2024 Presentation Sessions

Exploring the Infrared Universe with Webb
The James Webb Space Telescope has been a scientific feat over 25 years in the making. Since its launch, we have seen the infrared universe like never before.

In this presentation, Alyssa, science visuals developer for the Space Telescope Science Institute, will look at Webb’s remarkable journey and the incredible images Webb has provided. She will also explore the science behind these images, including what they tell us about galaxy evolution, the formation of stars and planets, exoplanetary systems, our own solar system, and more!

The Art and Science Behind How Webb Images are Made
The amazing visions from the Webb Space Telescope have captivated the world. However, there is a long and involved process by which the scientific black and white observational data are transformed into dynamic color imagery for the public.

Join image specialist Alyssa Pagan as she discusses, details and demonstrates the art and science of translating infrared light, as well as the importance of creating these images in the first place, in serving to educate, engage and inspire.

Are you Ready to See Accurate Colors?
Where do you spend the most time with your captured images? For many of us, the answer is on our screen, editing and perfecting what we captured to reflect our vision of what we saw, and then sharing it with the world, also mostly on screens.

This is where color management through color calibration can immensely benefit our workflow. Knowing that your edit will reflect exactly what you envision and present to the world can be a source of pride and joy. Doing it right on the first try can save you time, resources and money, especially if you print any images.

In this talk, Art will simplify the concepts and walk you through how to get started with color calibration. He’ll go over the various calibration equipment, as well as pitfalls and how to avoid them. He’ll top off everything with the advantage of a hardware calibration, explain why you might need one, and explain how it can save you considerable time and money in the long run.

Sponsored by BenQ

Please Shoot Responsibly
Astro-landscape photographers are critical participants in the dark sky movement. Their images inspire awareness and action, but certain practices—such as over-editing, photoshopping night skies or using artificial light to illuminate foregrounds—can undermine the mission of protecting natural darkness.

Join this presentation to create a guiding document for responsible astrophotography to ensure that the dark sky movement can balance artistic freedom with ethical responsibility.

Sponsored by DarkSky International

Beyond the Visible: Exploring the Cosmos through Hyperspectral Imaging
Embark on a captivating journey that transcends the boundaries of traditional astronomical observation. Hyperspectral imaging, a technology that captures image data across the electromagnetic spectrum, has revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos. From the detailed mapping of Martian geology to unveiling the dynamic processes of Earth’s own atmosphere, this technique provides an unprecedented multispectral view, revealing insights that the naked eye or conventional imaging cannot discern.

Bryony will delve into the advanced methodologies employed in capturing these images, focusing on how different wavelengths can unravel unique aspects of planetary surfaces, atmospheric compositions and deep space phenomena. The talk highlights significant findings from recent hyperspectral missions, including the intricacies of Martian mineralogy uncovered by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the nuanced environmental monitoring of Earth.

Additionally, we explore the potential of hyperspectral imaging in future space exploration and its role in answering some of the most perplexing questions in astronomy and planetary science. From analyzing lunar regolith to probing the composition of distant celestial objects, the applications are as vast as the universe itself.

Join us in exploring how hyperspectral imaging not only enhances our current understanding but also paves the way for new discoveries in the vast and mysterious expanse of our universe.

Lunar Landscapes: Capturing the Moon’s Geological Tale Through the Lens of Astrophotography
Bryony will discuss the moon’s surface features, from the ancient, cratered highlands to the dark, basaltic plains of the Maria, captured in detail by advanced lunar astrophotographic techniques.

Using earth nightscape analogs, she will delve into the moon’s geologic past, examining how its impact craters, basins, lava flows, and tectonic scarps and ridges tell a story of a dynamic celestial body. This journey through lunar topography is not only a testament to the moon’s complex geologic processes but also reveals the impact of space weathering, a phenomenon that continually alters the lunar surface.

By integrating high-resolution astrophotography, this presentation aims to provide a dynamic look at the moon’s geology, offering insights into its formation and evolution. The talk will also discuss how these findings are pivotal for future lunar explorations and understanding similar processes on other planetary bodies.

