Embark on an unforgettable journey with Jay's Astrophotography Workshop in the stunning Blue Mountains. This immersive experience is designed for photography enthusiasts of all levels who are eager to capture the breathtaking beauty of the night sky.
Our workshop offers comprehensive coaching and tuition to equip you with the skills needed to photograph the night sky. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced photographer, Jay will guide you through each step, ensuring you leave with images you'll be proud of.
Join us as we explore 3-4 carefully selected astro locations, traveling in a dedicated 4WD tour vehicle from Katoomba. As the Milky Way transits the sky, we'll move from east to west-facing compositions, capturing stunning celestial and terrestrial scenes. Be prepared for an all-night adventure, as we shoot until the early hours of the morning.
After our on-location session, you'll have time to rest before reconvening for an online post-processing tutorial via Zoom. Learn Jay's efficient nightscape workflows and receive personalized feedback on your images. If you can't join live, don't worry – the session will be recorded and made available for you to watch at your convenience.
Located less than two hours from Sydney, the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage area offers over one million hectares of protected landscape, free from city light pollution. Capture the Milky Way and stars against a backdrop of vast sandstone valleys, eucalypt forests, and dramatic natural features.
Before setting up at each location, we'll cover astro planning tips, essential equipment, and setup techniques for nightscaping. Learn to locate the Milky Way, find the Southern celestial pole, and adjust your camera settings for different types of nightscape and astro images. We'll also share practical tips on headlamp etiquette, low-level lighting, managing lens fog, and capturing panoramas and timelapses.
Rest assured, Jay is licensed to operate photography tours and bushwalk activities in NSW National Parks under an Eco Pass License # LIC20/116. This ensures a responsible and environmentally conscious approach to exploring and capturing the beauty of the Blue Mountains.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands we visit – the Gundungurra, Dharug, Wiradjuri, Darkinjung, and Tharawal people. We pay our respects to their elders past, present, and future.
Example Itinerary
Day 1 - Astro Shoot
4PM – Meet at Katoomba Railway Station
4:30PM – Depart for Astro Shoot
5PM – 2AM – Travel between Astro Locations with on-location tutoring
2AM – Return to Katoomba
3AM – On-location Workshop closes
Processing & Tutorials
We will organise a suitable time to host our online post processing session with the group to ensure everyone is available. These times are just a guide.
7PM – Post Processing via Zoom Conference
9PM – Ask any questions
9:30PM – Workshop Closeout
*Bad Weather Policy for Astrophotography Workshops
Try as we might, we just can’t control the weather (and we have tried to build an app to do it for us!). Our workshop dates are planned around the best times in the moon cycle to capture the night skies. In order to build a calendar for each year, we have to specify dates at a time where there is no visible or accurate forecast for weather conditions on those dates.
As a consequence, by booking you place on this workshop, you will be agreeing to our Bad Weather Policy for Astrophotography Workshops as outlined below:
Apart from Astro photography coaching & tuition from your highly experienced photography guide and tutor, your fee covers my business costs for hosting such tours in NSW National Parks, Council Reserves and Crown Lands which includes:
Accommodation is not included in your tour cost. Due to the late conclusion of the workshop, we recommend staying in the Blue Mountains for the rest of the night to rest. Why not #goblue #stayanightortwo and book into one of Katoomba or Leura's many guest houses or hotels for the duration. If you are looking for any recommendations, please contact me and I can discuss the options with you directly.
