Wildlife and Astro Photography Merit Class

Come join us as we make a visit to the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge in Canton, KS and enjoy an evening with fellow photographers and guides as we get to explore and take photos of wildlife!

We will be working with the Friends of Maxwell group to go on a tour and get some great shots of the local flora and fauna that is out at Maxwell. There will be Elk sightings, lots of great wildflowers, and towards the evening we will be working with Chris Nichols to shoot Astro Photography in the evening!

 

Signups are limited to 20 people. Don't wait!  Maxwell Wildlife refuge is about a 3.5 hour drive from Kansas City center.

 

This is a PPA Merit Class so if you are a National PPA member, you will be able to earn merits! Not sure what PPA Merits are? Take a look at this explanation here.

 

SCHEDULE

• Saturday
  
  • 5:30pm - Dark - Wildlife/Wildflower Photography
  • Dark - 11:30pm - Astro / Night Photography
• Sunday
  
  • 9:00am - 12:00pm:  Class on Editing Night Photos

 

SUGGESTED ITEMS TO BRING

Here are some items that are standard for astro-photography

• A sturdy tripod with a good head
• A fast wide lens (F2.8 or faster, 24mm or wider recommended)
• A light source (headlamp with red light & one touch off recommended)
• A good understanding of your cameras layout and how to manipulate settings in the dark
• Laptop with photo editing software like Lightroom or Photoshop on it
  

• Additional items that are helpful
• Night Sky app to navigate the night sky including moon phase/calendar, I use Star Walk 2
• Dark Sky Finder App or website to locate dark skies better suited to capturing the night sky without light pollution
• Photo Pills or The Photographer's Ephemeris ($2.99 on Google Play) for planning
• Jacket for warmth (watch weather forecast)