The Isle of Skye, Scotland 18th -22nd March 2013

The Isle of Skye, Scotland March 2013

An opportunity to photograph the magnificent Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland, one of my most favourite places in the world. Stunning landscape, a wild and rugged coastline, waterfalls and if we’re lucky, some wildlife as well.

National Geographic voted the Isle of Skye as the 4th best island in the whole world, such is its beauty and diversity.

The jagged leviathans of the island, the Cuillin Hills provide an awe inspiring backdrop to your images from many positions. In the north west of the island, dramatic cliffs fall down into the sea from a great height. To the Northeast you have the Totternish Ridge with the pinnacle of the Old Mann of Storr proudly overlooking the Sound of Raasay. Rocky coastlines and sandy beaches pervade around the coast to test your photographic skills while pretty inlets, remote Lochs and Lochen reflect the surrounding countryside and moorland. All these subjects are available to capture in your own style.

Situated as it is on the northwest coast of Scotland provides Skye with a plethora of weather conditions, sometimes all in one day! This provides us as photographers a fantastic opportunity to work with the ever changing light and conditions. I have been in Skye for the last two years in March and have encountered most conditions imaginable from balmy warm sunlight; snow settling on the mountains and moors; perfectly still days with clear nights and magnificent frosty mornings; wild, strong winds providing dramatic rough seas; and heavy showers producing stunning rainbows.

Come rain or shine there is so so much to offer us. Add in tumbling mountain rivers coursing over boulders and rocks, waterfalls cascading down ravines, eagles and buzzards souring high overhead and those quaint crofters cottages and the ingredients on offer cannot fail to impress.

The Photography and Tuition

If you have attended one of my workshops before, you will already know how much personal tuition and guidance is provided to you. For anyone new to my style I offer advice on locations, how to improve your images, how to add impact and how to technically capture that stunning image. As well as the landscape photograph, we will also take time to be creative and think outside the box to see and take such images using light, texture and tone to really make the most of nature’s beauty and man-made structures. One thing I will not be doing is dropping you at a location and leaving you to ‘get on with it’! My advice to you will be totally dependent upon your own ability. Having regularly run workshops specifically for beginners, intermediates and those dedicated to advanced photographers for many years now, using both film and digital, you can be assured that you will feel comfortable whatever your skill level. Don’t take my word for it though, read what my clients say about their own experience of a workshop in their own words here: GUEST FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS FROM WORKSHOPS

Dawn and dusk shoots, tutorials on location, creative photography, improving your composition, field craft (photographic not Ray Mears style), creative and technical advice will be included plus my usual photographic exercises thrown in to help improve your skills. Each day will be built around the current and expected weather and light so flexibility is the key to capitalise on the conditions.

During the course we will include trips to all the superb land and seascape locations listed in the opening paragraphs, plus we’ll include some coastal and rock studies along the way. To reiterate, the itinerary is not fixed in stone so that we can make the most of the weather and light opportunities that will no doubt change in typically frequent style!

Time will also be available for that all important review of the images taken and further advise and demonstration of processing techniques in the digital age.

Numbers will be limited to a maximum of 5 photographic guests providing an excellent ratio for tuition. As such however, early booking to reserve your place is strongly recommended.

Accommodation

There is plenty of accommodation available on the island and with a range of styles from self catering, cottages and crofts through to bed and breakfast guest houses and hotels. Each day will start in the Portree area, so providing you can get there, you can stay wherever you like, the choice is entirely yours. From pickup to set down each day, you will travel in my vehicle to the locations, and we will stop and all eat together while out and about.

Getting to Skye

There are numerous options of getting to Skye. Driving is the obvious. From my home on the south coast of England, if I leave 3.30pm, drive to Penrith where I stop overnight, I am usually in Portree just after lunch the following day.

Alternatively you could fly into Glasgow, Edinburgh or closest, Inverness airports and either hire a car and drive to Skye, or catch a train or coach to the Kyle of Lochalsh. Driving, it is just under 3 hours from Inverness. Subject to times, I can collect you on the Sunday and return you on the Saturday to/from Kyle of Lochalsh if that helps.

The Dates, Duration and Price

The starting date is Monday 18th March at 8:00am and the workshop ends at 6:00pm on Friday 22nd March 2013. With similar flexibility to the accommodation, you don’t have to attend all days.

Understanding that you may be staying on Skye as part of a holiday or break, and with the possible necessity of spending time with non photographic partners, one or two days for photography may be all you are able to manage. If so, that’s fine by me.

There are options available for one, two or all five days.
Prices per person
The full 5 days £695
Two consecutive days £315
One day £169

The price includes:
Tuition and guidance during the workshop
Tea, coffee and snacks out and about
Sandwich lunch each day and breakfast after dawn shoots
Transport to locations during the workshop
VAT @ 20%

What’s not included:
Accommodation
Insurance
Transport to and from the start of the workshop each day in Portree
Anything else not specifically stated as being included

To check availability and request a booking form please email here

If you are unable to attend on the dates of this workshop, don't despair. I am staying on the Isle of Skye for the majority of March so you may wish to join me on a One to One or Two to One day on the island? Email me above for further details and availibility.