Capture the night sky without getting bogged down in expensive gear or complex tech. Built strictly as a true beginner intensive, this four-hour evening workshop shows you how to photograph solar system targets and stargaze right from the city. Learn how to adapt your smartphone or standard camera to a telescope to capture the Moon and planets, and discover the essential mechanics behind deep-space shooting in an urban environment, from navigating Ottawa's Bortle scale to handling noise and frame stacking.

About Your Instructor

Tom Radford is a photographer and educator who likes pointing cameras at things that are literally out of this world.

Learn more about Tom

Workshop Rundown

Hour 1: Urban Sky Realities & Gear Expectations

• Understanding the Bortle scale and managing urban light pollution.
• Setting realistic expectations for what entry-level gear and smartphones can capture.
• Overview of essential urban astro concepts: noise, light pollution filters, and exposure basics.

Hour 2: Optics & Solar System Setup

• Connecting smartphones and standard DSLR or mirrorless cameras to telescopes.
• Setting manual focus, ISO, and exposure speeds for the Moon and bright planets.
• Prepping mounts and optical gear for stable, clear shots.

Hour 3: Outdoor Stargazing & Hands-On Shooting

• Heading outdoors to align telescopes and capture live test shots.
• Practising target alignment on lunar and planetary subjects.
• Troubleshooting focus, camera shake, and atmospheric haze in real time.

Hour 4: Deep Space Mechanics & Stacking Overview

• Understanding how frame stacking cuts through urban light pollution and sensor noise.
• Demonstrating beginner-friendly post-processing workflows for deep-space images.
• Reviewing student captures and answering final setup questions.

By The End Of This Workshop, You Will:

• Understand how urban light pollution affects astrophotography and how to work within it.
• Set realistic expectations for what smartphones and entry-level cameras can capture at night.
• Connect a smartphone, DSLR, or mirrorless camera to a telescope.
• Use manual focus, ISO, and exposure settings for photographing the Moon and bright planets.
• Set up and align basic telescope and camera equipment for more stable images.
• Understand how frame stacking can reduce noise and improve deep-space images.
• Leave with a practical beginner workflow for continuing astrophotography from the city.

What We Provide

• Telescopes & Adapters: Universal smartphone mounts, camera adapters, and demonstration telescopes.
• Software Demos: Stacking software walkthroughs and sample light-pollution filter setups.
• Facilities: Classroom space and an outdoor stargazing area.

What To Bring & Requirements

• Camera: A smartphone or digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless).
• Apparel: Weather-appropriate warm clothing and comfortable footwear for standing outdoors.
• No Prior Experience Required: Designed specifically for absolute beginners. No expensive specialized gear needed.

Event Details

• Location: Urban Art Collective Art Hub, 50 Bayswater Avenue, Ottawa
• Instructor: Thomas Charles Radford
• Level & Audience: Beginner (curious creators wanting to try stargazing and astro shooting without technical overload).
• Maximum Capacity: 12 attendees
• Minimum Enrolment: 6 attendees required