27 Ways to Journey into Night: Announcing our Season 7 Workshops

Where Will You Go?

Season 7 is upon us. It’s so exciting. We’re offering a scintillating array of destinations and opportunities for the luckiest of those honing their craft in night photography, or for those just exploring the world day and night.

For the second season in a row we’re announcing 27 workshops and tours (a far cry from the 5 we ran in our first season in 2016), so more people can head out into the nocturnal unknown. We also have added even more skills-based workshops, including a β€œ101” workshop in a most desirable destination, and a new β€œShoot for the Edit” workshop that blends on-location pre-visualization with post-processing wizardry.

There has never been a better time to invest in yourself, trust that wanderlust and join your cohort of stargazing, meteor-chasing photographers. Join us for Season 7, which we fervently believe is the very best yet.

A Few Notes

Use the Waitlist!

As a special thank you to those who attend our workshops and subscribe to our email list, every year we announce our itinerary to those two groups before β€œgoing public.” As usual, our community has committed very strongly to many of the workshops. (Our gratitude is infinite.) To that end, eight of our new workshops and tours sold out during the past week. Additionally, six workshops on our list were postponed from 2021 and were already sold out.

That said … If you see something you really want to attend and there are no tickets now, we urge you to sign up for the waitlist today. Openings happen for almost every workshop, and those spots always get offered to the waitlist first.

Moreover, as of press time, 13 of our Season 7 workshops still have seats left, so it’s easy to join us in amazing places such as Death Valley, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, Morocco, Iceland and more!

The Workshops

Below you can read a little bit about each of the workshops we’ll be running in our seventh season. Click on the photos or the links to read even more.

If you’d like to see a lineup of all the workshops we have scheduled for 2022-23, including updates on how many tickets are available in each, see our Season 7 Workshops page:

OK, onward … Let the journey into night continue. Here’s where we’re going. Where will you go?


Passport Series

These are our signature event workshops, which we hold in national parks. We teach every day, either in the classroom or on field trips, and we shoot every night in beautiful and inspiring places.

In 2022 we’ll be visiting a few of the biggest household name parks, as well as a couple of more obscure but incredibly beautiful gems.

Acadia National Park

Photograph the beauty of coastal New England at one of the richest national parks for photography, under the moonlight and dark skies of fall.

Our alumni voted for us to go back to Acadia, so we’re going! Photograph rugged Maine coastline, oceanside cliffs, forest lakes and ponds, groves of birch and aspen, carriage roads that weave into the wildernessβ€”all under the Milky Way and moonlight in the only national park in New England.

Acadia National Park β€” October 1-6, 2022

Grand Canyon National Park: North Rim

The Grand Canyon from the quiet sideβ€”serene and colorful panoramas that embrace the Milky Way.

Join us on the β€œother” side of the Grand Canyon, the less frequented and arguably more scenic side that includes majestic views and vantage points facing south toward the Milky Way. If you have not been to the Grand Canyon, you have missed out on one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. Even if you have feasted your eyes on the South Rim, the North offers higher and more comprehensive vantage points as well as peaceful opportunities to fall in love with landscape photography.

Grand Canyon National Park: North Rim β€” July 3-7, 2022

Mount Rainier National Park

Countless wildflowers, hundreds of miles of trails, 25 glaciers and one active volcano.

We’ll spend both days and nights exploring the subalpine landscape of Mount Rainier. Wildflower-filled meadows, stately firs, waterfalls and lakes will fill our foregrounds as we capture jagged peaks and the omnipresent Mount Rainier.

Mount Rainier National Park β€” August 14-19, 2022

North Cascades National Park

β€˜The American Alps’ β€” a quiet land where mountains rise from the forests to touch the stars.

In the northern regions of Washington state, some of the least-visited and most beautiful mountains in the U.S. rise dramatically from the landscape under untainted dark skies. An alpine wilderness rife with dramatic peaks, lush forests, placid lakes, gushing waterfalls, curious wildlife and more. We will explore by day and night, visiting and photographing different regions of this peaceful, special place.

North Cascades National Park β€” July 31-August 5, 2022

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Photograph the wild horses, the badlands, the rock formationsβ€”all in a pivotal location for America’s national parks.

Chock full of wildlife, badlands, prairie, grasslands and more, this park is the place that inspired Teddy Roosevelt to begin protecting vast tracts of precious lands. Visit this often-overlooked northern gem of the park system to discover its nocturnal side.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park β€” July 12-17, 2022

Yosemite National Park: High Sierra

Explore the high country in the crown jewel of California’s National Parks.

When most people think of Yosemite, it’s probably the famous valley that immediately comes to mind. This workshop is based in Yosemite’s High Sierra, centered around spectacular subalpine meadows, mountain lakes and glacial erratic boulder fields.

Yosemite National Park: high Sierra β€” August 28-September 2, 2022

Zion National Park

Massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink and red, plus slot canyons and rugged terrain make Zion always worth the pilgrimage.

Boasting some of Utah’s most awe-inspiring red-rock peaks, cascading waterfalls and the beautiful Virgin River, Zion National Park and its amazing landforms are a perfect complement to the night sky. We'll explore this epic, iconic landscape under the stars, as well as venture into a nearby ghost town and its 18th century graveyard under the light of a bright gibbous moon.

