Mt Cook Astro Masterclass Workshop - 4 Days: CANCELLED

Our Astro Masterclass Workshop is based in Twizel within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, the world's second-best area for viewing the night sky. With highly acclaimed astrophotographer Mark Gee along with Richard Young as your tutors.

Designed to extend your skills in skills in both Astro and timelapse photography, the workshop dates have been picked to ensure a new moon and winter offers the best conditions astrophotography. During the workshop we will visit New Zealand’s premier astronomical research centre, the Mount John Observatory, to learn more about the night sky and photograph the constellations.

We will base for 3 nights in the excellent Mackenzie Country Hotel, with the use of a conference room for tuition and post-processing sessions.

We can pick you up early on the first morning of the workshop from Queenstown and provide you with transport to Twizel, and drop you back to Queenstown at the end of the workshop to connect with late afternoon flights. Or you can meet us in Twizel.

Day 1
We will pick you up early from Queenstown or you can meet us in Twizel at lunchtime. After assembling in our comfortable conference room at the MacKenzie Country Hotel, we will run through an introductory programme of advanced camera setup for astrophotography and cover workflows on panoramic and timelapse photography. In the evening we will head out for our first sunset and night time shoot in the Dark Sky Reserve on the shores of Lake Ohau.

Day 2
We will spend today exploring Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. The day will be taken up alternating between locations in the park and covering and doing some timelapse and panoramic photography. We will have dinner at Mt Cook village, heading out after dinner to capture the Milky Way above the Southern Alps before a late return to our accommodation.

Day 3
We will spend this morning in the hotel conference room to offer some group critique of the photographs from the last days and in-depth post-production to bring out the best in your Astro images along with a tutorial on making a timelapse sequence. This afternoon we will venture further afield to explore more of the beautiful Mackenzie Country including the shores of Lake Ohau and Lake Pukaki. This evening we shall go to Tekapo for a trip up Mt John and a tour of the Mt John Observatory to photograph amazing star constellations, including the Southern Cross. After our trip to the Observatory, we will photograph the famous Church of the Good Shepherd in Tekapo and maybe a stop for some light painting on our return to the hotel.

Day 4
Depending on how late we stayed up last night, there might be an option for a sunrise shoot to capture some of the first morning light across the Southern Alps. We will help you process your two best images from the workshop and produce a finished 16x22" fine art print of them to take home. The workshop will finish after lunch today, with return transport then provided back to Queenstown to meet with late afternoon flights.

Price Includes
- Tuition by Mark Gee and Richard Young
- Night Sky Tour at Mount John Observatory
- 3 nights accommodation at MacKenzie Country Hotel in a twin room (single upgrade available)
- 3 cooked breakfasts at the MacKenzie Country Hotel
- Copy of Pocket Guide to Landscape Photography
- E-book on masterclass workshop topics
- Two 16x22" Fine-Art Prints from the Epson SC-P800
- Use of Benro filters kits
- Use of Samyang Ultra-wide lenses
- Trial of Nikon cameras & lenses
- Conference room for processing & printing
- Transport during the workshop
- Queenstown pickup/dropoff (or meet at Twizel)
- DOC concession fees
- Donation to our Conservation Fund
- Native tree planting to Carbon Offset your workshop

For more information, visit the official website.