Moab and Arches Night Photography Workshops
Join us for this unique opportunity to photograph the stunning night sky in Moab, Utah, including Arches National Park and Deadhorse Point State Park. David Kingham is the author of Nightscape: A Complete Guide to Photographing Under the Night Sky, and is one of the pioneers of night photography. We will show you how to photograph the night sky, plan out your shoots, and process your images for clean, natural results.
August 29 - September 1, 2021
Note: the extra night at Corona Arch is the night of September 7th!
Read more about the extra night option below.
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September 8-11, 2021
Read more about the extra night option below.
Sign up for our newsletter to get more detailed information on this workshop such as the itinerary, locations we will visit, and much more.
Group Size
8
Investment
$1,495
Initial Payment – $595
Fly to:
Canyonlands (via DIA), Grand Junction, or Salt Lake
Description
Moab is considered one of the premier locations for night photography, and for good reason. The stunning rock formations and landscapes lend themselves perfectly to the dramatic dark skies in this area.
We will spend three nights under the stars in Arches National Park, Deadhorse Point State Park. September is an ideal time to photograph the milky way as it will be visible as soon as the sky gets dark in the evening, meaning no incredibly late nights! We will also be photographing sunset at each location prior to the night shoot to maximize your time. Dinner will be provided in the field so we don’t miss out on anything.
During the day, we will show simple yet powerful techniques to process your night photos so you can walk away with an image you will be proud to hang on your wall. We will also discuss scouting, planning, and weather, so you are prepared to plan out your next night shoot. On top of that, we will have an image critique session and photo sharing each day.
Light painting is no longer allowed in Arches National Park. Instead of lighting, we will show you how to create foregrounds by doing twilight exposures or long exposures that you can later blend in Photoshop quite easily. This will be an essential skill to have as more and more parks are banning light painting. We will be able to do light painting in Deadhorse State Park, so we will have opportunities to practice many methods.
This is not an advanced course on night photography; we will be showing you the basics to take great night photos no matter your level of skill. We will be touching on some slightly advanced methods like stacking, but this is not a requirement to create great photos.
Testimonials
What is Included
- Small class size of 8 maximum to ensure proper attention to each client
- To-go dinners (sandwiches, wraps, etc.) so we can maximize our time in the field
- Two attentive instructors for a client to instructor ratio of 4:1
- Water and snacks
- Image Critiques
- Tailored post processing instruction in Lightroom and Photoshop
- A complimentary copy of David's 'Nightscape' ebook when you sign up
What is Not Included
- Transportation
- Lodging - we have a block of rooms held for you
- Meals other than the to-go dinners
Add an Additional Night at Corona Arch
Corona Arch is one of the stunning jewels in the Moab area, but it is a bit challenging to get to and the hike is not for everyone.
For the more adventurous types we have the option to spend an extra night with us the night before the workshop starts. On the afternoon of September 7th we will hike to Corona arch which is 2.3 miles one way with 470 feet of elevation gain. The trail does have some exposure and you must climb up a staircase with a cable and a short ladder to reach the destination. It’s not a hike for the faint of heart, which is why we are not including it in the general workshop. The average hiker in good physical condition will not have a problem with this hike, just be aware that it may be quite hot hiking in the afternoon. Please contact us if you have questions, this can always be added on later. Light painting is allowed here and we will be using low level lighting with LED panels to light the arch.
There is an additional cost of $350 to add on this night.
This will be on September 7th!
What You Will Learn
In the Field
- Learning how to focus on the stars
- How to read a scene to create compelling compositions using shapes, lines, visual mass, texture, and more
- Reading weather and lighting conditions to know when to go out on your own in the right light
- How to use apps to scout out your own locations and plan your next shoot
- When and how to use lenses to bring focus to your subject
- Depth of field and hyperfocal distance to help you create sharp photos
- Creating panoramas without using expensive equipment
- Taking stacked images and dark frames for later use in reducing noise (advanced, not required)
- How to create star trails
- Taking twilight exposures or long exposures of the foreground to create very clean results
- Basic light painting using LED panels for continuous low level lighting
Post Processing for Beginners
- Making dull RAW files pop in Lightroom
- Finding the right white balance for night photos
- Using curves in Lightroom to remove light pollution
- Use of local adjustments for dodging & burning, and many more creative opportunities
- Properly sharpen and reduce noise for maximum image quality
- Stitching panoramas easily in Lightroom
- Creating star trails with StarStax
Post Processing for Advanced users
- Exposure blending in Photoshop to create balanced, natural looking images
- Using Starry Landscape Stacker to stack exposures to reduce noise
- Using the Orton Effect to add glow to your highlights
- Sharpening for web and print
Safe, Legal, Responsible.
