How Lightroom's New Selection and Mask Tools Help the Night Photographer

Post-processing is an important aspect of the night photographer’s skill set, and now Adobe has made it even easier for us to quickly create very powerful adjustments.

Adobe’s latest Lightroom release (version 11.0, October 2021) is surely something you’ve seen in the photography news, and for good reason: It’s chock-full of both major upgrades and minor quality-of-life tweaks, all of which will help photographers create art better, easier and faster. Which means you can level up your photography!

Some of the smaller tweaks include greasing the bearings of working with keywords and metadata, making some filter choices sticky, and resetting local-adjustment sliders between edits so you don’t inadvertently apply unwanted changes later.

But the biggest news of all is that Adobe has has completely revamped the local adjustment tools in the Develop module. This set of tools is now called Masks, and it includes our beloved Brush, as well as the Linear and Radial Gradient tools.

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The new Lightroom selection and masking tools enable night photographers to make nuanced local adjustments more easily, more quickly and more effectively than before.

Even better is that these are now joined by the powerful new Select Subject and Select Sky tools, which are driven by artificial intelligence. We also now have the ability to select by color and brightness with the Color Range and Luminance Range selection tools. Moreover, we can add to and subtract from selections with ease, as well as invert and intersect them.

This update is an awesome upgrade for the night photographer and Lightroom user!

For the past ten days we’ve been delving into all these new and improved tools to see how they help night photographers in particular, and now we’re here to report back on our findings in a new video on our YouTube channel.

In This Video

In the video below, I illustrate several tips, including:

• an introduction to the new Masks tool

• working with your legacy local adjustments

• creating masks using the new Select Sky tool

• creating masks using the new Color Range tool

• creating masks using the new Luminance Range tool

Plus … a New Course!

I hope you find the video above useful for learning how to harness the power of the new Lightroom tools to create better night photography. But honestly, to fully apply these new tools in a practical way requires more than a 20-minute video can adequately portray.

So for those who want to delve deeper, or for those who learn better in a give-and-take, question-and-answer environment with live demos and teaching, we’ve put together a brand new online course: Lightroom Live: Selections and Masks.

If you’re interested in jumping right in with these new Lightroom features, join us later this month (click the link above for dates and times). The cost is $99, and we’re limiting the class size to 12 to ensure that everyone has time to ask questions and to get more personalized assistance.

Your Turn

If you’re anything like us (and we know a lot of you are), then you’ve already been playing with these new masking tools, and you’ll be revisiting some old images to edit those even better. We’d love to see how you’re applying these new skills! Feel free to share an image in the comments, on our Facebook page or on Instagram (tag us @nationalparksatnight and/or hashtag us #nationalparksatnight).

Tim Cooper is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night. Learn more techniques from his book The Magic of Light Painting, available from Peachpit.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

From Shadows of the Past: 5 Photos of Ghost Towns at Night

Fall has fallen upon the land, Halloween is upon us, and with it come ghosts from the shadows. Well, maybe. But in some shadows of the country we can certainly find ghost towns, which happen to be among night photographers’ favorite haunts.

Ghost towns certainly allure us, for many reasons: historical significance, yesteryear charm, their ethereal memories that linger in shadows. And of course, they just look really cool, especially when darkness falls.

Below, in celebration of Halloween week, we present five photographs of ghost towns and short stories about how we made them.

Bodie

by Lance Keimig

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Bodie, California. Canon 5D with a Nikon 28mm f/3.5 PC lens, lit with a Surefire 9P flashlight. 159 seconds, f/8, ISO 160.

A former gold rush town nestled in the unforgiving hills near the California-Nevada border, at its peak Bodie was home to over 10,000 residents. It was the archetypal western boomtown, replete with brothels and saloons, and with men dreaming of making it big and others intent on exploiting them. A legendary young girl’s diary found in the town stated, “Goodbye God, I’m going to Bodie.” Or was it, “Good, by God I’m going to Bodie”? We’re not really sure, but either sentiment could apply, depending on her disposition.

