As promised at the end of the most recent Nightscaper Photo Conference, we’re moving! Kanab, Utah—home to the last three conferences—is a wonderful place to gather for night photography, but so are a hundred other locations. So we’re hitting the road, ready to explore our next great location for shooting and celebrating dark skies, as we bring the Nightscaper Conference to … Four Corners!
Today we officially launch the 2026 Nightscaper Photo Conference, and we invite you to come shoot for the stars with us in Farmington, New Mexico, and the amazing dark-sky landscapes that surround it. The event will run May 14-17, 2026.
About Nightscaper
If you’re making plans for your 2026 spring Milky Way season, then include Nightscaper Four Corners in your schedule and level up your astro-landscape night photography skills. This conference will be held during the height of the new moon, providing perfect darkness to photograph the Milky Way arching over the beauty of the high Colorado Plateau.
You’ll join other passionate photographers, scientists and inspirational speakers for daytime sessions about night photography, astronomy, dark sky preservation and more. Then after hours you’ll head out with speakers, sponsors and/or other attendees to enjoy the night with friends new and old. Speakers will also be offering local workshops before and after the conference, so you can put together a pretty awesome night photography excursion in one of the best places in the world for doing so.
The conference goes on for four days, starting each day in late morning to accommodate those who were out shooting the night before. Daily lunches are included, as well as one dinner.
Speakers
We are very excited to announce many of the speakers for the 2026 conference right now. We will be welcoming:
returning speakers Bryony Richards, Jess Santos, Joshua Snow and Katrina Brown
Jaya Bajpayee, deputy director at NASA
Derek Culver, aka Clanger McBanger
Forest Chaput de Saintonge, founder of Rocky Mountain School of Photography and Everlight Education
Ian Lauer, astrophotographer and YouTuber
Ken Lee, night photographer, master light painter and author of four photography books
Cathrin Machin, an astro artist who will teach you how to paint the stars
Royce Bair, the original “nightscaper” and founder of the conference
Gabriel Biderman, Tim Cooper, Matt Hill, Lance Keimig, and Chris Nicholson—the team at National Parks at Night
For more information, visit our About the Speakers page.
And keep checking back, because that won't be the last of the names you’ll see. We'll be adding a few more speakers, and we’ll keep you posted.
Tickets
Tickets for the 2026 conference are on sale now. We are offering Conference + Replays tickets for those who can travel or Replays Only tickets for those who cannot travel but still want all the education and inspiration.
$599 ($200 off full price) for Conference + Replays tickets: use code “EarlyBird”
$375 ($50 off full price) for Replays Only tickets: use code “EarlyBirdReplay”
Additionally, if you buy your in-person (Conference + Replays) ticket before July 15, you will receive a free gift. Your choice of either a Nightscaper hat or padded tote bag!
These Early Birds deal will last until July 15, 2025, so grab your ticket at a discounted rate while you can!
Scholarship: Send a Kid to Nightscaper
The Nightscaper Youth Scholarship supports aspiring astrophotographers ages 13 to 20 by providing lodging and full conference registration to attend Nightscaper. This opportunity is designed to inspire and empower the next generation of night sky storytellers.
Applicants will be selected based on a submitted nightscape photo and a brief written photo story that showcases their passion for capturing the beauty of the night sky and the creativity behind their image.
Awardees will have the chance to learn from industry professionals, engage with and shoot alongside the Nightscaper community, and grow their artistic and technical skills in a supportive and inspiring environment.
Conference attendees have the chance to contribute to the scholarship fund while purchasing their ticket. (For anyone not attending who would like to contribute, please see the Nightscaper Youth Scholarship webpage.)
Follow Us for News
We’ll be rolling out more Nightscaper Conference information throughout the next year, including:
sponsor and speaker announcements
morning add-on classes
speaker workshops
lodging info
and more!
Be sure to sign up for the Nightscaper email list to receive conference news and updates right in your inbox.
Also, stay tuned in to our day-to-day conference announcements by following the Nightscaper social media accounts:
Finally, join the Facebook group to share your night photos and to chat about all things night photography.
