Landscape photography courses Scotland

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

Advanced Landscape Photography Course Ullapool 2009		Route to Cul Mor from Stac Pollaidh by Bob Evans

Dates: January 31st - February 5th, 2009 (fully booked) Location: Inverpolly National Nature Reserve 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 four-course dinner with wine. 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 good level of fitness is required. The course involves a fair amount of walking over rough and uneven terrain and may include a steep 250metre footpath walk up Stac Pollaidh. Equipment needed: Digital SLR camera; tripod; walking boots; waterproof clothing Where we stay: Sheiling Guest House, Ullapool

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	Click here for images made on previous courses
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	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 Landscape Photography Course offers the chance to explore one of the last remaining true areas of wilderness in the British Isles.

The course is based in Ullapool in the North West Highlands of Scotland and concentrates on the unique landscape in and around the Inverpolly National Nature Reserve.

While snow or frost can never be guaranteed, the date of this course is timed to maximise our chances of meeting the superb Winter conditions that enable us to capture the essence of this unrivalled ancient mountain landscape.

Although the map tells you these mountains are below the height of the 3,000ft-plus Monros, your eye cannot help but be deceived as the distinctive shapes and perspectives of Cul Mor, Stac Pollaidh, Canisp and the beautiful whale-backed Suilven rear up from almost sea-level.

This close proximity to the coast and Atlantic Ocean means frontal weather systems bring constantly changing big skies...and light.

The Ullapool course has been designed so the maximum group size is just five photographers, whereas some courses can have more than 10. This means you'll receive a high level of one-to-one tuition while enjoying the chance to make images when Inverpolly is potentially at its most beautiful.

Our base for the week is the excellent Sheiling Guest House which overlooks Loch Broom on the outskirts of Ullapool. This extremely comfortable house is ours for the week. The owners serve excellent Scottish breakfasts and the superb four-course dinner with wine each evening is one of the highlights. The lounge with a log fire provides warmth to review our images at the end of a day in the Highland landscape.

The course begins with a dinner hosted by the leader, professional landscape photographer Garry Brannigan, 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 following five full days of tuition and photography. There's the opportunity for shoots at dawn and dusk, and sessions when we review the previous day's images, celebrating the successes and learning from the failures. Garry will also give an informal critique of images you have brought along.

On this advanced course we concentrate specifically on the creative aspects of landscape photography, with the emphasis being to separate the seeing and making of an image from the technical aspects of taking a photograph. 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.

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. 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. This course teaches you how to develop skills that enable you to override your mind's-eye and build images with depth and perspective. Here we'll consider the underlying foundations of composition, striving to achieve a sense of balance and proportion within the frame.

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 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.

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.

This Advanced Landscapes Course costs £1,195. This includes five days of one-to-one and group tuition plus five nights' accommodation at the Sheiling Guest House with no shared rooms and no single supplement, plus breakfast, lunch and superb four-course dinner every day. Transport to the locations is included as well as comprehensive course notes and unlimited 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 ULLAPOOL COURSES

Cul Mor and Canisp from Stac Pollaidh by Neil Bryce

Sunrise Clouds over Coigach by Lou Bray

Coigach Dawn across Drumrunie lochan by Colin Sinclair

Summer Isles sunset by Bob Evans

Snow Stag by Mike Casey

Coigach Sunrise across Drumrunie lochan by Lou Bray

Route to Cul Mor from Stac Pollaidh by Bob Evans

Inverpolly Light by Colin Sinclair

Sand Patterns, Achnahaird Bay by Neil Bryce

Calm Dawn, Coigach and Drumrunie lochan by Bob Evans

Sunset Clouds, Achnahaird Bay by Lou Bray

Ardvreck Castle, Loch Assynt by Mike Casey

Frist Light, Drumrunie lochan by Neil Bryce

Window to the Morning, An Teallach by Lou Bray

Single Cloud and Canisp by Mike Casey

Boulders and Cul Mor from Stac Pollaidh by Neil Bryce

Cloud Patterns, Inverpolly by Colin Sinclair

Sunlight on Ben More Coigach by Mike Casey

Canisp and Suilven from Loch Druim Suardalain by Bob Evans

Stac Pollaidh Clouds by Colin Sinclair

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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. 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. The standard of accommodation at the Sheiling Guest House is also high and the four-course dinner served by respected Ullapool chef Lauri Chilton is a highlight each evening. We have the run of the entire house for the course and breakfasts are served overlooking Loch Broom.

To see a sample menu click here

What makes it an advanced course?

The presumption on this advanced course is that you already understand the basic 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. The dates of the two Ullapool courses mean there will be the opportunity for shoots at dawn and dusk, 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?

This Ullapool course requires a good level of fitness. It involves a fair amount of walking, some of it over rough and uneven terrain. Weather permitting, it will include a steep 250metre footpath walk up Stac Pollaidh.

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 small size of the group increased the opportunity to benefit from a good deal of one-to-one tuition with the leader. This, coupled with stunning locations and a passion for the landscape displayed by Garry, made for another fantastic course.
KEITH WHITING, Advanced Course October 2007

Initially I thought that the course was expensive, but putting it into perspective I realise that Garry Brannigan's experience, knowledge, insight and what he puts into the course are priceless.
GRAHAM MEEK, Advanced Course October 2007

As with my previous course, I did think I was the most inexperienced of the group but the tuition was tailored fully to what I needed to learn. The small group helped in that aspect. I came away understanding a lot more about the process of finding and photographing the subject, given the various light conditions. The guidance on filter use was also very helpful.
MARY MACKENZIE, Advanced Course October 2007

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.
KEN TREVOR, Advanced Course October 2007

I valued the leader's calm and patient explanations and advice. Although I have taken many pictures in the past, I wanted guidance on composing images and that is exactly what I got.
BILL TAYLOR, Advanced Course October 2007

What I appreciated most was having the time to explore a location. I liked the way that the leader would tour the group advising individually on composition, so that we had time to discuss our intended shots. The days were quite intense, but well-paced. I left wanting more, but arrived home very tired, so I guess that means the course timetable was right.
GORDON GIBBONS, Advanced Course October 2007

Garry’s approach is very encouraging. This was my second course and again I came away inspired to create more images. The locations were great and varied for use in all conditions. The proof is in the pudding...I have half a dozen images I’m very happy with.
MARK SAUNDERS, Advanced Course 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 North West Highlands in the best possible light.

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 |