Finding Your Way in the Dark: Workflow for Digital Night Photography from Capture to Print in Big Bend National Park With Scott Martin and Lance Keimig

Fall, 2010

Lance Keimig and Scott Martin team up to co-teach this informative 4 day and night workshop in and around Big Bend National Park in West Texas. This workshop is specifically for digital photographers who want to learn Night Photography techniques, from exposure to image processing and printmaking. Participants will leave this workshop with the knowledge they need to photograph at night by natural and artificial light, and how to process and to optimize their files for printing.

Full Moon Night Photography

Night Photography is about the compression of time into a single moment, as represented by the image captured on film – be it a minute, or an hour. The camera records the passage of time in a way that we cannot ourselves perceive. With this in mind, we will venture out under the light of the full moon to see, and photograph the world from a new perspective.

New technologies in photography have made Night Photography more accessible and popular than ever. Digital cameras allow for instant feedback that can serve as a guide for determining exposures, but there is more to successful night photography than just exposure. Contrast, atmosphere, light sources, equipment choices, painting with light, and subject matter at night are some of the things this class will cover.

The Workshop

Scott Martin and Lance Keimig team up to present a four day and night photography workshop in Terlingua and Big Bend, Texas. The Big Bend area of west Texas is 300 miles away from the nearest city and feels every bit of it. It’s one of the country’s best kept secrets, full of history and pristine landscapes. Hikers and photographers love the grand vistas, wildlife and abundance of hiking trails. The area is also great for mountain biking, motorcycling, camping and rafting down the Rio Grande. In addition to the area’s natural landscape and rock formations, there are several historic structures, mines, and adobe houses that are preserved in the desert climate that are ideal for night photography. Big Bend National Park has 800,000 acres of desert, mountain and river environments to choose from. Just outside of the park boundary lies the tiny town of Terlingua where some of our favorite locations for night photography are found.

These medium altitude (2700 - 7000 feet) locations will be around 65 degrees (F) at night while we are shooting and 88 degrees (F) during classroom hours. Combined with about 18% humidity, we will be quite comfortable. If you’ve never been to this part of the world before, you are in for a surprise. The Big Bend region is stark, dry and dangerous but also inviting and majestic.

This workshop will be jam-packed with both field and classroom instruction. We will be in the classroom each day from noon until we leave for the field before sunset. Participants can stay out shooting as long as they, or their camera’s batteries, hold out. While in the field each day, photographic techniques and creative inspiration will be discussed, demonstrated and put into practice. During classroom sessions we will focus on developing our images with Adobe Lightroom while also studying historic and contemporary night photographers. We will have a large format printer on hand for making fine art prints of participants’ work. We will all work closely together, sharing our knowledge and observations.

Lance brings his extensive experience with night photography to the workshop through composition techniques, night photography guidelines and inspiring slides shows of historical and contemporary night photography. Scott brings his digital imaging training experience and takes an in-depth look at the entire digital imaging workflow from capture to print with night photography in mind. We will examine the skills necessary for high quality digital image capture, RAW file processing and fine art printing. We will also explore all the digital fine art processes available today, including discussion of silver halide, inkjet media, color management and print exhibition.

This workshop is specifically for digital photographers who want to learn night photography techniques all the way from exposure to image processing and printmaking. Contrast, atmosphere, light sources, equipment choices, painting with light, and subject matter at night are some of the specific things this class will cover. All participants will be able to work on their own images and will go home with a print of their favorite image from the workshop. We expect that beginners and seasoned digital imaging professionals alike will benefit from the course. Participants should expect to share some of their images for review, as the goal of this workshop is to enjoy the creative process, learn from each other and to grow as image makers.

2007 Big Bend Workshop group

Getting There and Lodging

There are several ways of driving to the Big Bend region. Here are route recomendations for those coming from Austin, El Paso, Houston, Midland/Odessa and San Antonio. Those flying into Texas can consider flying into either Midland/Odessa (MAF), El Paso (ELP) or San Antonio (SAT).

Guests will either camp, or stay at the newly renamed Big Bend Motor Inn (BBMI) in Terlingua Texas, just outside of Big Bend National Park. The rates are a very reasonable $114.45, $107.91, and $97.01 for king, double queen and single queen beds respectively, per night. In addition to the famous Starlight Theater, a number of good coffee shops and places to eat have just recently sprouted. Terlingua’s proximity to the park, great shooting locations, dining options, classroom facilities and affordable lodging make it an ideal base of operations for this workshop.

Registration

The price for the workshop is to be determined. Details will be posted as they become available. Thanks for checking back.