Zion National Park β€” April 10-15, 2022

Adventure Series

The U.S. has other amazing places to shoot at night outside of national parks, and we like visiting those too. National monuments, national forests, scenic byways, urban ruins and more.

Coming up, the Adventures will include a lighthouses workshop along a famous stretch of Atlantic shore, an ocean island, some amazing desert landscapes, some brand new urban excursions and a cemetery famous from literature.

Grand Staircase & Kanab

Get to know Southwest Utah’s roadside gems at night.

Explore the hub of southwest Utah’s high desert. Take the good roads, and those less traveled. See national parks, national forests, state parks and unbelievably beautiful night skies. Photograph sand dunes, toadstools, hoodoos, arches and more.

Grand Staircase & Kanab β€” May 2-7, 2022

Lighthouses of the Outer Banks

Five lighthouses on one long strip of land, all standing ready to be photographed in gentle moonlight and under the Milky Way, on warm summer nights at the Carolina shore.

Cape Hatteras, Bodie Island, Roanoke Marshes, Currituck Beach, Ocracoke. The Outer Banks has some amazing lighthouses to photograph, all within driving distance along some of the most beautiful shoreline in the country. Come photograph these sentinels of the seaβ€”at twilight, night, under moonlight and with the Milky Way rising behind.

Lighthouses of the Outer Banks β€” June 22-27, 2022

Monhegan Island

The fishing vessels. The hilltop lighthouse. The clapboard cottages. The spectacular dark skies. All 10 miles from shore on the quaint Monhegan Island.

National Parks at Night returns to Monhegan for a full five-night workshop on one of our favorite Islands. Monhegan is a place that people go back to over and over again. It’s hard to stay away for long. We’ll explore this peaceful oasis entirely on foot, covering subjects such as the local lighthouse, the village, the waterfront cliffs and a nearly century-old shipwreck.

Monhegan Island β€” July 3-8, 2023

Mojave

Caves. Joshua trees. Train tracks and a depot. Rusted out cars and abandoned shacks. Sand dunes, desert and a million stars. Welcome to Mojave.

Just a bit outside Las Vegas lies the Mojave Desert, and Mojave National Preserve. Within live old secrets of past desert life, remnants of mining and ranching. Old cars, old shacks, an old train depot and railroad tracks. The landscape is at once barren and full of visual interest. Sand dunes, cinder cones, lava beds, the limestone crags of Clark Mountain and the rugged ridges of the horizon. There's a lot to see, and a lot to photograph, in the Mojave.

Mojave β€” March 17-22, 2022

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh’s colorful past comes alive with blast furnaces, bridges and the three rivers that unite them all.

We’ll be photographing during day and night as we take a very deep dive into Pittsburgh’s rich history and explore the parks, architecture, museums, the many colorful neighborhoods, and of course bridges! We will also get coveted access to photograph the famous Carrie Furnaces, the only pre-World War II blast furnaces that remain in the Northern Hemisphere.

Pittsburgh β€” September 8-14, 2022

Sandy Hook

The Gateway to majestic views of New York City, military ruins and the oldest lighthouse in the United States.

Photograph the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States as well as the 100-plus-year-old batteries that were built to ward off enemies trying to enter New York Harbor. We’ll spend three nights photographing these relics of a bygone era while also taking in and photographing spectacular views of New York City. We’ll also explore Sandy Hook during in daytime, taking ranger tours and learning more about the role the area played during the Revolutionary and World wars.

Sandy Hook β€” October 13-15, 2022

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Yes that one. Headless Horseman, pumpkin head. Ichabod Crane.

Spend three nights photographing in one of the most iconic cemeteries in the world, barely an hour outside of Manhattan in the village of Sleepy Hollow, New York. Expect to be spooked by an abbreviated equestrian with a penchant for drama and overgrown squash. If that sounds like fun, this is the workshop for you.

Sleepy Hollow β€” November 4-6, 2022

Voyager Series

As much as the U.S. is beautiful and dynamic, so is the rest of the world. We’re always on the lookout for beautiful landscapes and fascinating cultures to immerse ourselves in, especially in the dark. Over the next two years (we plan these ones a little further out), we’ll be heading to overseas destinations that range from one of the most enigmatic islands in the oceans to a recent mainstay for landscape photographers to a couple of seafaring adventures as well.

Barcelona

The city that lives and breathes art.

Barcelona, Spain’s premier city of culture and art, is rich in delicious dichotomies. From the 13th century gothic Barcelona Cathedral to the 19th century art nouveau masterpiece of the La Sagrada Familia, from the respectful and beautiful graffiti to the citywide art installationsβ€”here world-class food, art and architecture are woven together to create one of the most beautiful and photogenic cities in Europe.

Barcelona β€” September 4-9, 2022

East Greenland Schooner

See icebergs, auroras and arctic wildlife up close on this truly adventurous, sea-based tour.

Experience the extraordinary scenery and Inuit culture of Greenland’s captivating coastline. This trip along the striking and sparsely populated east coast of Greenland will begin and end in the village of Kulusuk, but everything in between will truly be an exploration. Glacier hikes, stand-up paddleboarding, sea kayaking and of course photography––you’ll have the opportunity to do all of these and more on one of our grandest adventures yet.

East Greenland Schooner β€” September 4-13, 2023

Easter Island

Enigmatic Easter Island. At night. Need we say more?

