Broome Astrophotography Tours

Absolutely not. The only pre-requisite for coming along is a disposition towards, and eye for recognising, pristine natural beauty.

For a nominal extra fee there is also the opportunity for you and/or your loved one(s) to be photographed under the Broome night sky. You will receive a high resolution digital file after the trip - and after I have had the time to process the images - that will be suitable for hanging on your wall.

Absolutely. The only pre-requisite for coming along is a disposition and eye for recognising pristine natural beauty.

For a nominal extra fee there is also the opportunity for you and/or your loved one to be photographed under the Broome night sky. You will receive a high resolution digital file after the trip - and after I have had the time to process the images - that will be suitable for hanging on your wall.

We will meet at the Broome Visitor Centre carpark at 1615 and depart for our location at 1625 sharp.

The early departure is to ensure we get to our location and can get set-up in time for the sunset and blue hour on-time. This is a very beautiful time of the day in Broome and the Kimberley.

I will set up to photograph the sunset and blue hour and talk guests through the things I take into account in planning and making my photographs. Those with cameras are welcome to set up and to take as many photographs as they like.

The blue hour is a very important part of the evening for my Milky Way photography as the foreground forms a key part of the end product when the evening is done and dusted. The light at this time is generally the most beautiful in the entire day.

We will then leave our cameras and tripods in place and retreat to enjoy some nice cheese and wine while we wait for the onset of darkness and the Milky Way to rise. Fortunately at this time of year the Milky Way rises quite early.

While we wait for darkness and the Milky Way to rise, I will talk participants through the key camera, lens and settings I use to photograph the Broome night sky. Including little hacks most people don't think about but that make a huge difference to the end result. Plus other tricks photographers use such as light painting. Also things to be careful of when choosing locations to shoot, such as post-processing considerations.

We will spend about an hour photographing the Milky Way and then return to Broome not later than 2130. Those who are interested are welcome to join me to go through the post-processing afterwards.

Guest numbers are limited to between six and not more than ten to maximise the enjoyment of guests.

The following things ARE included in the price:

1. Memories of a magical evening under the Broome night sky.
2. The chance to see and learn from a photographer has spent much of the past 30 years living and working in Broome and the Kimberley and is the author of nine large format coffee table books.
3. For a nominal extra fee, the opportunity for you and/or your loved one to be photographed under the Broome night sky by an internationally recognised photographer and the author of nine large format coffee table books - you will then receive an email large resolution digital file that can be printed and hung on your walls at home.
4. An emailed photo of your evening's night sky as a beautiful memory.
5. Nice cheese and a glass of wine.
6. Cheat-sheet checklists I used for planning, shooting and post-processing.
7. A true appreciation of how unique the dark Kimberley night sky really is.
8. Free pick-up and drop-off or you can tag-along.

The following things are NOT included in the price:

1. Personal photography equipment (camera, lenses, tripods, batteries, memory cards).
2. Travel insurance or personal accident insurance.
3. Medical or evacuation costs.
4. Clothing suitable for night conditions or changing weather.
5. Insect repellent or personal comfort items.
6. Image processing tuition beyond the scope of the evening experience.
7. Purchase of prints, books, or digital images.
8. Any costs arising from late arrival or early departure by the guest.
9. Costs resulting from weather, road conditions, or circumstances outside the operator’s control.

We will meet at the Broome Visitor Centre carpark at 1615 and depart the Visitor Centre at 1625 sharp. We will be returning between 2030 and 2100 depending on the position of the Milky Way.

The early departure ensures a sunset arrival at our location. This is also very beautiful and gives the opportunity to photograph through the sunset and into the beautiful blue hour period of dusk.

We have a number of locations we "work" around Broome and the location chosen on any particular evening will be a function of star position, weather conditions and light.

Tag-along or courtesy pick-up/ drop-off from your place of accommodation is available.

If you would like to take your own night sky photos, you will need:

1. A digital or mirrorless camera allowing manual control of focusing, aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
2. Wide angle lens of 24mm or wider for full frame cameras and 16mm or wider for crop-sensored cameras.
3. Memory cards.
4. A sturdy tripod.
5. Fully charged batteries (don't laugh - some forget this).

All guests are strongly encouraged to bring the following:

1. Sturdy shoes.
2. A warm pull-over (just in case) - At nights it can get quite cool during the Dry season.
3. A head torch (if you have one) - this will make life much easier.
4. A hat.
5. A water bottle.
6. Camping chair.

The evening is not physically demanding at all, though there might be some clambering over rocks depending on which location is chosen for the evening. If necessary I will be tailoring the evening towards the capabilities of the group in any case.