Mark is a proud member of the Royal Photographic Society and runs practical photography workshops for them around the UK. These workshops are a great way of accelerating your photographic skills along with meeting up with like-minded RPS members with a passion for landscape photography. If you are a member of the RPS these workshops offer great value for money! You do not have to be a member of the RPS to attend this workshop.

The area of Assynt is located North of Ullapool in one of the most beautiful mountainous areas of the Scottish Highlands. Its rugged landscape and many lochs create a fascinating foreground to the many iconic mountain peaks such as Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, Cul Beag and Cul Mor. This week-long workshop will find us enveloped in this dramatic landscape at the most dynamic time of year.

 (RPS)Workshop leader Mark Banks will be on hand throughout each day offering advice, tips and tricks to help you get the most out of this incredible location. During the week Mark will also give informal demonstrations of image processing and offer image review sessions for participants.

Images from Assynt

Fitness

No mountains will be scaled on this workshop but a moderate level of fitness is required due to some locations being elevated with short inclines. However, all locations have been carefully selected for their stunning views, safety, convenience and ease of access. Most locations to be visited will feature uneven rocky terrain and so this workshop is unlikely to suit most people with limited mobility. However, please contact Mark Banks to discuss further if you would be interested in attending.

Accommodation

We will be based at the Royal Hotel in Ullapool where dinner, bed and breakfast and packed lunches are included in the price. Transport to all locations will be provided throughout the duration of the workshop. Mark Banks will be assisted by Mark Reeves for logistical and safety reasons during this workshop.

During the evenings (or days of particularly inclement weather), Mark will be on hand to help process images taken during the workshop using Adobe Lightroom Classic on Mark’s laptop or your own if you have one. Participants are also encouraged to bring along prints or digital images to discuss composition, processing and advice about printing.

Equipment to bring

• Camera, charged batteries, memory card
• Tripod
• 6- and 10-stop neutral density filters (if you have them)
• Graduated neutral density filters (if you have them)
• Warm and waterproof clothing suitable for the weather, location and time of year
• Walking boots
• Wellies
• Grippers/microspikes for wellies (wet rocks can be very slippery)
• Umbrella
• Torch / headtorch

Payment must be made in full before the commencement of a single day workshop.  For residential workshops, a deposit of £500 is required and the balance being payable 12 weeks before the course commences.

The balance of the cost of the workshop will be due 12 weeks before the workshop starts. If a booking is made less than 12 weeks prior to the beginning of the workshop, the full cost is payable at the time of booking.

If you, the client, cancels a booking any money you have paid (including the deposit) is non-refundable unless I can find a replacement to take your place. If a replacement is found an admin fee of £100 will be deducted from the refund. If I cancel a booking any payment received will be refunded in full. Please ensure that you have adequate travel insurance in place. It is a term of the contract between us that you will obtain the appropriate travel insurance cover before you set out on the workshop. The insurance must cover the loss, expenses and damages arising from, including but not limited to, the cancellation of the workshop (whether in whole or in part), personal accident and injury, medical and repatriation costs, loss of baggage and personal money and belongings, flight cancellations and delays as well as your inability to arrive at the workshop destination due to fuel shortages and other such disruptions out of my control.

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, I regret I cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of my obligations under my contract with you is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any damage, loss or expense of any nature as a result of “force majeure”. In these booking conditions, “force majeure” means any event which I or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include, (whether actual or threatened), war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire, epidemics/pandemics, fuel shortages and all similar events outside my control.

Please note, I cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s) of any description (1) which on the basis of the information given to me by you concerning your booking prior to me accepting it, I could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if I breached the contract with you or (2) which did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by myself where I am responsible for them, my suppliers. Additionally, I cannot accept liability for any business losses.

You will be allocated either a single room or a double/twin room for single occupancy. There is no single occupancy surcharge. Where double or twin rooms are available, they will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis at the time of check-in.

Mark Banks Photography reserves the right to cancel any workshop. In the event of any cancellation, I will offer either a total refund or a place on an alternative workshop. If the alternative workshop is cheaper, I will refund the difference, and if it is more expensive, you will be required to pay the balance.

All applicants participate at their own risk and Mark Banks Photography accepts no responsibility for injury or damage done to their persons or property. It is recommended that applicants hold their own personal Public Liability Insurance.

The type of workshops I offer require flexibility and must allow for alternatives. For this reason, the outline itinerary and workshop description must be taken as an indication of what may take place on the workshop, and not as a contractual obligation on the part of Mark Banks Photography.

I do not accept responsibility or liability for death, bodily injury or illness caused to you during the workshop, unless arising from the negligent act and/or omission on my part or on the part of any of my employees (providing they were at the time acting within the course of their employment). Please note that any itinerary noted on the workshop description is subject to change due to weather conditions and/or the capability of participants.

By booking a workshop with Mark Banks Photography you are agreeing to accept all of the above conditions.