Perseid Meteor Shower Workshop 2023 - Cornwall
4 nights of Meteor Showers, Noctilucent Clouds, and the Milky Way in the dark skies of Cornwall!
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Dates & Times
Wed 9th – Sun 13th August 2023 (max ~77 meteors/hour!)
Fitness Level
Easy – Moderate
Price
£ 895 (single room)
£ £650 (twin share)
Availability
Single rooms – Sold Out!
Twin Share – Sold Out!
Included
Join Us
This year our dark sky destination of choice for the Perseid Meteor Shower is Bodmin Moor, Cornwall.
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most anticipated events of every year’s astrophotography calendar. Peaking on warm summer nights, it is a joy to set up the camera, sit back on a blanket, and simply observe the wondrous spectacle in our dark sky location. The annual event can peak with over 100 meteors per hour in some years!
We’ll be heading to various locations during our tour and with the Perseid Meteor Shower being visible over several nights, we’ll have the opportunity to take unique shots of the night sky at multiple locations, where we’ll also practice our Milky Way photos. We’re lucky enough that it will also be noctilucent cloud season so we’ll also keep an eye out for being able to capture that rare and unique phenomenon.
We’ll be just a few minutes drive from Bodmin Moor, the largest part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and which was designated an International Dark-Sky landscape in July 2017.
One of our location options is The Hurlers standing stones (opposite), a Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age series of stone circles over 2000 years old.
Scattered nearby are several old derelict tin mines which make great foreground elements for night sky photography. We’ll also have the option of scaling up to The Cheesewring, an interesting arragement of stacked smooth stones above the Moor.
Other highlights for any spare time include the rapids of Golitha falls, the rugged south coast beaches, or spending time getting to know and photographing the farm animals!
Depending on conditions during the workshop we’ll also have the opportunity to take advantage of any spectacular sunsets, and should our night skies prove unusually troublesome for astrophotography, we should still be able to explore the amazing and unique landscapes and seascapes in the daytime to make the most of our trip!
By joining our astrophotography workshop, you’ll gain a comprehensive knowledge of how to capture awe-inspiring shots of the Perseid Meteor Shower. We’ll equip you with all the essential skills you need, from planning your shoots to what camera settings to capture your images and enhancing your photographs with post-processing software.
Our workshop will provide you with the fundamental knowledge necessary to confidently set up your camera for how to photograph meteors and meteor showers, capturing striking photos of the celestial bodies above. We’ll also delve into the intricacies of night sky photography, further enriching your astrophotography skillset.
To help any participants without a dedicated astrophotography lenses, we have multiple highly regarded astro lenses available to share between the group, including:
1 x Samyang 14mm f/2.8 – Canon fit
1 x Samyang 14mm f/2.8 – Nikon fit
1 x Samyang 14mm f/2.8 – Sony E mount fit. We also have some Kase filters astrophotography filters available to use, including the Starglow filter created by famed astrophotographer Alyn Wallace, plus the excellent light pollution (neutral night) filter and the focus assist filter.
Recommended Equipment
- Wide angle lens – 16-35mm, 10-24mm, 14-24mm
- Walk around/kit lens – 18-55mm, 24-70mm, 24-105mm
- Longer focal length lens – 70-200mm (less used)
- Tripod
- Remote shutter release – we prefer a wired trigger as it saves battery over using your phone with wifi/bluetooth or a wireless trigger to reduce camera battery drain. Must have a lockable on switch so you don’t have to press the button every time.
- Spare camera batteries – the multiple long exposures taken during astrophotography and the cold evenings will reduce battery life. You may also consider bringing your battery charger as we have a dedicated power station that takes wall sockets and USB.
- Lens warmer & power bank (in case of condensation on lenses). An alternative is to wrap hand warmers around your lens.
- Battery Charger (we have charging facilities on our vehicle)
- Extra memory cards
- ND Filters – optional/recommended for long exposures during the day – we have multiple sets of Kase ND filters available to borrow (please let me know the filter thread size of your lenses prior to the workshop)
- Full wet weather gear – just in case!
A full packing list will be provided prior to the tour.
Included / Not included
- Included:
- Professional photo guide & tuition.
- Return transportation fom central London in our comfortable 8 seat vehicle.
- Cottage accommodation with own room.
- Kase filter kits if required
- Battery charging facilities in vehicle
Not included:
- Personal & travel insurance
- Food & drink
- Travel to start point or from end point of tour.
- Anything not specified as “Included”
- Professional photo guide & tuition.
Fitness Level
This tour involves walking of up to 30 minutes along paths/trails and requires occasional short steep steps or inclines. A person of average fitness level should have little difficulty.
Where we'll meet
Collection point for the tour is outside West Acton Station at 10:30 am.
West Action Station is on the Ealing Broadway branch of the Central Line. The post code is W3 0DS.
The return journey will have two drop-off points. The first is in central London, close to Warren Street, Euston Square, Euston, & Great Portland Street tube stations.
The second drop-off point will be West Acton Station.
We expect to return to London around 6-7 pm.
Gallery
Testimonials
I have learnt so much on this trip – taking the most amazing photos! Yourself and Phil gave me so much help which I am very grateful for.
If you do another trip to the Lake District I would love to join you again!
Many thanks for a wonderful trip last week, I really enjoyed it and have taken away so much 😊.
I’m about 80% through post processing, it’s really difficult to choose as there are so many great shots!
I’ve been considering buying Kase filters too!
Guide
Dion Hitchcock
UK Photo Tours is owned and operated by professional photographer, Dion Hitchcock.
Dion brings over a decade of expertise in teaching and guiding photography. He is an expat Australian and when not running photography tours, resides in London, UK, running photography workshops or as a locum pharmacist. His extensive travel experiences, spanning over 40 countries, ignited his passion for photography as a means to chronicle his journeys. This passion quickly evolved into a profound interest, leading him to actively participate in various camera clubs, assisting them in conducting workshops. Today, Dion independently operates his own workshops mainly across the UK, and occasionally internationally.
His London-based photography Meetup groups have 7,000+ members and over 500 5-star ratings.
Dion still maintains his registration as a pharmacist professional, dedicating his time to aiding patients and educating pharmacy students. However, he has transitioned his time into the realm of photography, where he assists clients in understanding the craft’s technical and artistic aspects. This shift, though unconventional, aligns with his upbringing; both of his parents were artists who nurtured his appreciation for the world’s inherent beauty. His extensive photography experience, professional background, passion for teaching, and numerous five-star reviews ensures you’ll be in the best of care whilst on tour.
You can reach Dion at info@uk-photo-tours.com
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