Minnesota Fall Colors
Day & Night Photography Workshop
Two Harbors, Minnesota
Sept. 30 - Oct. 2, 2022
Two Day / Two Night Workshop
$795
8 Participants Max
Workshop Highlights
Experience the magical fall color explosion along Minnesota’s North Shore -
along with a possible display of the dancing Aurora Borealis!
Minnesota’s North Shore is the home to some of the finest fall foliage in the United States. Burning red maples, brilliant yellow birches, and evergreen Norwegian pines combine to create a nature photographer’s paradise.
Northern Minnesota is the also one of the best locations in the continental United States to observe and photograph the Northern Lights due to its proximity to Earth’s offset magnetic North Pole.
Finally, since the peak of the fall foliage season occurs during the autumnal peak in Aurora Borealis activity, let’s bring them together! Join Mike and seven other enthusiastic nature photographers in this unique, Minnesota Fall Colors (Sky AND Earth!) Day & Night Photography Workshop.
We will seek and photograph the vivid fall colors along Minnesota’s North Shore during the day. From wide-angle to macro, you will fill your memory cards with stunning images of nature’s beauty.
At night, we will photograph the vertical Milky Way and other night sky treasures in the glorious dark night skies of the North Shore; and with a bit of luck, we will experience an unforgettable display of the colorful Aurora Borealis!
Color explosion kaleidoscopes on the ground, vibrant, dancing lights in the sky…are you in?
Dr. Mike Shaw will be your workshop instructor and guide. He is the author of the highly-rated night photography books, “The Complete Guide to Landscape Astrophotography,” and “Creative Nightscapes and Time-Lapses.” He hosts the annual Aurora Summit conference each year, dedicated to the Art, Culture, Science, and Photography of the Aurora Borealis. He is also the co-creator of the video tutorials embedded in the Planit Pro app. He is a former resident of Duluth, Minnesota, and is intimately familiar with all your workshop locations!
Workshop highlights include:
Two days of guided access to stunning fall color displays at the peak of the season.
Tips for capturing the best possible images to showcase the vibrant colors of the maples, birches and pines trees.
Options for shooting the Aurora Borealis, the fall Milky Way, star trails, and constellations from the dark skies of the north shore.
Learn how to post process your images into magnificent trophies you’ll be excited to share with your family and friends.
Workshop Itinerary
Friday, Sept. 30, 6 pm - Your workshop commences. We meet and greet one another during our orientation meeting at the Superior Shores Resort, 1521 Superior Shores Drive, Two Harbors, Minnesota (see map below). Mike will give a workshop overview and rough agenda. We’ll discuss your goals for the workshop, and the camera systems you’re using.
Friday, Sept. 30: Following the Meet & Greet orientation, we will drive to a dark North Shore location within an hour or so of Superior Shores. Here, you will receive personal instruction on how to properly focus your camera in the dark, compose in the dark, and what are the best camera and exposure settings for night photography. You can also explore the effects of different lens focal lengths and lens filtersto the best composition and depth of field. After capturing a few trophy images we will return by midnight (barring a major outbreak of the Aurora Borealis!). In the event of clouds or rain, we will do our night photography sessions in a scenic downtown area in Duluth.
Saturday, Oct. 1: We will awaken early to catch an epic Lake Superior sunrise, followed by a quick breakfast. We will then embark on a full day of fall color photography, visiting several stunning North Shore landmarks. After a quick dinner on-the-road, we’ll photograph a beautiful Lake Superior sunset followed by an evening of night photography. The locations will be selected to take the best advantage of the weather and the interests of the group. You will continue to develop your newly acquired night photography skills as you enjoy a wonderful North Shore evening under the night sky. Night sky subjects will include the Milky Way, star trails, panoramas, constellations, time-lapses and more; perhaps the Aurora Borealis will even appear!
Sunday, Oct. 2: We will again awaken early to photograph the sunrise over Lake Superior, taking advantage of the knowledge and experience gained yesterday. After a quick breakfast, we then continue our photography journey to new North Shore destinations. We return to our rooms to check out, a quick lunch, and then an afternoon of photo editing together, with the possibility of a photo detour to one final spot!
Sunday, Oct. 2, 6 pm - Workshop concludes. We pile in our vehicles, head home and sleep!
Workshop Structure
We’ll first meet at 6 pm on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022 in the lobby of the Superior Shores Resort, 1521 Superior Shores Drive, Two Harbors, Minnesota, 55616 (See map below). We will depart for your first session of night photography after this meeting.
You should arrive in your own vehicle for transportation throughout the workshop, or carpool with a friend. There are no significant hikes as part of this workshop, and you will have easy access to your vehicle.
Food is not included in this workshop. You are free to bring your own food, as well as visit any of the nearby restaurants or shops.
Be sure to bring warm clothes, warm boots or shoes, a raincoat, a warm hat and gloves. It can get surprisingly cold late at night! Hand warmers are often welcome.
Workshop Venue & Accommodations
Our workshop is based at the Superior Shores Resort (see map):
Address: 1521 Superior Shores Drive, Two Harbors, Minnesota, 55616
Phone: (800) 218-8589
For your convenience, we have arranged for a block of rooms with either two queen beds or a single king bed at a special rate, if needed. Details will be provided when you register. You are free to stay at other nearby hotels; there are many choices. Please contact us if you require assistance with accommodations.
We will meet and depart from Superior Shores for each of our workshop excursions.
Pricing
$795/Person
Workshop Includes:
Two days of guided nature photography and instruction at locations along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota
Two nights of night photography guiding and instruction, with opportunities to photograph the Milky Way, Aurora Borealis, star trails and much more
Opportunities for image enhancement through post-processing
Welcome Packet with a complete gear list and other useful information
Workshop Does Not Include:
Hotel accommodations, if needed. A block of rooms will be reserved for our workshop, details will be provided when you register. There are also other options nearby. Please contact us if you need assistance
Transportation to/from your home to the workshop meeting locations
Meals, beverages & snacks
As you complete your registration and payment process, you will be given the choice of either paying the full amount or a 50% deposit. If you pay the deposit, the balance payment is due no later than 90 days prior to arrival.
Recommended Gear Lists
(You will receive a detailed gear list in your Welcome Packet when you register)
Camera Gear - the Essentials:
DSLR or mirrorless camera with the ability to manually focus and manual set the exposure (ISO, f-stop & shutter speed)
Lens. An 18-55 mm kit lens works just fine. Also great are a wide-angle lens (in the 14 - 24 mm range) or a mid-range lens (in the 24 - 70 mm range). Telephoto lenses (150 mm and higher) are best for closeups of the eclipsed moon
Tripod / ballhead - the sturdier the better
Headlamp with a red bulb
Extra batteries
Extra memory cards
Lens/camera cleaning kit
Camera & other operating manuals
Camera Gear - Nice to Have:
Loupe for focusing
Cable release
Tiffen Double Fog 3 lens filter
External intervalometer
Extra flashlight
Personal Gear:
Snacks
Water
Portable chair
Hand warmers
Laptop for downloading & editing your images during the class sessions
Warm clothes in layers
Warm boots, hat & gloves
Warm jacket & raincoat
