Milky Way & Comet | Astrophotography Workshop - with Jack Fusco & Sigma

What You Will Learn in this Lecture

• Join us in photographing the Milky Way & plan for 2 comets in the International Dark Sky Park, Cottonwood Canyon State Park!
  
• Join for 1 or 2 nights as we head out to photograph the night sky. Signing up for the in-field session will also include 2 online sessions.
  

• Online Lecture - Tuesday, October 21st, 6:30pm

  
  

• The goal of the online lecture is for you to leave with the knowledge and ability to shoot the stars on your own. 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.
  
• Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) & Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon): This very special workshop will also prepare us for 2 comets being in position to photograph at the same time. While comets can be very unpredictable in the long term forecasting, these comets are currently visible at lower latitudes. We will discuss comet forecasting, cover how to track their location, and most importantly, how to photograph them!
  
• Gear - 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.
  
• Intro to Comets - From early discovery, tracking and photographing.
  
• Open Q & A + Discussion
  

If you are attending the in-person location sessions, 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!

ON LOCATION Oct 24 & 25th

Take these techniques on the road!
Jack will lead a small group of photographers to a fantastic view of the night sky. 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.
**Purchasing a ticket for the location sessions, includes both online sessions.**

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 chasing as many Milky Way / Comet compositions and shooting techniques as possible and end with time to shoot star trails.
  

What You Should Bring

• A Mirrorless or DSLR 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. (We’ll discuss headlamps!)
  
• Warm clothing - Dress in layers to help stay warm
  
• Wear decent hiking shoes/boots to manage the terrain
  
• Water/Snacks
  

ONLINE POST PROCESSING - TBD

Available to everyone attending the in-field workshop sessions.

A start to finish example of images taken in the field.

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

SIGMA LOANER GEAR!

A selection of Sigma lenses for attendees to use during the location outings each night.

Meet Your Instructor - Jack Fusco

Jack Fusco is a professional landscape astrophotographer / time-lapser. What began as a way purely to document his travels as a touring musician, photography has become his main form of creative expression. Jack is a Sigma ambassador, and his work has been featured by National Geographic, TEDX, LA Times, NASA APOD, BBC, Forbes and more.

Website: https://www.jackfusco.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackfusco