Petrified Forest Field Institute: Storms and Stars Nightsky Photography

Milky Way Photography in the Park After Dark September 15, 2025 Instructor: Frank Kraljic Although camping within the Petrified Forest National Park is permitted in limited areas, mobility after park hours is not. This Storms and Stars Nightsky Photography workshop will take participants inside the park under a moonless evening night sky. Using the Milky Way as a backdrop, this photographic opportunity allows unique access to the other-worldly landscape found exclusively in the Petrified Forest National Park. Targeted for the tail-end of the monsoonal season, photographers will have the potential opportunity to include storm activity as a background during sunset and night time. The Storms and Stars Nightsky Photography workshop is open to novice and experienced astrophotographers. Field tutorials for the new astrophotography enthusiast will include camera operation and setup, shot planning, scene lighting and capturing. Those already familiar with the art and craft may proceed with their photographic plans. Participants should be physically able to navigate off trail with only a headlamp and flashlight carrying their photographic equipment. Expect to trek a couple miles over the course of the night. Though the group will be sticking together in a general vicinity, each participant will have ample space to set up their gear in their own sweet spot. Given the nature of this endeavor, everyone must be prepared with rain cover and ready to return to their vehicles for shelter, if necessary. Of course, there is no guarantee of storm activity or a cloudless evening. We’ll make the best of what nature gives us on this evening. Participants will first meet at the historic Painted Desert Inn, a few miles from the North park entrance gate, to review our night plan and prepare to set up camp at Hozho Point. That afternoon we will scout photogenic locations before returning to the campsite for astrophotography basics as we wait for our moonless sky and the rise of the Milky Way. Participants can expect to be photographing until midnight or later. While the focus of this workshop is the night sky, sunset and sunrise at Petrified Forest National Park are spectacular over our Painted Desert landscape.