BADLANDS OF SOUTH DAKOTA MILKY WAY MASTERCLASS RETREAT

Join Erik Kuna, an award-winning landscape photographer, aerospace photojournalist, night photography expert, and author of  "The Night Photography Book" from Rocky Nook Publishing, for an immersive and enlightening photography retreat in the majestic Badlands of South Dakota. This unique five-day, four-night workshop, set in the serene and intimate surroundings of a private ranch under the vast, dark skies, offers a comprehensive journey through night photography.

For the 6th year in a row, we're back in the Badlands where we have the perfect location for immersive learning. Each year, the feedback from attendees has been so positive that we're not changing a thing regarding the logistics. Why is that important? You're going to benefit from everything we've learned. We have the perfect locations, perfect meeting spots, and the perfect environment for you to learn how to master the art of night photography, and we have the testimonials to prove it. 

Explore the Wonders of the Night Sky Erik Kuna brings his extensive knowledge and passion for capturing the Milky Way and celestial wonders to this workshop. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced photographer, this retreat is tailored to empower all attendees with the confidence and skills to excel in astrophotography.

WHY THE BADLANDS?

One of the cleanest classrooms in America for night photography. Dramatic land, dark skies, and we can shoot from the ranch when we want to. Short walks. Formations you can actually work. A porch we can shoot from for late night. The place where you practice until it sticks. It's the perfect place for beginners and people wanting to shave off years of frustration into 4 nights of learning. 

Whether you’re new to the Milky Way or you’ve already been out a few times, this week is built to get you past the gap between owning the gear and making the photograph.

A TURNKEY EXPERIENCE 

Ground transport to and from Rapid City airport, and between the ranch and the shooting locations. No convoy headaches. No “which hotel did you book” for the nights. You can drive yourself. A lot of people do. You don’t have to.

Everyone stays at our private retrea under Dark skies. No outside guests. Breakfast that attendees talk about every year, and dinner together with me and my team every night. You focus on the pictures. My team and I handle the rest.

Hikes are short and mostly flat. If you can walk about 100-300 yards on mostly even ground, with minimal elevation change, you can do this workshop. Ages 18 to 80+. Accessibility is a priority. We are not dragging you up a mountain.

WHO THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR

This is the foundation week. Beginners through experienced shooters. If you’ve never photographed the Milky Way, start here. If you’ve already been to a workshop, read the book, or watched the classes, you’ll still level up: cleaner files, better blends, stacking, tracking, and a process you can repeat at home. Every workshop is customized to each individual attendee! 

Join Us for an Unforgettable Experience: This workshop is not just about learning; it's about sharing passion and stories and creating memories under the stars. With Erik Kuna's guidance, you will be equipped with the knowledge and inspiration to pursue your astrophotography journey.

You can secure your spot in this exclusive workshop and take the first step towards mastering the art of Milky Way and night sky photography. Space is limited to maintain an intimate learning environment, so book early! 

Each day, we'll cover new topics and techniques so that by the end of the week, you'll know how to make award-winning night photography images no matter the subject. We will cover:

• Twilight Photography
• Single Exposure Milky Way Photos
• Multiple Exposure Blending 
• Stacking and Tracking
• Deep Sky Astrophotography 
• Lightpainting 

The day is mapped out to allow you to explore or recover. We start right after lunch with our afternoon software training sessions, image reviews, and critiques, plus an in-depth training lesson every day. Then, we all break for dinner together before we embark on our photography adventure. Each day, we'll shoot from sundown till about midnight, returning to the ranch to recover. However, some of us will take advantage of late-night sessions at the Ranch since we can shoot right from the back porch! Plus, we don't have to start the next day until after noon. It's designed to be action-packed without being overwhelming. 

In addition to the five days and four nights of training, we'll also have three Zoom sessions before and one after the workshop, so you are prepared to make the most out of the experience. Plus, upon request, you'll get your images reviewed by Erik. 

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

Master night and twilight photography: sunset through blue hour into deep night. Single exposures, blends, stacking, tracking, light painting.

Hands-on field work nightly, in real time.

Daily editing and critique in the afternoon.

Astrophotography planning that you can actually use.

A small group, shared meals, and a ranch you don’t have to leave to keep working.

We’ll teach you a system that shaves years off the usual trial and error. Instruction during the week, plus prep and follow-through before and after.

THE FLOW

Afternoons (after lunch): image reviews, critiques, and a focused daily lesson. We don’t start until after noon on purpose.

Evenings: dinner together, then out from sundown until about midnight.

Late-night option: shoot from the ranch, including the back porch, if you still have gas in the tank.

Mornings: rest, recover, download. No crack-of-dawn alarms.

Action-packed without being overwhelming. Each day adds a technique so by the end of the week you can make night photographs that hold up, whatever the subject.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Techniques for the Milky Way and the night sky

Camera settings and field craft that stick

Blending, stacking, and tracking

Light painting that belongs in the scene

Post-processing that pulls the file without wrecking the sky

Planning and preparation for the next time you’re out without us

Registration Includes: 

• 4 Nights of Lodging at our Private Retreat under Dark Skies
• The Best Breakfast West of the Mississippi
• 5 Star Dinner Experience with Erik every night
• Transportation between shooting locations as well as transportation to and from the rapid city airport. 
• All Permits, Fees, Models and Specialized Astrophotography Equipment
• Special location access and location releases 
• Afternoon Critiques and Image Reviews
• Daily Post-Processing Training Sessions
• Daily Milky Way Masterclass Training Sessions 
• Pre and Post-Workshop Zoom Sessions
• Access to Erik's Inner Circle after the workshop

Room Choices: 

We do offer two different types of rooms for the workshop. 

