ASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Capture the Magic of the Night Sky
A 4 hour practical photography workshop where you will learn how to use your camera enabling you to take great images of the night sky with a 60 minute zoom editing session scheduled for afterwards.
LOCATION
Downhill Beach
Date(s)
See Below
START/END TIME
7:00pm to 11:00pm
DURATION
4 Hours
SKILL LEVEL
All Skill Levels
GROUP SIZE
Maximum of 6
Introduction to Astrophotography
Astro Photography Workshop
Ever looked up at the night sky and wondered how to capture its breathtaking beauty with your camera? Well, you’re in the right place! My hands-on workshop is all about helping you feel confident and comfortable taking stunning night sky photos—no classrooms, just real experience under the stars.
Over the course of 4 hours, I’ll personally guide you through everything you need to know to get started. You’ll learn how to focus your lens to infinity for those pin-sharp stars, discover the best settings like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to use, and how to get the most out of your gear in a real-world setting.
But that’s not all! I’ll point out some basic constellations like “The Plough,” teach you how to find the North Star, and even help you spot the Milky Way. And if we’re lucky, we might just catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights or Noctilucent Clouds if they’re visible.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to level up your skills, my astrophotography workshop is designed to be friendly, welcoming, and, most importantly, fun! We’ll dive into more advanced techniques too, like capturing clean foregrounds, and I’ll show you how to shoot star trails.
So grab your camera, bring along your curiosity, and join me for an unforgettable hands-on night under the stars. Get ready to learn, explore, and capture the magic of the night sky like never before!
What you’ll learn
During this astro photography workshop, I’ll be dedicated to assisting and teaching you everything I know about astrophotography.
Here are a few of the key astro photography techniques that I will be covering:
Infinity Focusing: Ensuring you’ve got sharp stars is crucial for astro photos. I’ll show you the technique I use to achieve perfect focus for adjusting your lenses to infinity.
Camera Settings: Learn what the optimal aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings are to shoot beautiful astro photos.
500 Rule: Learn this simple guideline for determining the maximum exposure time before stars begin to trail when capturing untracked photos of the night sky with your camera on a tripod.
Foreground Shooting: Explore my approach to shooting clean low noise foregrounds for your shots.
Star Trails: Learn how to shoot star trails along with how many photos you need. (A remote release will be necessary for this.). You can also turn your star trail photos into a magical time lapse too!
Histogram: Learn how to read your histogram so that you’re exposing correctly and capturing maximum data with no clipping.
Throughout this astrophotography workshop, I’ll be on hand to guide you through each step, helping you master these techniques and elevate your astrophotography skills.
The Plan
Please keep in mind that my astro photography workshops depend on the weather. If the forecast predicts 50% or more cloud cover, I’ll reschedule for another night. If this doesn’t work for you, I’ll offer a full refund.
Here’s what you can expect from the evening:
(Timings will be confirmed via the private whatsapp group, generally we’ll meet 30 minutes before the start time on each evening)
We’ll meet up on Downhill Beach at 6:45PM for some introductions and so that everyone can get ready. We’ll do a quick round of introductions and I’ll give a quick overview of what we’re going to be learning and I’ll answer any questions you may have.
Starting at 7:00PM we’ll then start with the absolute basics, ensuring everyone has their camera setup and ready to go. I’ll talk about shooting RAW, explain the reasons for using the various settings such as Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO and I’ll touch briefly on white balance as well.
Throughout the night I’ll be going over the various different techniques mentioned above. Additionally I will have a star tracker setup to be used as well so you can see what they do.
Required Equipment
- Warm clothes, hat and gloves and a flash with your hot beverage of choice.
- A DSLR Camera with full manual control (Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO)
- A lens that’s at least 24mm wide with an aperture of f/3.5 or faster. Ideally an f/2.8 or faster lens
- A sturdy tripod
- A headtorch with a red light
- A remote shutter release
(Some people may laugh at this BUT if you have a very modern phone like a Samsung S23/S24 Ultra then this is also possible. I’ve shot astro shots with my S23 Ultra and it blows my mind what’s possible with it. I know nothing about iPhones so maybe do some quick research beforehand to see if it’s possible. If bringing a phone you need to have a sturdy tripod for it too.)
