Capture the Stars at Alta with Christine Kenyon – July 2, 2021

Recap

It was a fantastic evening on Friday night as we met up at Alta Canyon in preparation to take images of the Milky Way. Joined by Adventure photographer Christine Kenyon, the attendees were able to get specific instruction on camera settings as well as helpful tips and tricks to get the optimal night sky image.

Description

Join us along with Overland Adventure Photographer Christine Kenyon for a photography workshop under the stars in the mountains of the Wasatch front. Alta in spring bloom will make for a beautiful foreground against the starry night sky. So sharpen your astrophotography skills, or come as a beginner. All levels are welcome during this four-hour session.

We will meet at the Albion Basin Parking lot before the toll booth. From there, we will carpool up to Cecret Lake Trailhead where we will hike up to our destination. During the workshop, we will make sure that everybody is clear on their camera settings, talk shop in the field, take questions, and explore helpful apps. The Milky Way core aligns very nicely with Devil’s Castle at 11:05 p.m. We will have an hour to record a solid shot of the Milky Way before we depart at midnight. Every student's images will be reviewed. 

After the session, please be cautious and safe returning to the parking lot, since it is downhill on rocky and uneven terrain. Also, we will be staging at an altitude of 9,600’, so we recommend that you pack a lighter load – Astro gear only. 

Suggested gear to bring: 

• Camera (capable of ISO 3200)
• Wide Angle Lens (preferably with F2.8 aperture or faster)
• Tripod 
• Wireless Remote (Newer cameras can be controlled via apps)
• Extra Batteries 
• Warm Clothes 
• Sturdy Shoes
• Flashlight/Headlamp for Navigation (We will not be using artificial light in our images)

Proposed Timeline

• 8:00 p.m. Leave Albion Basin Parking Lot on time.
• 8:30 p.m. Arrive at shoot location.
• 8:30-9:15 p.m. Scout for MW compositions with interesting foreground elements, (i.e., streams, wildflowers, etc.) Review composition, focus stacking, histogram, best practices for solid results.
• 9:15-9:35 p.m. Shoot Blue hour. Rotate through any popular compositions. Ensure achieved critical focus (focus stacking), and review histograms for optimal exposure.
• 9:35-10:00 p.m. Everyone sets up in a safe area with an unobstructed view of the sky. Students acquire a critical focus on the brightest star and deactivate AF. 
• 10:00-10:45 p.m. Talk shop. Review PhotoPills, answer questions.
• 10:45-12:00 a.m. Shoot MW galactic core (sky only shots) Concentrating on good exposure via a histogram, and pinpoint stars (explore star stacking for noise reduction and greater clarity).
• Midnight Adjourn and return to vehicles.

Get to Know Christine Kenyon:

Christine Kenyon is an awarding winning overland-adventure and nightscape photographer based in Utah. She was selected as one of 100 “rising stars” in photography by Nikon, and was named by Business Insider as one of “20 of the best up-and-coming photographers across the world you can follow on Instagram.” Christine is a speaker, writer and educator, and has shown in galleries around the U.S.

She has written for the Really Right Stuff Light&Shadow magazine, and was featured as the cover story for Utah State Trooper Magazine. Christine most often presents on the subject of Nightscape photography at conferences, and leads nightscape and landscape workshops in the U.S. west. She made the front page of the Salt Lake Tribune for the launch of her nonprofit Save a Star Foundation, and is actively working to preserve and reclaim dark skies in the western U.S.

Find her on Instagram, Facebook, or her website.