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Join us for the 3rd Annual Michigan Aurora Chasers Workshop to learn how to catch the Northern Lights and capture it on camera. PLEASE NOTE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND. We encourage you to use this event as a placeholder, to get updates when tickets to this free event come available. Dinner will be provided as an option at a cost. More Info…
More information on this year’s workshop. Due to extenuating circumstances we are holding the workshop a little later than usual on 5/30/2025. At the request of our members we have expanded the program to cover the entire weekend. We are also excited to announce that we have opened space for 130 members at this year’s workshop as a celebration of our group nearing 130,000 members. Headlands International Dark Sky Park will again host our workshop. It will be free but registration is required to attend.
The workshop will consist of the following: on the evening of Friday 5/30/25 we will hold a kickoff event with a welcome and a few presentations at the Headlands. Afterwards we will hold one on one help with settings on your camera for night photography and if aurora is present perhaps a live chase.
On Saturday, 5/31/25, our main workshop with several topics presented will be held again at the Headlands. Followed by an optional pizza dinner that you will need to purchase a meal ticket at registration. That evening, we will again hold a one on one help with your camera settings and a night shoot with another chance for a live chase.
We will also have two programs offered during the weekend from the Mackinaw Area Arts Council and a guest group expert trainer at a cost. One on Saturday will be an aurora art project that you can create a piece of aurora art to take with you. The other on Sunday, 6/1/25, will be a hands on in depth training around editing aurora pictures. Both will be at an additional cost at registration. Registration will be in March and we will be providing more specific details as the date gets closer.
Finally, given that the workshop had been pushed back to peak tourist season in Mackinaw City we could not get a block of hotel rooms. We recommend Holiday Inn Express. If you are planning on attending we recommend that you make reservation for the workshop weekend. In the event you cannot get tickets for the workshop you would have plenty of time to cancel any reservations made without loosing any funds. We suggest this as most hotels fill up on weekends during peak season. Thanks for your consideration and we hope to see you at the workshop!
We've got an exciting program lined up, which will be announced soon!
Check back for details: MichiganAuroraChasers.com/mi-aurora-workshop/
AGENDA:
Fri, 30 May
6:00 to 6:45 pm Early Registration Check-in and slide show of past events, members photos and our 100k celebration video
6:20 pm to 7:00 pm Cut Cake and serve
7:00 to 7:15 pm Welcome & weekend overview by Melissa Kaelin
7:15 to 7:45 pm Headlands & Dark Skies by Jamie Westfall
7:45 to 8:45 pm Native American Culture around Aurora and the Night Skies TBD
9:00 pm to ? Views of night sky at Headlands or Aurora Chase. Help with camera settings - open to all
Sat, 31 May
8 am to 12 pm MAAC Craft Workshop featuring an Aurora Watercolor art project. Two 2 hour sessions 15 people each at $30. Receive a 9” x 11” in a 14” x 11” mat - off site
12:00 to 12:30 pm Workshop registration check in at Headlands (registered members only)
12:35 to 12:55 pm Welcome by Melissa
1:00 to 2:15 pm Video, Photo, Timelapses, Oh My! by Patrick Grubba and Christina Wiggins
2:15 to 2:30 pm Group Photo outside Headlands
2:30 to 2:40 pm Break
2:40 pm to 3:30 pm Forecasting and Glendale app – Melissa Kaelin and Kris Knutson
3:30 to 4:30 pm Overview of Photoshop/Lightroom basic edits for aurora photos by Pandora Biskner
4:30 to 5:15 pm Q & A Panel of admins and group experts
5:15 to 5:30 pm Break and Dinner set up
5:30 to 7:00 pm Pizza and Pop Dinner and socializing.
8:00 pm to ? Camera settings for night photos. Aurora chase at various locations if aurora. If no aurora, night photography at various locations - open to all
Sun, 1 June
9:30 am to 12:30 pm Editing Workshop by Christina Wiggins. Hands-on in-depth editing in Photoshop/Lightroom for workshop participants get $20 off $99 class ($79) - separate registration and off site
REGISTER ON EVENTZILLA FOR MAC WORKSHOP HERE:
https://www.eventzilla.net/e/michigan-aurora-chasers-workshop-2025-2138640015
REGISTRATION FOR AURORA WATERCOLOR CLASS BY MCAAC ON EVENTZILLA HERE:
https://www.eventzilla.net/e/maac-arts-council-paint-the-aurora-in-watercolor-2138664340
Admission $30
REGISTRATION FOR CHRISTINA WIGGINS’ NIGHT SKY EDITING WORKSHOP FOUND HERE:
https://book.usesession.com/s/xx1kqul7Ov
Admission: $99
Save $20 if you are a guest of the MI Aurora Workshop with the code: MAC20ATTEND
Photo by Jenn Boss Mainka!
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Headlands International Dark Sky Park, The Headlands County Park, Mackinaw City, MI 49701, United States,Mackinaw City, Michigan