Few places on earth are as mysterious or compelling as Easter Island. The giant stone figures known as moai oversee this remote island 2,200 miles off the coast of Chile. Most of Rapa Nui, as it’s known to the locals, is a national park. Not only is it hard to get to Easter Island, it is notoriously difficult to access the park after the sun goes down. But we will be taking a lucky group of fellow night photographers on this rare opportunity of spending an unforgettable week with the moai.

Easter Island β€” February 20-28, 2022

Faroe Islands Schooner

Explore and photograph the mystical Faroe Islands, from a sailboat with 7 other explorers.

The Faroe Islands is an archipelago made up of 18 rugged, isolated volcanic islands located about halfway between Scotland and Iceland. Despite the northern latitude, the climate is surprisingly mild. We’ll take advantage of the influence of the gulf stream as we explore as many of the islands as we can aboard the schooner Arktika.

Faroe Islands Schooner β€” October 9-18, 2022

Iceland North Coast

Come to the more remote coast of the more remote island, to photograph the sea, the culture and the wild landscapes of northern Iceland.tell your story online can make all the difference.

Each area of Iceland has its own unique character and features. In the north, the massive waterfalls are mostly wide rather than tall, contrasting the tall, narrow ones in the south. The north tends to be colder, and snowier. It’s definitely less crowded. This trip comes at the end of winter, with longer days, and hopefully with a good chance of seeing the aurora above the Arctic Henge.

Iceland North Coast β€” April 7-17, 2023

Iceland South Coast

The South Coast of Iceland was the first area to be β€˜discovered.’ And for good reason. It’s extraordinary.

This is the classic Iceland itinerary, in winter. Following the ring road south from Reykjavik, and eastward along the coast, we’ll photograph the famous waterfalls, horses, basalt towers, lava fields, glacial lagoon and ice beach, and we’ll take a private tour into the ice caves under Iceland’s largest glacier. Oh, and we’ll be aurora hunting every night. Even if you have been there before, there is always something new and unexpected in the volcanic wonderland known as Iceland.

Iceland South Coast β€” March 11-20, 2023

Lofoten Islands

The Lofoten Islands, a majestic mountain archipelago of dramatic landscapes, unspoiled beaches and winter wonderland.

This will be a winter workshop focused on photographing the rugged snow-covered mountain islands, dramatic beaches, northern lights, pristine fisherman's huts and untouched beauty of this remote and breathtaking region of the world. March is a perfect time to visit Lofotenβ€”the milder winter temperatures make the overall experience ideal for catching the auroras over a snow-globe winterscape.

Lofoten Islands β€” March 18-26, 2022

Morocco Atlantic Coast

Morocco is sensory overload. Sights, sounds, smells, friendly and curious people, and contrasting urban and desert landscapes.

Enigmatic Morocco is a melange of traditional and modern worlds. We’ll focus on the small cities of the Atlantic coast, beginning with Marrakech and the cacophony at Jemaa el-Fna Square before we travel to the ksar and kasbah of Ait BenHaddou. From there, we will venture north to Taroudant, Essaouira and El Jadida, three of the most interesting towns along the Atlantic coast.

Morocco Atlantic Coast β€” November 13-22, 2022

Scotland: Orkney Islands

Spend a week exploring and photographing the neolithic monuments and ancient landscapes of Orkney, an archipelago off the north coast of Scotland.

During our tour we’ll explore the remarkable ways that past and present collide at the crossroads of the Celtic and Viking worlds. A cluster of 5,000-year-old archeological sites on the archipelago are collectively designated as a World Heritage Site called The Heart of Neolithic Orkney. The main sites consist of two major circles of standing stones, a massive chambered cairn, and the remains of an ancient village that was exposed on a clifftop during a storm in the 19th century. Orcadians live with these monuments in their backyardsβ€”these relics are part of the cultural, as well as physical, landscape that influences the way the locals interact with the world.

Scotland: Orkney Islands β€” May 21-28, 2022

Skills Series

All of the aforementioned workshops and tours focus a lot on exploration. Our Skills Series events focus on learning something specificβ€”still in an inspiring place, but we focus on a precise skill set. Next year in this category we’ll be hosting workshops on shooting with post-production in mind, learning night photography 101, and two in national parks focused on learning how to use the best scouting app in the business, PhotoPills.

Intro to Night Photography: Death Valley

Learn the fundamentals of night photography in one of the best national parks for practicing the craft.

You’ve almost certainly seen night photos on Instagram. Photos of beautiful points of stars, a stunning Milky Way, old barns and rusted trucks painted with light. If you’ve dreamed of making photos like these, but you’ve never tried, or you’ve tried and failed, then we’re here to help. Join us in Death Valley, the national park jewel of the California desert, for five nights of learning how to shoot in the dark.

Intro to Night Photography: Death Valley β€” November 8-13, 2022

PhotoPills Bootcamp: Bryce Canyon

Star trails. Suns setting and a crescent moon rising. A Milky Way stretching over an otherworldly landscape. Find them all with PhotoPills and create epic photography.

Long before the photograph comes the idea. And with PhotoPills, the ideas have no bounds. During five days and nights of learning, scouting and shooting in Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park, we’ll explore not just the dramatic canyon rim and the famed hoodoos, but we’ll also explore the ins and outs of one of the most powerful tools a photographer can keep in their pocket. Learn to plan and capture the Milky Way, sunsets, moonsets, star points, star trails and more in this geologic wonder of the park system.