Growth Hacks to Quickly Build Your Social Media Footprint
Social media gives modern photographers an unprecedented opportunity to share and promote their work with millions—for free. However, reaching those potential followers can often seem impossible. Successful tips and tricks espoused by social media experts fall flat for many landscape and astrophotographers. In a quest to go viral or achieve meteoric growth, many photographers miss the chance to establish strong online communities.

Those failures are avoidable. In this presentation, Carly will share the methods and benefits of creating a community instead of a following. A strong and vibrant community that will fuel your engagement and growth. Learn how to define your goals, maximize your reach, read the data and develop a personalized social media strategy.

Come behind the scenes of social media growth in this candid discussion of what does and doesn’t work.

Capturing Serenity through Night Photography
Our fast-paced lives often leave little room for introspection, leading to increased stress and burnout. Night photography offers a unique escape by providing a serene and meditative experience under the stars. Connecting with the natural world reduces stress, enhances creativity and fosters connection.

Join Carly to learn ways to not only connect with the tranquility of the night, but to also better connect with your audience by conveying the serenity of stargazing through your images. Discover methods to streamline and automate your workflow to increase downtime under the stars. See what ancient wisdom, modern medicine and personal experience can teach you about maximizing your experience under the night sky.

Feeling Reflective: Working with Water at Night
Little in life seems as peaceful as resting at the edge of a body of water, feeling reflective of nature and watching reflections of the world drift by. Of all things nature, that feeling is one of the easiest to translate into a photograph, a water view is well established in psychology for triggering innate, primal senses of safety and survival.

Water can also be incredibly dynamic in a composition, whether mirroring objects in a glassy surface or blurred for creative effect. And the shoreline edges of water can serve as powerful leading lines and separators of content in a scene.

And, of course, all of this is magnified at night.

However, that doesn’t mean that working with and around water is always a straight-forward task. In this presentation, Chris Nicholson will explore the challenges of photographing oceans, lakes, rivers and ponds for night photography, as well as all the benefits of doing so. He’ll discuss technique, gear considerations, best practices for reflections, safety, how tides can affect a scene, working with waves and more.

Shooting Sharper and Cleaner with an Astro-Modified Camera
Achieve the highest quality images by using an astro-modified camera. In this presentation, Clarence will teach the best practices for acquiring the sharpest and cleanest images. He’ll cover how to edit astro-modified images for amazing results, including sharpness and lower noise, as well as combining multiple layers of H-alpha, dual-band, tri-band, and quad-band filter data.

Sponsored by Spencer's Camera

Dream Locations for Night Photography
With some of the darkest skies on the planet, it’s no surprise why the American Southwest has become a dream destination for astro-landscape photographers from all over the world.

For years, Cody has been photographing this unique terrain and teaching others how to capture it. In this presentation he will share some of his favorite locations to photograph the night sky, including the logistics for how to get to these remote places, best time of year to shoot them and some secret spots you probably didn’t even know existed. Don’t miss out about these dream locations right here near Kanab, Utah!

Sponsored by Dreamland Safari Tours

Night Photography Checklist: How to Photograph in Any Night Condition
Does the night sky overwhelm you at times?

When you arrive to a location do you struggle with your settings?

You no longer need to feel so lost and in the dark!. In this session Gabriel will share his ultimate checklist for night photographers—not just for working under perfect skies, but for working under a variety of conditions.

Want to capture star points and Milky Way? Gabe will discuss when it’s appropriate to use the 400 Rule or NPF rule, as well as the pros and cons of tracking.

How about star trails? There are tons of options to choose from. Gabe will help you navigate through the ISOs, shutter speeds and apertures so you can best balance not just the length and number of stars, but also their color!

The checklist will also include best practices for achieving optimal image quality, as well as working moonlight, auroras, light painting, bad weather and urban scenes.

Celestial Cinematography
Explore the art of capturing live video under the night sky. In this talk, Jack will cover unique challenges of night sky videography with a deeper look into the limitations and considerations for this challenging undertaking.

The discussion will highlight the importance of selecting appropriate locations and gear while emphasizing the critical role of timing.

