Woodland photography is widely regarded as one of the most challenging genres of landscape photography but I fully believe that it’s also one of the most rewarding and not necessarily from a photographic point of view. The benefits that come alongside a walk in the woods are far more powerful than I believe photography can do justice, although we can hope to translate our experiences into something that captures the feeling’s and emotions that we feel at the time. The woods have provided me with a greater connection to nature, a place to escape the daily stresses of life and most importantly the mental health benefits from spending time in these environments has been life changing for me, I need the chaos to calm the mind.

My workshops will be ran in a relaxed manner with the aim to encourage creativity, there are some important things to consider when it comes to composition but I’m not a rule follower. I generally believe in working to the light and letting what catches my eye dictate what I photograph, there are many forms of light and the effects can be substantial. I honestly believe that light is the most important aspect of photography, be it back light, reflected light, direct light, flat light, layers of light or understanding the power of a passing cloud on a harsh light day. We will work to the light on the day and put these theories into practice to give you a good understanding of how to maximise your photography time even if the conditions aren’t favourable. There’s always an image to be made, we just need to be open to seeing it.

Whilst light alone is absolutely wonderful we can’t just photograph light, we need subject and structure to make a compelling composition, we will visit some of my favourite compositions and discuss what I feel makes them work. Composition is massively subjective but I do believe that there’s certain thing’s that can help to make sense of the chaos such as balance, framing, separation, colour, depth, space, texture, layers, flow, repetition and character. We will also discuss and practice cropping in camera, understanding our final aspect ratio in the field is massively important and can save us loosing vital quality when we come to print, something that’s often overlooked. You will be given plenty of time to explore and practice composition with my guidance if required to help you to start seeing for yourself, creativity will be encouraged in the hope that you find your own voice and way’s of interpreting the landscape.

The workshops will be ran at a special ancient woodland in Staffordshire, the oaks that reside here are in excess of six hundred years old and they are accompanied by the wonderfully charming birch tree. J.R.R. Tolkien was posted to this woodland during World War One and it’s said to have inspired his writing’s, most notably The Lord of the Rings. It’s a beautiful and varied landscape that I know intimately and will provide a superb array of opportunities to practice photography.

The overall aim of the day will be to cater to your requirements, whether your struggling with woodland photography, need to learn the basics of the exposure triangle or if you just fancy a walk and a chat about life whilst taking some nice images, there’s a whole lot to be gained from a walk in the woods.

Upon purchasing a workshop I will contact you to discuss available dates and I will also send you a basic questionnaire to give me an understanding of your experience, your camera equipment and most importantly what you would like to gain from the day.

For every workshop booking I will donate £25 to the Woodland Trust who carry out fantastic work in both maintaining and restoring our beautiful woodlands.

I look forwards to hearing from you.

Marc.

ONE TO ONE WOODLAND PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP £320 (£450 IF YOU DECIDE TO SPLIT YOUR TIME WITH A FRIEND)

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Eight hours photography time.

• In depth discussion about light and how to use it effectively.

• In depth discussion about composition and plenty of time to practice.

• The effects of using a polariser and why it might not be the best of ideas in the woods.

• The importance of camera settings, exposure triangle, using a histogram, depth of field, where to focus, when to consider increasing ISO, crop ratios etc.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO BRING:

• Your camera equipment and tripod.

• A good set of waterproofs and an umbrella is recommended.

• It can be draining work so I’d recommend plenty of fluids and some food to keep you in good shape.

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:

• Accommodation

• Insurance

PAYMENT

The workshop can be paid for in full or by a non-refundable deposit with full payment to be paid four weeks before the workshop date.