This workshop will be led by professional photographer Robert Harvey and will have of maximum of 6 participants.

Start Time: 14:00

Finish Time: 23:00

Venue: The Castle Hotel, New Park Street, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1DS

Digital photography enables us to capture the beauty of the night sky in unprecedented detail. This one-day astrophotography workshop will introduce students to the wide range of astronomical phenomena that can be photographed using an ordinary digital single lens reflex camera (without a telescope). A full explanation will be provided of techniques to make stunning images of stars, planets, the Moon and the Milky Way, in conjunction with terrestrial landscapes. The course also covers photographing star trails as well as rare, elusive and fast-moving astronomical phenomena such as meteors, aurorae and eclipses. The course will be run at the Castle Hotel in the market town of Devizes, Wiltshire.

Sufficient scientific detail will be included to enable course participants to understand the astronomical phenomena they can photograph and the extraordinary variety of scales of the Universe that can be recorded with an ordinary digital camera, ranging from ~100 km in the case of aurorae and meteors to 25 million million million km for the Andromeda galaxy.

Subjects covered in depth are:

• The Moon
• Moonlit landscapes
• Stars and constellations
• Planets
• Milky Way
• Aurora borealis (northern lights)
• Meteors
• International Space Station
• Comets
• Lunar and solar eclipses
• Star trails
• Selecting and lighting foregrounds
• Exposure at night
• Focus at night

After the indoor sessions, there will be a meal followed by a field visit to a nearby Neolithic site where we can put into practice what we have learned. Guidance will be given on location, composition and exposure in the field to enable you to get the best out of the night sky with an iconic foreground. (Note: in the event of persistent rain the field visit would be cancelled.)

To get the most out of the course students should already understand the basics of exposure, shutter speed, aperture and ISO; and be comfortable handling their cameras using manual exposure mode.

Recommended Photographic Equipment: Digital single lens reflex camera or equivalent, capable of taking acceptable quality images at ISO 1600 or higher, wide angle lens (at least 24mm on full frame or 16mm on cropped sensor) with maximum aperture of at least F/4 (ideally F/2 or F/2.8), sturdy tripod (essential), lockable remote cable release, chemical hand warmers and elastic band (to strap round lens to reduce likelihood of dew forming), warm clothes and hat, hand torch and head torch.

Indoor session: 2pm to 8pm followed by evening meal. Outdoor field trip: 9pm to 11pm.

Included: Tuition, evening meal, refreshments. Not included: transport to Castle Hotel, transport to field location, parking.


Terms for all Participants in RPS Landscape Group Events:

Carbon offsets

Tickets for events that involve travelling include a £2 carbon offset charge that will be paid to a carefully researched and selected offsetting partner.

Joining Instructions

Most of our events have the meeting time and place specified on the relevant event page on the RPS website (this is a link to the Landscape Group events calendar). In some cases, however, the event leader may email you shortly before the event with more detailed instructions. Please keep an eye on your incoming emails prior to an event but if you do not receive any specific instructions, then you should meet at the time and place advertised on the website.

Cancellation by You:

If you wish to cancel your booking PLEASE let the event leader / organiser know with as much notice as possible. If nothing else, this can avoid them delaying the start of the event while they wait for you.

If you have paid for an event, please note that this fee/ticket price is non-refundable unless we are able to sell your place to somebody else. You are welcome to sell your place yourself but, again, PLEASE notify the event leader / organiser in advance of any change.

Cancellation by us:

Event leaders are asked to make plans for alternative activities or locations in the case of poor weather and, in most cases, events will proceed despite poor weather unless, in the view of the event leader, the weather will lead to unacceptable safety risks or very little chance of successful photography. It is inevitable, however, that occasionally an event will be cancelled for this or another reason beyond the RPS’s control.

Occasionally an event may also be cancelled owing to lack of bookings. So if you wish to attend an event, don’t leave it till the last minute to book as it may be too late.

If an event is cancelled we will give you as much notice as we are able and any payment by you to the RPS in respect of the event offered as a full refund. In the case of events cancelled because of lack of interest we will aim to give at least three weeks’ notice wherever possible.

Please note we are NOT able to refund any associated or consequential costs including but not limited to travel, accommodation, insurance premium or other costs incurred by you in order to attend the event.

Responsibility:

You are responsible for your own health and safety and must appraise your own strength, fitness and mobility. The event leader is NOT responsible for your safety, welfare or attendant medical conditions. Strictly the event leader is there to introduce you to a location and/or to teach you particular skills.

Liability for any accident, injury, medical condition, loss or damage to property, inappropriate behavior, dress, equipment and third party liability is accepted by you when signing up for the event. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Royal Photographic Society from all claims of whatsoever nature.

Insurance:

You are advised to consider having insurance to cover: event cancellation by you or by us, accident, medical, personal equipment and public liability.

In particular you should also consider, in the case of high cost events, the likelihood and consequences of you having to cancel or not attend at the last minute because of accident, medical or other unforeseeable circumstances.

Using your data:

Your personal details (name, telephone number and email address) will be provided to the leader of the event or workshop you have booked in order to enable them to:

· send you joining instructions for the event

· contact you at short notice in case of any emergency or last-minute change to the event.

If you do not want your details to be shared with the event leader please cancel your booking immediately. You will not be eligible for a refund as this information was provided on the web page where you made your booking.

Thank you,

RPS Landscape Group Committee