Sponsored by Sigma

The World Comes Alive at Night
The word is a different place at night, especially as a photographer. Jeff will motivate, inspire and offer ideas for photographers not afraid of the dark. From skylines to people, abstracts to architecture, this class will share a lot of different ways to take advantage of the night.

Sponsored by Canon

The Art of Composites: The In-Field Guide
Join Jess to unlock the secrets behind crafting a dreamy composites. Like every good night image, the process starts in the field. In this presentation Jess will explore a galaxy of techniques to seamlessly capture all the pieces you need to create your first composite masterpiece. This first of a two-talk series will focus specifically on what and how we can shoot in field to set ourselves up for success in the digital dark room. Are you ready to capture the magic of the night sky like never before? Because who said the universe couldn’t use a touch of your creativity?

The Art of Composites: Photoshop Wizardry
In this second of a two-talk series, explore the artistry behind combining multiple images using the magic of Photoshop to create the intriguing night images. Jess will show how to seamlessly blend two or more images together using her entire composite workflow. From mastering the art of composition to harnessing the power of color balance, this session will set you on your creative path to opening up new editing possibilities.

Maximize the Maximum: Photographing Auroras at the Height of the Solar Cycle
The solar maximum is expected to occur between mid-2024 and the end of 2025, providing a prime opportunity to witness breathtaking aurora borealis, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere in beautiful places such as Canada, Iceland and Norway.

In this seminar, Kah-Wai will discuss the science behind auroras, how to predict their occurrence using NASA satellite data, and tips for photographing them, including camera settings and composition. This seminar will prepare you to experience one of the most spectacular natural phenomena of 2025!

Sponsored by PhaseOne

Become a Night Photography Multitasker: Crafting Star Points, Star Trails and Cinemagraphic Time-Lapses from a Single Tripod
Dive into the captivating realm of visual storytelling, where a single set of photographs becomes a canvas for creativity.

In this presentation, you’ll learn the art of multidimensional photography using just one tripod setup. From mesmerizing point-of-light images that evoke celestial beauty to star trail-inspired visual journeys, dynamic cinemagraphs that breathe life into still frames and time-lapse wonders that unfold the magic of time itself.

Discover the secrets behind creating three distinct products from a unified photographic foundation. Unleash your creativity, master innovative techniques and transform ordinary moments into extraordinary visual narratives. Join Katrina to explore the limitless possibilities of photographic expression.

Pixel-Perfect Cosmos: Mastering Astro-Landscape Photography and Light Painting with Google Pixel
Consider astro-landscape photography and light painting with a mobile device. Embark on a photographic odyssey with the power of a Google Pixel 8 Pro!

In this immersive class, Katrina will guide you through the art of capturing the night sky with the manual settings of this amazing mobile device. Learn how to harness the capabilities of a Pixel to photograph celestial wonders, from starry landscapes to mesmerizing galaxies.

Dive into the enchanting world of light painting, where your Pixel becomes a brush and the night sky transforms into your canvas. Discover the secrets of painting with mobile-phone light to add an extra layer of magic to your photographs. Join us as we combine cutting-edge technology with timeless photographic techniques, bringing the universe to life through the lens of your mobile phone.

Let’s capture the cosmos together!

Preparing Nightscape Images for Print
Printing images is another art form in itself. Printing nightscape images takes it to a whole different level. Have you ever sent your image to a lab only to receive back a print that is too dark to see any detail and has a completely wrong color?

In this presentation, Kristine will teach the process for preparing nightscape files for print. You will learn about hardware specifications and calibrations, as well as editing techniques and necessary software. Kristine will demo with Photoshop and print out examples.

Sell Your First Print
Have you ever wondered what it takes to sell your nightscape photos as prints? With the time and equipment you’ve already invested into your work, it would be nice to make some profit! But how do we get started? It’s time to understand the real reason why people buy prints, the minimum you need to have set up in order to sell your work, and how to get started. You will come away frm this talk with a strategy you can implement immediately to sell your first print.

From Dageurreotype to Digital: The History of Night Photography
Nighttime has been associated with solitude, danger, mystery and the unknown throughout human history, and the night motif was established in Western art long before the advent of photography. It’s no surprise that early photographers pushed the limits of their equipment and materials to express these themes and to make images in the dark.

