Astrophotography Masterclass
Starting January 2026
My Astrophotography Masterclass is designed to take your astrophotography to the next level. The workshop isn't just about learning how to take photos of the stars - all the techniques, tricks and methods that I use to create my nighttime photographs will be at our disposal. Unlike the standard workshop, the post processing of the RAW files using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop is a large part of the Masterclass.
The huge advantage of the one to one tuition packages is they are completely focused on you. We have the option of meeting before sunset and then whilst it is getting dark, we can talk about the workshop and plan for when the stars come out.
Ready to book? Jump to the bottom of the page.
What Will Be Covered
Balancing Exposure
Once the camera settings are covered, we will start by learning how to balance the exposure, so the foreground has detail and colour whilst the stars are perfectly exposed.
Reducing Noise
Shooting at high ISO introduces noise to the photo so we will learn techniques to overcome this and create photos with greatly reduced noise. This technique will be combined with balancing the exposure.
Star Trails
Photographing star trails to show the rotation of the Earth produces interesting and unusual photos. We will create a short star trail and learn how to create the final image.
Self Portraits (optional)
If you would like to know how to photograph yourself under the stars, we can cover this too.
Light Pollution
During the post processing, we will cover how to reduce the effects if light pollution. It can rarely be avoided completely, but steps can be taken to reduce the visual effect.
Post Processing
Much of the work involved with astrophotography lies in the processing afterwards. This is where the Astrophotography Masterclass comes into its own. After spending time taking photos, we will have a break at my campervan where we can have a hot drink and learn how to process the photos we have just taken to produce final pieces of work. There is a fair amount to take in during this part of the workshop, so I will screen record everything we do and send you the video after the workshop so you can rewatch what we did. During the post processing, we will create high quality noise reduced photos that have the perfectly combined exposure. We will also put together the short star trail we photographed.
What to Expect
If we meet for sunset, we photograph the sunset, quickly covering a little of the daytime tuition. We have around 2 hours after sunset until it is completely dark so we talk about what we will cover and plan the next couple of hours. Around an hour after sunset, the first stars appear and we can start taking photos. We cover all the aspects of capturing the photos before returning to where we parked. Then we take a break at my campervan to make a hot drink and sit down with my laptop to process the photos we have taken. I will demonstrate all the techniques above using photos you took during the workshop. I will screen record everything we do and send you the video afterwards so you can rewatch it as much as you want.
Fitness Level
You don't need to be fit, but depending on the location we may cover a couple of miles. The workshop will cater for your ability and for how much you are prepared to walk - this will all be discussed beforehand so we can work on an intinerary that suits you. If you have limited mobility, we can make sure we are never far from the car.
Workshop Length
The astrophotography workshops are around 4-5 hours but if you want to finish sooner or carry on later, that is absolutely fine - there is no set end and we will play it by ear. There is no rush on the workshop and we take it entirely at your pace.
Equipment
A tripod is essential as well as a head torch - one that has a red light is recommended as this preserves your night vision. A drink and some snacks are great too. Any DSLR camera along with a wide angle lens (the faster the better - if it can go down to f2.8 that is good, but f4 is useable too) is highly recommended, but if you are unsure please do contact me first. A remote release (cable or wifi) is recommended too. Even in summer, standing around in the dark can feel very cold so hats, gloves and plenty of layers are recommended. It is better to have them and not use them than wish you had brought them with you.
Experience
This workshop is aimed at the slightly more advanced user who is used to using their camera. We will be using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, so a basic knowledge of these are a huge advantage as that is how the final images will be created. We will also be using additional third party apps too. You don't have to be an expert on Photoshop, all techniques used are relatively simple and explained easily.
How to Book
When you decide to book a workshop, you make a payment online (or over the phone if you prefer) and then we arrange a date that suits both of us - avoiding a full moon is recommended as the brightness can wash out most of the stars. Should the skies be cloudy or if work gets in the way, we can postpone to the next suitable date. There isn't any expiry date on the workshops so there is no need to worry if we have to postpone several times. Please do feel free to email or phone me to discuss before booking. To pay online, select the workshop you would like below and add it to the basket.
The Astrophotography Masterclass for 1 person costs £175. If you have a partner or friend who would also like to attend the workshop, you can team up with someone else and share the cost, which is £225 for 2 people. For 2 people, however, the post processing will be split between both people - for example, I will demonstrate one person's star trails and the other person's self portrait, and so on.
Perhaps a great Christmas or birthday gift? Just let me know when ordering and I will post out a gift certificate and greetings card.
Please note that these workshops will start running in January 2026, but bookings taken now will have first priority.
