Action and Creative Wildlife Photography Workshop

This 4-hour workshop is aimed at those who want to get to grips with taking better photos of birds and wildlife. I concentrate on capturing images that show action and using creative effects.

Costs

I take a maximum party size of four people on this workshop if it is exclusively booked for you or your party. If your dates are restricted, please check availability before booking.

What will the workshop cover?

The workshop is at least 4-hours long. It includes camera settings, positioning yourself for birds on the ground and in-flight, bird behaviour, photograph composition, and exposure. We will also look at birds in flight, also light and wind direction. You will have plenty of opportunities to put the skills into practice. The workshop is usually held in and around Amble then moving on to Druridge and/or Warkworth depending upon the time of year. There are also optional extras available including having the workshop on and around the Farne Islands, a boat trip around Coquet Island, or at hidden locations on the North Northumberland coast.

What will I need to take?

You will need a camera with a telephoto lens. 300mm or longer is ideal, but please speak with me if you don’t have that.

I will supply a full kit list when you sign up, but you won’t need a lot of extra gear although you will need a packed lunch and drink if booking for a whole day trip.

Extra Participants

Please contact me if you want to bring along extra participants, and I will send you a discount code. I usually accept a maximum of four people in a group.

Add Ons

Farne Islands

Coquet Island

Tides and sea states permitting, we can include a boat trip around Coquet Island within your workshop.

You can also choose this as a separate session on top of the four-hour workshop.

North Northumberland Coast

There are some fantastic locations for birds and other wildlife further north that are home to a plethora of different birds at different times of year. These cost slightly more to cover my travelling costs.

Notes on Wildlife Workshops

The purpose of the workshop is to give you the skills to take photos of wildlife. Wild animals and birds are unpredictable, and there is no guarantee that we will see a particular species. I’ve sat in a bird hide for hours and barely seen anything, coming away with no good pictures. I’ve visited the same hide on another day and seen lots. Some mornings on my bike ride I see some amazing wildlife, at other times I see nothing. However, no matter the willingness of the wildlife to show its face, you will learn the skills you need.

The timings of the workshops are important. There are factors such as the time of day, weather, the sea, and the time of year that govern the success we will have. I get up early in the morning, so sunrise workshops, when many birds are most active, can be arranged.

Wildlife Photography Ethics

The welfare of the wildlife is paramount. The workshops are built around causing no disturbance to the creatures that use all their energies to survive, feed, and breed. They are far more important than our photographs.