Master your photography while capturing legendary night skies and incredible vistas.
Workshop Leaders: David Downs
Known for having the darkest night sky in the lower 48, Big Bend National Park offers an incredible opportunity for capturing the Milky Way in all its glory. And if the weather doesn’t cooperate? Capture the beauty of storm clouds, rain columns, and lightning across the rugged landscape.
Big Bend offers many landscape photography opportunities, including rivers, peaks, valleys, and desert plains.
Come join us to capture your best images and be inspired for a lifetime.
Workshop dates
Mon, June 23, 2025 - 4:00 PM - Thur, June 26, 2025 - 10:00 AM 1 Spot Open
Thur, June 26, 2025 - 4:00 PM - Sun, June 29, 2025 - 10:00 AM SOLD OUT
Location
Terlingua, Big Bend National Park
Workshop topics
- Focusing in the dark
- Creating & avoiding light trails
- Planning for dark skies
- Creating foreground interest
- Proper color balance for night sky
- Processing Milky Way images
- Blending images
- Panoramic landscapes
- Noise reduction & more…
Additional workshop details
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Location/Lodging/Meals information
All workshop excursions will be based out of the Terlingua area.
Each participant is responsible for making their own reservations but we can help coordinate lodging for those attending to help minimize costs where possible. Although the time of year is off peak, we would encourage participants to make their lodge reservations early.
Although we have one dinner scheduled at the Starlight Theatre, the remaining meals are at the participants expense and discretion. We will make every effort to provide suggestions and opportunities for group meals during the workshop.
We will always have snacks/water on hand while traveling around the park.
Agenda
About 4 weeks prior to the workshop we will host a Zoom session to discuss updated information and the agenda for all participants. We will cover what to expect and how to be best prepared for the adventure ahead of you.
Approximately a week before the workshop we will e-mail all registered participants with a detailed agenda, map, etc. So that you'll know what to expect, here's our tentative agenda:
Day 1 - 4:00 PM – Meet at a location to be determined in the Terlingua area. We'll cover the agenda for the next 3 days before grabbing something to eat and heading out to take photos.
Day 2 & 3 – We'll head out early for sunrise photos and explore the tremendous landscape opportunities in the park. We'll visit old farmsteads with a chance for wildlife and flora photos. One of the evenings, we will visit the Terlingua Ghost Town, have dinner, and visit the amazing cemetery with all it has to offer creative photographers. And of course, the night skies are the centerpiece of the trip with opportunities to learn lightpainting, Milky Way and timelapse photography under the darkest night skies in the lower 48 states. Somewhere in there will be some time for individual critique sessions to help you improve during the course of the workshop.
Day 4 – We will have an additional opportunity for sunrise images before check out at 11:00 AM.
Post-workshop – We will provide a Zoom session with critiques and editing based on images taken during the class.
Transportation
Each individual is responsible for their own transportation to and from the workshop. For our transportation during the workshop we will be taking personal vehicles.
Recommended photography gear
DSLR camera – Crop Sensor or Full Frame
Wide angle lens – The wider the better. For a full frame, 14mm would be best and for a crop sensor a 12mm. I suggest exploring renting a lens through a local camera shop or online through BorrowLenses.com, lensrentals.com or if you’re in the DFW area try aperturent.com. You will also want something with a large aperture so look for an f2.8 or larger.
Mid-range (24-100) zoom lens – This will be used primarily for landscapes rather than night sky so there’s not a need for an f2.8 aperture.
Long telephoto lens – If you have access to one, a long telephoto will enable you to capture potential wildlife and unique landscape shots.
Tripod – The sturdier the better as we will be taking up to 30-second exposures and there can be a breeze. It doesn’t need to be tall, just sturdy.
Remote shutter release – Alternatively, an understanding on how to set a 2-second shutter delay for your camera.
Headlamp – You'll need a way to light your feet as you walk around. Some areas are rocky and contain cacti as mentioned earlier.
Apps (optional) – Consider downloading/purchasing the PhotoPills or TPE apps if you plan on doing more night sky photography. It’s also great for planning sunrise and sunset outings.
Batteries – Bring an extra battery if you have one. If not, make sure you have your charger.
Storage – An extra SD or CF card (maybe 2 or 3…)
Lastly, bring a desire to learn and have fun! You’re going to walk away with a great experience and a much better understanding of how to take amazing Milky Way images.
Other recommendations
Bring something to take notes with.
Despite the warm weather we will likely experience, plan on wearing long pants. There are cacti and other plants that can leave a nasty scratch.
Bring insect repellent. We will have some in case you forget.
No need to worry about water or snacks; we'll have both available at all times.
Location pro tips
The drive to Big Bend is by itself fully loaded with jaw-dropping vistas, make sure you take the opportunity to grab some shots along the way!
Once you get to Big Bend, the landscape is a bit mind bending. There are SOOO many different geological photography opportunities and terrain that runs the gamut from flat pan to Emory Peak at nearly 8,000 feet.
As much as we’d like to set the temperature and control wind and rain for the workshop we simply aren’t that good. We will do our best despite any weather obstacles to make sure you leave with a wealth of information and practical experience.
Reserve your spot now!
Important info! We encourage you to create an account when you register so future workshop forms will be prepopulated with your data. Shortly after registering you will receive a confirmation e-mail and a separate email allowing you to pay your registration online. You are not fully registered until your payment is received.
Class size is limited. Reserve now to guarantee a spot.