We are proud members of Nature First Photography. This movement is dedicated to responsible nature photography. At its core are seven principles that we abide by and promote to our clients. We hope you will join the movement!
The Nature First Principles
- Prioritize the well-being of nature over photography.
- Educate yourself about the places you photograph.
- Reflect on the possible impact of your actions.
- Use discretion if sharing locations.
- Know and follow rules and regulations.
- Always follow Leave No Trace principles and strive to leave places better than you found them.
- Actively promote and educate others about these principles
Concerned about your safety.
We understand how important your safety is when we’re in remote locations. This is why David and Jennifer are both certified Wilderness First Responders, we are prepared for any situation large or small. We also carry satellite communication devices should we need rescue assistance in remote areas.
Legal.
We always run our workshops on the up and up. For this workshop Exploring Exposure is an authorized permitee with Arches National Park and a Special Use Permit holder with Deadhorse State Park and the Moab BLM. We are also an equal opportunity service provider.
Our Philosophy
We encourage you to find your unique style of creativity with focused training based on your style and skill level. You will experience a rigorous learning experience in the field and the classroom to take your photography to the next level.
Our passion is seeing you grow in your photographic journey. We put your interests ahead of our own. Early on in the workshop, we will not photograph at all. Our focus is your learning experience, and we will not run off to chase the light and leave you behind. As the workshop progresses, we will take a few photos in a limited manner. This is so you can see how we approach a scene, demonstrate techniques, and create comradery with the group. Our focus will always remain with YOU.
We understand everyone comes to workshops at different points in their photography journeys. We will be there to guide and help you, whether you are a beginner or advanced shooter. There is always something to learn about photography, and we will do our best to help you find your creative vision.
Above all, we want this to be a fun experience for you. With our small group size, we get to know our clients very well, and we feel like they are part of our extended family. We do this for the love of photography, and there is nothing that gives us greater joy than seeing our clients grow and find their artistic vision.
This workshop is fairly easy. There will be some brief, short hiking for most locations (all under a quarter mile in length with a gentle grade.) You do need to be sure on your feet though, we will be doing a little bit of scrambling on slickrock.
- There are several options to get to Moab:
- Canyonlands Field regional airport which is only 15 minutes from the hotel. They have daily connecting flights from Denver International Airport. You can find shuttle/taxi information here.
- Grand Junction regional airport is only 1 hour 45 minute drive to the hotel
- The nearest international airport is Salt Lake City, a 3 hour 45 minute drive.
Are spouses/partners welcome?
Yes, but seating is limited. If they come out on location you will have to provide your own transportation, or pay the full price for another seat.
Note: during the pandemic group sizes are limited, so this is not the case currently and they would need to pay for an additional spot.
Will I have cell signal during the Workshop?
Cell signal is extremely intermittent in most of the locations we will visit, you should not expect to be connected all the time, at certain locations you may be offline for long periods, enjoy the silence. There is cell service and wifi available in Moab.
Will the instructors take photos during the Workshop?
The instructors will take a few photos in a limited manner, this is so you can see how we approach a scene, create comradery with the group, and to show you the same type of images you will be taking for our post-processing session. Our focus will always remain with you.
Will weather cancel the Workshop?
Unless there are very dangerous conditions the weather will not stop us. It may force us to change our plans and refocus on landscape photography rather than night photography, but we will make the best of any situation. No rain checks will be given for any weather related circumstances.
- If you cancel 90 days prior to the workshop we will refund your initial payment minus a $100 fee.
- 90 days before the start of the workshop, we will refund your initial payment only if we can fill your spot.
- The full balance is due 60 days before the workshop. There will be no refunds on the full amount owed. We will attempt to fill your spot, if filled there will be a $100 administrative fee charged and the rest of your payment will be refunded.
There are NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY, even for medical emergencies. All cancellation requests must be in writing and received either by US mail or E-mail. We encourage participants to purchase refundable airline tickets and trip cancellation insurance. We strongly recommend trip insurance to protect you in the event of an unexpected situation that prevents you from attending the workshop. We recommend Travelguard or World Nomads.
We reserve the right to cancel any workshop if the minimum student enrollment is not met. In the event we cancel a workshop, participants will be given the option to reschedule to a later date or receive a full refund. we are not, however, liable for expenses incurred such as airfare or accommodations, and for this reason we also recommend the purchase of trip insurance.
Note: if the workshop is canceled due to COVID restrictions we will offer to transfer to a future workshop of your choice or receive a full refund.
Questions?
Please do not hesitate to send us any questions you may have, we would be happy to help.
Private Moab Workshops
If you are looking for a private guide to show you around Moab, look no further. We have spent extensive time in the Moab area and know all the great locations it has to offer. We can be your private tour guide or we can turn your experience into a full workshop training you on composition, vision, post-processing with Lightroom and Photoshop, all without the group.