Mam Tor Sunrise and Castleton Viewpoints (December 22nd 2024)

Description

Join me on the 22nd December to photograph some of the best and most dramatic locations in the Peak District all surrounding the beautiful village of Castleton with relative easy access to the viewpoints considering the height you will be at once there.

There are so many prime locations around the village and with the benefit of having the winter light providing the weather is favourable, there will be plenty of opportunities to get good shots throughout the day.

The day is planned to start at sunrise as a lot of the locations around Castleton favour this time of day. We will start up on the classic Mam Tor to capture one of the pinnacles of photography locations in the Peak District.

To start the day, we have the classic Mam Tor with easy access and stunning views down the Great Ridge with Edale to your left and Castleton to your right. This is a classic sunrise location with plenty of opportunities if the conditions are right. As we will be starting at sunrise, while not essential, it can be ideal to have a little more idea on how to use your camera as it will be a quick start once the light starts to happen allowing us to consider compositions rather than settings.

Just a stones throw away is Winnats Pass, another classic location with the winding road leading down a deep gorge the views are fantastic and you can see the geology change from darker grit and shale to limestone.

Then there is the twin locations of Pindale and Cave Dale, both within walking distance of each other. Pin Dale is a chance to try something different, looking down the Hope Valley with the cement works being the feature of the scene here and is a different angle on it compared to the well shot view from Mam Tor. Head to Cave Dale and you are treated to another limestone dale, this time towered over by the beautiful Peveril Castle.

If the weather isn’t ideal we may travel a little further down the valley to capture some waterfalls and woodlands as a backup option.

We will then figure out a suitable sunset spot depending on the light or weather on the day. Heading over towards Stanage Edge or Higger Tor will be a good option at this time of year.

As you can see this is a day full of fantastic and different locations with opportunities to capture some stunning shots. The day will have plenty of 1-2-1 tuition where I aim to divide my time between you all equally. The workshop is suitable for all abilities with the stipulation if you are a beginner it will be a flying start as we start at the best time of day – please bear this in mind.

The fitness rating on this workshop is listed as easy/moderate. The locations by themselves aren’t too involved and can be done by most with enough time but as we are visiting multiple locations throughout the day, the steps can soon add up.

Upon booking you will be provided with a questionnaire to fill out which is a requirement of attending. I will also provide a recommended kit list and what to bring. A head torch is essential and as it is winter appropriate clothing should also be brought.

Throughout the day we will look at techniques such as focusing, using a tripod, use of filters vs exposure blending, composition, working with the light and more.

I am more than happy to discuss other more advanced techniques on 1-2-1 basis as well as to the group, depending on what is beneficial.

The day is tailored around you as much as possible and I strive to give each of you on the course for that day the best day possible. At the end of the day, you will have hopefully learnt new techniques and taken away some imagery you will be proud of. I am a friendly and relaxed tutor and I welcome you to keep in touch with me after the course to ask me any questions you may have looked over on the day. I have also created a Facebook client area where you can keep in touch, share your photos and keep in touch with other attendees from the day.

There will be a maximum group size of 4 meaning there will be plenty of 1-2-1 time. I will be on hand throughout the day for any questions and my focus will be on ensuring you have the best day possible.

What if the weather is poor? Don’t worry, unless it’s torrential all day, I have plenty of locations that suit a variety of weather and with my experience, you will still get to the best locations possible and you will still get some great images, for example waterfalls are brilliant for those overcast days. As we are in the UK, we see more grey than we do yellow and I am well adapted to getting us to the best spots if we need to change itinerary. This may even include chasing the light, with my knowledge of how the weather works in certain areas and using forecasts, webcams and other tools on the day to help us make those decisions, which I will share with you. We will spend a lot of time working on technique and composition and most of the day is designed to work up until that hopeful sunset so you have the skills to get the best you can at the end of the day. So even if we don’t get the weather or even that sunset you will have learnt a load of new skills, even if you are a more advanced photographer which you can take away with you and use on your next photographic outing.

There is a £40 deposit required to secure your place on this workshop with the balance due no later than 6 weeks before the workshop.