Night Sky Photography Workshops
Have you ever wished you could photograph the amazing Australian night sky?
With just your Digital SLR and a tripod, we'll teach you how to capture widefield scenes of the night sky and long-exposure star trail images.
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UPDATE: Workshop dates through mid-2013 have been set. There are only a few each year but they are popular so book in early to secure your place! Use the form at the bottom of this page to register.
Topics include:
- What's up in the night sky at different times of the year
- Optimum ISO, aperture and exposure settings for night sky photography
- How to focus in the dark
- Long exposure photography with manual and programmable timer releases
- Controlling your camera's noise reduction settings
- Photographing the moon and moonlit landscapes
- Keeping your lens free from dew on cold nights
- Timelapse video sequences of the night sky
- Image processing of night sky photos
Every participant receives a 129 page eBook covering all the above topics and more.
Through our workshops, run in partnership with Michaels Camera Store, you'll learn how to take the following types of night sky images:
Twilight Landscapes
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Night Sky Scenes
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Long Exposure Star Trails
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As well as the images above, we'll also show you how to make timelapse videos of the night sky like this:
Two different styles of workshop are available:
- Short course in the City: 5:30-8:30pm, Friday 26th July 2013
This course consists of an instructional session held at Michaels Camera Store in the city (Melbourne) with an optional practical session on a clear weeknight in the following week, at a site on the edge of Melbourne where we can capture images of the night sky away from the lights of the city. Cost $185. - A long weekend in central Victoria: 8pm Friday 28th June - 8am Monday 1st July 2013:
Starting Friday evening, we enjoy three nights and two days staying under very dark country skies beside Lake Eppalock in central Victoria. We will go through instructional sessions during the day and weather permitting take photos of the sky at night. There is time during the weekend to visit local wineries and other attractions. Max 8 attendees. Cost $475 plus $60 per night for self-catering accommodation (twin-share). Partners can usually be accommodated as well or discounts are available for couples attending the workshop together. The course includes the Sunday night, but it is possible to leave early that evening or Monday morning and be back in town for work if necessary.
Your Instructors
 Phil Hart |
 Neil Creek |
Phil Hart has been observing and photographing the night sky for almost twenty years. What started as a DIY hobby with film cameras on a student budget has developed into an all-consuming passion and admiration for what modern digital SLRs can do. As a natural educator, he enjoys sharing his passion for astronomy and photography, and can help you take amazing images of the night sky with your own DSLR.
Neil Creek is a professional photographer and writes for the Digital Photography School (DPS). Phil and Neil met through the Astronomical Society of Victoria in their early days in the hobby. Neil has recently written two photography eBooks for DPS and is available to provide extensive help to beginners during the weekend workshops.
Feedback
A wonderful course that has opened up a whole new world in terms of what can be achieved with the right settings and plenty of experimentation. I’m hooked!!
Kym, July 2011
I came to the course as an astronomy buff wanting to learn more about night sky photography, and I did. Your expertise and patience was exemplary. I didn't know just how much I didn't know about capturing the night sky with a DSLR. After a few hours at home doing some processing I have a series of pictures that I think are the best I have ever taken. The venue was great and ideally located. It was quite simply one of the nicest learning experiences I have ever had.
Geoffrey Wyatt, Education Officer, Sydney Observatory. February 2013
Read more feedback on the workshops here.
Registration & Further Information
Register for either of these courses below, or express your interest in future dates and we will be in touch. We also have a Night Sky Photography Facebook page with participant's images from earlier workshops or you can 'Like' the page to get further updates. We look forward to seeing you at one of our workshops in 2013!
Phil Hart & Neil Creek, May 2013