Landscape photography courses Isle of Skye Scotland

Maximum five photographers per course...no room sharing...no single supplement

Advanced Landscape Photography Course Isle of Skye 2008 & 2009		Talisker Bay by Joe Bowes

Dates: September 13th - 18th, 2008 (fully booked) October 11th - 16th, 2008 (fully booked) September 12th - 17th, 2009 (fully booked) October 17th - 22nd, 2009 Location: Isle of Skye Cost: £1,195 (£1,120 if booked before Christmas 2008) Cost includes: Six days of one-to-one and group tuition. Five nights accommodation with no shared rooms and no single supplement, plus breakfast, lunch and three-course dinner. Transport to locations. Comprehensive course notes plus follow-up email and telephone advice Start/Finish: The course starts at 7pm on Saturday and finishes at sunset on Thursday Deposit: £200 per person Group size: Maximum 5 photographers Fitness level: A reasonable level of fitness is required as most locations involve walks, some over uneven ground and a limited amount uphill. Longest walk two miles with stops for photography along the way. None of the walking is strenuous Equipment needed: Digital SLR camera; tripod; walking boots; waterproof clothing Where we stay: Sligachan Hotel, Sligachan

	Click here for full outline of the course
	Click here for images made on previous courses
	Click here for questions about the course
	Click here for feedback from photographers
	Click here to learn about the leader
	Click here to see where we stay (off-site link)

FULL OUTLINE OF THE COURSE

THIS DIGITAL DAWN Advanced Landscapes Course concentrates specifically on the creative side of landscape photography, with the emphasis being to separate the seeing and making of an image from the technical aspects of taking a photograph.

Our Isle of Skye course is based in Sligachan and it would be a tough task to find a more breath-taking setting. The Cuillin mountains rear up to provide the backdrop for one of the most striking and rewarding locations for landscape photography in Europe.

To the north east of the island the Trotternish peninsula has the Old Man of Storr and the ancient volcanic landscape of the Quiraing which both provide stunning dawn and morning locations. Then as the prospect of rewarding late afternoon and evening light beckons, we head south to capture the towering Cuillin range from Elgol and on another day we'll visit the remote Talisker Bay which has the potential for spectacular sun sets.

This Advanced Landscapes Course has been designed so the maximum group size is just five photographers, whereas some courses can have 10 or more. This means you'll receive a high level of in-depth one-to-one tuition while enjoying the challenge of making images in a true wild Highland landscape that is constantly changing under relentless weather systems and dramatic photographic light.

The course begins with a dinner hosted by the leader, professional landscape photographer Garry Brannigan. This is followed by a lecture where he explains the image-making process behind some of his favourite photographs and outlines what we'll cover during the five full days of tuition and photography. There'll also be the opportunity for shoots at dawn and dusk during your stay, and evening sessions where we review the day's images. Garry will also give a critique of images you have brought along.

On this advanced course we slow down the whole image-making process, leaving the camera bag unopened at first to give ourselves the time to enjoy tuning into the landscape before deciding how the response we get from it can best be communicated to others through strong yet simple compositions. It means we'll be exploring in depth one of the biggest challenges the landscape photographer faces, ie: how to successfully transfer what's been seen in three dimensions by the human eye into a two-dimensional photographic image.

The mind's-eye interpretation of the landscape can be very different from how the camera truthfully records the scene, warts and all. Often the grandeur or beauty of what you thought you saw can be disappointing when the camera converts it into two dimensions. So this course teaches you how to develop skills that enable you to override your mind's-eye and build images with depth and perspective.

To succeed, your images should have impact from bottom to top, so you'll learn how to find a strong foreground that will lead the viewer into the image and then build up a composition that keeps their interest throughout. Here we'll consider the underlying foundations of composition, striving to achieve a sense of balance and proportion within the frame.

The majority of our time is spent out on location and because this is a structured course rather than a photographic tour you'll have plenty of time at each location to explore its full potential.

The next section shows you how to concentrate on finding a composition that captures the essence or mood of your subject, rather than merely the objects within it. Your photography will become a lot more productive and enjoyable once you begin to avoid the rut of just turning up and taking a record shot. You'll gain an understanding of how crucial it is to consider what to leave out of a composition. Some of the best landscape images have the important quality of simplicity, using strong shapes, colour and textures to achieve clarity. To succeed, your images should have impact from bottom to top and you'll learn how to find a strong foreground that will lead the viewer into the image and then build up a composition that will keep their interest throughout.

Following this we examine how all of the above wouldn't be possible without an appreciation of the crucial role the light plays in landscape photography. It brings structure, texture and depth to the landscape and you will learn how to anticipate that light and how to make the most of it.

Other subjects covered include pre-visualising an image, working out the best time of the year and at what time of the day a particular scene will look its best. And we also look at ways to make your landscape photography an enjoyable year-round pursuit and how not to be put off by bad weather.

During the course we'll be staying at the Sligachan Hotel which as been a destination for lovers of wild Highland scenery for 175 years and has remained in the Campbell family since 1912. The hotel has been recently modernised and serves excellent food.

The Isle of Skye Advanced Landscapes Course costs £1,195. This includes five full days of one-to-one and group tuition plus five nights' accommodation with no shared rooms and no single supplement, plus breakfast, lunch and three-course dinner each day. Transport to the locations is also included plus comprehensive course notes and follow-up telephone and email advice.

