The Courses

Our workshop courses are full on experiences from dawn to dusk. When the light is at its best we’ll be out on a hillside, working the location, putting you in situations with strong photographic potential.  Whilst waiting for the light we’ll have in-the-field tutorials on a wide range of subjects; exposure, filters, focusing, camera craft etc. Back at base we’ll take the opportunity to recap in the lecture room with examples and themes discussed in the field. We’ll have demonstrations of techniques and plenty of opportunity for one-to-one tuition both beside the tripod and over a coffee. Every shoot will be preceded by a briefing and followed by a recap. We’ll be showing you our pictures, both projected and in print, and asking to see yours. And the black arts of post-production are included with tutorials on RAW processing and Photoshop techniques. Ultimately the content of each course is entirely flexible and adaptive to the needs of our guests.

Landscape photography is the staple of all our courses, but that’s not to say other subjects aren’t tackled. We’ll talk about travel portraiture, reportage, video and macro work too. On our longer courses in France and Italy we have in the past staged shoots on location with bakers, bishops, butchers, shepherds and artists. Every year and every course is different, but we can promise a full and varied menu of photographic opportunities.

Skill Levels

The art of photography is all about being in the right place at the right time, and then making the right decisions both aesthetically and practically to make the best of the situation. That in essence is the core skill we work to develop on our courses, skills which are relevant to all levels from beginner to semi-professional. Developing a feel for light, composition and previsualisation comes with experience, but we can certainly plant the seeds which will enable our guests to evolve their own photography with practise. And along the way we’ll have a lot of fun and produce some great pictures. If you’re just starting on the road to photographic obsession all we ask is that you are familiar with your own camera, the rest we can help you with. If you are a veteran of many dawn patrols you’ll appreciate the locations, opportunities and collective enthusiasm. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I never stop learning in this game, so we’re confident we can help you to continue improving and give you a healthy boost of creative adrenalin.

Your Tutors

I’ve been running these courses since 2007 in conjunction with my highly experienced and fellow professional photographer Jon Gooding. We make a good team. For 27 years I have been travelling the world in search of photographic fulfilment and it’s my aim to cram as much of my experience and accumulated knowledge into our courses as is humanly possible. I have discovered that running these courses and explaining what I do has made me a better photographer.

Jon’s background in the profession is very different from mine with a wealth of knowledge from shooting commercial jobs day in day out, so together we can bring a combined pool of experience to give you the very best tuition. We both love running these courses and thrive on our guests enthusiasm, creativity and humour. Underlying all is a deep seated passion for photography, and we know that’s infectious. We run just seven courses a year to ensure we are fresh and keen for each workshop. With every course strictly limited to just 10 guests our attention and input is permanently on tap. We’re with you from dawn to dusk, and all meals are communal. In fact you’ll have a job getting rid of us!

The Locations

Our UK workshops in Dorset and Yorkshire are now well established. They provide an opportunity over a 48-hour period to give our guests a photographic shot in the arm with an intense hit of creativity and practical input.  Our longer 4-day courses in Umbria and Languedoc enable us to do more; cover more ground, make more great pictures, get to know our guests better and delve more deeply into the challenges us photographers are constantly presented with.  Our locations have been chosen and researched painstakingly to find unique opportunities and vistas to present our guests with.  All are enticing destinations you will be planning a return to.

The Weather

Some things are beyond our control.  We know our guests are happiest when taking pictures, so every session we’ll be out there, making the most of what Mother Nature offers.  But sometimes the elements are against us, and when that happens we may take the option of heading back to warm showers and the lecture room to make better use of your time.  You can rest assured we’ll do our utmost to be in the right place at the right time when that fleeting shaft of light paints the landscape.

Equipment

Bring whatever you use. We don’t mind what make or vintage your camera is; our courses are all about making the most of the tools available, most importantly our eyes.  We would however recommend a DSLR with tripod and a couple of lenses ranging from wide angle to telephoto as a minimum requirement to get the most from the course, and, if you’ve got the kit, bring it. We’ll help you to get the most from it. There are all sorts of shoots planned from landscape to portraiture and macro work.

Partners

We positively encourage non-photographic partners to come along.  All the venues are in beautiful spots with all sorts of options for partners to enjoy, such as walking, markets, wine tasting, or simply lounging with a good book in an attractive setting. On the French and Italian Workshops my wife Wendy is on hand to provide ideas, options and excursions for partners. And mealtimes are all communal with the partners very much a welcome part of the buzz around the table. See the individual workshop pages for more information.

What you get from us

All tuition, accommodation and transport is included. We shuttle you about the landscape in our two 4WD vehicles enabling us to get where we need to be without a tour bus in sight. All breakfasts and dinners are included, and some lunches. See the individual workshop pages for more information. Additionally you get unlimited enthusiasm, experience, and practical hands on help and advice. Plus the banter.

What we need from you

We’ll make no bones about it, our workshops can be physically challenging. The days are long and full, starting in the dark before dawn and finishing around the dinner table. In between we’ll have marched you up hills and have you running after shepherds. But of course it’s all optional and great fun. Above all we need your input, because we know the more you put into a course the more you get out.

Fitness and Mobility

There’s no getting away from it, landscape photography means hills. We’ll get you as close as possible in our 4WD vehicles, but sooner or later a photographer has to shrug on the backpack, shoulder the tripod and trudge up a hill in the light before dawn. We don’t require commando fitness levels but we do ask our guests to be aware that we will need at times to walk over rough hilly terrain with all our gear for anything up to 30 minutes. Unfortunately we cannot sacrifice the experience of the group because of one individual.

Booking

All bookings are done through our on-line shop payable in £ sterling. Please be aware that all our courses are very popular and book up quickly, so to ensure a place for future courses pre-registering is essential. That way before booking for a particular course opens to the public at large those who have pre-registered are offered the opportunity to reserve a place by paying a deposit. We apologise for the steady increase of the price of our courses over the years. Our costs have inexorably risen way above the rate of inflation.  All workshop bookings are subject bookings and cancellations policy.

Afterwards

Our Workshops are usually supported by one of our partners in the photographic industry, such as Lowepro, Giotto’s and Lee Filters, who provide a prize for the Course Competition. The best picture taken by a guest during the course wins the prize, and by this means we encourage the subsequent sharing of photos and experiences between the guests and ourselves. We very much would like to keep in touch with you afterwards with Facebook, the newsletter and good old e-mail. We are humbled and pleased by the number of guests who come back for more on subsequent courses.