Capture Beautiful Star Trail Images
This is a one day and two evening workshop designed to teach you how to capture exciting star trail images using the method of image stacking. We will begin with a classroom session to learn the capture process, followed by a night photo session to capture star trails. On Saturday we will learn to process and combine the images in the classroom, we will finish up with a second night shoot on Saturday evening.
What are “star trails”?
As the Earth rotates on its axis the stars appear to move across the sky, this is something that we cannot see with the naked eye, but if look where a certain star or constellation is in the night sky, and the look again in a couple of hours we will see that they have moved. By using a camera to take a long exposure up to several hours we can capture the movement as streaks of light in the sky.
Single Exposure Star Trails
The original way, the only way with film to capture star trails is to lock the shutter open in bulb mode and leave it open for the duration of the capture time.
Image Stacking Star Trails
Using digital we have the ability to do image stacking to create star trails. Image stacking is the process of capturing multiple images of the same scene and combining them into a single image. This is accomplished by using computer software which looks at each image in the stack and takes only the brightest pixel from the stack of images for each position in the photo. As the stars move thru the image the brightest pixel moves and forms the star trails. This keeps the exposure from simply adding the brightness from all the images in the stack overexposing the photo.
On bright moonlit nights, long star trails can be achieved due to the exposure being based on only a short shutter duration, properly exposing for the foreground and sky. Shorter exposures have less noise. Distractions can be eliminated in affected images in post processing.
Techniques covered in the workshop include:
- Setting your camera for manual exposure
- Determining the correct exposure for capturing star trails
- Dealing with white balance
- Composition
- Planning your photo shoot
- Light Painting
- Dealing with Noise
- Locating the North Star and Why
- Software for image stacking
- How to capture great night lightning shots
Workshop Itinerary
Friday June 14th
We will meet a 6:00 pm at my personal studio/classroom and have a short class on setting your camera for star trail night photography.
We will then travel to our first location a nigh star trail photo shoot, until approximately 11:00 pm.
Saturday June 15th
We will meet at 10:00 am at my personal studio/classroom and spend the day with more in depth instruction into special techniques with a lunch break around noon. We will go through the complete processing of building a completed photo from the images captured the night before.
We will go to dinner and then travel to the location of our second night shoot, planning to arrive well before dark and do a second star trail project.
Cost
The workshop fee will $147.00 per participant.
The workshop fee includes all lectures, fieldwork and critiques of your images during our sessions. This is a photography workshop, not just a photo tour, my goal is provide as much personal hands on help as possible. I will check with each participant to see how you are doing and if you need help, if you wish for assistance let me know, if not just let me know, and you will be free to shoot on your own. I will be more than willing to look through your viewfinder or at your LCD to check your images.
Register for this Workshop
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Workshop Policies and Information
About the Workshop
Our workshops are based on digital photography, the assistance that I can provide and the immediate feedback of digital make “in the field” workshops one of the most effective teaching formats available. Whether finding the correct exposure, looking through the viewfinder for the perfect composition, or learning how to use the equipment, you can’t beat real world experience. Classes are kept small, it’s all about personal, individual attention.
Digital offers a number of benefits for learning photography including:
- Immediate feedback on exposure and composition
- Immediate critique from the instructor an other participants
- Ability or afternoon or evening reviews and projection
- Automatically capturing all shooting information (Meta Data)
- Ability to manage work flow while still on location
Group Size
We keep our group size small, this provides for a high degree of personal attention and a great amount of flexibility in making the workshop the best possible experience for the participants.
This workshop is limited to a maximum or 8 participants.
What is Included
Your workshop fees include full instruction and location guiding. Prior to the workshop, you will be supplied a trip checklist to assist with your preparations. Before the workshop, all participants receive a course syllabus, detailed itinerary, technical articles, and more.
What is Not Included
Transportation during the workshop, lodging, meals, incidental expenses and items of a personal nature.
Health and Physical Considerations
All participants should be in generally good health, walking and moderate climbing may be necessary in outdoor workshops and you will be responsible for carrying of your own equipment on location shoots. If you are taking any medications be sure to bring a supply sufficient for the duration of the workshop.
If you have any concern about your ability to participate in a workshop please contact us before registering.
Equipment Needed
You will need a laptop computer to use with Adobe Lightroom installed (free trail copy will work), remember to bring all software, drivers, cords, and camera manuals when attending any workshop and you should be technically proficient with your laptop computer and editing software.
