Description
Registration is open! 4 spots left
Dates: May 16-18, 2025
Workshop size – 8 attendees.
Let’s explore the lighthouses on Cape Cod. We will focus our attention on the lights on the outer Cape, specifically Highland Light, Nauset Light, Chatham Light, the Three Sisters Lights, and the areas around them. These are quintessential Massachusetts lighthouses, in areas with beautiful beaches and dunes. The focus is on these beauties at night when lighthouses ramp up their charm. May is when the Milky Way core rises before midnight providing us ideal shooting times. Our goal is to photograph the Milky Way on this lighthouse crawl but will include sunrise shoots if the nights are clouded over.
This adventure is meticulously designed for flexing your photographic creativity while basking in seaside natural splendor. A bombardment of opportunities will lay themselves before you to create daytime long exposures, ICM (intentional camera movement), and in-camera multiple exposures to create impressionistic images of the scenes. All of this serves as the appetizer to capturing the main character of the tour, the breakers of darkness – the lighthouses.
New England weather can be fickle. In May, it can be quite warm during the day and cold at night. You can expect a wide range of conditions, from partly cloudy, to sunny, rain, and (hopefully) fog.
Overall, temperatures could range from mid-high 60°F down to 45°F, so be prepared. It can become windy as well. Dress in layers, wear comfortable hiking boots, rain boots, a warm hat, and gloves are recommended. Night shoots can be quite cold. Plan to clothe accordingly. A rain poncho that can cover your backpack is recommended. Rain will not stop us!
- Morning Blue Hour begins at ~ 4:33 am
- Sunrise is at ~ 5:18 am
- Sunset is at ~ 7:54 pm
- Evening Blue Hour begins at ~ 8:13 pm
- Dark Night begins at ~ 9:52 pm
- The Milky Way core rises at 10:40 PM
We will be driving to each shoot. Online sessions will be held before and after the tour.
Here’s a sample subset of the schedule:
We will meet in Orleans, have dinner, and map out shoots as a collective. After dinner, we will head out for.. you guessed it, a shoot. We will spend our first night photographing a lighthouse.
If we weren’t out until the wee hours of the night, we would go for a sunrise shoot. Otherwise, we will sleep in, meet midmorning, and plan our day which would most likely see us heading into various locations on the Cape. Cape Cod is full of scenic areas. It has windmills, white sandy beaches, boardwalks, grist mills, and much more. It is a photographer’s playground. Following shoots we would disband for naps or whatever folks would like. We will meet up for an early dinner and then head back out for sunset. and hopefully more lighthouses and starlight! The Milky Way core is visible in May well before midnight and makes for a beautiful backdrop. Cape Cod is a great place to photograph starry skies. On clear nights, be prepared for long-duration night shoots.
As you might expect with weather-dependent excursions, the itinerary will be determined day to day, based on the forecasted nightly conditions. On clear nights, Milky Way astro landscapes are the cream crop goal. As weather is unpredictable, we may not have good conditions for Milky Way photography, but we will have plenty of photographic euphoria to capture. The galactic core is visible starting around 10:15 PM. We will plan on several hours of night photography with or without stars.`
Physical Requirements: Most of the shoots will be close to our vehicles. You should wear sturdy footwear. Trekking poles are helpful as well. Some locations have steep stairs to sandy beaches. For those not inclined to this, I will have an alternative for you to photograph.
Airports to Fly Into:
If you’re coming from further away, there are a couple of options for airports, depending on your travel plans:
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS): The largest airport within a couple hours’ drive of Cape Cod, Logan may be a good choice for out-of-state travelers or people wanting to explore Massachusetts before driving to the Cape. Driving from Boston to the outer Cape is about 2 hours. From Boston, you can rent a car.
T.F. Green International Airport (PVD): The 2nd largest airport within a couple hours’ drive of Cape Cod, T.F. Green may also be a good choice for out-of-state travelers or people wanting to explore Rhode Island before driving to the Cape. Driving from Providence to the outer Cape is about 2 hours. From Providence, you can rent a car.