In this talk, Lance will present an overview of the history of night photography from daguerreotype to digital, with an emphasis on lesser-known artists who made significant contributions to the genre. An appreciation of the work of those who came before us can lead to new insights and understanding in our own photography.

A Beginner’s Guide to Night Panoramas
Making panoramas in the daytime is challenging, but the complexity increases at night. If you’re wondering how to get started, this is the presentation for you.

Matt, a deeply passionate panorama photographer, will introduce you to ideas on how to visualize a panorama, how to use the gear you have and what gear you may consider for your next upgrade. He will also cover techniques for capturing single-row and multirow panos, as well as vertoramas and time-shifted twilight and star blends. Finally he will give a basic primer on three approaches to stitching your newly created panos in Lightroom, Photoshop and PTGUI Pro.

Even experienced pano photographers are likely to pick up some new ideas during this presentation. So join Matt for a presentation that includes everything from planning to exporting night panoramas, with an emphasis on clear, simple explanations for those looking to broaden their photographic perspective.

Sponsored by Shimoda Designs

Complex Lighting with One Flashlight
Lighting a scene from multiple angles, with different intensities, and sometimes different colors, can add depth, dimension and mood to nighttime photographs. However, creating this kind of complex lighting can require multiple lights and stands, and potentially modifiers such as gels and grid spots. But you don’t necessarily need all that gear; you can actually create rich, complex lighting with just a single flashlight!

In this presentation Michael will show you how to light any scene from multiple angles—with complete control of lighting angles, intensity, coverage and color—with just one flashlight, by blending multiple frames into one image.

Nighttime Sequences
Capturing one moment of the night sky can be magical. But what if you could go beyond that, and portray more than one moment in a single composition?

In this presentation Michael will show you how to capture and assemble sequences for eclipses, lightning and star trails, and create moody, mysterious, evocative photographs that suggest the passage of time, and a sense of timelessness.

Snap it, Sketch it, Stamp it, Stick it! Creative Tips for Documenting on the Road
Capturing images is only half the fun. Keep those creative juices flowing by adding an art project to your adventures! From sketching and painting to journaling and collecting ephemera, Michael will take you along his creative journey as a landscape photographer through his images and his notebooks.

Sponsored by Sony

Deepscapes 1: Image Design
By now, you’ve undoubtedly seen epic deepscape images appear across the various Nightscaper communities. Deepscapes combine a compelling deep-sky object (the “deep” in deepscape)—such as a nebula, star cluster, distant galaxy, or even a constellation—along with a foreground landscape (the “scape” in deepscape)—such as a mountain, building or other feature of personal interest.

In this first of two presentations, Mike will begin by discussing how to design your deepscape image in detail. He will review the top dozen deep-sky objects and when/where/how to find them. He’ll also identify important features of a good deepscape foreground.

Next, you’ll see how to use a variety of powerful planning tools, including a planisphere, Stellarium, PlanitPro and PhotoPills to design your perfect deepscape image and to identify the best day and time of the year to capture it. You’ll also learn how to explore the effects of different lens focal lengths on your deepscape images’ appearance.

Deepscapes 2: Image Capture, Optimization and Blending
This second presentation of Mike’s two-part Deepscapes series will show how to capture, optimize and blend together your deep-sky and foreground images into a deepscape image.

Mike will start by covering the technical steps needed to capture the necessary deep-sky and foreground images, including when and how to use a star tracker as a critical part of the process, along with suggested camera settings for the top deepscape targets described earlier in Deepscapes 1.

Specifically, you will learn:
1. how to apply the latest basic and advanced tools in Adobe Lightroom to bring out the best features of your deep-sky images
2. how to stack multiple deep-sky and foreground images separately for noise reduction
3. how to remove a background color cast/vignette using PixInsight
4. how to remove the stars from your stacked deep-sky image for separate editing of the stars-only and starless images, and then re-combining in Photoshop using layers and masks
5. how to seamlessly blend the optimized deep-sky and foreground images into a deepscape using layers and selection tools in Photoshop
6. how to use the Selective Color tool in Photoshop to make your deepscape pop

These methods will allow you to refine your images at each step and create a custom deepscape photograph that genuinely reflects your artistic vision.

