Workshop: Banff All-Nighter

Banff National Park is a photographer's paradise. There are never-ending lakes, glaciers, babbling creeks, pristine woodlands, and of course, the unmatched beauty of the mountains. All of this is stunning by day; but what about by night?

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Two Jack Lake and Mount Rundle at night by Kristin Repsher.

Now you may think I'm crazy, but hear me out...

This workshop is only offered during the summer months when the days are long and the Milky Way is high in the sky. I will show you some of the highlights of the park -- but in a completely different light -- and teach you all about long exposure night photography at the same time.

Starting at sunset, we will capture the last light of the day over the mountains. Then, as the landscape goes dark around us, we will capture the stars as they begin to dot the sky above. We'll move to a few different locations through the night to capture different angles on the Milky Way, working on different techniques along the way, including star trails and light painting.

The moon will be between new and 1/2, so we will get some light for our foregrounds at our first night stop (Castle Junction). However, the moon is setting at 12.10am so by the time the Milky Way is the brightest, the sky will be the darkest.

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Star trails over Two Jack Lake by Kristin Repsher.

Through all of these locations, you'll receive individual photographic tuition on both the technical aspects of photography as well as the artistic side (including composition and lighting) to help you get the best possible photos of the night. My goal is to get you comfortable with using your camera in manual mode in somewhat challenging conditions (ie in the dark). I'll also be bringing along plenty of hot/caffeinated beverages to keep you going through the night.

We'll finish up with sunrise at the world-famous Moraine Lake before heading home for a well-deserved sleep!

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Just after sunrise at Moraine Lake, by Kristin Repsher.

The meetup point for this event is the jetty at the third Vermilion Lake (the last lake on the Vermilion Lakes Road). There, I'll talk to you about our plans for the night and then we'll capture the last light of the day as it reflects in the lake. I will be driving for the night, and after our first stop, we'll move everyone's cars to the nearby Fenlands Recreation Center parking lot for the night.

Our rough itinerary is as follows. Please note that this may change based on weather conditions on the day.

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8.45pm Arrive Vermilion Lakes

10.15pm Depart Vermilion Lakes

10.45pm Arrive Castle Junction

1.00am Depart Castle Junction

2.00am Arrive Bow Lake

4.15am Depart Bow Lake

5.00am Arrive Moraine Lake

6.45am Depart Moraine Lake

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Hunting the Milky Way in Australia (the core of the Milky Way, as seen in this photo, is be visible at this time of year). By Kristin Repsher.

This meetup is open to all skill levels. All you need is:

• Camera with manual mode & manual focus abilities (dSLRs and mirrorless cameras will have this)

• A tripod

• Filters (if you have them); I'll be showing you how to use polarisers and ND filters at sunset and sunrise

• Wide angle lens (the wider you have, the better for star photos). You can bring along your other favourite lenses for sunset & sunrise as well.

• Cable release/intervalometer. Not required (and many cameras have interval abilities built in), but will come in handy to do star trails and avoid camera shake in general.

• Appropriate clothing for a night in the national park -- it can be cold no matter what time of year so bring 1-2 layers more than you think you might need. Remember that we'll be standing rather than moving so you'll get cold a lot quicker.

• Rain gear. We may encounter some rain overnight as the weather in the mountains is very changeable. Bring a raincoat or poncho because these will be much more useful than umbrellas for keeping you dry while taking photos. A small umbrella will help keep your camera dry, but we also recommend bringing a plastic bag to cover your camera and protect against light rain.

• Camp chair or other seating mat. Some photos (such as star trails) take a long time to expose and you won't want to spend the whole night standing to avoid sitting on dewy grass, etc.

• Appropriate footwear. Sneakers or hiking boots would be best. High heels not allowed.

• Snacks. We'll be on the go all night. You may want to bring fruit, energy bars, etc as well.

Please message if you have any questions regarding gear before the workshop.

The fee for this event will cover tuition (Kristin is there to help you, not to take her own photos), transport during the night (not including the trip from Calgary to Banff), and learning materials (a 2-3 page cheat sheet will be provided after the event that touches on all of the talking points for the night).

Please note that you will need to add around 3 hours drive time to this event if you plan to come from Calgary. I recommend using the event's message board to organise carpools prior to the day of the event. I will be driving to/from Calgary and am happy to meet at Shouldice Arena or a C-Train station in the west to carpool.