Astrophotography 101: Capturing the Night Sky
Learn how to photograph the stars—and why protecting dark skies matters.
Ever wonder how photographers capture stunning images of the Milky Way, star trails, or deep space from Earth? In this beginner-friendly session, you’ll learn the essentials of astrophotography, including what gear you need, how to plan your shots, and the camera settings that make stars shine.
But great astrophotography doesn’t just rely on good equipment—it depends on dark, unpolluted skies. This talk will show how light pollution affects night photography and why preserving our night skies is essential not just for stargazers, but for artists, scientists, and nature itself. Whether you’re using a DSLR, mirrorless camera (or even a smartphone), you’ll leave inspired and ready to start capturing the cosmos—right from your own backyard or favorite dark sky site.
Experience Level: Beginners
Required Equipment:
- DSLR or Mirrorless camera
- Fast and wide lens. Focal length in the range of 14mm – 24mm, with a max aperture of f/2.8 or faster. (f/4.0 CAN be used, but the quality with be significantly reduced.)
- Stable tripod with ball head
- Headlamp with RED light option
- Batteries / memory card for camera
For anyone who doesn’t have any equipment or would simply just like to check things out, you are welcome to come out and observe in the field just to see if it’s something you’d like to eventually try out.
The workshop portion is limited to 10 people: reserve your spot below.
If for some reason, you cannot make it to the class, PLEASE LET US KNOW ASAP so that we may open up your spot to the wait list.