Ready to head into the field and capture the Milky Way?
Our 2026 workshops and field trips start in May 2026.
Sign up for our newsletter to be alerted when workshop registration opens.
2026 Workshops and Field Trip Dates
Intro to the Milky Way Workshops occur during a one-week period with two 60-minute live presentations during the evening. In the presentations, you will learn everything that you need to know to capture your first Milky Way image with your current camera equipment, and you’ll be able to ask questions of Mike during the workshop. The presentations will be recorded. Workshops are FREE!
Workshops and field trips always occur during the new moon phase, so you have the best chance to practice what you learn without the light of the moon washing out the Milky Way in the night sky.
Field trips will occur on the weekend following the online workshop at various locations in Northern California, within a 5-hour drive of Sacramento, CA. Special field trip events will occur in other locations TBA. Exact times and meeting locations TBA.
Field trip costs vary depending on event type, and space is limited.
Workshops
Workshops are designed for photographers with no experience in night photography. The workshops are online, 100% virtual, and open to anyone around the world. The workshops are scheduled on two evenings during the week preceding the new moon each month. The class will be held live in the Pacific timezone, hosted by Mike Oitzman -> but recorded so that you can review or replay the content at your leisure, or in your timezone.
The online training sessions are free, and anyone can attend. This will be followed by a local field trip hosted by Mike Oitzman, where you can get hands-on help setting up your camera and taking your first images of the Milky Way.
The next online training sessions will be: (view the recordings by clicking on the links).
July 7, 2026, and July 9, 2026, on the Master the Milky Way YouTube channel.
Here’s a link to past training sessions:
May 19, 2025 Archive – How to Plan a Milky Way
May 21, 2025 Archive – How to Photograph the Milky Way
Practice What You Learn
By scheduling the workshops around the new moon each month, students will be able to learn and prepare for field experience capturing the Milky Way. You will be able to go out on the evenings between class sessions and practice what you have learned.
Workshop Cost
The How To Photograph The Milky Way Field Workshops for beginners cost $30.
The online training is free.
Join An Upcoming Workshop
Please join our newsletter to be reminded about upcoming events. Instructions and an invitation to the live class meetings will be sent via the newsletter list.
Field Trips In Northern California
If you live in Northern California, then you are invited to join Mike in the field at a designated site for a live photography adventure on the weekend following the online workshop.
Photographing at night alone can be scary and intimidating. Join a workshop and enjoy the nighttime experience with other photographers. Our experienced workshop leaders will guide you to well-known and scouted photo spots, while handling all of the planning details to ensure that the moon and Milky Way are in the proper orientation.
July 17, 2026 – Grouse Ridge Lookout – Sunset and Milky Way
[RESCHEDULED DUE TO WEATHER] Visit the iconic Grouse Ridge Lookout and “Outhouse with a view” in this trip to one of the highest points in Nevada County, with 360-degree views of the Sierras. We’ll get there early enough for the sunset, followed by multiple Milky Way views, and a special treat with a drone light-painting demonstration.
Purchase tickets here.
Aug 8, 2026 – Donner Summit – Milky Way
The iconic Rainbow Bridge on the old Donner Summit highway overlooks Truckee and Donner Lake. During September, the Milky Way aligns perfectly with the bridge.
Purchase tickets here.
OCT 9-12, 2026 – Eastern Sierras – Fall Color Tour + Milky Way
Don’t miss this opportunity to capture the incredible fall colors in the Eastern Sierras, plus epic Milky Way imagery and scenic vistas, including Hot Creek and Mono Lake Tufas.
Purchase tickets here.