Learn to capture the Milky Way and the Perseid meteor shower at 12,000'!

Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is a spectacular place to spend an evening - with several overlooks to choose from for often spectacular sunsets, and at 12,000' elevation it is also a fantastic spot for night and Milky Way photography.

The Perseid meteor shower peaks (in theory) on the night of Aug 11-12, and because the moon sets around 11:15pm, this will give us an excellent opportunity to photography the Milky Way, and watch and shoot the Perseids as well.  For this one night workshop, we will meet and 8:15pm at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center parking lot, and then head up Trail Ridge Road. Once we are up on Trail Ridge, we will go over camera settings and wait for the Milky Way to emerge, and watch for meteors!.

We will spend at least 3-4 hours shooting the night sky (as long as it is clear), with instruction on how to capture the Milky Way, as well as the meteor shower. If you need to leave early, plan on driving your own vehicle, but still meet us at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center.

All skill levels welcome.  10 participants max.

Sun, Aug 11, 8:15 pm - 2 am (rain date Aug 12, same times)

Where to Meet: 

Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, 1000 US-36, Estes Park, CO 80517 

(NOT the Estes Park visitor center!) 

Looks for us near the kiosks in front of the Visitor Center and bathroom.

Reservation Fee: Only $195

Feel free to email me with questions: Colin@LightandPhoto.com

NOTE: This tour is usually very popular so book quickly if you are interested.

 Gear List

• A DSLR or mirrorless camera with a wide angle lens - ideally a prime lens or zoom between 14mm and 35mm full frame capable of f/2.8 or faster (f/3.5 or f/4 will do).
• Tripod (this is a must for night photography).
• Headlamp (with a red setting if possible)
• Picnic dinner or snacks
• Warm clothes! It gets cold at 12,000' almost every night. Bring lots of layers. Gloves and a warm hat just in case.
• If you plan to observe, rather than commit photography, bring along a chair!

• We will carpool from the visitor center up to Trail Ridge Road (I will have 4 spaces in my Subaru). Contact me if you are coming from Longmont or Lyons.
• Will I need to drive? Good question! If you plan to check out early (it does make for a late night), then perhaps plan to drive yourself.
• Do I need to reserve one of the new timed entrance permits? NO, my CUA permit acts like an entrance permit for whomever is with me!
• Do I need to pay an entry fee for the park? It depends on how late the Beaver Meadows entry station stays open, but if you have a park pass or American the Beautiful pass - please bring it just in case!
• How do I find you on Trail Ridge Road? You don't! We will meet in the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center parking lot. Even if the visitor center is closed, we will meet near the kiosks outside (near the bathrooms, which should be open) I will confirm much of this the week before.
• Is there a rain date? YES - Monday, Aug 12. If it looks like there will be a complete washout, and/or if we discover that there are storms on the road that make it dangerous to travel above tree line. If you do not hear from me, please assume the tour is still on!
• What if I have never shot the Milky Way before? GREAT - I will help you! We will have plenty of time between when the sun goes down and when the stars come out for me to guide you step-by-step in how to capture the Milky Way on your digital camera (as long as you have the gear listed above)
• What if I want to come along, but I am not a photographer? There is a special observer only rate of $75.
• What is you cancellation policy? 100% refund if you cancel more than 2 weeks in advance. Less than 14 days, if you need to cancel I will apply 100% of your fee toward a future tour or workshop if I can fill all the slots on the workshop.