Travel to Yosemite National Park
to photograph the famous "Yosemite Falls Moonbow"
March 28th - 30th, 2010
Yosemite
National Park and the
spectacular "Yosemite Falls Moonbow"
$525
for all 3 days
Known as moonbows or lunar rainbows, John Muir called the amazing colors seen in Yosemite Falls
by the light of the full moon "Lunar Spraybows"
Whatever you call them, make sure you don’t miss this amazing event
Conditions must be ideal for moonbows to form--a bright moon and abundant water droplets
suspended in clear air in opposite directions from the viewer--and because of this rarity, few people have ever seen one
Figures from Aristotle to Benjamin Franklin have written about the rare phenomenon throughout the ages,
but as early as 1871 Muir wrote enthusiastically that moonbows could often be found forming
in the fine spray coming off Yosemite Falls--no rain clouds required--and he described their beauty in his 1912 book, The Yosemite
A team of astronomers from Texas State University in San Marcos has produced a computer model
that can reliably predict the date and duration of moonbows
at Yosemite Falls,
the national park's tallest and most photogenic waterfall
In 2010, the dates are March 28th - 30th.
The moon is bright enough and at the right angle to create a night rainbow,
a "moonbow", in the mist created by Lower Yosemite Falls.
General Workshop Guidelines for "Yosemite Falls Moonbow"
Bring clothing suited
for a variety of temperatures, from cold mornings to warm afternoons. Also
be prepared for potential snowy and rainy weather.
To quote David Muench: "bad weather equals good photographs."
Park fees are not
included in the workshop. I suggest the purchase of an Annual Pass
http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html
The workshop will include group and personal training on the following subjects:
How to use your tripod & head most effectively
Making the best use of natural light any time of the day
Professional exposure techniques using your cameras Histogram
Rules of Composition - how to use them and how to break them
When & how to photograph for HDR images
How to post-process your images for maximum output
How to photograph landscapes with professional results
How to improve the visual impact of your landscape photographs
Understanding the do's and don’ts of wide angle lenses
Selecting the right lens for the look that you desire
Photographing "details" and how to use a macro lens
How to photograph and post-produce panoramic images for seamless large prints
Using wide angle lenses for single-image panoramic
How to use Tilt/Shift lenses for High Resolution panoramic images
Learn the correct method of leveling your equipment for panoramic photographs
If you use Canon equipment, I will allow use of my personal equipment during the workshop
Our focus on this workshop will be the famous and sometimes elusive Yosemite Falls Moonbow
In addition to the Moonbow, we will also be photographing other area of Yosemite National Park
It is famous for it's winter scenery and we will be covering that aspect of the park quite extensively
We will also spend time learning how to edit and post-process our images on the computer
Food, lodging and
transportation are not included
Some of you may want to camp, some stay
in a hotel, some may want to eat with the group while others may prefer
to be on their own
This arrangement provides for maximum flexibility while
keeping the cost of this workshop to a minimum
It gives you maximum freedom
in planning your meals and also gives you time by yourself if you choose
The Yosemite Lodge Food Court is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
If you would like to share an automobile and a room with another participant,
please feel free to do so
Lodging options are listed here: http://www.yosemitefun.com/lodging.htm
I personally recommend using the Yosemite Lodge because it is just a short walk from the Lodge to Lower Yosemite Falls
We will email you directions to our meeting place and a detailed workshop schedule approximately 2 weeks before the workshop
A passenger car is
suitable for most workshops since we will typically not drive on 4 WD roads
However, if you rent a car, we recommend you rent an SUV as it is more suited
to this kind of activity
We have a “Please tag-along policy” for our photography workshops.
We encourage you to bring your “significant other” with you because
some things were meant to be shared with the one you love!
However, they cannot be included in the training and learning part of the workshop.
If they want to be part of the “learning process”, they must be a registered student.
Items to Bring
Although it does not matter what equipment you have, you will get the most out of the workshop
if your camera has manual settings, shoots RAW and has the ability to connect a cable release
Camera body and fresh batteries
All the lenses that you have + lens shades
Sturdy tripod
Cable release for long exposures
Memory cards & card reader
Sensor cleaning equipment
(if you've never cleaned your sensor, we'll teach you how)
Photo backpack or photo case
Large black plastic heavy duty garbage bags
Waterproof jacket or waterproof poncho
Towels to wipe camera & lenses dry
Flashlight & headlamp with baseball cap
Large umbrella (for the waterfall mist)
Laptop computer
(we will gather at the Food Court for computer lessons)
Cold weather clothing
Hiking boots with warm socks
Camera Equipment & Gear that I take to Photo Workshops
If you are interested in the Yosemite
National Park "Horsetail Falls" field trip, please e-mail me and
reserve your spot.
robert@robertrfletcher.com
To view upcoming workshops, click here