Workshops
Star Trail Photography in Arizona
February 28 - March 1, 2020
Join me with Arizona Highways PhotoScapes to learn how to photograph and process star trails!
This workshop is for the intermediate to the advanced photographer who already has the essential skills required for night photography (operating camera in the dark, focusing at night, calculating exposures, etc.), this workshop will take you to the next level. We will review the techniques and methods for shooting star trails and discuss compositions before heading into the field each night to set up for shooting a two to three-hour series of short star trail exposures to be stacked, blended, and processed the next day. If desired, participants can bring a second setup (tripod/camera/lens) to shoot other night landscapes while the first camera is shooting the star trails. We will spend the time in the classroom on Saturday and Sunday learning how to set the proper exposure, stack star trail images in Photoshop, Lightroom and other software, add special effects to an image, and practicing post-processing to create the final images. You will come away from the workshop with great images and a deeper understanding of the components needed for successful night photography. The objective of this class is to focus on shooting multiple short exposures of stars to stack in post-processing to create dramatic star trail images. The entire process from pre-shoot planning to finished image will be covered so that students will have a final product to take home as well as an understanding of how to do it themselves. We will have two nights of shooting to be sure students get the images they need in the event that one night has poor weather, or if the student’s first attempt is not entirely successful.
Workshop dates: February 28 to March 1, 2020
Pricing: $995 / $500 deposit
Northern Lights Photography
March 14-20, 2020
The Northern Lights, or Aurora borealis, is one of the most magical and awe-inspiring subjects of the night sky. The excitement of photographing the flickering curtains of lights dancing across the sky cannot be compared to any other type ofshoot, day or night. The vivid colors of greens, yellows, blues, purples, and reds moving through the sky are seen in the far northern latitudes, and during this workshop, we will be in the interior of Alaska, the location of choice for shooting Aurora because of the high percentage of clear days through the year.
Join me with Arizona Highways PhotoScapes on this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Instructor: Beth Ruggiero-York
Pricing: $3,795 / $1,000 deposit
Click here for more information and registration
FUN IN THE DARK NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
MARCH 28, 2020
Venture into a new and exciting realm of photography night photography and take your skills to a new level. This one day workshop, with photographer and author of “Fun in the Dark” Beth Ruggiero-York, will introduce you to the different types ofnight photography, techniques used in a dark environment, and what you need to know to make the best images in different light conditions. We will spend the afternoon in the classroom learning and discussing these principles and techniques, and then head out for a night shoot (location is weather-dependent) with hands on instruction in the field. Some of the techniques you will learn include how to: shoot star trails, shoot stars as points, overcome the challenges of night photography, focus in the dark, shoot the Moon and the Milky Way, shoot urban and other artificially lit scenes, and set up your camera for night photography. You will come away from this workshop eager to explore different types ofnight photography, and you will be equipped with the basic tools to do that. Whether your interest is star photography, urban scenes, light painting, the moon, or something else, you will be able togo out on your own with confidence.
WORKSHOP DATE: MARCH 28, 2020
PRICING: $175
Tucson Night Skies
April 24-26, 2020
Enjoy a weekend getaway to photograph the night skies around Tucson’s Sonoran desert, the colorful historic barrio district and the historic splendor of San Xavier del Bac. Photographer
Beth Ruggiero-York will guide you on the best compositions and image creation techniques on night-sky and architectural photography. After an initial orientation and classroom instruction, we will travel to the historic San Xavier del Bac mission where we will have ample time to photograph the grounds and interior spaces during the late afternoon. After taking a break for a picnic dinner, we will set up our cameras for capturing images of the mission under the night sky.
Our second day will begin with a leisurely morning photo walkabout in Tucson’s barrio district to practice techniques for capturing the colorful architecture and intimate spaces. Then we will spend time downloading and working on images before convening for an image critique. We will depart for a sunset shoot before returning for an early dinner and rest.
We will then depart for Saguaro National Park around midnight to set up and capture the Milky Way and the night sky. The Milky Way’s visibility in April is best seen in the early morning hours, thus our group will spend a good portion of the night out in the field returning shortly before dawn. After we have an opportunity toget a bit of sleep, we will convene in a classroom to discuss post-processing your Milky Way images and do one final critique.
WORKSHOP DATES: April 24-26, 2020
PRICING: $695 / $300 DEPOSIT
Arizona Night Skies and Astrophotography
May 13 - 17, 2020
This Arizona Highways PhotoScapes night sky workshop will begin with a special stop at the Kitt Peak Observatory where participants will have the opportunity toview night sky galaxies and utilize your own memory cards in their special cameras to take your own spectacular astrophotography images. After our time inside the observatory, we will have an opportunity tophotograph outdoors using the observatory domes for interesting foregrounds in our night photographs. After our amazing evening on Kitt Peak, we will depart for Rancho De La Osa Guest Ranch in Sasabe, AZ where we will be based for the duration of the workshop. With many foreground subjects at the ranch and nearby, this is a perfect setting for night photography.
workshop dates: May 13-17, 2020
Pricing: $1,695 / $500 deposit
click here for more information and registration
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MILKY WAY PHOTOGRAPHY IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
SEPTEMBER 17-20, 2020
Capture stunning photographs of the Milky Way galaxy in all of its splendor in Joshua Tree National Park. Over the course of this 4-day, 3-night workshop, We will explore dark sky locations with fantastic foreground subjects. We will concentrate most of our photography in the northwestern Mojave Desert part of the Park, where the jagged Joshua Trees and twisted rock formations are abundant and make compelling foregrounds to anchor your night sky images. During the workshop, we will be based in Twentynine Palms near the Oasis Visitor Center and north entrance of the Park. We will have 3 nights of field instruction, 3.5 days of classroom instruction and critiques. This will give participants an opportunity to improve their skills and have ample opportunity to practice their newfound knowledge. Included in the classroom instruction will be an introduction to post-processing techniques for night images.
WORKSHOP DATES: SEPTEMBER 17-20, 2020
PRICING: $1,195
CASTLES, COUNTRYSIDE AND MEDIEVAL TOWNS OF SOUTHWESTERN FRANCE
August 29 - September 5, 2020
A travel photography retreat with Beth Ruggiero-York
Marouatte Castle, Dordogne, France
Capture the 'essence of place' in the Dordogne region of southern France while we stay in Marouatte Castle and explore the charming medieval towns, castles, gardens, and surrounding countryside. Our castle home during this week-long workshop is set on 270 beautiful acres that offer endless photo opportunities.
Our week will consist of day trips to the surrounding towns, castles, monasteries, caves, markets and countryside, photographing around the castle and its grounds, including night photography of the castle bathed in moonlight, instruction and critiques, and fabulous meals at the castle and in the towns we visit.
You will fly into Paris and take the bullet train to the local train station, where you will be met by castle staff.
Workshop dates: August 29 - September 5, 2020
Pricing: $3,395 per photographer / deposit $1,500 upon signing up / balance due June 28, 2020
A non-photographer partner sharing your room: $2,395 (meals included but not local transportation; local car rentals are available). If 2 participant photographers share a room, the price is reduced $500 for each ($2,895/per person)
Payment is by personal check mailed to:
Ruggiero Images LLC, 15948 E. Jericho Dr., Fountain Hills, AZ 85268
Credit card payments are accepted through PayPal (to ruggieroimages@gmail.com). Please note that a fee of 2.9% for credit card payments in the US will be added. For payments originating outside the US, a fee of 4.4% will be added.
Number of participants: 12
For more information and to sign up, email Beth at ruggieroimages@gmail.com or call Beth at (508) 241-4412 or Ron at (602) 810-8110