ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP

Are you ready to spend 5 days in the Florida Keys with two of those nights at Dry Tortugas National Park / Fort Jefferson? Are you also ready to have the experience of a lifetime? If so, then this is the workshop for you!  Fort Jefferson is a small, isolated island 70 miles west of Key West, FL. Fort Jefferson is actually closer to Cuba than Key West / US mainland. The first two days/nights will be spent in the lower Keys, followed by 2 incredible nights camping at Fort Jefferson / Dry Tortugas. The annual Lyrid Meteor Shower is underway during our stay at fort Jefferson, and we will be rewarded with dozens of meteors both nights, even some fireballs !  The price of this workshop includes transportation out to the island, and back, via the Yankee Freedom Ferry

I have spent over 15 nights camping on this island and know where and when to look for the best photo ops possible. During the day, we will be exploring the Fort, and its amazing architecture, all while taking in the views of crystal clear waters that surround the park. Snorkeling gear is included with the ferry ride, and if you love underwater photography, this is be an added bonus! We will also have time to relax and soak up that beautiful Floridian Sun while we enjoy one of the best kept secrets in the National Park Service. Don't party too hard during the day, we will be out stargazing in one of the most amazing locations in the US both nights there. Each night we will shoot sunset and get ready for another night filled with the magical zodiac light, milky way, and some ultra dark skies. In the past we have even bioluminescent plankton on several occasions and seen rocket launch that light up the sky.

ETA AQUARID METEOR | FORT JEFFERSON

We will be self-sufficient the entire time on the island, with camera gear, food, water, etc. The ferry does dock here from 10am - 3pm daily where we can enjoy cold drinks and food... so maybe not entirely self-sufficient! An entire camping list, photo gear list, packing tips, maps, and all specifics will be sent out to all participants. If you don't like the beach, camping, or incredibly dark skies, this probably isn't the right workshop for you. If you love stars and want to experience something very few people have the opportunity too, then this is the place to be, trust me!

The crescent moon will set at around 1:00am each night giving us opportunity to photograph the island in a variety of lighting conditions. The moon will set as the milky way rises giving us dark skies for the milky way and the peak meteor shower viewing times. You will need to buy your water, food, and ice to put in the cooler for the duration of the stay. Remember, the ferry will also be docked each day between 10:00am and 3:00pm where you can purchase food, and drinks so don't worry about not having enough food or water. The ferry also has showers on the back of the boat to wash off the salt water! After 3:00pm the ferry and all of the day visitors head back to Key West, and then the island is all ours for the for the next 18 hours!! 

ETA AQUARID METEOR AND FORT JEFFERSON FORT JEFFERSON | DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK

WORKSHOP INCLUDES

• Commercial Permits & Special Use Permit Fees             
• Park Fees / Camping Fees for (2) nights on Dry Tortugas  
• Ferry ride to Ft. Jefferson and back to Dry Tortugas   
• Goodbye Dinner in Key West upon our return on April 23rd, 2026 
• Milky Way & Meteor Shower photography
• Sunrise and Sunset Shoots
• Zodiac Light Photo Ops
• Wildlife Photo Ops
• Underwater Photo Ops
• Star Trail Photography
• Timelapse Photography
• Post Processing in Adobe CC/CS,  Adobe Lightroom Video Tutorials
• Weather guards for your cameras
• Breakfast on the Ferry heading out to Fort Jefferson
• Lunch while on Dry Tortugas (both days)
• Maps and trip details
• 5 day's worth of picking my brain!
• Why did the turtle cross Tortugas?

FLORIDA KEYS MILKY WAY

PHOTO EQUIPMENT LIST

• DSLR
• Fast Wide-Angle Lens for Night Sky and Architecture Photography
• Mid Range and Telephoto for wildlife and nature (optional)
• Sturdy Tripod for night sky photography
• Cable Release
• Headlamp with a " RED LIGHT"   (INCLUDED IN THIS WORKSHOP)
• A back up flashlight is always a good idea.
• If you want to rent a lens check out www.borrowlenses.com  They have some great deals there
• Bring your laptop if you wish to go over post processing tips and techniques with me on the island
• At times dew may form late at night, I suggest bringing a dew heater or some hand / foot warmers.

DRY TORTUGAS MILKY WAY STORM

RECOMMENDED CAMPING EQUIPMENT 

• 1-Person lightweight tent ( you can find some online for around $100.00 / Let me know if you need help finding one)
• Sleeping Bag / Sleeping pad (recommendation will be sent out to all registered photographers)
• Inflatable amping Pillow
• Towel / swimsuit / sunscreen
• Cooler for food, beer, water, ice, etc.
• A decent photo bag to carry everything for 2 nights. includes, cameras, clothes, tent. Most items can be attached to the bag.
• You do not need many pairs of clothes for the island. Every time I go, I always bring too much.. basically what you wear over and 1 change of clothes is perfect. The time goes by fast!
• A full checklist will be supplied to all registered photographers. I have done this many times, and I always pack way too much, a suggestion list will be sent to all registered patrons, but really just one change of clothes is all you need to bring with you to the island and a swimsuit + towel!
• This will be my 7th workshop here, Ask me any questions that you may think about.

