Introduction to Night Sky Photography with Mike Oitzman
In this new Viewpoint workshop students will be introduced to the exciting art of night sky photography. The workshop will begin on location at a local dark sky site. Students will then learn how to set up their gear and properly expose night sky images. Any camera will work, although a wide angle lens is preferred. The only additional required gear is a tripod.
Night sky photography is a technical genre of photography, but once you learn a few secrets to success, you’ll be able to produce stunning night sky images of your own. There are three elements to master: (1) planning; (2) photographing in the field; (3) post production.
Workshop Overview:
- The first hour of the workshop will be an onsite lecture and demonstration. We’ll discuss how to plan a successful night photography adventure, including demonstrations of popular smartphone apps. Students will learn how to use the exposure triangle for proper exposure and how to focus at night for sharp stars.
- The instructor will demonstrate how to set up a sky tracker to capture longer exposures, and discuss the advantages of advanced image stacking techniques for assembling a high quality night sky image. The instructor will also demonstrate how to use a drone for light painting a subject, the foreground, or producing drone light effects.
- We’ll discuss how to scout a site, select a composition, and combine the concept of composite image assembly in post production to properly expose both the foreground and the night sky. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to plan an adventure and come home with the content necessary to assemble your composition.
Location: Millers Hill School, Shingle Springs CA 7900 South Shingle Rd
This site offers an unobstructed view of the southern sky, away from the light pollution of Sacramento. The site is less than an hour’s drive east of downtown Sacramento.
What to bring: DSLR or mirrorless camera, wide angle lens, tripod, remote shutter cable (optional), headlamp/flashlight, extra camera batteries, camping chair, snacks/water.
