Applications are now closed. Invitations to attend this event will be sent out by October 9, 2019.

Some of the fantastic photos you see of aircraft and spacecraft in the Museum are only possible because our photographers have exclusive after-hours access to the artifacts and use specific techniques to capture them. Now is your chance to have that same access and learn photography tips from the pros. Our first photography workshop was a success, so this year, we're taking "Lights, Camera, Aircraft" to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

Our experts will share tips on some of the more challenging aspects of photographing objects in the Museum, including lighting large aircraft and spacecraft, shooting objects in cases or behind glass, and techniques for creating composite photographs. This year's workshop will have a special focus on black and white photography.

You will have the chance to take your own photographs of aircraft and spacecraft with exclusive after-hours access in the Udvar-Hazy Center.  Featured objects include the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, Space Shuttle Discovery, and more.

During the event, you will also have the opportunity to network with other photography enthusiasts who interact on social media. We encourage participants to share photos on Instagram, Twitter, and in the public Flickr Group for the National Air and Space Museum. 

We will invite 70 people who have an interest in photography and who follow the Museum on social media to participate in this event. Registration opens on Monday, September 30, 2019 and will close at midnight EDT on October 7, 2019. Selected participants will be notified by October 9, 2019. 

About the Team

The team of photographers at the National Air and Space Museum work with some of the most iconic artifacts in the world. Our staff photographers each have over thirty years of photography experience and often collaborate closely with the photography editor at Air & Space magazine. Your experts during this workshop include:

  • Jim Preston: Jim joined the Museum as Supervising Photographer in 2018, bringing 35 years of experience as a photojournalist, photo editor, designer and director. His career includes working as a U.S. Navy photojournalist with the Blue Angels, Director of Photography for multiple newspapers, and Deputy Director/Senior Photo Editor for the White House Photo Department during the last three years of President Obama's administration.
  • Eric Long: Eric joined the Smithsonian in 1983 and is known as a photography lighting expert. He is active in the local photography community and his work is featured in books, magazines, and exhibitions. See Photographing Aircraft in the Museum by Eric Long.
  • Mark Avino: Mark has been on the National Air and Space Museum's photography team since 1983, serving as Photographer and Photo Services Manager. Many of his photographs are published in books, magazines, and exhibitions. See A Blending of Photography and X-ray by Mark Avino.

This event is sponsored by the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation as part of the Air and Space Photos initiative.

 How to attend