Gear Recommendations
Camera: DSLR or Mirrorless camera required. It must either have a shutter delay or a remote trigger. Participants are expected to know how to operate their equipment. If you have any new gear, it is important to become acquainted with it to get the most from the photo tour.
Lenses: Wide and super wide angle (approx. 14-24mm (full frame f/2.8 or faster, or 11-16mm f/2.8 for crop sensor) and a telephoto zoom (example: 24-120 mm, 28-300mm, 100-400mm, 200-500mm). For Milky Way photography, fast, wide-angle lenses with low coma aberration are recommended.
Tripods: A sturdy tripod is essential for night and long exposure photography. Please note that a travel tripod is not recommended.
Accessories: Neutral density filters, camera raincoat, red flashlight, headlight, and dew heater recommended. A list of suggestions will be provided.
Software: All post-processing will be done using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Using another tool? No problem, the same techniques apply.
Pre & Post-Tour Zooms: An overview and orientation will be held online prior to the photo tour. Afterward, I will share editing techniques ranging from basic image adjustments to more advanced applications of layers in Photoshop.
Image Reviews: Feedback will be offered in the field. Reviews of fully edited images will take place by Zoom after the photo tour and online editing sessions are completed.
What is included?
Pre-tour orientation | 1 hour overview of the tour. Expectations and goals and any wish list items! |
The Tour | 3 days of guided photography on the beautiful Outer Cape of Cape Cod. |
Post-Processing Session | 3-hour online image review and post-processing session (the date to be selected a week after the photo tour). |
Snacks | We will have snacks on hand throughout the day to keep our energy levels up. Chips, power bars, and the like will be at your disposal. |
What is not included?
Transportation | Transfers to the Cape from the airport and transport around the area are not included. We will try to carpool as we can. |
Lodging | Booking a room at the Cove Motel or Rodeway Inn Orleans, both in Orleans. is recommended. |
Drinks | |
Meals. | |
Excursions | Garden entry fees/donations, parking, and the like (if applicable). |
Tuition $700.00. The amount listed ($728.00) includes the 4% credit card convenience fee. Other payment options are below.
To register, fill out and submit this form.
Kindly note that a 4% convenience fee is added to credit card payments.
I also accept Zelle and checks. Contact me if you wish to use either of these.
Deposit to secure spot. $400 plus 4% convenience fee via Credit Card. You may also choose to pay in full by clicking “add to cart”.
Please contact me with any questions. Thank you.
Terms and Conditions
Full payment is required for all workshops, photo tours, or classes (hereinafter known as the “Event(s)”) with a total cost of less than $300. For Events that are in excess of $300, there will be an Event-specific deposit price listed on the website to lock your spot in the Event. Full payment is required 3 months prior to the start of the Event. A separate invoice will be sent for the remaining balance 3.5 months prior to the start of the Event.
Refund Policy: Deposits are non-refundable. Additional payments toward your balance are fully refundable up to 90 days before the tour. If you withdraw from the tour and we are able to fill your spot, we will refund your payments (including deposit), less a $200 administrative fee, and any discounts given to fill the space. Cancellations for an Event where an entrance fee, lodging payment, vehicle, tickets, or another segment where the payment was incurred before the start of the Event by Silvana Della Camera Photography to reserve that segment the attendee will forfeit reimbursement for those fees.
Event Cancellation Policy: There is always the possibility that we may choose to cancel a workshop, photo tour, or class, and we reserve the right to do so at our discretion. This tour requires a minimum of 2 participants. In the case of under-subscription, we reserve the right to cancel the tour. Should that be the case, your registration fees will be refunded in full.
We strongly recommend purchasing gear and trip insurance to cover your costs in case of cancellation, illness or withdrawal. Cancellations, for any reason, must be in writing (e-mail or regular mail). If we cancel the Event for any reason, a full refund will be given to each participant.
By registering for the photo tour, you accept these terms and conditions.
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