The first is an upgraded single-occupancy private room with a private bathroom for your lodging. Some people just like their own space all around, and we get it. Just costs a little more to lock up that private room with a private bathroom at our dark sky reatreat in Bortle 2 skies that's 5 minutes from the entrance to teh best part of the Badlands!  

The second is an single-occupancy private room with a shared bathroom. Some people are on a budget and this helps to discount the cost significantly. You still have everything else that our dark sky reatreat offers, 3 rooms do not have private bathrooms, but there is a full bathroom right outside those 3 private rooms. This is a great option for those on a budget or who don't need that extra level of privacy with an attached bathroom. 

Finally, we offer a spouse fee. This is a reduced rate for people who want to bring their spouses along for the ride. We've had requests in the past, and this year, we're keeping that option. The spouse upgrade includes all the meals, fees, and expenses, but it does not include the teaching fees, training sessions, and one-on-one training. This is just a way for us photographers to bring our spouses along on the adventure and be able to participate in the festivities, meals, and on-location nightly adventures but have the whole day to explore on their own. 

We hope to see you there. This year is poised to be the best Milky Way and Landscape Photography retreat yet.

Q. What is Included in The Workshop?

A. The full workshop fee includes everything you need besides getting to and from the starting location of the workshop. All accommodations, daily transfers to/from shooting locations, any entry tickets or fees for access, breakfast each morning, and dinner each night, as well as snacks, water, and soft drinks, and the most important part, all the training and instruction before, during, and after the workshop, including Zoom sessions and access to Erik’s support community.

Q. What is The Activity Level?

A. We chose our locations because of shooting opportunities nearby, but we’ll also take transport for some of our shoots. We’re out shooting every night (starting at sunset and wrapping up around midnight), so workshop participants should be in decent health, wear comfortable shoes and clothing, be ready for some short hikes, most less than a few hundred yards, and, of course, lots of standing while we’re shooting. (or, like me, bring a collapsible stool!). With all that said, we've had an 86-year-old participant in good health have a blast at one of these Milky Way workshops. You know your limits best, but we plan these events so anyone in decent health should be OK with participating in every activity.

Q. What Is The Room Situation?

A. Your fee includes a single occupancy room and the ability to add your spouse. Different private room upgrades are offered for the Badlands workshops if space is limited for private rooms with attached bathrooms. At our workshop locations you will be lodging with our group in a private retreat, not in a hotel so it's a very relaxed environment. You can even shoot the Milky Way right off the porch!

Q. What Level of Experience is Required?

A. All experience levels are welcome, but participants should be familiar with their camera gear and have some experience in either Lightroom or Photoshop or an equivalent product. (but I'll probably sell you on Lightroom and Photoshop by the end of the week) Avoid the urge to rush out and buy a new camera for the workshop because you’ll spend a lot of time learning to do what you already know how to do with your current camera. We'll discuss gear on our first Zoom meeting, and I'm always a proponent of renting gear for a workshop if we discover you might not have the ideal gear for a night photography workshop. Bottom line, don't worry, we're here to help!

Q. Are there other expenses I will need to cover?

A. Every day , lunch is on your own, but I doubt you'll need it. Seriously, the breakfast and dinners are so filling that you'll be too full for lunch, and we'll have great snacks to tie you over between meals, we juts won’t take time for an official lunch outing since I’ve found it eats into people’s nap time.. Outside of getting to the workshop meeting point, we don’t have any additional major costs. We handle all costs if there are fees or tickets for entrances, permits, or other location fees. Also, we cover local transportation to our shoots (A luxury suv, van or minivan and sometimes 4X4 jeeps), but if you do want to rent a car, just let us know beforehand so we can coordinate with you.

Q. Can I Bring My Spouse?

A. Your spouse can join you if you add the spouse rate. The Spouse fee does not include the training session, zoom session, post-training, one-on-one instruction, and teaching. We have to limit that to the photography participants for logistical reasons.

We can't have spouses in the classroom because it messes with the group's chemistry. We've tried it, and it changes the group dynamic if they're not participating in the full workshop.

Q. What Is The Refund Policy?

A. If you have to cancel the workshop, and we can fill your spot 30 days before the workshop, the entire workshop fee is refundable, minus the non-refundable processing fees we are charged by our Merchant Services company, usually around 3%. If we cannot fill your spot, your workshop fee is non-refundable. No refunds will be available if you cancel within 30 days of the workshop.

Q. Do you offer payment plans?

A. No, we do not. We’ve found this is a layer of complexity that causes problems over the years. If you cannot afford the workshop fee, we offer other budget minded training opportunities with books, online training classes, seminars, one-on-one consultations, and online support that might fit better.

Q. What if I want a custom workshop or experience?

A. We do offer one-on-one and custom small group workshop experiences; contact us for more details.

Q. What If I Have Questions That Aren’t Answered Here?

Just contact us ...