Panoramas capture the full arch of the Milky Way in the Spring sky.
Night Sky Panoramas 4-Night Workshop
with instructor Aaron Priest (aaronpriestphoto.com)
May 2018 12th-16th
$1800 | 6 participant max.
Only 2 Spots remaining
Capture the full spectacle of the heavens by learning how to shoot panoramas of the night sky. Learn everything from the basics to the complex of night sky panorama photography in this post-processing intense 4-day workshop. If you have never tried a pano, have tried but had problematic results, or want to learn how to perfect the technique this is the workshop for you. Please bring whatever pano gear you have and if you want to try out panos for the first time we have two Really Right Stuff multi-row panning heads and a Nodal Ninja NN6 to experiment with. Post processing will be a major focus of this workshop and you will need to bring a laptop with Photoshop or Lightroom, and PTGui. We recommend Creative Cloud to have the latest versions of Photoshop and Lightroom Classic for improved panorama features.
This comprehensive workshop will feature more than 12 hours of shooting (weather dependent) and over 12 hours of post-processing.
Workshop Schedule (weather dependant):
May 12th: Plan to arrive by 1pm and be ready for an intro class session 2pm – 6pm. We’ll head out shooting at 10:30pm-2:45am
May 13th: Get a good sleep and be ready to dive into post-processing from 2pm-6pm. Once again shooting from 10:30pm-2:45am
May 14th: Post-processing 2pm-6pm, shooting 10:30pm-2:45am
May 15th: Post-processing 2pm-6pm, shooting 10:30pm-2:45am
May 16th: Wrap-up of post-processing by 1pm
This workshop covers:
- Camera settings for panorama
- Setting for capturing the night sky
- No-parallax-point identification
- Use of panning heads
- Single row panos
- Multi-row panos
- Image post-processing for the night sky
- Image processing for panoramas
- Stitching and blending
- Projections and distortion
At a minimum you will need a camera*, lens*, a sturdy tripod is a must, as is remote switch (wired or wireless). An intervalometer or Promote Control are a step up. Bring your own laptop with Photoshop CS 6 or newer. If you have other equipment such as a panning clamp and rail (which is necessary to eliminate parallax) you will have more options for composition and better blending. If multi-row or spherical panos are your endgame then you’ll want to have a multi-row panning head such as the ones from Really Right Stuff or Nodal Ninja. We have two Really Right Stuff panning heads available for use during the workshop.
*Equipment is paramount for advanced shooting techniques and you will want to have (or rent) good gear. You should have a camera that performs well at ISO 3200 or higher, a full frame sensor is essential (see list below). The other basic gear you’ll need is a fast and wide lens. f/2.8 or larger aperture is preferred, and 14-16mm range is ideal for long exposures without stars trailing. For multi-row panos at higher resolution we recommend 24mm and 35mm f/1.4 primes.
Cameras:
Nikon: D600, D610, D750, D800, D810, D810A, D850, Df, D3s, D4, D4s, or D5. If renting, the D750 is a particularly good value.
Canon: 5D Mark III, 5D Mark IV, 5DS, 5DS R, 6D, 6D Mark II, 1D X, or 1D X Mark II. If renting, the 6D & 6D Mark II are a good value.
Sony: a99 II, a7 II, a7S, a7S II, a7R, a7R II, a7R III, or a9
Pentax: K-1 (the Astrotracer feature is quite impressive, requires GPS accessory)
These are some of the best and most popular cameras. Many other cameras also perform well, please inquire if you are unsure.
Lenses:
Nikon: 14-24mm f/2.8
Tamron: 15-30mm f/2.8
Canon: 16-35mm f/2.8
Canon: 11-24mm f/4
Sigma: 14mm f/1.8, 20mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4,
Rokinon: 14mm f/2.8, 20mm, 24mm
This is by no means an exhaustive list! There are many specialized cameras and lenses not included here. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Panoramas get big fast, especially with camera sensors being 24 megapixel or larger. You’ll need plenty of available storage, both in camera and on your computer, bring a external drive to backup your images on.
While out in the field it’s best to take notes about the sequence you shoot, either on paper or on your phone, to refresh your memory when stitching later.
Smartphones (Android or iOS) have a number of apps that are useful for planning in the field (tides, moonrise/set, sunrise/set, Milky Way movement, weather, panorama calculations, etc.), and we will cover some of this as well.
It is likely to be cold in May. Bring plenty of layers and warm boots, gloves, hat, etc. We usually have extra handwarmers and rubber bands to put on lenses to prevent dew/frost, but feel free to bring your own as well! Bring extra batteries (camera and remote) to keep warm in your pocket and swap out every now and then.
Read this great piece written by Aaron Priest on Night Sky Photography for more information on shooting the night sky.
Night Sky Panorama 4-day Workshop May 12 -16, 2018 | $1800