This light-painted image of the undertaker’s shop from 2008 was made with the lens pressed against a dirty window, and was lit with a Surefire incandescent flashlight from the left and right by shining the light through a window on one end of the building and through a door at the other.

Sadly, the table supporting the white coffin collapsed in an earthquake in 2020, and the contents of the building were badly damaged. The caretakers at Bodie have a policy of preserving what they can but not restoring structures that deteriorate or are damaged by natural causes, so I’m glad that I made this image when I had the chance.

Mojave

by Matt Hill

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Mojave National Preserve, California. Sony Alpha a7 III with a Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 lens, lit with a Nanlite PavoTube 15C 2' LED tube. 13 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 3200.

I was lucky, and very grateful, to spend time with photographer and Night Photo Summit speaker Jess Santos in California’s Mojave National Preserve. In her Jeep, we visited some of her favorite off-map and abandoned places.

Mojave is a special, though not frequently visited, place. In fact, that it’s not more visited is surely part of what makes it so special. Mojave is also a light painter’s dream. It’s an old mining area, and still contains remnant machinery, abandoned houses, sandblasted cars and trucks and vans slowly disintegrating in the dry heat.

This well-preserved bus is jacked up level on the low end (pretty high in the air!), and it looks like it’s on a permanent adventure. I used a single light source to illuminate the bus during the 13-second exposure. I started farthest away from the camera, blasted the 2-foot LED tube light through the doors, then walked along the side with the light held high to illuminate the dark interior.

Combined with strong moonlight, the warm/cool blending of light sources created exactly the look I was going for.

Silver City

by Gabriel Biderman

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Silver City, California. Nikon D700 with a Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 ZF.2 lens, lit with a Coast flashlight. 4 minutes, f/5.6, ISO 400.

A lot of the ghost towns we visit are part of national parks or just outside of them and fairly easy to access. But many more are long forgotten and hidden from the public.

The year was 2011. I was on an epic road trip with fellow night photographers Joe Reifer and Night Photo Summit speaker Troy Paiva. We were right outside the vibrant “ghost town” of Virginia City, Nevada, when we found what looked to be the remains of an old silver mine in the satellite view of Google Maps. We drove over to investigate, but blocking the entrance was an impressive “No Trespassing” gate. 

While pondering our next move, we noticed a Willie Nelson-looking fella in a sawed-off Jeep driving quickly down the road with a dog barking and running alongside. 

We explained that we were night photographers, and fortunately Troy had one of his books to show that we were passionate about photographing Americana ruins. Somehow we won over the caretaker named Irish, and he invited us to spend two nights shooting the mines of Silver City.

My favorite shot from this wonderful experience is this slice of a corrugated bridge that was connected to the hoist house.

Grafton

by Tim Cooper

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Grafton, Utah. Nikon D700 with a Nikon 24mm f/2.8 lens, lit with a Coast HP5R flashlight. 1 minute, f/9, ISO 200.

Near Utah’s Zion National Park sits Grafton, one of the most photographed of the western ghost towns.

From an artistic standpoint, this image is kind of spooky. Exactly what I was going for.

From a technical standpoint, this image is about color unity. I wanted to create a cool color harmony, which would provoke that spooky feeling.

The landscape was being illuminated by a full moon. I set my white balance to 4000 K. Images made under a full moon can often look like they were shot in daylight, so lowering the white balance to 4000 K helps keep the impression of a night scene.

A setting of 4000 K renders my Coast HP5R only somewhat blue, but I wanted even more blue, to match the coolness of the ambient light. So I added a light blue gel to the front of the flashlight, which also helped to retain color harmony throughout the image.

Thurmond

by Chris Nicholson

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Thurmond, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia. Nikon D5 with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens. Two stacked exposures at 1 and 4 seconds, f/5.6, ISO 400.

The newest national park in the United States, New River Gorge in West Virginia, has some of the country’s oldest stuff, from one of the oldest rivers in the world to some great abandoned places, such as the ghost town of Thurmond.

A hundred years ago Thurmond was a booming mining town situated aside the New River. The area mines were so productive that Thurmond was reputed to be one of the most prosperous stops on the railroad with the richest banks in the state.

