Fort Griffin Night Sky Photography Workshop Recap

Our group this year was a wonderful mix of familiar faces and new friends, embodying the welcoming spirit of the Benton Downs community. It’s always a joy to see new connections being made and old friendships rekindled.

The stars aligned beautifully for another fantastic Benton Downs Photography workshop earlier this month. With the Fort Griffin State Historic Site offering a captivating blend of history and dark skies, it’s no wonder this location has been a favorite photography workshop destination since 2018.

This year, we hosted two consecutive one-night workshops, and many of our participants chose to join us for both nights. The stone and wood ruins at Fort Griffin provided intriguing foreground subjects, perfectly complementing the night skies. We also enjoyed photographing a stunning Texas Oak tree — a highlight of the night.

But the magic of our night skies workshop doesn’t end with the historic Fort. Just a short drive away, The Flats offer a glimpse into an 1800s prairie town. Here, you can capture scenes like the old jailhouse, livery, and other charming historical buildings. We capped off the workshop here, photographing the Milky Way behind the Old General Store — always a crowd favorite.

As always, we kept our fingers crossed for favorable weather. Although the forecast wasn’t looking too promising, we were rewarded with stunning skies. While the moon was bright enough to soften the Milky Way’s impact, it didn’t obscure its beauty. Both nights treated us to breathtaking Texas sunsets at the historic site, and our photographers made the most of the lower sun, historic ruins, and cooler temperatures during the day.

Our group this year was a wonderful mix of familiar faces and new friends, embodying the welcoming spirit of the Benton Downs community. It’s always a joy to see new connections being made and old friendships rekindled.

We can’t wait for next July and hope you’ll join us to capture your own perfect night sky photos!