top of page

Somerset coast workshop 1

 

In the rugged prehistoric beauty of Somerset's coastline

Featuring: Kilve, St Audrie's Bay and Blue Anchor Sands

 

2018 Dates TBC

 

The coast of Somerset boasts a spectacular richness of geological grandeur. It also experiences world-record tidal movements that in turn both conceal and reveal a diversity of alien-world topographies every few hours of every day. From the beaches of Brean and Weston and the mudflats of Steart in the east; through the rocks and cliffs of Lilstock, Kilve, St Audrie’s Bay and Doniford in the north; to the sands and shingle of Dunster, Blue Anchor Bay and Porlock Weir in the west, much of the inspiration for my Somerset images, such as the examples you see here, is derived from its extraordinary coastline. 

 

Largely ignored by the hundreds of thousands of tourists who are just passing through the county in the summer months, on their way to the beaches of Wales, Devon or Cornwall, Somerset's undeveloped, rugged coastline offers some wildly dramatic vistas and truly beautiful photo opportunities.

 

We will be staying near Kilve, in the relaxed luxury of a secluded, comfortable and family-run Country House Hotel. The hotel is nestled in peaceful rural surroundings and conveniently located for all of our shooting destinations. Its superb restaurant specialises in locally sourced meats, fish, cheeses, fruits and vegetables.

 

All participants will have private en-suite bedrooms and the group will have access to a meeting room with a projector and screen for review of workshop images and portfolio critique.

 

Accommodation, tuition, transportation to and from our shooting locations, evening meals, daytime meals and all refreshments (other than personal bar tabs and table wine) from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon tea are inclusive.

 

7 participants

 

 

 

 

Typical Programme Timings*

 

Friday

 

16.00 - 18.00

Check-in, meet and greet, afternoon tea

 

18.00 - 19.00

Pre-dinner drinks in the bar

 

19.00 - 20.30

Dinner

 

Early night everybody - tomorrow is…

 

 

Saturday

 

04.00 Prompt

Leave the hotel for Kilve

NB: Kilve is a ten minute drive from the hotel and the beach is a ten minute walk from the car park

 

Please be aware that Kilve is an uneven, rocky beach and quite hazardously slippery in places. You need to be confident about your abilities to manage such terrain and your footwear should be sturdy and appropriate for the job. Strong trainers, proper walking boots - or wellies for those of you who wish to shoot with your tripods in the water - are recommended.

 

04.30 - 06.00

Pre-dawn and dawn shoot at Kilve beach

Sunrise is at 05.00

 

06.30

Return to hotel

 

07.00 - 09.00

Breakfast at the hotel

 

09.30 - 12.30

Review images from morning shoot in meeting room. Discuss seascape and coastal photography composition and personal goals

Tea/coffee served at 11.00

 

12.30 - 14.00

Buffet lunch at the hotel

 

14.00 - 17.00

Those in the group who would like to take a bit of a power nap before going out again at sunset should do so after lunch

Those who are happy to carry straight on through to sunset; we will look at technique and composition, with albeit harsher light than we would normally shoot in, with practical experiments near the hotel grounds

Review images from experimental shooting

Afternoon tea served at 15.30

 

18.00 - 19.00

Dinner at the hotel

 

19.30 - 22.00

Head out to Blue Anchor Bay to shoot in the golden hour and blue hour

NB: Blue Anchor is a twenty-five minute drive from the hotel and a five minute walk from the car park

Sunset is at 21.15

 

22.00

Return to the hotel

 

 

Sunday

 

04.00 Prompt

Travel to St Audrie's Bay for the pre-dawn and the dawn

NB: St Audrie's is a fifteen minute drive from the hotel and a ten minute walk from the car park

 

04.30 - 06.00

Dawn shoot at St Audrie's Bay

Sunrise is at 05.00

 

06.30

Return to the hotel

 

07.00 - 08.30

Breakfast at the hotel

 

09.00 - 12.00

Review images from Saturday evening's and Sunday morning's shoots

 

12.30 - 14.00

Sunday roast at the hotel

 

15.00

Afternoon tea and departure

 

 

Location

 

Holford
Nr Kilve
Somerset
TA5 1RZ

 

 

Cost

 

  • £899 per person

  • £100 non-refundable deposit per person

  • Balance payable eight weeks before workshop/tour date

  • If workshop/tour is within eight weeks of booking, the full amount is due immediately

 

 

What’s included?

 

  • Accommodation

  • All meals and non-alcoholic refreshments

  • Transport between the hotel and shooting locations

  • Daily tuition and critique

  • Course notes

 

 

What’s excluded?

 

  • Participants' personal travel arrangements between home and the hotel venue

  • Bar tabs/table wine

  • Insurance (please make sure you have adequate cover for personal injury/medical emergency and for lost or damaged equipment)

 

 

What do you need to bring?

 

  • a camera, preferably (but not essentially) with manual control over the exposure

  • a fully charged battery with its charger, plus any spare batteries if you have them

  • a sturdy tripod

  • any lenses you may wish to shoot with

  • a remote shutter release if you have one

  • a memory card, with plenty of space on it, plus spares if you have them

  • a wet weather cover for your tripod-mounted camera in case we encounter showers

  • a graduated neutral density filter if you have one - with many modern digital sensors this is no longer essential

  • neutral density filters if you have them

  • a torch (head torches are most useful as they're hands-free) with a red bulb setting so you don't ruin your night vision when making camera adjustments in the dark

  • sensible clothes for the time of year and shoes or sturdy trainers for reasonable, though not strenuous, walking on stony or rocky beaches

  • a comfortable wind-proof/shower-proof jacket

  • wellies

 

 

You may also bring:

 

  • your PC/Mac notebook or tablet for image processing/review

  • any items you feel may be interesting or inspirational for the group

 

 

 

* sunrise and sunset times are estimations and the programme schedule may vary with the specific date of the tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

bottom of page