Tag Archives: Alabama Hills

Alabama Hills Beckons

On a scouting trip to lock down locations for the November 5-7th Star Circle Academy Workshop there is something compelling pretty much everywhere you look… like this formation which is only about 200 yards from the road over fairly level ground.

Lady Boot Arch in Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California

An LED flashlight, a dark sky, Jupiter and this elaborate formation all conjoin to create a compelling view to the West in Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California.

Alabama Hills Star Circle Academy Workshop: November 5 – 7

It’s ON!

Harold Davis and I have opened our Star Circle Academy Workshop for registration.  Harold has written up some comments about it in his blog. Of course for the details and to register you should consult the workshop page.  Here is a brief summary:

Just one of many tantalizing prospects for photography in the Alabama Hills Star Circle Workshop - and very accessible, too!

The Alabama Hills Star Circle Workshop is for anyone who wants to learn more about the exciting world of night photography, or who wants to take their night photography to the next level. The workshop is geared to provide specific information about photographing star trails using an intervalometer (a programmable timer) and using stacking software to create a single composite low-noise image of star circles.

Here are some links for more information: Star Circle Academy; Information about Alabama Hills Nov 5-7 workshop; Workshop syllabus (PDF); Registration.

Tuition is $425 if you register by September 11, 2010, $500 if you register by September 30, 2010, and $600.00 thereafter. Click here for more details or to register.

Based on past experience, we expect this workshop to sell out as it is strictly limited to 20 participants. A waiting list will be available once the workshop fills.

Class room portions of the workshop will be conducted at the Best Western Frontier Motel in Lone Pine, California where rooms are available to workshop participants at a discounted rate of $80 per night.

Welcome to My Little Corner of Rotating Heaven

Kip Evans got me kick started on my thirst for acquisition of photons three years ago and Harold Davis added some additional excitement via his Night Photography workshops and camaraderie. Now I feel I’ve reached the point where I can call myself a real photographer. I’m excited to boast about some of my recent accomplishments with much thanks and appreciation to Kip and Harold and many others who continue to encourage and nurture me in my journey to capture increasingly compelling visual imagery.

Even my darling wife encourages me despite the very late hours that sometimes keeps me away from home as well as some long weekends out in the wilderness.

So far in my photographic endeavors I:

  • Sold prints to strangers who have seen my images on Flickr, and to friends of friends who saw my work when my wife showed them my gallery on her iPhone.
  • Was published in the East Bay Regional Parks 2010 calendar (I’m Mr. March)
  • Was commissioned to do custom work and prints for display at a large area church: Venture Christian
  • Was selected as “Photo of the Day” twice on Merzeta.com
  • and most recently, I was informed that two of my images have been short-listed for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest held by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England (that contest concludes in early September). If I win, my work will be featured at the Royal Observatory and I will receive a cash prize which I will completely spend just to go to England!

And if all that is not enough for one man to enjoy, here are a few more recent developments to note…

  1. My lovely wife gave me a lavish “birthday milestone” gift ahead of my actual birth date. Adding to that my son threw in the all important additional batteries! and my daughter and her fiancee added books and videos.  My new big-eyed companion is the Canon 5D Mark II – a professional class camera. I hope to be worthy of it!
  2. Together with Harold Davis I am almost set to launch Star Circle Academy.  Details and workshop information will be coming soon. Our first event will be in early November in one of the most interesting places I know of!
  3. An ultra long stacked exposure taken in Alabama Hills near Mount Whitney, Lone Pine, California

    An ultra long stacked exposure taken in Alabama Hills near Mount Whitney, Lone Pine, California

  4. For my “milestone” birthday I’ll be spending some R&R in Hawaii with my bride of many years.

I can only hope that you are as blessed!