Keys Ranch Nightscape Photography Workshop Spring 2020

With new digital camera technologies, night time has become the right time to make spectacular images! Unlock your creativity and take your photography to a new place in this one-night workshop on the photograhic techniques after dark including wide-field astro-photography, light painting and light drawing. Learn how to photograph the night sky with your DSLR camera. Light painting and light drawing are photographic techniques in which images are made using long shutter speeds as the photographer uses a hand-held light source, such as a flashlight, to create the exposure. The photographer either points the light source directly at the camera to "draw with light" or "paints with light" by shining the light source on an object or scene to create the illumination. From Ansel Adams to Pablo Picasso, these seemingly magical techniques have long inspired photographers and artists alike with their ability to make visible the invisible and to play with time.

This class will take place in the access restricted historic Keys Ranch and participants with have the opportunity to photograph the cosmos amongst the historic ranch buildings and artifacts. 

Class size limited to 8 participants, so sign up early!

Special note about Keys Ranch. We must be respectful of this historic site. Several areas will be off limits for photography and to help insure that invasive species are not introduced clean boots, socks and tripod legs are required.  A brief discussion of workshop protocol while at Keys Ranch will be provided before leaving the classroom.

Download the course outline: Keys Ranch Nightscape Photography Workshop

Hike Level: Easy (Fitness Levels)

If you are a member of JTNPA you will get a $10 discount off every Desert Institute class. If you are not a member you can become one here.

Before registering, please take the time to review our General Class Information and download the Enrollment Attachments, that contain pertinent information about your class, the Joshua Tree National Park and camping reservations which can be made at recreation.gov

Please print and fill out the PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT.  You can bring the completed form to the class.

Cancellation Policy:  If you need to cancel, notify us at least seven days prior to the start of the course and we will process your request minus a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds, transfers, or credits will be granted if cancellation occurs within the seven day period. Please note that we cannot make any exceptions to this refund policy for any reason, including but not limited to medical reasons, illness, travel delays, personal situations, emergencies, or weather. This program depends on registration for its funding. While inconvenient, please understand that this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last minute cancellations.