Unlocking Your Camera’s Night Sky Potential
So … you are in Utah. The moon is new. The sky is clear. It is the middle of the night. You are actually awake and on location. Now is not the time to worry about your camera settings.

Join Paul before you head out, for an in-depth look at some of the tech buried in your camera that is made just for night sky imaging.

Sponsored by Nikon

How to Plan your Sun, Moon and Milky Way Photos with PhotoPills
Join Rafael (the bard of PhotoPills) and learn how to use PhotoPills to plan your photos involving the sun, natural light, the moon and the Milky Way.

Mastering PhotoPills (from Beginner to Pro)
If you have PhotoPills and don’t know how to use it to plan your photos, join Rafael to learn how to really use this powerful app once and for all. He will cover in detail all the main tools PhotoPills includes to help you plan your photos from home and in the field.

Star Trails: Super Simple, Better and Awesome
Royce has always been a “Milky Way Nightscape” photographer. In fact, he wrote the book on photographing starry night skies as points of light. So why is he giving a presentation on star trails?

1. Because at least one-quarter of the year doesn’t have a Milky Way core to photography.
2. Because many of our best foreground subjects face north, or northwest and northeast.
3. Because star trails are uniquely different and interesting.

This presentation will show four different ways to make star trails: two are super easy, and two are a little more complicated. One technique may give you results beyond your wildest dreams!

Visual Pathways: Bending Light to Tell a Story
Ryan will explore the relationship between light, composition and storytelling in photography. Visual pathways guide the viewer’s eye through an image, creating a journey that reveals the narrative the photographer intends to tell. By mastering the manipulation of light and understanding how it interacts with your subject and environment, you can create powerful images that resonate with your audience.

Ryan will cover techniques for bending and shaping light, using natural and artificial sources to craft compelling compositions that lead the viewer’s gaze through your photographs. From subtle highlights to dramatic contrasts, you’ll learn how to direct attention, to evoke emotion and ultimately to tell a story that speaks to the viewer, taking your photography to the next level.

Color Theory by a Colorblind Photographer
Come watch a colorblind photographer talk all about color theory! Discover how to capture harmonious color combinations in different lighting conditions, and learn editing techniques that enhance color separation to create visually stunning effects.

Ryan will discuss how these harmonies can be found in nature, and how powerful timing and lighting can be in creating captivating photographs that use color to tell a story. He will cover the art of editing each color individually, from greens and reds to blues and yellows. In this session you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the unique characteristics of each color, as well as how to choose the right color combinations for perfect harmony in your images.

Exploring Deep Space Astrophotography: Capturing Nebulae, Galaxies and Beyond
Join Sarah for an insightful session on the art and technique of deep space photography, where you’ll journey through the captivating realms of emission nebulae, reflection nebulae, planetary nebulae, supernova remnants, globular clusters and galaxies. This talk is designed for astrophotographers of all skill levels, offering guidance on how to approach different types of deep sky objects using a variety of equipment and strategies.

Sarah will share how the unique composition of these celestial wonders influences the best practices for imaging them, from selecting the right filters and settings to choosing the ideal gear. Whether you’re under dark skies or dealing with light pollution, these tips will help you make the most of your location. You’ll also learn why timing and seasonal changes matter when capturing these objects, and how to reveal the faint, dynamic structures hidden within them.

This session will provide you with practical advice and creative inspiration to help you capture the night sky, no matter where you are or what deep space objects you’re aiming to photograph.

Sponsored by ZWO

Selections and Masks Masterclass
Learning Photoshop techniques is great. But too many recipes or singular methods are great for one image, but then don’t work on another. This can be very frustrating. No recipe is one-size-fits all.

The fix? Instead of memorizing a technique, learn how the tools work. Join Tim as he hosts a deep dive into Photoshop’s suite of selection and masking tools.

In this presentation you will learn how these many and varied tools really work. You won’t learn a procedure, but rather the theory and application, and tips and tricks, for a full understanding of the masking process. Why learn a recipe when you can learn to cook?