CHASING STARS
Workshops on the Stanserhorn
Star photography workshops on the Stanserhorn
Management: Markus Eichenberger Photo & Film Productions
PROGRAM
The workshops can be booked either as a supplement to a vacation or as a special photography excursion:
Monday to Thursday:
4:30 p.m. Arrival from Stans valley station. Participants go to the Stanserhorn
5:00 p.m. Arrival on the Stanserhorn and welcome with a tour
5:30 p.m. Star photography training 1 1/2 hours
7:00 p.m. Dinner
8:00 p.m. Preparing for the sunset, getting together, laying out your sleeping bag, etc.
Friday and Saturday:
7:00 p.m. Arrival from Stans valley station. Participants go to the Stanserhorn
7:30 p.m. Arrival on the Stanserhorn and welcome with a tour
7:45 p.m. Dinner
8:15 p.m. Preparing for the sunset, getting together, laying out your sleeping bag, etc.
9:00 p.m. Star photography training 1 1/2 hours
10:30 p.m. Preparation to photograph stars
11:00 p.m. Photograph stars, sleep and have a drink
06:00 a.m. Preparing for sunrise
07:00 a.m. Take photos of sunrise
08:30 a.m. Have breakfast in the Stanserhorn restaurant
10:00 a.m. Official workshop end
EVENT DESCRIPTION
New to the offer in 2021 are Chasing Stars star photography workshops on the Stanserhorn. An overnight stay on the Stanserhorn is a unique experience that is not possible for tourists. The panorama is beautiful. The event includes the train ride to the Stanserhorn, a 1 1/2 hour training course on how to photograph stars at night, expert support during the night, dinner, an overnight stay with breakfast and training materials.
PARTICIPANTS / COURSE INSTRUCTORS
As always, the number of participants is limited to 10 people (6 photographers and 4 stargazers). This is important to ensure the overview and quality of the workshop. The training is designed to offer something for everyone, from beginners to professionals. The course leader is Markus Eichenberger.
WORKSHOP DATA:
Course dates:
You can either get the course data directly from the Registration take it or from the event calendar here
The period of one week is chosen so that the workshops are organized around the new moon. Since the workshops are weather dependent, it is recommended to register for multiple dates. You can register for up to 5 dates. 5 days before the workshop, participants will be informed whether the workshop will definitely take place. Registration is only valid for 1 day and is non-binding until 2 days before the workshop. Registration is only considered binding if the weather permits and the workshop can be held. If there are more participants than places, a waiting list will be maintained. First come, first served.
If the conditions are not optimal or not enough people register, the workshop will not take place (minimum number is 4 photographers and 2 stargazers).
If you are interested, there is also the option to conduct the workshops in English or Spanish. Please contact me directly at contact@markuseichenberger.com.
WORKSHOP COSTS
The workshop costs CHF 495 for photographers and CHF 295 for stargazers. This includes the train ride to the Stanserhorn, training and support during the night, dinner, overnight stay with breakfast, a coffee to go cup and all training documents. Insurance is the responsibility of the participants.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
Photo equipment
To put the stars in the best possible light, a reflex camera or mirrorless camera is an advantage. In order to capture enough light, you should use a fast lens. That is, one that has an open aperture of F4.0 or lower. Ideally F2.8. In order to photograph the landscape, it would be an advantage if the lens has a wide angle of at least 24mm, optimally 15mm. Cameras manufactured in the last 3-5 years have less noise at high ISO. This helps a lot with night photography. A tripod is very important and is mandatory. Please contact me if you have any questions. I can also borrow tripods.
Clothing
It gets cold at 2000 meters. This means you should bring a thick jacket and possibly a hat. A flashlight or headlamp is mandatory as the nights up there get very dark when the moon is new. You should also wear good shoes that have a good profile. It is an advantage if you bring your own mat (5 mats can be borrowed). Your own sleeping bag is mandatory.
STAR PHOTOGRAPHY TRAINING/ACCOMMODATION
The infrastructure of the mountain restaurant is used to carry out the training. The workshop leader will give the training using a laptop connected to a television. The training includes all the tips and tricks you need to know to photograph stars at night. What has been learned is then put into practice at night, under the supervision of the workshop leader.
The restaurant's showroom will be converted into a sleeping bag warehouse for the night (5 mats can be borrowed). The toilet is in the restaurant. There are also additional charging stations for electronic devices and sockets to recharge the camera batteries.
DIRECTIONS
The journey is the responsibility of the participants. To get to the Stanserhorn you have to take the cable car from the Stans valley station. Please allow enough time to be at the top on the second last train.
At the end of the workshop, I will send each photography participant the training documents via email and give them a coffee to go cup.
As a participant in the workshop, you have the opportunity to join the “Swiss Star Chasers” club via Facebook. This deals with everything you want to know about star photography. You can also ask questions at any time, which I will be happy to answer.