Discover the Art of Black and White Photography in Yorkshire!

There’s something timeless and powerful about a black and white image. By removing colour, we reveal the very essence of a scene — light, texture, form, and mood take centre stage. Join us on this three-day landscape photography workshop, we’ll explore some of Yorkshire’s most dramatic and atmospheric landscapes, including the sweeping valleys of the Yorkshire Dales, the rugged cliffs of the Yorkshire Coast, and my favourite character-filled woodlands.

I’ll guide you through the process of seeing in black and white, from recognising the right lighting conditions to using camera settings and techniques that enhance monochrome impact such as high-key and long exposures. Between our location shoots, we’ll also spend time in my home studio where I’ll show you how to process your images in Lightroom Classic to a professional, gallery-standard finish.

What You’ll Learn

• How to visualise a scene in black and white before pressing the shutter
• Choosing the right subjects and light for strong monochrome images
• Camera techniques for dramatic contrast and detail
• Using filters to enhance texture and mood
• Professional Lightroom Classic editing workflows for fine art results
• Composition techniques that work particularly well in monochrome photography

Locations We’ll Explore

• Yorkshire Dales: Rolling hills, dry stone walls, waterfalls, and sweeping vistas perfect for monochrome textures and tonal range.
• Yorkshire Coast: Rugged cliffs, fishing villages, and moody seascapes ideal for dramatic skies and minimalist compositions.
• Woodlands: Ancient trees, twisting branches, and dappled light that come alive in black and white.

Every location is carefully chosen to maximise photographic opportunities in varying light and weather conditions.

Images from locations we will visit 

Accommodation

You will be based at a beautiful Inn a short distance (10 mins) from our home in Northallerton. Rooms will be either luxurious twin or double rooms and all have en-suite facilities. We will collect you and drop you off at the Inn each day, so you don't need to do any driving once you arrive.

Itinerary

Day 1 - 11 am:  I will collect you from the Inn and drive you to my home for introductions, a light lunch and to discuss camera settings. Using my vehicle, we will drive into Wensleydale and photograph a beautiful waterfall and discuss black and white composition before heading to the famous Ribblehead Viaduct, lone trees and the rugged limestone pavement in Ribblesdale. Early evening, we will return to my home for drinks and a prepared two-course evening meal before returning you to the Inn for the night.

Day 2 - 9:00 am (after breakfast at the Inn): I will drive you to to the Yorkshire coast starting at Saltburn to discuss 'seeing in black and white' as well as using filters for slowing down the shutter for a more ethereal and atmospheric look, which is particularly effective on piers. We will refine these techniques further up the road at Skinningrove where we will photograph the old characterful jetty before finally driving to Whitby to photograph old Victorian architecture and piers. We will have an evening meal at the famous Magpie fish & chips restaurant in Whitby (included) before returning you to the Inn for the night.

Day 3 - 9:00 am (after breakfast at the Inn): I will drive you to my favourite old gnarly oak woodland on the edge of the North York Moors, where we will discuss woodland compositions with an eye to black and white - including high-key techniques. Here, I will explain the differences you need to be aware of when shooting in black and white compared to colour. We will then return to my home for a light lunch. 

Day 3 - 1:00 pm: An important aspect of black and white photography is the correct process in order to get the very best out of your images. Using my large 27" computer, we will process some images taken during the workshop where I will discuss the correct methods required to produce a beautiful black and white image - as well as some pitfalls to be aware of.

Day 3 - 4:00 pm: The workshop ends and I will drop you off at the Inn to collect your vehicle (or drop you off at the train station whichever is applicable).

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 (optional but very useful for B&W photography)
• Graduated filters - ideally 1, 2 & 3 stop hard graduated filters (please contact me for advice if unsure)
• Long exposure filters (please contact me for advice if unsure)

Clothing 

• Outdoor clothing suitable for weather at this time of year
• Walking shoes/boots

Fitness Level - Easy | Moderate | Challenging

A moderate level of fitness and balance is required for this workshop.  All locations are chosen for their fine views and safety. However, some locations will include a walk of up to 1 km over flat terrain with moderate undulations and may include short but relatively steep inclines on occasions.

Getting there

By Road

There is a good road network to Northallerton - I will send Inn details nearer the time.

By Rail

Northallerton is conveniently situated on the East-Coast rail line. Mark will be happy to collect and return you from/to Northallerton station with prior arrangement. Please get in touch.

By Plane

Teesside airport is only a 35-minute drive from Mark's home. Mark will be happy to collect and return you from/to Teesside airport with prior arrangement. Please get in touch.

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.