Today the mines are closed and the town is all but abandoned. But the railroad still runs through and the bank still stands aside it, as do 20 other dusty buildings, including the post office, coaling tower and train depot.

In this photo, a streetlight illuminates the old National Bank of Thurmond, as well as the tracks and a little surprise (ghostly?) visitor who wafted into the scene. Two exposures were required: one to control the bright lamp, and a second to record the details of the bank and railroad bed.

Your Turn

What ghost towns have you photographed at night? We’d love to see! Feel free to post your take on this shadowy genre 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.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

Five Questions: Tripod Cleaning, Condensation, Auto ISO and more

We get a lot of questions, we give a lot of answers, and we’re happy to share them all with you.

This installment of our “Five Questions” series features inquiries about keeping your tripod clean, predicting lens condensation, auto ISO, Super Resolution and computer displays.

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!

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1. Sand & Salt & Tripods

Question:

I’m wondering if I haven’t cleaned or cared for my tripod enough. The lower leg sections have been a bit rough in movement, and although I’ve tried to wipe down or rinse, I do wonder if Moroccan sand, Death Valley dunes, Argentinian salt flats and just plain ol’ dirt is sneaking in. What’s the best way to care for a tripod? — Therese

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If you’re shooting in a place like the sand dunes of Morocco, keeping your tripod clean will mean you’ll be keeping your tripod longer.

Answer:

Whenever you bring your tripod to very sandy destinations or submerge the legs in salty water, you should not collapse the legs until you can rinse them with tap water at home or the hotel. Then towel them off and let them air dry completely overnight.

If you needed to collapse your tripod while still in the field, then grit or corrosives may have gotten inside. In that case, try to do a more thorough job rinsing, and perhaps even disassemble the tripod legs and thoroughly rinse them individually.

If you’re in that type of environment for a few days or more, then also give the tripod a full rinse when you come home from your trip. That’s not common practice for most photographers, but it should head off any long-term complications you might otherwise encounter with dust, dirt and salt getting into the locks and inside the legs. — Gabe

2. Condensation Mitigation

Question:

Is there a good method of determining the likelihood of experiencing lens condensation during a night photography session? When (and when not) should I use a lens heater? — Jim B.

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The photographic effects of unmitigated condensation.

Answer:

Checking a meteorological site for dew point and expected low temperature is the best way to anticipate a problem with lens condensation. If the expected low temperature is dropping toward the dew point, you will be likely to get moisture on your lens during an evening shoot.

To understand dew point, here is an explanation from the National Weather Service:

“The dew point is the temperature the air needs to be cooled to (at constant pressure) in order to achieve a relative humidity of 100 percent. At this point the air cannot hold more water in the gas form. If the air were to be cooled even more, water vapor would have to come out of the atmosphere in the liquid form, usually as fog or precipitation.”

In short, if the relative humidity is high and the temperature drops, these are the conditions where you are likely to experience condensation.

The best way to prevent condensation on your lenses is to apply your lens heater before condensation starts to form. If you anticipate it to be an issue, put your lens heater on the lens as soon as you take your gear out of the bag, which will ideally prevent the lens from dropping below the dew point. Waiting until after you already see dew on the front element is a recipe for spending most of the evening wiping the lens than shooting with it.

You already have a more high-tech dew solution, but night photographers should know there are also lower-tech alternatives. Simply attaching the lens hood will hold off dew for a while. And we highly recommend our good friend and Night Photo Summit speaker Kevin Adams’ LensMuff (below). It’s an adjustable and effective solution that does not require batteries, but instead relies on economical hand warmers. — Lance

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3. Auto ISO a No-Go

Question:

How do I set auto ISO for dusk into night since the exposure changes so much? This also applies to the moonlit skies when the moon when rises or sets during a shoot, changing the ambient light. — Wendy K.

Answer:

I do not use auto ISO for still photography. I’d rather my exposure time (shutter speed) change and not the overall quality of my image (ISO).

However, if we’re talking about making time lapses, that’s another ball of yarn. In that case I might choose auto ISO so that I get more images as it gets darker instead of the fewer that would result from the shutter staying open longer.

