IN-PERSON AURORA BOREALIS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS

Learn to Photograph the Northern Lights in Outaouais, Quebec

2026 To Be Determined

Val des Monts, Quebec | 40 Minutes from Ottawa Parliament Buildings

TBA
Night sky filled with stars above silhouette of trees and a hill.

Learn to use the camera you have and how to catch them if you can!

Wakefield | Gatineau Park | Chelsea | Cantley | Val des Monts

Northern lights illuminating the night sky over a forested landscape with a river in the foreground.
Night sky with visible stars and colorful aurora borealis over a marshland with leafless trees and a hill in the background.

Imagine freezing your feet off AND having beautiful images to show for it?

As a Canadian, you already know how to winter. Let’s add some night—sky photography skills too!

  • learn the trick to nail your focus every time

  • learn how to use a tripod and why

  • leave with a clear understanding of the camera settings required to capture the Northern Lights!

  • Meet like-minded, sky-curious folks in our community too!

Night sky displaying colorful aurora borealis with stars, with silhouettes of trees at the bottom.

How would it feel to use the camera you already have and get those dream-photos?

You have a DSLR or a Mirrorless Camera and you want the skills to capture the Aurora when they appear.

You want to know exactly what settings to use and when.

You want to have clear and sharp images that you can print someday.

Night sky with stars and aurora above a lake, silhouette of trees along the horizon.

Wishing you knew how to capture Aurora photos like the ones you see on Social Media?

Right now your photos are:

  • blurry or shaky

  • the stars look streaky or doubled up

  • the colours are not at all what you see online

Night sky with visible stars and the northern lights over a silhouette of trees.

And soft they danced from the Polar sky and swept in primrose haze;
And swift they pranced with their silver feet, and pierced with a blinding blaze.

~Robert Service

There’s no place like the Outaouais to call home.

I have been a professional photographer in the Outaouais Region since 2012. I specifically worked as a birth photographer which means that I worked in low-light to dark settings most of the time.

These skills translate well to capturing the Aurora Borealis!

  1. You don’t get a lot of warning that it’s time to go!

  2. You can’t predict much about how the setting will turn out.

  3. Weather plays a role (ok, that’s more for the Northern Lights).

A woman standing on a wooden dock by a calm lake in autumn, wearing a jacket and smiling. There is a camera on a tripod in front of her, and the background features colorful fall trees and a hilly landscape.

I’ve taught photography to local parents, doulas, and artists and I’d love to teach you how to use your camera to catch the Aurora!

I know it can be overwhelming and having a step-by-step plan can be helpful. I also know that having a go-to guide in your hands can help too - especially in the excitement of those fleeting lights!

If in-person, hands-on learning, relaxed yet organized is your cup of tea - join me at the next Aurora Photography Workshop!

TBA
Night sky with visible stars and colorful aurora borealis.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • This workshops is for you if you have a DSLR, Mirrorless or point and shoot camera and you would like to learn how to use your camera to photograph the Northern Lights.

    It is specific to beginners who don’t know how to photograph the sky or for those who have been trying for while and are not getting the results they want.

    The workshop will include a visual presentation of images and information, hands-on practice and setting up your camera and weather-permitting time outside to practice focusing and other skills.

  • Yes. A TRIPOD is also highly recommended.

    • DSLR

    • Mirrorless

    • Point and Shoot

    • Cell phones that photograph night sky (I don’t have a list)

  • This workshop will serve beginners and more experienced photographers as photographing the night sky is a whole genre in itself.

  • It will be held in our meeting space at our home in Val des Monts, Quebec. We are 45 minutes from Ottawa.

    Most of the workshop will be held indoors (especially in the winter) and there may be an outdoor component if the weather cooperates.

    Details will be shared with you upon registration.

    • Your camera, lenses, a tripod (a wide lens is recommended but not required ie: 14mm, 24mm, 35mm lens)

    • pen and notepad, or laptop if that suits your needs

    • food, snacks and drinks for yourself

    • Outdoor gear for taking photos outdoors

  • You will learn:

    • how to set up your camera on a tripod and why

    • What is RAW and JPEGs and why it matters

    • what F-stop, ISO and Aperture are and how they affect your images

    • specific settings for your camera

    • tips and tricks to capture images depending on the strength of the Aurora Storm

    • how to focus your camera (it’s not always “infinity”)

    • hands-on practicing with the camera you have - we will go outside weather permitting

    • Image Composition (how to set up beautiful photos)

    • how to know when to go outside to capture the Northern Lights (this will be very basic as it’s not the focus of the workshop)

    • a 30-minute question and answer period for all the extra questions.

    You will leave with a digital PDF which will be emailed to you at the end of the course to use a resource.

  • The workshop is 3.5 hours and includes 30 minutes for breaks and 30 minutes for Questions and Answers.

    In total you will be here for 4.5 hours.

  • Five people can attend each workshop. This allows for personal support and because it is a hands-on workshop.

  • Yes, that is included in your registration. You will have 6 months of access for feedback and questions through my online private group.

    You will be invited to join a private facebook group for past students.

    • share your images and ask for feedback

    • get more tips and pointers as I answer student questions

    • this service may be moved to a membership site on my website in time to provide a resource for all past-students

  • Registration will begin in January 2025 with the first workshop being offered in the first week of February.

    TBA

  • No that is not part of this workshop.

    You will leave ready to practice and capture them when they appear though!

    If we get REALLY lucky and the aurora happen to be out on the evening of our workshop - I’m sure we can arrange for a really amazing evening! (this is NOT part of the workshop though - but a great dream!)

Night sky with visible stars and northern lights over a landscape with barren trees and a small water body reflecting the sky.

From the Blog

Stories, skills and more photos from many different nights with a camera and the Aurora Borealis.

Featured
The Aurora Appeared on International Women’s Day | March 2025
The Aurora Appeared on International Women’s Day | March 2025

International Women’s Day wrapped up with a beautiful light show in Val des Monts, Quebec.

A Northern Lights Show Worth Waking up the Kids for | Corona near Ottawa, Ontario.
A Northern Lights Show Worth Waking up the Kids for | Corona near Ottawa, Ontario.

Seeing my tiny 5-year-old in his dad’s arms in his too-small pajamas with his head on Dad’s shoulder watching the lights in awe?

Standing with my big kids while they saw the Corona for the first time?

It was a big deal.

Hope & Light | A New Year’s Aurora Story
Hope & Light | A New Year’s Aurora Story

I wonder sometimes as I’m pressing the shutter of my camera with my feet frozen and the sky filled with clouds if this is the same hope for light that kept me going when I was a kid.

I think it is…

Night sky with numerous stars and a bright planet.
Northern lights (aurora borealis) over a forested lake at night with stars in the sky.