PhotoPills Bootcamp: Bryce Canyon β€” June 24-29, 2022

PhotoPills Bootcamp: Death Valley

Star trails. Suns setting and full moons rising. A Milky Way stretching over a desert mountain horizon. Find them all with PhotoPills and create epic photography.

During five days and nights of learning, scouting and shooting in California's Death Valley National Park, we’ll explore not just the rolling sand dunes and the vast desert landscapes, but we’ll also explore the ins and outs of PhotoPills. Learn to plan and capture the Milky Way, sunsets, moonrises, star points, star trails and more in this southwestern jewel of the park system.

PhotoPills Bootcamp: Death Valley β€” February 15-20, 2022

Shoot for the Edit: Colorado

Photographing and processing in a beautiful place. Rocky Mountain High. Colorado.

When it comes to night photography, capturing the right information in the field is crucial. Sometimes we need to make multiple exposures, or change focus during a series of photographs, or shoot the same scene at different times of the evening. This workshop is designed to teach you how to not only capture all of the necessary exposures in the field but also the art of processing those captures to produce your final piece of night art.

Shot for the Edit: Colorado β€” September 18-23, 2022

So … Where Will You Go?

Thank you all for being part of our community of eager explorers and lifelong learners, and for continuing to partner with us on these amazing nocturnal adventures. We appreciate you so very much.

Here’s to being with you, going forth, into the world, into the night!!

Matt Hill is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night. See more about his photography, art, workshops and writing at MattHillArt.com. Follow Matt on Twitter Instagram Facebook.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

B&H to Celebrate a Whole Week of Night, and We'll Be There!

As you know, we love night photography. And we love when others love night photography. And we’re always game for when someone wants to celebrate night photography, particularly when that β€œsomeone” is a giant in the photo industry, such as B&H Photo. And boy are they about to celebrate night photography!

Our favorite camera store and longtime friends at B&H have dubbed next week as β€œNight Photography Week,” during which they’ll be hosting a series of related content and events on all their channels.

Of course, we’re honored to be a part of it. See below for details.


Instagram Story from Badlands

Lightning in Badlands National Park. Β© 2019 Matt Hill. Nikon Z 6 with a 35mm lens. 4 seconds, f/8, ISO 200.

National Parks at Night’s Matt Hill and Tim Cooper will be in Badlands National Park next week to run a workshop during the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower. They’ll be sharing part of that adventure with an Instagram story on B&H’s account. Follow by clicking on that link, and then keep your eye out for the story to develop.

Time-Lapse Talk

Our friend David Marx, who was a speaker at our Night Photo Summit earlier this year, will be presenting on β€œHow to Create a Basic Timelapse Video Clip of the Night Sky.” David will cover everything from the basics to shooting a sequence of raw material to best cameras to use and more, plus how to put together your time-lapse in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

Moonshots

Andrei Duman recently completed a personal project at the Mount Wilson Observatory, using the Hubble Telescope to capture photographs of the moon and stars. During a 1-hour presentation titled β€œShooting the Moon,” he’ll tell the story of that experience and share some of the amazing high-resolution photographs he made of our nearest celestial neighbor.

Comfort and Creativity

You’re not scared of the dark, are you? No matter the answer, this talk is a don’t-miss. On the second day of the celebration, our own Gabriel Biderman will take the virtual stage at the B&H Event Space to discuss β€œTips for Gaining Comfort and Creativity in Night Photography.” Gabe’s advice will empower you with knowledge to not only make you a better night photographer, but to also get you excited to push yourself more with creative long exposures.

Deep-Sky Discoveries

Yet another of our Night Photo Summit speakers will join B&H stage when Kevin LeGore steps up to talk about β€œNatural Night,” sponsored by NiSi. Attendees will learn how Natural Night filters help Kevin produce intimate images of our galaxy.

Gentle Light at Night

On the final day, National Parks at Night’s Chris Nicholson and Lance Keimig will team to talk about β€œThe Wonders of Low-level Landscape Lighting,” sponsored by Luxli. They’ll go over their strategies for using the LLL technique and tools to create night photography in a controlled and creative fashion.

Inside Look at Deep-Sky Gear

In his talk β€œBehind the Scenes with Astrophotography Equipment,” Matt Dieterich of PlaneWave Instruments will bring the audience on a visual tour of the advanced imaging gear they manufacture to help astronomers and astrophotographers around the world capture amazing pictures of deep space.

YouTube Features

All of the above are live events, and B&H has also some recorded presentations queued up for their YouTube channel, as they’ve put together a great lineup of night-photography themed videos for Night Photography Week. A few of these are by us too:

In addition to those, stay tuned for the following new releases for the week (all of which also happen to be from Night Photo Summit speakers):

More Info & Registration

We’re pretty excited to be part of Night Photography Week, just as we’re always excited to work alongside our good friends at B&H.

For more details on all the above and everything else planned, keep an eye on B&H’s social media, as well as the Explora article β€œJoin B&H Photo for Night Photography Week.” We’ll see y’all there, to seize the night!

