Isle of Skye 5 Day Photography Workshop Tour (March 4th to 8th 2024)

Description

Join me on a 5-day photography workshop on the beautiful and picturesque Isle of Skye where world class landscape locations await us.

This is a fantastic opportunity to visit and photograph the beautiful misty isle. There are so many classic and stunning viewpoints on the Isle of Skye and it is a photographer’s paradise with so many different subjects from grand landscapes to coastal long exposures and plenty of waterfalls.

You have the fantastic Elgol where a rugged shore looks deep into the heart of the mighty black Cuillin. Neist Point, a coastal cliff at the very western edge of connected mainland Britain looking over to a lighthouse and the outer Hebrides. The stunning Fairy Pools where fantastic waterfalls are set against the Cuillin. The Quiraing and Storr, both dramatic landslips that tower above the landscape below. Talisker Bay, a quiet beach with a sea stack that looks different with each visit. Plus loads more – see the itinerary and gallery below to get a good idea of what awaits.

As an avid fan and lover of Skye myself, you can be confident you’re in good hands with an intimate knowledge of the area having been many times before as well as running workshops multiple times a year on the island for over 7 years. I will take you to the best spots at the best times to suit the conditions. With such a small group size you’ll be sure to get plenty of 1-2-1 tuition, ensuring you learn as much as you possibly can over the week as well as enjoying your time on the beautiful misty isle.

We will be staying in a large and spacious self-catering cottage/house which is a 5 minute walk from Portree and is a fantastic base on the island being central to most locations and closer for the sunrise locations. I use self self-catering accommodation as this allows us to be out during golden hours without being restricted to serving times for food at a hotel or pub and provides us with the flexibility needed to get the most from this trip. It also allows us to socialise during the times we aren’t out and talk about all things photography or general life, If cooking isn’t your thing then you are more than welcome to go to Portree for meals at your leisure be that a takeaway or to a restaurant once we are back at the cottage.

The cottage is a large and spacious providing us with ample room too both socialise and have your own space when you want it.

There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms in the cottage, enabling you to have a room to yourself.

There is a king size room and two double rooms meaning everyone gets ample space. One of the double rooms has an ensuite. One bathroom will need to be shared but it is large with two basins so you can even choose a basin if you wish. I will offer out rooms in order of booking to ensure fairness, e.g. first to book gets the king size.

There is also an opportunity to bring someone with you and the second space will be discounted to 50% providing you are sharing the room. This will raise the group size from 3 to 4, which is still a good small group size and most of my workshops run with these numbers. If you want to take up this offer please get in touch via email once booked or prior to booking.

The cottage will have WiFi, washer/dryer, towels and linen, full cooking facilities and a large kitchen. We have a spacious living area with comfortable seating too.

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.

I run these workshops mainly focused on the golden hours with breaks in the day where we can either chill or have post-processing sessions. However, if the conditions are favourable we may be out for prolonged periods. We take a completely flexible approach and I will inform you on a day by day basis. If the weather is poor for example we may leave sunrise but spend more time out at somewhere like the Fairy Pools which suits poor weather. Post-processing can be done in the cottage either during periods of bad weather or in the evening. My aim is to get you to most of the locations on the island which are listed below.

I run relaxed workshops that require flexibility. With the Scottish weather, plans can often change and I will advise on a day-by-day basis what we are to do. I aim to take you out and show you how I would work as if I was there on my own. However, I always keep personal photos to a minimum, only setting up to demonstrate my workflow once everyone is happy or if the conditions are unique.

Throughout the week we will look at basic techniques such as focusing, using a tripod, use of filters vs exposure blending, composition, working with the light and much more. We will also look at more advanced techniques as the week progresses and there will be plenty of processing sessions where we can showcase our images (if you’re comfortable) to each other.

For those who have concerns for travelling on the first day, a good stop off is Fort William the day before. If you feel the drive is too long, there are trains direct to both Fort William and Inverness as well as the option of flying to Inverness. A bus service runs from both places direct to Portree. I am happy to pick you up and drop you off in Portree as well.

This course has been listed as easy/medium difficulty but please read the itinerary closely below. Most locations are less than 15 minutes from the car except the Old Man of Storr and the Fairy Pools. If you have any health concerns, please contact me for advice prior to booking. Please also check out the photo gallery and video below so you can see some of the locations we will be visiting and what to expect from your experience.

Itinerary:

Below is a hypothetical itinerary to give you an idea of what the trip entails. We are likely to change the order depending on the weather and light. We essentially aim to do sunrise and sunset every day but if the weather is bad, we may be out in the day for longer e.g. at The Fairy Pools. The Old Man of Storr is a location that requires commitment and if the weather really isn’t suitable then we may choose to go to other more productive locations to maximise value, so while my aim is always to visit we unfortunately don’t always get to.

Day 1: Meet around 13:00 in Portree at the cottage and you can drop your cars off and unpack. We will go onwards to Elgol for sunset with a stop off at the Hairy Loch (Loch Cill Chriosd) on the way.

Day 2: Sunrise at the Quirang, followed by Kilt Rock and Brides Veil Falls. Chill for a few hours at the cottage before sunset at Neist Point.

Day 3: Fairy Pools during the day with sunset at Talisker Bay.

Day 4: Sunrise on the Old Man of Storr. A tough walk for sunrise, but well worth it for the views. This walk is the toughest of the week at around a hour long walk up often over fairly steep terrain. For those who don’t fancy the walk I can advise on other suitable spots or drop you off at Loch Fada on our way. Sunset at Allt Dearg Mor and Sligachan Bridge.

Day 5: Sunrise from Loch Fada looking up to the Old Man of Storr. Head back to the cottage to debrief before checking out at 10am.

The itinerary is subject to change, usually due to weather and more suitable locations may be used in these instances.

There is a £300 non-refundable booking fee required to secure your place with the balance due no later than 8-weeks before the start of the workshop. The final balance is due via bank-transfer. PayPal or card payment also accepted with a 5% admin fee for the final balance.