Keys Ranch Nightscape Photography Workshop September 4, Fall 2021

With new digital camera technologies, night time has become the right time to make spectacular images! Unlock your creativity and take your photography to a new place in this one-night workshop on the photographic techniques after dark including wide-field astro-photography, light painting and light drawing. Learn how to photograph the night sky with your DSLR camera. Light painting and light drawing are photographic techniques in which images are made using long shutter speeds as the photographer uses a hand-held light source, such as a flashlight, to create the exposure. The photographer either points the light source directly at the camera to “draw with light” or “paints with light” by shining the light source on an object or scene to create the illumination. From Ansel Adams to Pablo Picasso, these seemingly magical techniques have long inspired photographers and artists alike with their ability to make visible the invisible and to play with time.Class participants will be sent an advance instructional video to review two days prior to the class to prepare and you will be able to contact the instructor with any additional questions prior to the course. Upon arrival on the day of the workshop, participants will meet at the Visitor Center in Joshua Tree for check-in and then participants will caravan out to the restricted historic Keys Ranch where participants will have the opportunity to photograph the cosmos amongst the historic ranch buildings and artifacts.

Class size limited to 8 participants, so sign up early!

Special note about Keys Ranch. We must be respectful of this historic site. Several areas will be off limits for photography and to help insure that invasive species are not introduced clean boots, socks and tripod legs are required.  A brief discussion of workshop protocol while at Keys Ranch will be provided before leaving the classroom.

Download the course outline: 

Hike Level: Easy (Fitness Levels)

If you are a member of JTNPA you will get a $10 discount off every Desert Institute class. If you are not a member you can become one .

Please print and fill out the .  You can bring the completed form to the class.

Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel, notify us at least seven days prior to the start of the course and we will process your request minus a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds, transfers, or credits will be granted if cancellation occurs within the seven day period. Please note that we cannot make any exceptions to this refund policy for any reason, including but not limited to medical reasons, illness, travel delays, personal situations, emergencies, or weather. This program depends on registration for its funding. While inconvenient, please understand that this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last minute cancellations.

This season is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Visit 29 Palms. Check out Visit29.org to learn about all the great shops, restaurants, lodging and attractions in Twentynine Palms and start planning your visit.

SCOTT KLINGER is a professional photographer, filmmaker and educator with over 15 years of experience. Scott’s photographs and films have been exhibited throughout the world. Recent screenings include 66th Festival de Cannes and the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. Recent exhibitions include LAXART in Los Angeles, Anfiteatro Arte in Milan, and La Generale en Manufacture in Paris. His work is held in the permanent collection of the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Art. He currently lives in La Quinta, CA is an Associate Professor of Photographic Technology at Palomar College.

Host or Publisher Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park