18 May 2024 BOOKED OUT***NEW COURSE Sunday 19 May 2024***

Want to understand how to interpret various data incoming about the Sun to be able to make a more informed decision as to when to head out to capture the Aurora Australis from the Canberra, Snowy Mountains areas?


Would you like to work on your skills in the field capturing wonders of the night sky including the Milky Way and Aurora? Learn photographic techniques that will allow you to maximise your opportunity to photo these events.


Then join me, I have had 9 years experience chasing the aurora from the Canberra area after capturing my first aurorae (on film) back in 1989 in Hobart. I have also captured the aurora from Iceland in 2018 and 2019. This experience has allowed me to gather information to be able to make informed decisions to commence my own aurora chase.

This course has a theory component - instruction on understanding solar wind data and in the field instruction on night sky photography. I have run this course since 2016 with great success and a number can testify to the joy of capturing the aurora for the first time on their DSLR and Mirrorless cameras.


In the field I will teach you HOW TO:

  • focus to help ensure the sharpest and most pleasing shots of our night skies taking into account the Earth's rotation and NPF rule. Emphasis is given to aurora photography.
  • adjust your camera settings in manual mode for ISO, shutter speed and aperture taking into account reasonable exposure levels using the histogram
  • shoot panoramas (great for the Milky way)
  • shoot star trails
  • shoot timelapses
  • light paint foreground objects such as buildings, trees etc to create images with the stars in the background
  • manage white balance in your shots as well as in light painting
  • shoot multiple images of foreground and background shots to be stacked so to further reduce noise in your images


Each participant receives detailed notes for future reference.


Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please read the participant information sheet before booking.