- Tripod – A really good steady tripod is essential. It is also very important to properly set up your tripod making sure all adjustment are good and tight and will not creep during the very long exposure times needed for star trail photography.
- Digital Camera – Any digital camera that you can set manually and trigger with a locking remote will work.
- Wide angle lens – This is not a must, but is my own recommendation, you may actually prefer results with a different lens, or if you don’t have a wide-angle, don’t let that stop you from enjoying star trail photography.
- Cable Release – or other method of activating the shutter continuously without touching the camera. (I have heard of people using a rubber band and a sewing button on the camera shutter button to accomplish this.)
- Folding Lawn Chair – you are going to be out there for a long time you might as well be comfortable, most rocks get very hard after an hour.
- Flashlights – I recommend carrying at least two flashlights. I use a large normal flashlight to be able to “Light Paint” if I desire and a LED headlight that I use to find my way around and adjust my camera without having to hold onto a flashlight.
- Fully charged battery – most new cameras have very good battery life, but be sure it is fully charged. Shooting for over an hour continuously is a big drain on the battery. In cold conditions the battery may tend to simply quit working even without being drained. The use of pocket hand-warmers secured to the outside of the camera with an ace bandage will help keep them functioning.
Transportation During Workshop
We do not provide Transportation on field trips, carpooling will be done among participants for these workshops. If you do not have a car let us know and we will be sure there are enough seats with other members during the workshop.
Lodging
Lodging is not provided, you will need to make your own reservations.
Meals
Meals, drinks, and snacks are not provided, and are the responsibility of the participant. I some cases we may need to pack a lunch for the day and at other times we will stop when and where convenient for the group. Breakfast and dinner may be at a predetermined location or as available based upon where we are and our photography schedule.
Registration, Payment, and Refund Policy
You can register any way you like, just so I get your information, you can use the online registration, the contact form, email, postal mail, or call me on the phone (479-414-6889) either to register or just ask a question. Registration is done on a first come basis, so register early to secure your space. A deposit of 20% is required to reserve your space, and full payment is due 30 days prior to the workshop. Enrollment is limited in our workshops, so once you have been accepted your participation is important to us – we are counting on you to attend. If you must withdraw from a course, we must receive written notice of your cancellation, and then apply the following refund policy: Withdraw more than 45 days before the start of class and we will refund all monies paid. Withdraw 44 days or less before the start of workshop and we regrettably will be unable to offer a refund of your workshop fee. We do not make partial refunds for unused portions or services of a workshop for any reason whatsoever. Refunds are not transferable. If we are able to fill your space in the workshop we will give full credit towards another workshop.
Non Photographer (Spouse, significant other, or friend)
We welcome spouses to join you on the workshop experience however “workshop activities” are limited to registered, paid attendees. You may have a non photographer accompany you to all activities but they must pay for the workshop. If they wish to accompany you on the trip but not attend the workshop activities, but stay with you, finding other activities during the day, and meet for meals and social type events that is perfectly acceptable.
Cancellation Policy
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel a workshop we will refund all monies paid, in full. Notification of our cancellation will be made via either a telephone call or an e-mail to you at least 14 days prior to the beginning of a workshop. We cannot be responsible for phone messages and e-mails not being received in a timely matter due to your service providers. We cannot be responsible for non-refundable airline tickets unused or other travel arrangements because of a workshop cancellation.
Liability Waiver
All participants will be required to sigh a liability waiver before beginning a workshop. We will not be liable for injury, accident or theft resulting from participation in our workshop program.
Weather
The more the better, at least as far as the photography goes. Workshops will not be canceled and no refunds will be made due to weather, we will not be responsible for any additional costs that may be incurred by weather delays or cancellations due to weather, flight delays, or other. Participants should come to the workshop prepared for all weather conditions. We will generally update everyone within a few days of the workshop so that they know what type of weather to expect.
In order to photograph star trails the stars must be visible, if they are not, we will still go through the process of capturing the images and will photograph other night photo subjects. I will provide images to work on for the processing portion of the class.
Trip Extensions
We may be able to extend your trip in the area, if you would like more time and personal instruction. Please contact us for more information and rates before the workshop.
Smoking
We prefer that you do not smoke, however if you must please abide by the following guidelines. Smoking is not allowed in or near vehicles, during instructional sessions, during group meals, or at other times when in close quarters with other workshop participants.
Location
[ESPRESSO_VENUE id=”1″]Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.
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