Click here to see where we stay (off-site link)

If you would like to check availability or find out more about the tuition, accommodation and the locations we visit, Call Garry Brannigan on 01748 821041 or |

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IMAGES MADE ON THE ISLE OF SKYE

October Dawn, Lower Breakish by Tad Moyseowicz

Dawn Calm, Lower Breakish by Joe Bowes

Wave of Light, Elgol by Richard Smith

Lifting Cloud, Glen Sligachan by Ken Trevor

Unique Landscape, Quiraing by Joe Bowes

Skye Blue, Lower Breakish by Tad Moyseowicz

Route to the Sea, Talisker Bay by Joe Bowes

Cuillin Flow, Fairy Pools by Richard Smith

Worth Getting Up For, Lower Breakish by Joe Bowes

Dark Sand, Golden Pool, Talisker Bay by Bob Evans

Hidden Depths, Elgol by Richard Smith

Sunset on the Sand, Talisker Bay by Ken Trevor

Light in the Dark, Neist Point by Richard Smith

Advancing Rain, Quiraing by Tad Moyseowicz

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE

Why should I choose a Digital Dawn course?

Perhaps the main reason is that our group size is never more than five photographers, whereas some photographic courses and workshops can have 10 or more. This smaller group size means you receive a larger amount of personal in-depth tuition out on location. It also means we can visit more varied locations and have more elbow room when we get there. Also, course leader Garry Brannigan will not be using your time making his own images. All his time out on location is spent alongside photographers giving them one-to-one tuition. It's a combination that has proved successful and a large proportion of photographers return for additional courses at a different location. Some are now on their third or fourth course.

What makes it an advanced course?

The presumption on this advanced course is that you already understand the fundamentals of photography (ie: depth of field, exposure and focus) and you also have a good grasp of how to use your digital camera in terms of white balance, ISO settings and reading the histogram. The emphasis is entirely on the creative and compositional side of landscape photography with the vast majority of the time spent out on location. Although there's no technical element to the tuition, there's always a great deal of discussion amongst the group about all aspects of photography, including experiences with the latest equipment and imaging software.

What equipment do I need?

You will need a digital SLR with wide angle and telephoto lenses, plus a sturdy tripod. Neutral density graduated filters and a polariser are not essential but will have a significant impact on the quality of your images. Please contact us if you would like advice on buying filters before the course.

How long is each day and how much time do we have at each location?

Photography and the landscape come first, so our daily routine is determined by the time of year. We pack as much photography into the day as possible, so it's not just nine-to-five. There will be the opportunity for shoots at dawn or dusk and in some months it's possible to do both, weather permitting. Meal times fit round the photography. We'll also review the images made during the course and have informal critique sessions of images you have brought along. Because this is a structured course rather than a photo tour rushing from one location to another, you'll have the time to explore and enjoy each location's full potential.

What will the locations be like?

All the locations have been carefully researched beforehand so you arrive at the right time of the day to make the most of the available light. You'll be photographing the bigger vistas and because of our small group size we'll visit the more intimate locations as well.

How fit do I need to be?

A reasonable level of fitness is required for this Skye course as most locations involve walks, some over uneven ground and a limited amount uphill. Longest walk two miles with stops for photography along the way.

What will the other people be like?

You will be joining an enthusiastic group of mainly individuals with a wide range of ages. Because The Digital Dawn concentrates solely on landscape photography, you will be able to enjoy the company of like-minded photographers who share your appreciation and enjoyment of the landscape.

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FEEDBACK FROM PHOTOGRAPHERS

The itinerary was planned with precision, so that every moment was maximized. The fact that there were only five photographers means you get value for money. The hand-picked locations were superb, especially Lower Breakish, Neist Point and Talisker Bay.
KEN TREVOR, Skye Advanced Course October 2007

Thought I'd just drop you a quick line to say thanks for a great week in Skye. I'll look at my photography differently now, much more structured and confident. The locations were brilliant.
JOE BOWES after his second Digital Dawn course, Skye October 2007

This Skye course was very well put together. It enabled me to improve my compositional skills and look deeper into the landscape to make an image rather than simply capturing what was there.
RICHARD SMITH after his fourth Digital Dawn course, October 2007

The locations were superb. Skye is well known for its scenery but I would imagine that so many people visit and yet miss some of the best locations because they have to be searched for. Your research of these locations for us meant much more photography could be packed into the week than could otherwise have been. This left me familiar with the island so that on a later holiday I would still be receiving the benefit of the course.
BOB EVANS after his fourth Digital Dawn course, Skye October 2007

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ABOUT THE LEADER

Garry Brannigan concentrates solely on landscape photography using a digital camera system and has a passion for photographing the unique landscape of the Isle of Skye in the best possible light. He is a founder member of the Foursight Exhibition Group and exhibits his images throughout the North.

Garry designed his courses and workshops to pass on to other photographers his enthusiasm for capturing the moment when light, however fleeting, transforms the landscape from being merely distinctive into something beautiful. Since establishing The Digital Dawn, photographers from around the world have joined him out on location learning how to create images that say as much about themselves as they do about the landscape.

Click here for a gallery
of Garry's images

If you would like to check availability or find out more about the tuition, accommodation and the locations we visit, Call Garry Brannigan on 01748 821041 or |