Don’t just take my word for it…
THE REVIEWS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Pas terug van een ongelooflijke schitterende tour langs de kust van Noord Ierland georganiseerd door Tyler Collins. Hij heeft ons 12 dagen lang allerlei verschillende schitterende plekken laten zien en de een was nog mooier dan de andere. Een aantal keren een zonsopgang of een zonsondergang met prachtige uitzichten, op het strand of op de bergen. Tyler heeft onze groep elke dag geïnspireerd, uitleg gegeven en geholpen om de plekken mooi vast te leggen op je camera. Op elke vraag die je stelde kreeg je antwoord en zijn enthousiasme en motivatie voor fotografie was uitzonderlijk en bracht hij over op de groep. Ook van kliffen in het water, van meren, een waterval, een vissershut en verlaten gebouwen of tempels hebben we mooie foto's kunnen maken. Onderweg op onze route stopte hij een paar keer om wat foto's te maken van uitzichten of leuke dorpjes. Voor Tyler maakte het niet uit of het in de nacht of heel vroeg was hij nam de groep over al mee naar toe en we konden meer dan genoeg plaatjes maken. Tyler ik wil je bedanken voor deze tour, de uitleg van onze vragen en je wil om mensen te helpen om betere foto's te maken. Wil je een mooie tour dan kan ik Tyler echt aanbevelen.
Just got back from the Iceland tour. This was undoubtedly one of the best trips I have embarked on. Tyler definitely knows his stuff and brought us to each location at the best time of the day. We just needed to sit back, relax, and let him do his thing. It also meant that I was free of the hassle of looking at the substorm activity and weather when chasing the northern lights, having chased them on my own for a number of years only without much luck. I can imagine this is no easy job as the plan and itinerary of each day needed to change every hour depending on the weather and how crowded the locations were. Tyler is also the most encouraging when shooting on location, giving just the right amount of guidance and lots of freedom. I met the best companions on this tour, and I never would have thought I would bring home such precious memories. I have recommended Tyler to several of my friends, and I personally am looking forward to my next tour already.
I loved the high level of intensity from early mornings to late nights waiting on the aurora. Most importantly, your advance location work meant I could give ample time and full attention to the play of light on the vistas before me~without the distractions of logistics planning or renting a car. I appreciated your flexibility and sense of timing to drive us to ideal locations at the best moment for the light. An added plus was being in the international company of three other dedicated photographers who were jolly good companions!
Just back from a fabulous workshop in Lofoten with Tyler. First off - Lofoten is a landscape photographer’s paradise with a multitude of stunning locations all within easy reach. This means more time photographing and less time driving between photo stops. Bear in mind that the weather is volatile. and can be absolutely wild. This means potentially days lost (as we found out) but can also give some incredible shooting conditions as the storms clear. Tyler is a superb photographer (check out his images if you haven't done so) and he knows the locations intimately. He is knowledgable and willing to provide as much guidance as you need or to leave you alone to do your own thing if that's what you prefer. He is also very skilled in using Lightroom/Photoshop and gave us a tutorial one evening which was incredibly useful. The upshot is that you are bound to come back with lots of memorable and stunning images. Oh, and Tyler has a great instinct for finding the Aurora which meant we were chasing it whenever the skies were clear. This resulted in a truly epic night at Vik beach where we captured the lights in all their glory. The cherry on the top of a truly memorable trip!
Astro Photography Workshops Dates & Prices
The prices are per person. Reserve your spot for my Astro Photography Workshop learn the fundamentals of creating beautiful astro images.
FAQs
A DSLR or mirrorless camera, a sturdy tripod, wide-angle lenses (preferably with a low f-stop), and a remote shutter release or intervalometer. A headlamp with a red light is also recommended for working in the dark.
No, my workshops cater to all skill levels. I will provide personalised instruction to help you improve your photography skills, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced photographer.
You’ll learn about manual settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and focusing techniques tailored for capturing night sky images, stars, and the Milky Way.
I schedule in a 60 minute online session for afterwards which will cover editing the photos. I am working on securing a location where we can do it all on the night.
In the days leading up to the workshop, I’ll be keeping an eye on the weather. If the forecast shows clear or partly clear skies overnight, the workshop will proceed as planned. However, if it’s expected to be cloudy or raining for an extended period, I’ll either move the workshop to the following night (weather permitting) or offer a full refund. Alternatively, you can join the next workshop, which I plan to hold monthly until the nights become too bright.
The workshop will take place on Downhill Beach, Co. Londonderry. I choose dark sky locations away from light pollution to ensure optimal conditions for astrophotography.
Some light walking may be required to reach shooting locations, so participants should be prepared for moderate walking in dark conditions with their gear.
The workshop typically starts just after sunset and lasts for several hours, depending on the conditions. Specific times will be provided in advance.
Dress warmly in layers as temperatures can drop significantly at night. Also, wear sturdy shoes for any potential hiking or walking, potentially a pair of wellies!
Aside from bringing the recommended gear, there are no prerequisites. Enthusiasm for photography and the night sky is all you need!
To ensure personalised attention, I limit the group size to 6 participants.
Absolutely! I encourage people to ask me as many questions as possible! The entire session is hands-on learning.
Due to the need for a focused learning environment, I ask that only registered participants attend.
Please inform me as soon as possible.