Chris Nicholson is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night, and author of Photographing National Parks (Sidelight Books, 2015). Learn more about national parks as photography destinations, subscribe to Chris' free e-newsletter, and more at www.PhotographingNationalParks.com.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

Five Questions: Dark Skies, Light Stands, PCs and More

If you send questions, we’ll send answers. Want proof? See Exhibits 1 through 5 below.

This installment of our β€œFive Questions” series features inquiries about websites for finding dark skies, light stands, PC computers for photo editing, filter vignetting and a lighting effect.

If you have any questions you would like to throw our way, please contact us anytime. Questions could be about gear, national parks and other photo locations, post-processing techniques, field etiquette, or anything else related to night photography. #SeizeTheNight!


1. Tools for Seeking Dark Skies

Question:

A few of the presenters at the Night Photo Summit referenced the website ClearDarkSky for help in planning night sky photography. Assuming that I will probably have to drive at least two hours one way to reach a certified dark sky preserve from my home, just to photograph only stars and the Milky Way, is it sufficient to just look at the darkness and cloud cover on that website? I see that Dark Sky has similar information, but its forecast components appear to be more related to telescope viewing. β€” Ray B.

darksitefinder.jpg

Answer:

You can always make a photograph in any condition. Obviously, the darker the sky, the more stars you will see, and the more of the Milky Way you will see in your images. Are you primarily interested in photographing the sky, or the landscape, or both? There are many dark-sky websites you can check (I like DarkSiteFinder), but don’t get too hung up on Bortle numbersβ€”just go out and make some images.

If you’re just doing astro-landscape photography, then find a spot with an interesting landscape/foreground that doesn’t have any artificial light in the immediate area, and see what you get. I think it’s more important to make interesting pictures than to have the darkest sky possible.

On the other hand, if you are mainly interested in photographing the sky and celestial objects (i.e., astrophotography), then use any one of those websites to find the darkest spot within a comfortable driving distance, and go for it.

This screenshot above from DarkSiteFinder has a pin where I live. Even though I’m on the outskirts of an urban area, I can easily see the Milky Way with the naked eye, and it shows up even better in-camera because the light pollution is to the north and Milky Way to the south. β€” Lance

2. Night Light Stands

Question:

I have been playing with my Luxli Fiddle light but could use a stand to position it better. What type of stand do you use? β€” M. West

Answer:

A compact and travel light stand is a perfect complement for your Luxli Fiddle. You’ll be able to set it up, finesse the position and then leave it there for repeatability. It has been a game-changing way for many of us at National Parks at Night to level up our Low-level Light Painting. (Though if you’re shooting in national parks, note that many of them require a Special Use Permit for light stands.)

Below is a breakdown of our favorite compact light stands that are easy to pack for your night adventures (you can all their specs compared at this link):

The Impact Reverse is the least expensive and the most basic.

The Manfrotto options offer an adjustable leg, which is helpful on uneven terrain. The Nano Plus will also hold bigger lights if you have any strobes. The Nanopole will let you easily pull out the center column and to use as a boom arm. The Carbon Fiber is the lightest but also most expensive of those mentioned.

While your Luxli Fiddle will screw directly into the light stands with the included 1/4-inch adapter, you will want to add a mini-ball head adapter so you can adjust your light easily. β€” Gabe

3. PC Preferences

Question:

I’m wondering about your recommendation for a laptop of the non-Apple variety. Do you recommend using a desktop or laptop with external monitor? Space and money are at a premium. β€” I.B.

Answer:

My personal approach is that I have both a desktop and a laptop.

The desktop is my workhorseβ€”that’s where all my power is (i.e., RAM, higher-grade processor, terabytes of storage space, etc.). My laptop has enough power to run Lightroom and Photoshop effectively when I’m traveling, but doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of my desktop. The reason is that an all-powerful desktop PC is notably less expensive than its performance equivalent in a laptop, and the aforementioned strategy gives me a combined system with β€œenough” power when I’m on the road and full power when I’m home.

However, that’s not necessarily the best β€œspace and money” option overall. Instead of two computers, you could get just a somewhat-better-than-adequate laptop that you can connect to your larger display when home, as you suggested. For photo editing, I personally recommend a laptop that meets or exceeds these specifications:

  • a calibratable 15-inch display (larger is better for photo editing, but is also heavier for travel)

  • HD (1920 x 1080) resolution or greater (but not 4K, unless you’re also doing video work)

  • 2 GHz processor with 64-bit support

  • 16 GB RAM

  • 2 GB video memory

  • 1 TB internal SSD hard drive

I suggest checking B&H Photo to see what kind of system you can put together for your budget. Go to their Laptops page and enter your desired specs in the left margin, then browse your options, looking for what might fit your budget. Alternatively, just call B&H and speak with someone from the computer team. They’re excellent at guiding you toward a solution based on your needs, and they can even custom-build a desktop or laptop computer. In my experience with B&H for over 25 years, they will not guide you toward something more expensive that you don’t need.

For what it’s worth, since last fall I’ve been using an MSI Creator 15, and I recently obtained an MSI Creator Z16 (pictured above) that I’m eager to take out for a spin. β€” Chris

4. Perseid Vignettes

Question:

I’m hoping to shoot the Perseids in August and wondered about the Breakthrough Photography filter for light pollution. Do you know it and whether it vignettes? β€” Wendy K.

vignette meteor.jpg

Answer:

I have not used that particular filter, but I can confidently say that it should not cause vignetting. Light pollution filters inhibit particular color wavelengths that are commonly associated with light pollution. The only way they would vignette is if they have a deep profile that can be seen through a too-wide-angle lens, which good design should prevent.

