Sierra Nevada Astrophotography Workshop with SIGMA’s Jack Fusco

Whether chasing the Milky Way along coast lines or capturing the Northern lights in unforgiving remote locations you’re sure to find Jack Fusco coffee in hand, smiling up at the stars. On his often-sleepless journeys, Jack Fusco strives to share the wonder of the night sky with as many people as possible.

Join Jack and Samy’s Camera for an evening under the stars in the Easter Sierra Mountains. In this workshop, Jack Fusco will teach you the proper astrophotography techniques necessary to capture the Milky Way in this stargazer’s paradise. Jack will be teaching two back to back workshops in the Bishop area on August 9 and August 10. Each night we will visit different locations.

SIGMA loaner gear!

A selection of Sigma lenses will be available for attendees to use during the hands-on shoot each night.

Astrophotography Lecture Online – August 6 at 7:00PM PT

Jack will be guiding you through the basics of astrophotography all the way up to some advanced techniques. Jack will also review some basic astronomy information that will help you plan and capture images of the stars. The goal of this lecture is for you to leave with the knowledge and ability to shoot the stars on your own. Please plan to attend this live presentation or watch the recording before we meet in the field. Viewing this information will help you get more out of the in-person experience! Lecture

Topics:

• Gear Discussion- Everything you need before heading into the field
• Planning & Scouting – Before we take a great image, we need to know when and where to take it.
• Camera Settings & Techniques – Learn how to best take advantage of your equipment and dial in your approach.
• Composition Tips – What makes a great astro photo?
• Shooting Styles – From single exposures to image stacking there are an endless variety of approaches when heading out under the stars.

We will cover some of the most effective methods for capturing a great photo. Open Q & A + Discussion

Eastern Sierra Mountains Hands-on Workshop – August 9 at 7:00PM-12:30AM PT

Jack will lead a small group of photographers to a fantastic view of Bortle Class 2 skies. You’ll learn more about that during the lecture, but in short, it’s nearly as dark as the sky can get. While on location Jack will review techniques discussed during the lecture, by putting them into practice. We highly encourage you to attend the lecture, to help you be more prepared for the location experience.

What You Will Learn

• We will meet on location with time to scout and plan compositions.
• Jack will share his personal approach to how he would plan an entire night to maximize his time shooting and ensure that he leaves with images he is excited about.
• The night will begin with our images being beautifully lit by the Moon and end with chasing as many Milky Way compositions and shooting techniques as possible.

What You Should Bring

• A DSLR or Mirrorless Camera with manual settings
• A fast aperture lens
• Extra batteries (2 or more) and memory cards (64gb+)
• A sturdy tripod
• Shutter Release / Intervalometer
• Red light equipped headlamp, the red light will be less harsh on our eyes and help keep night vision intact!
• Warm clothing – Dress in layers to help stay warm
• Wear decent hiking shoes/boots to manage the terrain
• Water/Snacks

Post Processing Session Online – August 14 at 7:00PM PT

A start to finish example of an image taken in the field.

• Image import and organization
• Deciding which images to process and which to discard
• Single Image Edit
• Stacking Images for Noise Reduction
• Using Presets to get started + dialing in your style
• Export for Web

We highly encourage you to attend the online lecture, to help you be more prepared for the location experience.

**Purchasing a ticket for the hands-on workshop includes the online lecture and post-processing sessions.**