Description
The essence of the upper Dales comes through its villages, field systems, waterfalls and wildlife, so we explore them all on this unusual multi-genre workshop. Whilst you'll need both a long lens (wildlife) and short lens (landscapes), you'll end the day with memories, skills and images that capture the character of this special place. I limit this workshop to 3 people so we can travel together with plenty of space for cameras and gear. Exact locations depend on the season and weather, but expect to visit areas such as Arkengarthdale, upper Wensleydale and upper Swaledale in search of subjects as diverse as lead mines, upland birds and fast-flowing becks. We'll spend a fair bit of time walking offroad, so a reasonable level of fitness is required, along with outdoor gear that's preferably subdued in colour (green and dark grey are perfect), to avoid disturbing the wildlife. For this workshop to be a fulfilling experience, attendees should own, or have access to, at least a mid-range DSLR/mirrorless with a long lens of at least 400mm effective focal length, and a short lens (an 24-70mm or similar is ideal). Alternatively, a high-end bridge camera, such as the Nikon P950 would be appropriate. If you have a tripod, please bring it, and the same goes for sets of filters if you own one, as we'll look at landscaping using these (I also keep a couple of spare tripods in the car). I’m an experienced outdoor photographer with about 20 years of honing the required skills. In the past few years, my images have won in Northern Counties Photographic Federation competitions, whilst 2 images received Honourable Mentions in the 2024 ND International Photography Awards and Mill Gallery and Aire Place Studios (both in Leeds) have recently chosen framed images for exhibitions. I’m also a qualified coach. Please note that, as is normal for outdoor activities, all participants will need to sign an Indemnity form before we head out.
What's included in the price?
- Approx. 6 hours of tutoring. Aspects of Landscape & Wildlife Photography covered: - Understanding and 'seeing' the landscape. - Camera settings. - Focusing, depth-of-field and panning. - Specific bird-in-flight techniques. - Composition and colour. - Tripods & filters. - Specific issues in post-production.
Duration
6 hours
Cancellation policy
Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts
Maker
I'm an award-winning professional photographer and digital artist that places nature at the centre of my practice. I run a variety of related group and bespoke workshops, mostly around North Yorkshire and the North East of England. I've been a member of the Guild of Profressional Photographers since 2017. My background is in business and my coaching and mentoring qualifications play a significant role in my ability to design and deliver workshops that are engaging and provide clients with rewarding improvements to their photographic skills.
Suitable for
- Adults
- Seniors
- Teenagers
- Intermediate level
- Parking provided
- Suitable for beginners
FAQs
Generally, the workshop will go ahead in weather conditions up to moderate winds and occasional showers. In fact, photography in such conditions can produce good results and be a great learning curve. If the weather forecast is for worse weather, especially high winds or prolonged heavy rain, I will cancel the workshop and let everyone know with as much advance notice as possible (ideally at least 24 hours before the start time). Your fee will be refunded in full.
My background is in business and, for many years, I was a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management. Alongside taking qualifications in coaching and training, I've designed and delivered numerous courses.
Yes, I maintain Public Liability & Product Liability Insurance which, as part of the policy, specifically covers tuition and workshops. Please note that, as is usual for outdoor activity companies, participants will need to sign an Indemnity Form prior to commencing a course.
As the workshops are outdoors, and usually in exposed countryside, the best clothing is whatever you would use for hillwalking, taking into account the time of year and weather on the day. Walking boots would my first recommendation for any of the current locations, along with some layers and a waterproof outer layer. Gloves and a hat are often worth bringing, especially for the moorland and coastal workshops. I always suggest bringing a drink and a snack. Some locations (Bempton, Sutton Bank, and Washington Wetlands in particular) also have cafe/toilet facilities that we will visit, but feel free to bring a packed lunch. For other locations, you will need a packed lunch if it's a full day workshop.
Landscape & Woodland: A compact/bridge camera with at least 3x optical zoom is needed to get value from the workshop. If you have a tripod, please bring it (if you don't have one, I have a couple of spares). For DSLR/Mirrorless, bring primes or a zoom to cover several subjects. Lenses over 300mm are not needed.. For landscape-specific workshops, bring filters if you own them.
Birds & Wildlife: For mirrorless/DSLRs, the ideal lenses are: prime lenses of 400mm+ or a zoom lens of 500mm+. If you have a cropped sensor, use the multiplied focal length when referring to my numbers. For bridge cameras, the equivalent of at least 400mm optical zoom is a must.
Creative & Abstract: Any camera, from smartphone to a DSLR, is suitable.
If booking the Landscapes and Wildlife of the Upper Dales workshop, please consider the two relevant sections above, and have a camera pack big enough for a long lens and a short zoom as a minimum!
Note: Many modern cameras have enough pixels to allow a lot of cropping, so a 400mm lens can do the job of a 600mm on an older body. For anyone relatively new to bird-in-flight photography, a long zoom (e.g. 100-400mm or 200-600mm) will be more useful than an 800mm lens which can be hard to pan. If you have a tripod (and maybe a gimbal head), consider bringing it if going to Bempton, although handheld often produces better results. For the Upland Birds workshop, a monopod can be helpful occasionally, but a tripod is just a hinderance.
Good landscape and wildlife photography locations often necessitate getting off the beaten track, so accommodating all mobility levels can be difficult. Locations are generally hill country, so your footwear and support equipment should reflect this.
Please note the following comments and contact me if you want detailed advice.
Sutton Bank/Gormire Lake. The route has steep paths between the lake and the edge, which can be muddy, so you need to be comfortable on such terrain, have reasonable fitness levels, and walking boots.
Bempton Cliffs. Most of the RSPB area here offers good, fairly level, paths, parts of which are suitable for wheelchairs. Beyond the vicinity of the visitors centre, the paths are uneven, but OK for those using walking poles or walking sticks. Some of it is passable for ruggedised wheelchairs with power or assistance. Bring good walking shoes or boots.
Arkengarthdale & Arkle Beck. Reasonably level walking over paths which are rough in places. Occasional stiles.
Washington Wetlands. Mostly tarmac paths and hides designed for accessibility, but with some steeper sections.
Muker & Swaledale. This is Dales country and the routes out of Muker feature stiles, making them impractical for wheelchairs and difficult for those with reduced mobility.
Aysgarth. There are moderately steep inclines in places, although the early parts of the path are easy-going and OK for those with poles/sticks. Stiles make it difficult for wheelchair users.
