2023 Death Valley Geminids Photo and Time-lapse Workshop
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December 13 – 17, 2023
Co-Taught with Babak Tafreshi (National Geographic / Director of The World At Night (twanight.org))
Four Day / Four Night Workshop, $1995.00
16 Students Maximum (8 students per instructor)
December 13 – 17, 2023 (6:00 pm Wednesday night – 5:00 pm Sunday)
Meet and Greet in the lobby of The Ranch at Death Valley (adjacent to the Death Valley Visitor Center in Furnace Creek, see map below), from 6 – 7 pm, Wednesday, December 13, followed by your first night of photography. We will be up all night since tonight is the peak of the Geminids meteor shower.
OPTION ($395.00): Pre-Workshop, One-Day Night Photography Bootcamp, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Wednesday, December 13. Learn the basics – how to focus at night, best camera settings, basic introduction to Lightroom and Photoshop (if needed) and other critical night photography fundamentals. Meet at 9 am Wednesday morning, December 13 in The Ranch at Death Valley (adjacent to the Death Valley Visitor Center in Furnace Creek - see map above).
Workshop Highlights
Much more than a photo tour, this unique field and classroom workshop experience is offered in collaboration with the renowned nightscape pioneer Babak Tafreshi, Director and Founder of “The World At Night (TWAN) and National Geographic Photographer.
Based in the incomparable Death Valley National Park, California, you will have the chance to create unique images of the 2023 Geminid meteor shower under incredible dark, moonless skies. The Gemini meteors shower is considered to be the best meteor shower of the year, and is known for its ability to produce many bright, streaking meteors.
Operating under a special Commercial Usage Authorization permit from the United States National Park Service, you will be shooting from before sunset until late at night each night to capture the widest possible range of nightscape subjects.
Shooting locations include the Mesquite Flat sand dunes, Zabriskie Point, the Badwater Salt Flats (lowest point in the continental United States at 282′ below sea level), Harmony Borax Works and many, many more.
Indoor seminar sessions during the day will cover it all – from the best phases of the moon, little-known night sky objects, how to create stunning star trail images and immense, gigapixel panoramas, state-of-the-art light-painting; when, where and how to shoot the Milky Way, how to create spectacular, “Holy Grail” time-lapse videos featuring the transitions of sunrise and sunset, and more.
Explore the frontiers of astronomy through guided tours of the starry skies. Discover dozens of hidden deep space objects that you can photograph yourself while you experience the immensity of the universe with your own eyes. Learn nightscape composition techniques for perfect combinations of the gorgeous scenery of Death Valley juxtaposed with eye-popping night sky scenes.
You will become expert in applying the latest apps and tools for precision planning your nightscape image sessions. You will also learn specialized techniques for post-processing your images and image sequences for remarkable, trophy images and time-lapses.
NOTE: Owing to the tight schedule, there is not enough time for basic instruction in Lightroom or Photoshop during the workshop, or how to set up your camera for night photography, operate your camera in manual exposure mode and manually focus it. You will get the most out of this workshop if you come prepared with these skills; or enroll in the pre-workshop Bootcamp to brush up!
Workshop Venue and Accommodations
Workshop will be conducted 6:00 pm Wednesday, December 13 through 5:00 pm Sunday, December 17, 2023.
This workshop is based at the Oasis at Death Valley, which comprises two separate properties (see maps below):
(1) The Ranch, where we will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 13 for our Meet & Greet, and where a block of hotel rooms have been set aside for you to reserve
(2) The Inn, where we will meet during the day in the Oasis Room for our classroom sessions, Thursday, Dec. 14 - Sunday, Dec. 17.
We will first meet in the lobby of The Ranch at Death Valley from 6 – 7 pm, Wednesday, December 13, followed by your first night of photography.
A block of rooms will also be set aside for you to reserve at The Ranch at Death Valley (same location as the Meet & Greet on Friday, Dec. 11). You will receive more details in your Welcome Packet when you register.
Meet & Greet Location (6:00 pm, Wednesday, Dec. 13) & Hotel Accommodations
The Ranch at Death Valley
Daytime Meetings
The Inn at Death Valley
Oasis Meeting Room
Thursday, Dec. 14 - Sunday, Dec. 17
Pricing
$1,995/Person
Workshop Includes:
Four nights of professional night photography and astrophotography guiding and instruction. Learn how to photograph the Geminid meteor shower. Explore deep-sky astrophotography of objects including nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters. You will also have the opportunity to capture wide-angle nightscapes of the winter Milky Way, Geminids meteor shower, winter constellations and night sky panoramas.
Four days of private, small-group classroom sessions on astrophotography, astronomy, time-lapses and image editing
Options to experiment with astrophotography specialty accessories - filters, focusing aides, trackers, panorama heads, and more
Welcome Packet with a complete gear list and other useful information
Workshop Does Not Include:
Hotel accommodations. You can select a room at the venue hotel from a block reserved for our workshop. There are also many other options nearby. Please contact us if you need assistance
Transportation to/from your home to the workshop meeting locations
Meals, beverages & snacks
Workshop Registration, Payment, and Next Steps
To Register for This Workshop:
Click the “BOOK NOW” button below to register and pay for the workshop. You will be asked to provide your name and contact details, along with the option of either a Full Payment or a 50% Deposit Payment. You will also be asked to electronically sign the standard release waiver and Covid-19 vaccine confirmation during checkout. You can review the waiver and Covid-19 vaccine confirmation HERE.
Within 24 hours, you will receive a confirmation email stating that your registration information & payment has been received, and that your spot in the workshop is secure - welcome aboard!
Next Steps:
You will receive your Welcome Packet once your Full Payment is received. The Welcome Packet has the complete workshop itinerary, venue, gear & software lists, maps, and other important details. Please review it carefully and contact us right away with any questions.
Balance Payment - Your Balance Payment is due no later than 90 days before the workshop begins if you made a Deposit Payment during your initial registration. If you initially made a Full Payment then you’re all set!
Hotel room - You should make your room reservation at the venue hotel as soon as possible. You can stay anywhere else in Death Valley you choose, of course, although options are limited.
Airfare / rental vehicle - You will want to make these reservations at your convenience.
Practice - Now is a great time to start practicing with your camera, especially in the dark. See “Know Your Camera” in the “How to Prepare” section below.
Finally - please contact me right away with any questions. I am here to help!