This is a great year for photographing the Perseids, as they’ll peak on nights when the moon isn’t visible. For more information on how to shoot a meteor shower, be sure to check out our Great Balls of Fire e-book. β€” Matt

5. Cape Cod Lighting Effect

Question:

I recently saw a presentation you did, and I have a question about the image Chris showed of the dune shack at Cape Cod National Seashore. Was a special β€œeffect” in editing applied to that picture, or was it just your lighting? β€” K. O’Donnell

Dune shack, Cape Cod National Seashore. Β© 2017 Chris Nicholson. Nikon D5 with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens, light painted with a Coast HP7R flashlight. 20 seconds, f/4, ISO 1600.

Dune shack, Cape Cod National Seashore. Β© 2017 Chris Nicholson. Nikon D5 with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens, light painted with a Coast HP7R flashlight. 20 seconds, f/4, ISO 1600.

Answer:

No special effects or trick editingβ€”I only lit and shot it. There was some post-processing, of course, but just to tweak exposure and contrast.

That said, I’m not sure if you’re referring to the color of the background or the illumination of the shack, so I’ll address both:

  • The warm tones of the background are caused by the lights of nearby Provincetown bouncing off the clouds. Some night photographers avoid light pollution at all costs; I try to embrace it creatively, and this photo is a good example of how and why.

  • The foreground light coming from an unfiltered Coast HP7R LED flashlight. The light is soft and broad and a little warmer than usual because rather than hitting the shack with a direct beam, I bounced the beam off the top of the sand dune to camera-right, and it’s reflecting back to illuminate the front of the shack. That was a creative solution for working in a tight spot where I couldn’t side-light from outside the frame (because of the slope of the dune), and it came with the added benefit of creating that nice, soft effect. β€” Chris

Chris Nicholson is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night, and author of Photographing National Parks (Sidelight Books, 2015). Learn more about national parks as photography destinations, subscribe to Chris' free e-newsletter, and more at www.PhotographingNationalParks.com.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

 

Good Reads for 2021: 11 New Books for the Night Photographer

Interested in books about photography, night and national parks? See the National Parks at Night Bookshelf.

Regular readers of this blog will know that I’m a book hound. I always have my eyes open for new (or old) night photography books. Over the past year I’ve written two posts about β€œessential” books for night photographers (β€œ10 Essential Books for the Night Photographer’s Library” and its sequel β€œ10 More Books to Round Out your Night Photography Library”). Most of those are classic titles, more than a few of which are out of print and hard to find.

I hope I haven’t created an impression that all good night photography books are old. In truth, this genre of photography is not just alive and well, but is thriving. In fact, Matt Hill rightfully speaks about this being β€œthe golden age of night photography.”

Proof of that is on the shelves, with plenty of new volumes of and about night photography being published. There have been a number of recent releases of note, with three forthcoming books due later this year that you’ll be sure to want to check out.

Below you’ll find my choice of 11 contemporary night photography books that are well worth your time and money.

Monographs

A monograph is a lifetime goal for many photographers, and a great showcase for one’s imagery. Monographs can also serve as inspiration for the rest of us. With advances in on-demand printing, small niche publishers are able to produce short runs of books with specialized interests with relatively low risk.

One such publisher is America Through Time, which caters to the urban exploration crowd, with monographs that depict the buzzing energy of vast metropolises to the places that humans have left behind. They’ve released several such books with a nocturnal theme lately, by Troy Paiva, Ken Lee and Mike Cooper.

TO:KY:OO

by Liam Wong

Liam Wong is a bit of an outsider to the night photography world, but is a young man with a powerful vision. His supersaturated cyberpunk-inspired night views of Tokyo have recently been published by Thames and Huson in TO:KY:OO.

Wong is a young Scottish video game designer and art director who brings his experience to a relatively newfound love of night photography. His highly stylized images of Tokyo at night are reminiscent of Blade Runner or other science fiction dystopian worlds.

His day job took him to Tokyo at a time when he was in the process of teaching himself photography, and he applied his design sensibilities and strong sense of color to his imagery. These are not long exposuresβ€”no star trails here! The images are all about the throbbing mass of humanity that makes up one of the world’s most interesting cities. The photos in TO:KY:OO are unlike anything else I’ve seen and are definitely worth exploring.

Junkyard Nights: Haunting NorCal’s Automotive Graveyards

by Troy Paiva

Troy Paiva is a modern legend. For more than 30 years he’s been photographing all sorts of abandoned places in California, employing a style of light painting that he developed in 1989 using Vivitar flashes and colored gels. An entire generation of night photographers have been inspired by his work, initially on Flickr, his website LostAmerica.com, and later through his books. The two recently published volumes here represent books numbers 4 and 5.

Junkyard Nights is a nocturnal love letter to the ghosts of our automotive past. The images in this book were made by the light of the full moon in two old-school junkyards in California’s agricultural heartland. The accompanying text not only conveys the essence of these desolate industrial landscapes, but it also examines the place these mid-20th century cars hold in the context of 20th century design.

