The Nightscaper Photo Conference Postponed to May 18-21, 2023
The 2022 Nightscaper Photo Conference in Kanab, Utah, has been postponed to May 18-21, 2023.
As you well know, we are living in uncertain times. Life, and what awaits around the next bend, is unpredictable. This uncertainty has led to lower than anticipated registrations for the conference, and the projected numbers mean that the 2022 Nightscaper Conference was not viable.
It was a difficult decision to postpone the event until next year. But, with more time for everyone to plan (perhaps yourself included), we’ll be able to build on the work we’ve done to make next year’s event the best night photography conference ever.
The new moon will be on Friday, May 19, and holding the event in May means that the Milky Way core will be rising around 11 p.m., providing more time for everyone to photograph each night (and perhaps to sleep).
We are working with the speakers to coordinate their pre- and post-conference workshops, and also with existing and potential sponsors to enhance the experience for everyone involved. It’s gonna be epic!
Free Streaming Presentations
To show our appreciation for registering for the 2023 Nightscaper Conference, we will provide instant access to three recorded presentations:
Tracked Milky Way Panoramas Made Easy, with Dan Zafra
Tracking Milky Way panoramas is one of the most spectacular ways to photograph the magic of the night sky. It's the best way to immerse viewers in a scene where they can enjoy the most impressive areas of our galaxy captured with the highest quality.
However, this type of photography is also the most challenging. The planning is crucial, the quality of the camera gear is key, and shooting using the proper techniques is a must.
In this presentation, Dan Zafra will walk you through the best process for capturing Milky Way panoramas using a star-tracker. Dan has been obsessed with this type of image for years, and he will save you all the trial and error so you can capture breathtaking panoramas of our galaxy.
Milky Way Panoramas, with Adam Woodworth
Learn everything you need to know to shoot Milky Way panoramas! Capturing the entire arc of the Milky Way over dramatic landscapes is extremely fun, and while it requires some special techniques, it is quite simple with the right knowledge, tools and practice.
Basic Deep Sky Astrophotography Processing in Adobe Photoshop, with Forest Chaput de Saintonge
Have you ever worked hard to capture a deep-sky astrophotography image, stacked it, looked at the result, and been disappointed at the level of detail you were able capture? I felt this way all the time when I first started my journey into astrophotography.
Luckily the solution usually doesn’t involve a re-shoot; it simply involves learning more about editing and how to use advanced software such as Adobe Photoshop or PixInsight to pull more detail out of our images.
In this presentation Forest will walk through the editing process of a deep-sky astrophotography image in Adobe Photoshop and show you how to maximize the contrast, saturation and details you’ve always wanted to see in your images.
He will start by discussing best practices when it comes to stacking, as well as how to maximize the performance of a stacking program to create the best possible stacked file.
Next he will take the final 32-bit stacked image into Adobe Photoshop and run through his basic workflow, which includes:
Curves adjustment layers
Levels adjustment layers
Hue/Saturation adjustment layers
32-bit to 16-bit file conversion
creating a fake flat frame to correct for an uneven background
noise reduction
reducing star size
saving the final file
Note: a basic understanding of Adobe Photoshop is highly recommended.
2022 Speaker Workshops
Also, there are some speaker workshops in the Kanab area that are still happening this year, such as Royce and Robert’s. Those will remain on the conference website, and we highly recommend checking them out. For more information and to register, click here:
Please direct any questions about those workshops to the workshop leaders.
We will be working hard to make next year’s Nightscaper Conference all that it can be, and we sincerely hope that you will join us.
With Gratitude,
Chris, Gabe, Lance, Matt & Tim
How do you stay involved?
If you haven’t yet, register for the Nightscaper Conference today!
Please share the 2022 Nighscaper Conference with your friends, other astro-landscape photographers and those who want to jump-start their skills. We also encourage you to share it with folks who are just getting into the craft.
follow our Instagram, Facebook, Twitter accounts to stay up to date on all news and happenings
join our Facebook group to share your night photos and to chat all things night photography
