Arches Astrophotography Workshop - April 2020

A Red Rock Wonderland Under Moonless Skies - April 2020

Arches National Park is the latest Utah park to be certified as somewhere you can see a truly dark night sky. According to IDA, an International Dark Sky Park is a land possessing an exceptional and renowned quality of starry nights that provide abundant opportunities for photographing the night sky.

Join us in April 2020 from sunset to sunrise under moonless skies in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks to capture some of the most stunning geologic formations that make this a monumental backdrop for epic night sky photography.

This astrophotography workshop includes four nights of in-depth instruction and guidance that will teach you how to find your way around in the dark to find the best composition, what exposures to use for night photography, and how to focus in the dark.

We will teach you how to capture the Majestic Milky Way, how to shoot star trails, image stacking, exposure blending, and an introduction demonstration into deep space astrophotography using a tracker.

We’ll photograph a few of the more popular landmarks but we’ll also go to lesser known locations.

Some of the more popular locations include:

Broken Arch

Delicate Arch

Balance Rock

Double Arch

Turret Arch

North Window

Wilson's Arch

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park

Arches National Park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, in addition to hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins and giant balanced rocks.

This red rock wonderland is the perfect place to meet and make new life long friends under the brilliant canopy of some of the darkest skies in the Southwest.

Each night our shooting will begin at sunset and conclude at sunrise to be able to maximize our time in the park.

We will also spend an afternoon on post-processing techniques that can help you create striking images using Lightroom and Photoshop.

Join us for this four night astrophotography workshop during new moon when skies are at their darkest!

There is no place like the Arches for photographing the night sky!

Required Equipment and Accessories :

-DSLR or mirrorless camera with ISO range to at least 6,400 and shutter speeds to at least 30 secs

-Wide angle lens with a aperture of f/4 or larger and a full frame equivalent of 14 - 35 mm

-A sturdy tripod

-Intervalometer, wireless remote or shutter release cord

-Extra batteries

-Headlamp with a red filter

-Small flashlight

NOTE: If you need to purchase or rent any of the required equipment - please, feel free to contact Craig at Mike's Camera in Colorado Springs.

Recommended Items:

-Warm clothes (as the night gets later it does get colder)

-Gloves and hat

-Hiking Boots

-Snacks and beverages

-Camping chair or any portable seat. We do a lot of standing.

What You’ll Need For Processing Class:

Digital processing is a crucial step in astrophotography for creating striking images.

-Laptop computer

-Notebook paper and pen for keeping notes.

-You will be given a 4 page "cheat sheet" on the things we covered for you to take home.

-Make sure you have the latest version of Lightroom Classic CC and Photoshop CC loaded. If you don’t already own Lightroom Classic CC and Photoshop CC - you can download a free 7 day trial here.

Lightroom and Photoshop are available by subscription for $9.99 per month.

More Details:

Participants: Limit 8

Experience Level: Beginner - Advanced Beginners and experienced photographers will benefit from this workshop.

Endurance Level: Moderate - All age levels are welcomed. Light hiking is involved, but nothing too strenuous. We’ll drive to each location then hike to the best position.

Workshop Dates: April 22, 2020 to April 25, 2020

Departure Date: April 26, 2020

Lodging: Our home base for this workshop is LaQuinta located in Moab, Utah where we have reserved a block of rooms at a reduced rate. To reserve a room for this workshop click on this link. You are free to stay anywhere in the area.

What is Included? The cost of the workshop DOES includes: Photo instruction by Craig Wennersten at multiple locations, deep space observation session and photo editing using Lightroom / Photoshop classroom instruction.

This workshop DOES NOT include: Transportation to / from Moab and during the workshop (we will carpool as much as possible), flights or car rentals, lodging or meals.

Price: $ 1,399.00

Hope To See You There! ~ Keep Looking Up!

Please feel free to contact Craig if you have any questions or need any help with your gear or equipment requirements.

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