Paddy’s River Falls. Award-winning astrophotographer David Magro will run his Milky Way masterclasses in the Riverina. Photo: David Magro.
Want to learn how to capture the cosmic river of light flowing endlessly across the Riverina night sky?
Award-winning astrophotographer David Magro is returning to the region to run his popular masterclass on how to capture the Milky Way.
David has been sharing his expertise in capturing starry skies with fellow nightscape enthusiasts in his popular masterclasses.
“There are a few different locations this year. I’ll be heading down to Young and Wagga Wagga,” David said. “I am looking forward to photographing the stars out there.
“The weather is looking good. We’re coming into El Nino, so I’m very excited that we should have some clear skies.”
David said his classes in the Riverina last year were a great success, with a high number of participants attending.
“There was a big turnout, with lots of people eager to learn astrophotography,” he said.
“Some even travelled from Sydney and across the state to attend. The Riverina has phenomenal dark skies, making it a prime spot for stargazing and photography.
“Out west, you get an incredible display — plus, it’s a great road trip. I love visiting small towns, stopping along the way, and enjoying the countryside.
“There aren’t many places where people from Sydney or other areas can get such a stunning view of the stars.”
Canola Milky Way. Photo: David Magro.
David finds it fulfilling to see a beginner participate in his class and be able to produce great images by the end of it.
“It’s amazing to see them pick it up and start exploring it for themselves … someone who has never used a camera in their life but can capture a pretty stunning shot,” he said.
“It makes me happy to see the smiles on their faces, and the excitement they have is very contagious.”
The photographer has been running his classes for the past decade to share his love and passion for the Milky Way. He never thought it was possible for so many people to share his excitement.
“It’s what drives me to continue to travel across Australia to teach the masterclass,” he said.
“The biggest change has been the shift to mirrorless cameras. They’re becoming more widespread and have really changed the game.”
Since 2014 David Magro has taught more than 3000 beginners and enthusiasts the skills needed to create stunning images of the Milky Way. Photo: David Magro.
Mirrorless cameras are different from DSLRs, which use mirrors in their design. They are more compact, lighter, and cheaper to build, yet they’re extremely powerful.
“Older DSLR cameras were great, but didn’t capture as much detail at high ISOs. You can still photograph the night sky with older cameras, and many people start that way,” David said.
“Once they see what’s possible, they often upgrade to get even better image quality. Technology is phenomenal now, and seeing where it goes in the next few years will be exciting.”
David said it was also possible to photograph the Milky Way using smartphones.
“Many modern smartphones, even ones that are five years old, can take astrophotography shots … we now have an ‘astronomy tool’ in our pocket.”
Sign up for the Milky Way masterclass. Photo: David Magro.
Having specialised in astrophotography for 10 of his 15 years as a photographer, the Sunshine Coast-based artist travels across the country and visits towns where he can run his masterclasses.
While David has captured the night sky from many angles, he said the Milky Way is hard to top as far as cosmic subjects go.
“I’ve always had an interest in astronomy and then began my travels worldwide and took my first Milky Way shot,” he said.
“I’m obsessed and love the experience of photographing the astro Milky Way landscape. It is an amazing experience.”
David sees himself continuing with the masterclasses for the next couple of years and expanding on his six-day tours.
“As part of the six-day tours, I take people with me for six full days, and we go and chase the stars, which everyone loves. So it’s quite receptive, and it’s always selling out. I need more of myself.”
Learn to capture the cosmos with the astrophotographer extraordinaire. Photo: David Magro.
The hands-on masterclass teaches beginners through to enthusiasts how to operate a camera in manual mode and grasp the nuances of photography.
The workshop will cover how to expose for the Milky Way sky and foreground landscape, produce noise-free (no-grain) shots, photograph star trails, and capture dynamic-range Milky Way landscapes.
David will also demonstrate how to compose photographs in the dark, achieve sharp focus at night, capture stunning panoramas and plan future Milky Way landscapes, with plenty of time for questions and one-on-one chats.
The masterclass also offers online resources, downloadable PDFs, tutorials on editing photographs and the opportunity to join a private Facebook group where everyone can continue learning from David.
This forum offers like-minded astrophotographers the chance to exchange ideas, share tips and improve skills on an ongoing basis.
The masterclass is held in a classroom setting before students enjoy the night photographing the stars. A camera will be provided on the night.
The Milky Way season will start at the end of April.
Workshop locations and dates. Book here.
Canberra – 18 and 30 May – 5 pm
Young – 21 May – 5:30 pm
Cootamundra – 22 May – 5:30 pm
Griffith – 23 May – 5:30 pm
Albury – 26 May – 5:30 pm
Wagga Wagga – 27 May – 5:30 pm
Yass – 28 May – 5:30 pm