If you are serious about day-to-night time lapses (or vice versa), you should consider getting something that does bulb ramping (aka “bramping”), such as the View intervalometer, ElysiaVisuals RamperPro3 Kit or MIOPS Smart+. These take a lot of the guesswork out of the process in lighting conditions that change radically. — Matt

4. When to Sharpen a Supersized Image

Question:

Thank you for the post on Super Resolution. Do you have any suggestions on when to apply sharpening to the original image? Should that be done before upsizing or after? — Kathy E.

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Supersizing a Bryce Canyon photograph quadruples its size.

Answer:

When it comes to sharpening, I would always do that last, just like we have always advocated with any post-production process. Lots of things in post-production can change the apparent sharpness of an image, so you want to do those things before sharpening, so that you know how much sharpening you really need.

Likewise, sharpening changes the contrast of pixels at a micro level, and applying changes to those sharpened pixels later can introduce artifacts such as fringing and haloing where there wouldn’t have been any if your order of processing decisions had been different.

Always sharpen last. — Tim

5. Monitors of Mention

Question:

When Chris and Tim did the photo feedback session following their presentation at the Out of Chicago In-Depth conference, they mentioned a monitor brand that they are both happy with. If you would be so kind, please let me know that brand. I may be getting due for a monitor replacement. — Donald

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Answer:

Tim and I both use BenQ monitors, in particular the SW2700PT (recently replaced in their lineup with the SW270C), which is designed specifically for photography. It’s a 27-inch display, which is plenty big for photo editing. Also, it covers 99 percent of the Adobe RGB color space, which is excellent for producing accurate color.

Another great feature is this: If you want to dig really deep on color accuracy, you can take advantage of BenQ monitors’ ability to store calibration settings right inside the display. This means you can set the monitor to make the color adjustments that result from your calibration profile, rather than having your computer’s operating system make those adjustments. This is referred to as “hardware calibration,” as opposed to the more commonly used “software calibration.” For more detail, you can read about this on BenQ’s website, but the takeaway is that this approach gives you better color depth, and theoretically means you won’t need to calibrate as often. — 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.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

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 “101” workshop in a most desirable destination, and a new “Shoot 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 “going 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?

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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 wilderness—all under the Milky Way and moonlight in the only national park in New England.

Acadia National Park — October 1-6, 2022

Grand Canyon National Park: North Rim

The Grand Canyon from the quiet side—serene and colorful panoramas that embrace the Milky Way.

Join us on the “other” 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 — 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 — August 14-19, 2022

North Cascades National Park

‘The American Alps’ — 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 — July 31-August 5, 2022

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Photograph the wild horses, the badlands, the rock formations—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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 sea—at twilight, night, under moonlight and with the Milky Way rising behind.

Lighthouses of the Outer Banks — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 installations—here world-class food, art and architecture are woven together to create one of the most beautiful and photogenic cities in Europe.

Barcelona — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — April 7-17, 2023

Iceland South Coast

The South Coast of Iceland was the first area to be ‘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 — 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 Lofoten—the milder winter temperatures make the overall experience ideal for catching the auroras over a snow-globe winterscape.

Lofoten Islands — 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 — 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 backyards—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 — 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 specific—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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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.

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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 “someone” 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 “Night 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.

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Instagram Story from Badlands

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Lightning in Badlands National Park. © 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 “How 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 “Shooting 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 “Tips 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 “Natural 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 “The 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 “Behind 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:

• “Best Cameras for Night Photography,” “Camera Settings for Night Photography,” “How to Photograph Star Trails” and “How to Light Paint” by Gabe

• “10 Night Photography Problems and How to Solve Them,” by Matt and Chris

• “Night Landscape Photography: From Light Painting to Light Writing,” by Lance

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):

• “How to Get Started in Astrophotography: 5 Tips with @Nateinthewild,” by Nate Luebbe

• “5 Composition Tips for More Striking Astro Photos,” by Autumn Schrock

• “5 Tips on Light Painting,” by Susan Magnano

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 “Join 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.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT