These workshops are designed for you!

When I first started offering Timelapse workshops I knew that I wanted to create a program that was different, one that truly put your needs first.  To guarantee that you'll have our full attention out in the field, I created a policy where I would not set up my camera in the field until every attendee is up and running and all questions are answered.  I am there for you, not the other way around.    

 

Death Valley, CA

Death Valley is the largest national park south of Alaska.  It is also the driest and hottest spot in North America, and includes the lowest elevation on the continent - 282 feet below sea level.     To give you an idea of how varied the landscape is in Death Valley - the tallest point in the park, Telescope Peak

(11,049 feet) is 15 miles from the lowest point - Badwater Basin (282 ft below sea level).

 

Despite the desert climate of Death Valley National Park, the park is home to some incredibly colorful landscapes - from the salt flats of Badwater Basin to the beautiful badlands at Zabriskie Point and Twenty Mule Team Canyon; to the rippled sand dunes of Mesquite sand flats.

 

This Workshop Goes Beyond Learning to Shoot Timelapse

This workshop is more than just learning to shoot a timelapse or capturing the night sky.   It's an intensive workshop that will teach you everything you didn't realize you needed to know to help guarantee a successful shoot each and every time.   You'll learn the software and tools that I use to scout locations even before arriving; to know the best dates and times to shoot; to learn how to best compose your shot - even in the dark;  and even how to read a weather radar map - and how it can profoundly impact the beauty of your photography and timelapses.

 

Timelapse cinematography is about using movement to tell a story, to evoke an emotion, and to illustrate movements and patterns that are not easily seen with the naked eye.    Composing for the

night sky using motion control is different than composing with a static camera and I'll teach you the differences and what to look out for.  For those attending the 4-day advanced motion control workshop, you'll learn how to use parallex and camera movement to create excitement and drama in your timelapses.  

 

At this workshop you will learn how, but more importantly, you'll learn why.   This way you'll be able to have continued success each and every time even without an instructor by your side.  We'll also teach you how to best set up your camera in preperation of our shoots, so that you're prepared and ready to go when we get to each location. 

 

You'll learn what causes timelapse flicker and how to eliminate it during capture - saving you time in post processing.   You'll learn the importance of choosing the right aperture, exposure time, and interval to create a specific mood and pace to your timelapses.  

 

The most difficult capture of all is capturing a timelapse that starts during the day and goes through to the Milky Way  This type of timelapse is often referred as "the holy grail" of timelapses because of its difficulty.   During the workshop you'll learn how to use shooting techniques and external bulb-ramping controllers that allow your camera to capture over 22 stops of changing light in order to go from daylight all the way into the Milky Way in one smooth, continuous timelapse. 

 

Capturing a timelapse is just half of the equation. The rest of the magic happens in post production, and in this workshop you'll learn how to edit, enhance, perfect, and render your timelapses into 2k, 4k, and even 6k motion films using software from Adobe (Photoshop, Lightroom, After Effects), LRTimelapse, Photomatix, and more.

 

Workshop Home Base:  Furnace Creek Ranch

Home base for the workshop is the Furnace Creek Ranch, located about 2 hours (120 miles) from Las Vegas, making it easy to access from almost anywhere in the world.  If you live on the west coast, Furnace Creek is 268 miles from Los Angeles.

 

Furnace Creek Ranch is offering workshop participants a discounted room rate (double queen rooms) of just $155 / night + tax. Once registered you'll receive a welcome email that will include the hotel group code for the discounted room rate.

 

If you can't stand the heat - shoot at night!

 

The best times to capture the Milky Way unfortuantely are also some of the hottest in Death Valley. I chose October for this workshop because it avoids the extreme heat of summer, and the core of the Milky Way is still visible for about 4 hours each night. October also brings with it earlier sunsets that allow us to capture more of the night sky, while also helping the air to cool off, even if just a little.  Don't get me wrong, it is still hot in Death Valley in October with day time temperatures usually around 95-100.   However, most of our shooting will be in the early morning or just before sunset into the night. Average low temperatues for the dates of the workshop are typically around a very comfortable 68-72 degrees.   I know you have heard it before - but it's a dry heat.    Really - dry 95 is so much easier to take than a humid 85.