 

• Image import and organization
• Deciding which images to process and which to discard
• Single Image Edit
• Stacking Images for Noise Reduction
• Star Tracking + Static Foreground Edit
• Star Trails - Stacking and Final Touches
• Using Presets to get started + dialing in your style
• Export for Web

Programs used will be consist of Lightroom, Photoshop, Luminar AI, & free image stacking software. Links will be provided to stacking software. 

All Paid Post Processing participants will receive a free download of my Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom Presets.

Location: South Jersey - Our exact location will be determined and communicated in the week leading up to the workshop to help our  chances at clear skies! 

What You Need for the Field Session

• DSLR or Mirrorless with manual settings
• A fast aperture lens (ideally f2.8 or faster)
• Extra batteries (2 or more) and memory cards (64gb+)
• A sturdy tripod
• Wired Shutter Release / Intervalometer
• Red light equipped headlamp - The red light will be less harsh on our eyes and help keep night vision intact!

Participants will be required to provide their own transportation, gear, and food.  

While we will hope for completely clear skies, we can still shoot and great some great images with a mostly clear/partly clear/partly cloudy forecast. As the date of the workshop approaches we will make the call if there are any weather concerns! 

If you need any assistance with purchasing or renting gear for the workshop, I'm more than happy to assist!