Night Salvage: Haunting SoCal’s Automotive Graveyards

by Troy Paiva

Like Junkyard Nights, Night Salvage is a nocturnal love letter to automotive junkyards. The images in this volume represent three collections of junk cars lost in the deserts of Southern California. As usual, the images are accompanied by amusing anecdotes of Paiva’s nocturnal adventures, as well as by informed historical notes about the cars and the locations he photographs.

Let Paiva be your guide through these derelict graveyards filled with slowly decaying cars: a classic abandoned high desert junkyard, a TV and movie prop vehicle graveyard, and a little-known art project consisting of thousands of cars resting forgotten in a remote canyon.

Abandoned Louisiana: Under a Bayou Moon

by Mike Cooper

Abandoned Louisiana: Under a Bayou Moon is a nocturnal photographic journey through the ruins of the Bayou State. Cooper proudly acknowledges the influence of Paiva on his work, and it is clearly derivative. That’s OK, as Cooper is a quick learner and has applied his skills and passion to document ruinsβ€”both obscure gems and public eyesores throughout the state.

More than 200 images reveal a side of Louisiana that is usually either overlooked or hidden from view. If you like images of light-painted abandoned sites, and have an interest in Bayou culture, then this book ought to be right up your alley.

Abandoned Southern California: The Slowing of Time

by Ken Lee

Ken Lee is a personal friend, and we’ve long admired each other’s work. It’s been a real pleasure to watch his photography evolve and to see his success over the last several years.

The quiet, empty places shown in Lee’s images tell stories of desert dreams fueled by gold, war, optimism and wealth, only to later be abandoned and left to slowly disintegrate. Abandoned Southern California: The Slowing of Time offers a different take on all kinds of lonely and abandoned places in the Southern California desert.

Ken’s second book, Abandoned Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: California Revealed, will be released later this year.

Night on Earth: Photographs by Art Wolfe

by Art Wolfe (coming October 5, 2021)

As our friend astronomer Tyler Nordgren says, β€œHalf the park is after dark.” He’s right, but the greater truth of the matter is that half the world is after dark, and much of what goes on in the dark is mostly unseen to the human eye. There is so much that happens while most people are sleeping, and this collection of photographs is a testament to what most of us will never see. Photographer Art Wolfe traveled to every continent to explore and document the nighttime world of animals, humans and nature.

Including twilight and low light images along with true night photos, Night on Earth’s subjects are as diverse as the hustle and bustle in Morocco’s nighttime markets, Balinese fire dancers, volcanic eruptions in Iceland, penguin colonies in pre-dawn Antarctica, star trails over the Australian Outback, and street scenes in Tokyo. Wolfe is one of the preeminent photographers of his generation, and this first collection of night images from him is sure to be a worthy addition to any photographer’s library.

How-To & Reference

Collier’s Guide to Night Photography in the Great Outdoors (second edition)

by Grant Collier

Grant Collier’s how-to night photography book is a good one. It slipped largely under the radar when the first edition was published in 2015. This second edition of Collier’s Guide to Night Photography has been revised and updated and includes 50 new images. The gear section and all weblinks have been updated, and all information on post-processing is up-to-date for use with Photoshop and Lightroom. There is also new information on Photoshop plug-ins and other software that is useful for night photography, and he covers all the bases of natural light night photography.

Night Sky Photography: From First Principles to Professional Results

by Adam Woodworth

Rather than just covering the bases, Adam Woodworth has scored a home run with his first book: Night Sky Photography: From First Principles to Professional Results. Adam gave a great presentation on Milky Way panoramas at our Night Photo Summit in February, and I had just received my copy of his book the week before. I’m impressed, and will state unequivocally that this is one of the best and most up-to-date books on astro-landscape photography available.

In clear, concise language, Woodworth walks the reader through the steps to successful astro-landscape photography. Note that it’s not a complete guide to general night photography (it doesn’t cover urban night photography, and has limited information on light painting)β€”it’s strictly astro-landscape. He does cover stacking and tracking, with a great section on panoramas. Highly recommended.

2021 Night Sky Almanac: A Month-by-Month Guide to North America’s Skies

by Nicole Mortillaro

The 2021 Night Sky Almanac is the ideal resource for both novice and experienced sky watchers in the United States and Canada, with all of the advice, information and data that enthusiasts need to understand and enjoy the wonders of the night sky.

This in-depth guide first introduces readers to the objects in the skyβ€”from stars to comets to globular clustersβ€”and then takes you through the cosmic events to look out for each month in 2021, with sky maps, moon phase charts and info about the planets.

The almanac is both a comprehensive introduction to astronomy and a quick reference book for more experienced sky watchers who don’t want to miss a thing. Its compact size means it’s perfect for taking on any night photography adventure.

Inspirational

The World at Night: Spectacular Photographs of the Night Sky

by Babak Tafreshi

Bringing together the images of over 40 photographers across 25 countries, The World at Night: Spectacular Photographs of the Night Sky is a collection of images curated by The World at Night founder Babak Tafreshi.

What makes this book unique is how the images are organized. The sections include: β€œOne People, One Sky,” which attests to the unified nature of earth and mankind; β€œWorld Heritages,” which not surprisingly features night photographs of World Heritage Sites; β€œEvents That Shook the World,” which is about celestial events such as comets, eclipses and unusual atmospheric phenomena; β€œThe Fragile Beauty of Darkness,” which uses gorgeous images to show the importance of preserving dark skies; and β€œDark Sky Refuges,” which showcases dark-sky parks and other astro-tourism destinations.