SOME THINGS YOU WILL SEE

WEATHER

The weather is typically gorgeous here in April, but we never know what the weather will bring. The only way to stay overnight at Fort Jefferson and capture a sky as stunning as this is by camping. Rain or shine, we will battle through whatever it is we are faced with and come away with amazing images during the day and at night. We will spend 2 nights on the island to make sure we maximize our chances of getting those amazing night sky pics. I have been on the island 15 nights in April and May and have always had great weather, once in a while we may see a distant storm passing by. We had a storm around midnight and then it cleared up right after for the rest of the night! But we got some nice storms shots! If there is a storm, we can hang inside the fort until it passes, no worries, this thing is hurricane proof!

HEAVY SKIES

MOSQUITOS / WILDLIFE

My experiences at Fort Jefferson have been amazing. Matter of fact, I have never seen a mosquito there in my 15 nights camping here. I have seen some hermit crabs, but they never bother anyone and great to photograph. Mosquitos like standing water, you will not find that here at Fort Jefferson since you are completely surrounded by ocean and a constant breeze blows away any insects that could be around. Odds are we will see no bugs at all, well... maybe one or two! 

The Florida Keys has some marine wildlife that you should keep an eye out for while here. Portuguese Man-O-War can has been seen here one time. A south wind can sometimes shift currents bringing this siphonophore to the ocean surface. Snorkeling gear is provided for everyone, and underwater camera gear can come in very useful for a variety of shoots.

During this time of year, thousands of migratory birds' nest there on Garden Key. "Some of the common and rare species you will encounter along the Florida Birding Trail at the Dry Tortugas National Park include Roseate and Bridled Terns, Masked and Brown Boobies, Red-Necked Phalarope, Red-Footed Boobie, Double-Crested Cormorants, Brown Pelicans, Frigate Birds, the Caribbean Short-Eared Owl, White-Tailed Tropicbird, Shiny Cowbird and the Golden Warbler. Come and enjoy the magnificent creatures that call the Dry Tortugas home. Roseate and bridled terns feed on fish and squid in open ocean waters surrounding the park. Often seen near Ft. Jefferson are masked and brown boobies, double crested cormorants, brown pelicans and magnificent frigate birds. During spring and fall migrations, Caribbean short eared owls, shiny cow birds, warblers, and thrushes' grosbeaks cuckoos are seen on Garden Key where the fort was constructed. Summertime, look for white tailed tropic birds. Fall brings many acceptors. All year round there are always special birds to be seen at the Dry Tortugas."

THE FORT

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation to and from the workshop is not included. Your ferry ticket to the island, and back, is included in the price. I will give you our reservation # when you sign up, but there is nothing you need to do. There is a small chance the boat could be delayed departing to the island, due to high seas, this is extremely rare, and that is the risk that we all take here to get to paradise! I have no control over the captains' orders!

TROPICAL MORNINGDry Tortugas National Park, Fort Jefferson, Florida

LODGING

Lodging is provided at Dry Tortugas in the form of tent camping for 2 nights (the only way to stay here overnight). You will need to bring, or rent, your own camping gear. There are no hotels there, or food shops, just a Fort, sand, some palm trees, and beautiful waters with millions of stars overhead at night. For the first 2 nights, hotel accommodations are not included, in the workshop. You will need to make your own reservations, in, or near Key West for the first two nights. Suggestions will be sent out to all participants upon registration. 

FORTIFIEDSunset at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida BROKENBahia Honda State Park, Florida, 2015

DEPOSIT

A non-refundable deposit of $1,500.00 is due to reserve your spot on the trip. If you need to cancel at any point, you will be credited the amount paid towards a future workshop, unless we find someone to take your spot. If someone can take your spot a full refund will be issued. We are sorry, but due to the nature of this workshop, no cash refunds can be issued once you commit to this adventure. The remaining balance is due no later than 4 months before departure.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Jeff Berkes Photography reserves the right to make changes to the schedule, dates if need be. We are not responsible for bad weather, delays or cancellations from airlines or from our transportation to and from Dry Tortugas. We are also not responsible for lost or stolen items, injuries, sickness, death or damages to personal equipment and lost of personal travel expense. Failure to comply to park rules, regulations and will result in you being ejected from the workshop.  

COALING DOCKS UNDER MOONLIGHT

SECURE YOUR SPOT TODAY!