LANDSCAPE Photography MASTERCLASS
Landscapes are perennially popular subjects for photographers. However, capturing a really good landscape image is challenging. Everyone can photograph the landscape … but what makes a striking landscape photograph? How much is down to planning and how much is serendipity? Why and how does a superb photograph stand out from the rest?
This one-day masterclass, at the excellent photography training facilities of Lacock Photography in Wiltshire, covers the techniques and perception required to take your landscape photographs to the next level. Concepts explored in detail throughout the course will be thinking creatively, vision, planning ahead, making the most of opportunities and developing your photographic style. The course is interactive and your participation with questions, comments and opinions is encouraged.
During the course we will cover:
What do we mean by photographic vision and style?
Weather: Sunshine, cloud, mist, frost, snow and rain all present opportunities and challenges. What subjects work best in what conditions?
Seasons: How can we bring seasonal influences to the fore and add that extra ingredient to our pictures?
Photographing Water: Whether still or flowing, water is a dynamic element in the landscape. We will discuss the effect of weather, time of day, shutter speed and filters to capture movement and reflections.
Photographing the Coast: Our coast is the spectacular wild edge of Britain. How can we optimise the use of light and tides to fulfil the tremendous photographic potential of beaches, cliffs, sea stacks, lighthouses, castles and storms?
Impact and Narrative: Some of the most compelling pictures capture a moment or tell a story.
The course will conclude with an exercise on “The Point of Return”, in which participants will be invited to look at some of the tutor’s landscape photographs and suggest how different lighting, seasonal or weather conditions could maximise the potential of the composition. The tutor will then show a second image of each scene demonstrating his approach to creating a better image.
To get the most out of the course students should already understand the fundamentals of exposure, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, composition and using light; and be comfortable handling their cameras using aperture priority and manual mode. Our “Landscape Photography Fundamentals” course is the ideal preparation for this course but all amateur photographers with significant experience of landscape photography are welcome to attend.
This course is suitable for students with DSLR or mirrorless cameras, a range of lenses from wide angle to telephoto and sturdy tripods. Processing techniques will be demonstrated using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop so it will be advantageous if you already have these or are looking to acquire them. Participants can either bring their own laptops/computers to use with Adobe Lightroom Classic and Photoshop installed or use one of our own desktop Windows 10 systems. Basic Adobe Lightroom Classic skills can be acquired on Lacock Photography's Adobe Lightroom Workshop if necessary. To ensure individual attention, the course is limited to six participants. The course is interactive and your participation with questions, comments and opinions is encouraged.
Your tutor Robert Harvey is the author of Britain’s Best Landscapes and How to Photograph Them.
Group size: Maximum of 6 participants.
Date: 1 December 2023.
One day workshop, cost: £175
Included: Refreshments (coffee, tea etc).
Not included: Travel to Lacock, accommodation, meals.
I run this workshop in association with Lacock Photography and bookings can be made on their website.
“Thanks for the first part of the course, which I found very enjoyable and useful. The content is brought alive by the breadth and variety of your wonderful images. I wonder how many other teachers would be able to call upon so many examples taken over periods of many years and they really work to illustrate the points you are putting across. They are also simply wonderful to admire and the exceptionally high standard of photography in general also elevates the content of the course in my opinion, along with the scientific approach you apply to understanding the natural environment.”
“Your Landscape Masterclass course was excellent. You explain points very well. Also your teaching style was very interactive so all the participants were very engaged, and I learnt quite a lot from their comments as well. Overall I really enjoyed it.”
“There is so much you have taken us through and I enjoyed both workshops greatly. It will be of lasting value and I look forward to getting my head round it all. It’s difficult, in some ways, as a result, to express how strongly I appreciate the value of these workshops. I think it has been a tremendous experience so even at this early stage - before being capable of putting it all into effect - I’m absolutely sure it will be a constant companion. You are very generous in sharing your experience and hints as well as creating a relaxed and positive atmosphere with an interesting and friendly group. The combination of the workshops with your book is excellent. The book is good quality, as well as being full of information, and is very good value.”