To Know a Starry Night

by Paul Bogard (coming October 12, 2021)

Paul Bogard gave an impassioned presentation based on his earlier book, The End of Night, at our Night Photo Summit. His newest book, scheduled for publication in October, combines his lyrical writing with the night-sky photography of Beau Rogers. To Know a Starry Night explores the powerful experience of being outside under a natural starry sky––how important it is to human life, and how so many people don’t know this experience. As the night sky increasingly becomes flooded with artificial-light pollution, this poignant work intends to help us reconnect with the natural darkness of night, an experience that now, in our time, is fading from our lives.

In Conclusion

Now that the seemingly interminable pandemic is winding down in some places, and summer has arrived here in the Northern Hemisphere, everyone is looking forward to spending more time outdoors photographing and less time behind a computer, but that doesn’t mean there’s no time for books in our lives!

Whether chillaxing by the pool, or waiting at the airport for a flight to your next night photo destination, any or all of these books will make great summer reading to inform, educate and inspire you to get back out there and to seize the night.

Lance Keimig is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night. He has been photographing at night for 30 years, and is the author of Night Photography and Light Painting: Finding Your Way in the Dark (Focal Press, 2015). Learn more about his images and workshops at www.thenightskye.com.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

Paradise at Night: All 5 Utah National Parks are Now Dark-Sky Certified

This week the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) announced that Zion National Park has been designated as their very newest international dark sky park. Kudos, booyah and way to go!

The bigger news surrounding that is this: With that designation, now all five national parks in Utahβ€”Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zionβ€”have been recognized as international dark sky parks. (For more information, see the official press release.)

It’s quite an achievement, though not necessarily a surprise. National park lovers know how amazing all five of those places are, and anyone who has roamed or photographed them at night knows the beauty and wonder of those dark skies.

Of course, Utah’s grand landscapes and inspiring night skies aren’t limited to just those national parks. In fact, the state boasts the highest concentration of dark-sky areas in the world, with 24 such designations within its boundaries, including six national monuments and 11 state parks.

If you like night, Utah is a great place to be. Clearly. They even considered making a license plate saying as much:

license plate.png

To celebrate the news of all five of Utah’s national parks being recognized in this way, all five National Parks at Night instructors have pitched in one photo each as a small showcase of what you can expect from Utah’s β€œMighty 5.”

Or, perhaps we should rename them the β€œNighty Five”?


Arches National Park

by Tim Cooper

Given a name like Arches, you might expect the park to be a one-trick pony. Nothing could be further from the truth. Arches is a gorgeous location with an array of opportunities for the night photographer!

Nikon D4s with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens at 15mm. 16 stacked exposures shot at 3 minutes, f/5.6, ISO 100.


Bryce Canyon National Park

by Matt Hill

Bryce Canyon is a Top 10 destination for me because of the extremely accessible canyon rim and extraordinary geological features, such as the hoodoos and sedimentary strata. It’s also cooler in the summer with elevations reaching 9,100 feet, which makes for better night photography conditions.

Nikon Z 6 with a Zeiss Distagon 15mm f/2.8 lens and FTZ Adapter. 198 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 3200.


Canyonlands National Park

by Chris Nicholson

Canyonlands is a wonder of geography and a wonder for the eyes. Every section of the park is amazing in its own way, but especially inspiring is Island in the Sky, where all around you are canyons within canyons within canyons. Not to mention some beautiful rock formations, such as the famous Mesa Arch.

Nikon D3s with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens, light painted with a Coast HP7R flashlight. 25 seconds, f/5.6, ISO 6400.


Capitol Reef National Park

by Gabriel Biderman

When Chris, Matt and I did an epic road trip through Utah’s parks, we all fell in love with Capitol Reef. It’s remote and has outstanding, surreal landscapes created by ancient rivers carving through the geology of time. You can explore the backcountry of Capitol Reef by 4x4, but plenty of amazing scenes, like the Twins pictured above, can be found just off the road.

Nikon D5 with an Irix 11mm f/4 lens. 152 stacked exposures shot at 30 seconds, f/4, ISO 6400.


Zion National Park

by Lance Keimig

Zion is one of the crown jewels of our park system with its steep red cliffs and at least six deep narrow canyons carved by the Virgin River, including the famous Subway and the Zion Narrows. It’s an outdoor paradise with easy to strenuous hiking, biking, canyoneering and climbing, and wildlife abounds. I love it because there are plenty of hard-to-miss, grandiose photo opportunities, but even more subtle photogenic scenes for the observant photographer. Oh, and some very dark skies.

Nikon D750 with a 20mm lens. 6 minutes, f/8, ISO 800.


Your Turn

What do you think of all five of Utah’s national parks being designated as international dark-sky parks? We’d love to hear, and we’d love to see your night photos of these amazing places. Feel free to share in the comments, on our Facebook page or on Instagram (tag us @nationalparksatnight and/or hashtag us #nationalparksatnight).

Chris Nicholson is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night, and author of Photographing National Parks (Sidelight Books, 2015). Learn more about national parks as photography destinations, subscribe to Chris' free e-newsletter, and more at www.PhotographingNationalParks.com.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT