Join me for a rewarding 5-day (6-night) workshop designed to broaden your photographic skills across a variety of subjects and techniques, all within the inspirational setting of North Yorkshire. Based near my home, we’ll explore some of Yorkshire’s most diverse and visually rich areas, including the dramatic coastline, the rolling North York Moors, and the timeless beauty of the Yorkshire Dales.

This workshop is ideal for those wishing to approach different photographic styles and techniques with confidence. We’ll work on your photography to improve your big landscape vistas, isolating details for abstracts, learning new macro skills for wildflowers and insects as well as a range of other techniques such as long exposure, panoramas, black and white photography and more. Whether you're refining your eye for composition, experimenting with exposure and depth of field or learning how to work with light across various conditions, each day will provide practical, thoughtful tuition in the field - tailored to your individual experience level and creative goals.

Our small group size ensures ample time for personal guidance, and the friendly, supportive environment allows for questions, discussion, and shared learning. Between field sessions, we’ll also spend time reviewing images and discussing technique to help reinforce key skills.

If you’re looking to advance your photography while enjoying the best that Yorkshire’s varied scenery has to offer, this workshop will give you both inspiration and practical tools to take your work further.

Big Vista photography examples

Abstract photography examples

Macro photography examples

Creative long exposure examples

Black and White photography examples

All meals and Drinks Included!

All meals and drinks are included and served at our home - all lovingly prepared by my wife and business partner, Gillian, so we're not tied to hotel mealtimes. Special dietary requirements and food allergies are all catered for. We will return you to the hotel each evening.

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 - 6 pm: I will collect you from the Inn and return you to our home (ten minutes away) to meet your fellow participants before my wife (and business partner) serves up a delicious 2-course evening meal and drinks - returning you to the Inn later in the evening.

Day 2 - 8 am: We will collect you from the Inn and return you to our home for a freshly cooked and/or continental breakfast of your choice using my vehicle.
9 am - Introductions: I will start by discussing the itinerary in detail as well as checking your camera settings before heading out to our first location. A packed lunch and drink is provided each day.
Day 2 to Day 6: As a tutor, one of my responsibilities is to make sure we're in the right location at the right time, so, after checking the weather, we will head out each day to a location suited to the prevailing conditions along with the techniques we're currently working on. We will, of course, do early morning sunrise shoots as well as evening sunset shoots where weather conditions allow (where we do early mornings, I will make sure you have some free time to relax during the middle of the day). Having lived in Yorkshire all my life, I know where the best places are for a particular weather type as well as sunrise/sunset times.
Day 7 - 9:30 am (after breakfast at our home): Workshop ends (we will drop you back off at the Inn to check out).

Camera Equipment

Here is a list of recommended equipment you should bring…

• Camera body 
• At least two camera batteries
• A range of lenses to include focal range of at least 25mm to 100mm
• Macro Lens
• Tripod (ideally with a centre column that can be removed)
• Lens cloth
• Graduated filters and holder - ideally 1, 2 & 3-stop hard
• Polarising filter (optional - you may borrow mine when required)
• A head-torch (necessary for early morning shoots)

Clothing 

• Outdoor clothing suitable for photographing at this time of year
• Waterproof coat in case of rain
• Walking shoes/boots
• Umbrella

Fitness Level - Easy | Moderate | Challenging

The fitness level for this workshop is classed as Moderate as some walking will be involved but all locations have been carefully selected for their stunning views, safety, convenience and ease of access. However, due to their locations, this workshop is unsuitable for wheelchair users.

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.