Starting out your photography journey and want to learn how to capture strong, sharp images of British birdlife? Then this workshop is for you! 

The workshop is a one-to-one experience, meaning that you won’t be having to share my attention with other students, instead, you will get my undivided attention and we can focus solely on your own progression and needs. 

The workshop will take place at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, which is the perfect place to practice bird photography as there is an enormous array of different bird species and there is a mix of both wild and residential birds. This gives you the great opportunity to practice on targets with multiple chances of capturing the shot with the resident birds and gives you the real-world experience of trying to capture that “one” shot with the wild birds out on the reserve. 

What you will learn: 
– Exposure triangle 
– How to take sharp pictures
– Compositional rules for wildlife photography
– How and when to break those rules

What will the day look like?
Part 1
The Theory:  The first part of the workshop will focus on teaching the basic camera settings and how shutter speed, aperture and ISO all relate (exposure triangle). We will also cover several basic compositional rules for both general photography and wildlife photography, so that you can better frame your shots.  (1 hr)

The Practical:  You will put the basic camera settings and compositional knowledge into action. You will put your camera in either programme or fully manual mode (no more auto!) and will spend time capturing sharp and properly exposed wildlife images, which I will review over lunch. (2hrs)

Lunch: This is included in the price and can be ordered from the Kingfisher Kitchen. (30 mins)

Part 2
The Theory: Now that you have an understanding of the cameras settings and basic compositional rules, I will cover situations where you would break these rules, how to break them, and why.        (30 mins)
The Practical: With the skills learned so far, we will together come up with a few small photography assignments that will allow you to experiment and cement those newfound skills. (2hrs)

Debrief and image feedback: (30 mins)

What you will need to bring:
– DSLR or Mirrorless Equivalent (Compact and Bridge cameras are also ok, but will be limited)- Lens,  I would recommend a minimum of 300mm focal length for a cropped sensor camera and 400mm for a full-frame camera. Slimbridge does allow for close contact with many of the birds, so smaller focal lengths will also work, but will be limited to certain areas of the reserve.
– A memory card (at least 16gb)
– Appropriate clothing for the weather conditions
– Although lunch will be included, please make sure to pack adequate food and drink for the duration of the session. 

Price
Full-day (6.5 hrs) – £200
9:30am – 4:30pm

2023 Available Dates: 
November – 24th
December – 9th, 16th, 30th

2024 Available Dates:
January – 6th, 7th, 13th, 27th
February – 3rd, 10th, 18th, 24th, 25th