Location
Date
Price
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What's Included?
What's Excluded?
Yorkshire Dales Photography Masterclass
Details
Join us for a 6-day photography workshop based in the picturesque village of Reeth in Swaledale, North Yorkshire. This workshop is designed for photographers who want to immerse themselves in the stunning landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales and refine their skills in capturing the natural beauty of the region.
Throughout the workshop, we will explore the diverse and scenic landscapes of Swaledale, Wensleydale, Arkengarthdale, Dentdale and Ribblesdale. Each location offers unique photographic opportunities, from rolling hills and serene valleys to charming villages and beautiful waterfalls. You will have the chance to capture the essence of these landscapes through guided, practical instruction.
This 6-day (7-night) workshop is limited to just 4 participants and is timed to coincide with the spring wildflower season. The meadows and woodland within the Yorkshire Dales come alive with bluebells, wild garlic, wood anenomes, stitchwort and many other photogenic wildflowers. You are invited to bring a macro lens and I will be on hand to help you compose delicate compositions of this wonderful genre. You will learn how to work with natural light, compose compelling images, and make the most of your camera equipment in various settings.
By the end of the workshop, you will have a collection of images that reflect the beauty and character of the Yorkshire Dales, along with enhanced skills and techniques to continue your photographic journey. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or looking to expand your expertise, this workshop offers a rewarding experience in one of England's most beautiful regions.
Processing masterclass
At selected points throughout the workshop, we will process some of the images you took using my 27" computer. I will discuss the techniques I use to glean the best out of the image to create mood, atmosphere and delicacy (where appropriate) using Lightroom Classic software.
Accommodation & Catering
This 6-day (7-night), all-inclusive workshop is based in the beautiful village of Reeth in the heart of Swaledale. Using two adjoining and beautifully appointed cottages, this will be our base for the week. Each participant will be assigned their own double bedroom with shared bathroom on a 2:1 ratio. No bedrooms are shared!
Each day, my wife and business partner will provide adelicious breakfast, a packed lunch and a 2-course evening meal at a time that fits in with our photography. All dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for.
For just an additional £420, non-photographic partners are welcome to attend on a shared room basis and will also include all meals (please note that non-photographic partners will be unable to attend the practical or processing sessions). There are many lovey walks from Reeth for partners to enjoy. Full joining instructions will be sent near to the time of the workshop.
Key Locations
Swaledale, Wensleydale, Ribblesdale, Dentdale & Arkengarthdale
Teaching Points
Composition; Using graduated filters; Exposure bracketing; Intentional Camera Movement Techniques (ICM); Long Exposures, High-Key Black and White; Macro flower photography, Post-processing. I do not assume anything about your level of photography, so whether you're a beginner or advanced photographer, all are welcome.
Camera Equipment
Here is a list of recommended equipment you should bring…
- Camera body
- At least two camera batteries
- A lens (or lenses) that cover focal lengths ranging from wide-angle to medium telephoto
- Macro Lens
- Tripod
- Lens cloth
- Polariser
- Graduated filters (optional as I will have mine which you may borrow at any time).
- Long exposure filters (optional as I will have mine which you may borrow at any time).
Clothing
- Outdoor clothing suitable for photographing at this time of year
- Waterproof coat in case of rain
- Walking shoes/boots
- Wellington boots (optional but useful on certain paths)
- Umbrella - a black umbrella can be useful as a parasol to eliminate harsh light when photographing close up abstracts (as well as for rain).
Fitness Level - Easy | Moderate | Challenging
The fitness level for this workshop is classed as easy. All locations have been carefully selected for their stunning views, safety, convenience and ease of access. However, due to some locations, this workshop is unsuitable for wheelchair users.
Getting there
By Road
There is a good road network to Reeth in Swaledale - I will send specific location postcode a few weeks before the start of the workshop.
By Rail
There is a railway station in Northallerton and I am offering a collection and drop off service from the station by prior arrangement. Please get in touch.
By Plane
The nearest airport to Swaledale is Teesside International and I am offering a collection and drop off service from the airport by prior arrangement. Please contact me if you're travelling from outside the UK to discuss.
Booking/Enquiry Form
Terms & Conditions of booking
Payment must be made in full when booking a single day workshop (you will be sent an invoice). For residential workshops, a deposit of £500 is required (unless otherwise stated) and the balance paid 12 weeks before the course commences (20 weeks for overseas workshops).
If you, the client, cancel a booking any money you have paid (including the deposit) is non-refundable unless I can find a replacement to take your place after all other places have been filled. 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.
Testimonials
Thank you so much for such a great week in the wonderful Glen Affric. I enjoyed every minute of the workshop and loved getting to grips with everything woodland photography has to offer. You place your tuition so well within the days out and I think we all very much appreciated the care you took to tailor your support to what we had identified as our needs. But, as always, there was much learning that we didn’t even know we needed, so the whole week felt such a rich experience. And I really appreciated the pace, which gave us time to really get the feel of each location and to relax into the photography.
~ Suzy B
Thank you so much for such an inspirational day yesterday and for all your patience! I love my prints, thank you! I felt as though I achieved what I had set out to do and learn the principles of printing and look forward to giving things a go myself.
~ Geoff K
Hi Mark, Just a note to thank you again for such a wonderful week in so many respects. I so enjoyed the locations and the photography. Lots to process and think about again and some new exciting things to try. Your tuition and attention to detail is much appreciated and I always feel inspired again to get out with my camera. See you before too long in Yorkshire.
~ Anne W
"Tell me and I forget.
Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn."
“Mark Banks is quite simply one of the best teachers of photography I have ever met. His secret is an apparently endless supply of patience, and an acute analytical approach to developing systematic problem-solving tactics in photography, which he makes effortless and fun to learn, whether in the field or in the editing suite. Mark’s artistry, empathy, kindness and charm mean he is always a joy to work with, or to be taught by.”