Workshops & Training
I now offer Wildlife Photography workshops and one-to-one training sessions within the Yorkshire Dales.
I can provide tailor-made days to photograph a variety of wildlife subjects. Choose from one-to-one days or workshop sessions for up to three persons. I can provide these days to suit your schedule so please contact me to arrange a date.
Workshops and one-to-ones will be suitable for all levels of ability however, a reasonable level of fitness will be required as there will be some walking and crossing of moderate to difficult terrain. The only requirement will be to have a Digital SLR camera and at least one lens of 300mm or longer. I do have a Sigma 150-500mm OS Lens (Canon fit only) which can be hired for the day for £20. This lens is supplied on a first come-first served basis and should be booked at the same time as the workshop/one-to-one.
I can provide tailor-made days to photograph a variety of wildlife subjects. Choose from one-to-one days or workshop sessions for up to three persons. I can provide these days to suit your schedule so please contact me to arrange a date.
Workshops and one-to-ones will be suitable for all levels of ability however, a reasonable level of fitness will be required as there will be some walking and crossing of moderate to difficult terrain. The only requirement will be to have a Digital SLR camera and at least one lens of 300mm or longer. I do have a Sigma 150-500mm OS Lens (Canon fit only) which can be hired for the day for £20. This lens is supplied on a first come-first served basis and should be booked at the same time as the workshop/one-to-one.
RED SQUIRREL WORKSHOP
Take stunning images of Red Squirrels from an exclusive private hide in the Yorkshire Dales. Groups will consist of no more than three persons and hot drinks and a packed lunch will be provided. You will be able to take close range shots of Squirrels feeding and resting on a variety of perches at different levels.
Photographic training will include aperture and shutter speed control, creative use of depth of field, composition and camera support techniques.
Price £99 per person (5-6 hours in hide depending upon available light)
Next Available Date: Saturday 10th March 2012
RED GROUSE & UPLAND BIRDS WORKSHOP
Springtime is magical in the Yorkshire Dales as a variety of upland birds arrive back on the moors to begin courtship and breeding. Curlew, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Merlin, Oystercatchers, Redshank, Short Eared Owls, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks are just some of the species that breed here.
Of course there are also the Red Grouse who live here all year round. Their courtship coincides with the other birds with dominant males setting up territories and ‘rogue’ bird attacking anything that approaches (even cars sometimes!).
The workshop will run from dawn until dusk to capture the best light at either end of the day. During part of the day we will be on foot using good fieldcraft to approach subjects where appropriate. We will also try and capture flight images of birds displaying.
Some of the day will be spent using the car as a hide (this offers the best chance of getting close to some wary species). A packed lunch will be provided and we will be travelling to a number of different locations during the day.
You will need a Digital SLR camera with at least a 300mm lens (500mm lenses are ideal), a tripod and a beanbag. Please wear waterproof clothing (preferably in muted green/brown colours) and shoes/boots for the day as we will encounter a range of weather conditions (which often makes for better photography).
Price £150 per person (max 3 persons)
Dates: Saturday 31st March 2012
ONE-to-ONE DAYS
One-to-one training days can be tailor made according to your requirements and level of expertise. A typical day would normally run from first light until dusk and would include a packed lunch to fit in as much photography as possible. Fieldcraft and use of available light are key techniques I teach but the day can be varied to incorporate image processing and basic photography technique if requested.
Price £200 (one person only).
Choose from the following days which can be booked on a date to best suit your schedule:
DALES DIPPERS
Spend a day exploring the fast flowing streams, rivers and waterfalls of the Upper Dales to find and photograph the Dipper. The Yorkshire Dales is one of the best places in the UK to find these birds and they make a great photographic subject as they search for food amongst the flowing water (often disappearing beneath the surface for several seconds).
HARES & RABBITS
Wensleydale is home to good numbers of Rabbits and their bigger cousin the Hare. Springtime and early summer are excellent times to photograph both species with Hare's courting and boxing and young Rabbits emerging. The day will concentrate on the fieldcraft skills required to closely approach both species and obtain stunning portraits (note some crawling and low level work will be necessary so a good level of fitness is required).
RED GROUSE & RED SQUIRRELS
An excellent days photography all-year-round with two of the Dales iconic resident species. We will start the day before sunrise, capturing silhouettes of Red Grouse against the morning sky. As the light increases we will obtain portraits of both Cock and Hen birds as they reaffirm their territories and call to each other. We will practice flight shots with one of the fastest flying birds in the UK before heading to my private Red Squirrel Hide to spend the rest of the day working on these amazing mammals. Static portraits and action shots will all be possible as the Squirrels feed very close to the hide. The woodland also contains a large vareity of other birds and mammals so you never know what you might see.