Reflections Under the Stars: Lake Tyrrell 2025 Astrophotography Workshop Recap

Upon arriving at Lake Tyrrell in Sea Lake, I had a feeling this workshop was going to be something special. The forecast looked promising, with clear skies predicted nearly every night, a dream scenario for astrophotography. I arrived three days early, not just to get some shooting in for myself, but to scout the well-known locations and search for new, lesser-photographed areas to take the group. Accessibility can be unpredictable out here, with some tracks needing four-wheel drive and others occasionally flooded or softened with deep sand. Thankfully, everything checked out perfectly.

Those solo scouting nights were incredibly rewarding. I found a few new vantage points and creative angles I hadn’t seen photographed before. All the images I’ve shared from this workshop, aside from our group shots, were taken during this early recon phase. During the actual workshop, I make it a priority not to shoot alongside participants. My full attention goes into guiding, supporting, and teaching the group, ensuring everyone has the space and direction they need to get the most out of their experience.

Once the participants arrived, we jumped straight into a welcome brief and then it was time to chase the stars. Since the first night brought a bit of early cloud cover, I made a game-time decision to take the group to the Sea Lake Silo Light Show, a beautiful projection-mapped experience on the town’s silo art. The visuals were amazing, but what really stood out was the storytelling. The narration not only shared the history of Sea Lake and its salt-mining heritage but also dove deep into the ancient Aboriginal connection to the land and sky. Learning about the starlore and cultural significance of Lake Tyrrell’s reflections really set the tone for the nights ahead.

One of the absolute highlights was our early morning hike to a broken-down dredge, a relic from the early salt-mining days, still embedded in the lakebed. It’s about a 2.5 km walk across a firm salt crust covered in a thin layer of water, creating surreal reflections in every direction. Shooting out there was pure magic. Watching the moonrise glimmering across the salt, followed by first light creeping in as we wrapped up, was a moment none of us will forget.

That night we focused on everything from stacking and long-exposure foreground techniques to trying different compositions; up close, from a distance, and everything in between. Everyone had a chance to experiment and just move freely, and by morning, we already had a full set of images to dig into during our first editing session.

The energy of the group was next level. There was such a genuine buzz to be out there under the stars, creating together in this otherworldly landscape. People clicked right away, talking photography, sharing tips, cracking jokes. One that stuck throughout the weekend was the classic line from Anchorman: “What is this… amateur hour?!”, usually after someone forgot a lens cap on the front of their lens or did something silly. I had to admit I still have those moments too, even after all these years.

A big part of the workshop vibe is just enjoying the moment. We had a few beers going one night while time lapses ran in the background, all of us sprawled out under the Milky Way, laughing and soaking it all in. That mix of technical learning and shared experience is exactly what these workshops are about. And this group? Just incredible. Supportive, curious, and full of good energy. I think we all left with something meaningful, not just in the images, but in ourselves.

Our daily editing sessions were deep dives into the full process, from Lightroom and Photoshop workflows to stacking, blending, time-lapse editing, and even star trails. I recorded full-length tutorials when I got home so participants could revisit everything we covered. There’s a lot to learn, but seeing people get those breakthroughs is incredibly rewarding.

By the final day, the sky had delivered every night, and we had so much material that we dedicated the last day entirely to editing. We wrapped up with a group dinner, a great way to end on a high, share stories, and reflect on how far everyone had come.

I’ll definitely be returning to Lake Tyrrell for future workshops. There’s just something timeless about this place, the way the reflections hold the sky, the silence, the salt, the stories. No matter the season, it remains one of the most special locations I teach in.

If you’re keen to join the next one or want to stay in the loop with upcoming workshop dates, make sure to subscribe on my website. Can’t wait to get back under the stars with the next crew.