An 8-Hour Personal Photography Day in the Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands provide an extraordinary classroom for photography. From dramatic mountain landscapes and remote glens to rugged coastlines, ancient Atlantic rainforest and wildlife, the opportunities for learning in the field are endless.

There is no doubt that spending a day in the field with an experienced professional can save you hours, days and sometimes years of trial and error.

Lewis has decades of experience teaching photography in the field, as well as extensive experience as a lecturer in Photography and Fine Art in London. Throughout his career he has worked across a wide range of photographic genres, including documentary, landscape, wildlife and portraiture.

Although Lewis now chooses to work exclusively with film for his own photography, he has many years of professional experience working with digital systems, including Canon, Nikon and Sony.

His approach to photography has always been simple:

Get it right in camera.

Understanding light, composition, exposure, timing and your equipment before pressing the shutter can dramatically reduce the need for extensive post processing later.

This is a completely individual day of tuition designed around you, your photography and what you want to achieve.

Whether you are looking to improve your landscape photography, explore the ancient Atlantic rainforest, develop your wildlife photography, understand your camera more confidently, work on composition, or simply learn how to see and respond to the landscape differently, the day will be tailored to your needs.

The emphasis is on practical learning in the field. Rather than sitting in a classroom for eight hours, you will spend the day photographing, discussing images, exploring ideas and putting techniques into practice.

Every 1-to-1 tuition day begins with a pre-booked 40-minute Zoom consultation before your workshop. This is an important part of the experience and allows us to prepare the day specifically for you.

During the session we will discuss:

• What you would like to achieve from the day
• Your current experience and photographic interests
• The equipment you have available
• What equipment you may need to bring
• Suitable clothing and footwear
• The location and conditions we may encounter
• Any particular photographic challenges you would like to work on

You will also be invited to share one photograph for a short critique. This image can become a useful reference point for the day, allowing us to identify areas for improvement and then work on those areas together in the field.

The Highlands are constantly changing. Weather, light, seasons and wildlife all play a part in creating the photographic opportunities of the day.

From the changing light across the mountains and lochs to the textures, colours and atmosphere of the Atlantic rainforest, every environment presents different photographic challenges and opportunities.

Wildlife can add another dimension to the day. Depending on location, season and conditions, we may encounter a variety of Highland wildlife, providing opportunities to explore observation, patience, composition, focal length and timing.

This means your tuition isn't based around a rigid classroom session. Instead, we simply respond to the environment around us and make the most of the conditions available.

The aim is not simply to take photographs. It is to make better photographs, and to understand why they work.

This is an outdoor, field-based experience, and the Scottish weather should always be respected. You will need:

• Appropriate outdoor clothing
• Good, comfortable footwear suitable for uneven terrain
• Your camera and preferred lenses
• Spare batteries and memory cards where applicable
• Pen and notepad
• Water and any personal essentials

During the summer months, insect repellent may also be advisable. Food and refreshments are not included, so please bring whatever you require for the day.