jurassic coast
photography
workshop
2½ Days
easy-moderate
Apr 25th - 27th 2020
A coastal photography tour & workshop of the Dorset and the Jurassic Coast
Join me, Ian Middleton, for a photo holiday and workshop on the beautiful Jurassic Coast of Dorset. Stretching along Dorset and Devon, the Jurassic Coast is so-named because its landscape and geology record 185 million years of the Earth’s history. The coastline is packed with fantastic photographic opportunities at anytime of the year.
We will be based in the heights hotel on the beautiful island of Portland.
The tour will begin on the afternoon of the first day and end after sunset on the last day. Accommodation will be included for the first two nights, but should you need or want to arrive earlier or stay longer, then I can arrange extra nights for you.
Locations:
Portland Bill, Durdle Door, Kimmeridge Bay, Old Harry, Weymouth, West Bay, Seacombe, Corfe Castle
WORKSHOP INFO
Workshop type
Small group workshop (4-6 people)
Private workshops also available
AVAILABLE AS
2½ Days (2 nights)
dates 2020
Sat Feb 15th – Mon 17th (2 spaces left)
Sat Apr 25th – Mon 27th
price per person
| Days | Single Occupancy |
| 2½ (2 nights) | £550 |
itinerary
The exact itinerary might change slightly depending on the time of year and conditions, but will consist of roughly the following:
Day 1
Sunset and Dusk shoot at Portland Bill lighthouse and Pulpit Rock
After settling into your hotel, we will head down to the southern tip of the isle of Portland to photograph the sunset and blue hour (twilight) at the famous lighthouse and pulpit rock. The sea around this headland is extremely rough and provides some great opportunities. Here, for those who need it, I will show you how to freeze the waves as they crash against the rocks, and later as the sun goes down we’ll learn how to capture smooth, etheral looking water effects like below. Then it’s back to the hotel for lessons on how to best process your photos, over a nice pint of English beer!
Day 2
Dawn and sunrise shoot at Portland Bill, Abbotsbury, afternoon at Lulworth cove and evening at Durdle Door
We’ll get up before dawn and head back to the lighthouse to capture the dawn and sunrise and photograph this headland from the other side. Then after breakfast we’ll head to Abbotsbury and photograph this quaint village and also the stunning views of Chesil Beach. We’ll have lunch either in Weymouth or head on to lunch at Lulworth Cove. The afternoon and evening will be spent exploring the wonderful Lulworth Cove and we’ll walk along the coastal path to the famous rock arch of Durdle Door for an evening, sunset and dusk shoot. Then back to the hotel.
Day 3
Kimmeridge Bay, Corfe Castle, Swanage, Old Harry.
Today we’ll get up very early and head to Old Harry cliffs for a dawn and sunrise shoot. Then we’ll head off along this coastline, stopping at a few different locations before heading to Corfe Castle and Swanage. We’ll have lunch somewhere around here and then head to Kimmeridge Bay for a sunset shoot. This small cove and beach provides some great scenery with the clavel tower folly perched upon a hill at the edge of the bay, and receding tides expose some great rocky ledges.
-
I am a solo female traveller who enjoys landscape photography as a hobby and because this was my first trip abroad on my own I decided to book a one to one workshop with Ian, not just for the tuition but also to enable me to photograph in areas I would not otherwise have been able to get to and Ian also provided Hotel pick up and drop off.
I attended the workshop on 23/10/2019 around Lake Bohinj in Slovenia. The workshop was originally planned for a Sunrise, however due to Ian’s knowledge he informed me the day before that storms were forecast for early morning, therefore recommended we changed to an 11.30am pickup instead and then stay out later for Sunset and the Blue Hour.
When we arrived at Lake Bohinj, Ian took me a walk around various possible composition points and he was very informative in what to look for in a composition and how to research where the best light will be depending on the time of day. He gave me details of Apps he recommended for accurate weather forecasts and to advise on where the sun would rise and set etc.
Although the heavy storms had passed, the sky remained very grey and cloudy most of the day, therefore Ian took me to two lakeside locations and a beautiful waterfall quite high up in the mountains where we could make the most of the moody conditions. Unfortunately the cloudy weather did not improve enough for me to photograph a Sunset, however Ian took me to a spot where I was able to photograph in the Blue Hour that follows Sunset which was a new experience for me and I learnt such a lot.
Throughout the day Ian allowed me to set up my own compositions and then would advise on focal point, aperture, ISO etc. and if filters could improve the exposure depending on the light. He also gave advice on long exposures, when and when not to try them depending on the movement of the clouds and water and also how to reduce the exposure time by changing other settings on the camera.
Ian’s method of teaching is excellent and he answered all my questions in an easy to understand way. Ian is a very friendly and easy to talk to guy and his expertise in landscape photography is evident. I would not hesitate to book another workshop with him. 
Lynn McIlhone
August 26, 2019 -
Always look forward to Ian’s work! Absolutely stunning visual images that take me to faraway places every time. 
Rhonda Malec
July 11, 2015 - We spent 1.5 days with Ian covering Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj and the surrounding areas. Ian knows the area incredibly well and was able to take us to the right places at the right times for the right light and did a great job of dodging the bad weather! He was incredibly helpful and informative and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend one of his workshops.
Kirsty Simpson
June 11, 2018 - Captivating scenery, always fresh perspective, photography with passion, dedication and style!
Nika Middleton
July 11, 2015 - Excellent photographer, great at spotting the smaller details that make an great picture even better and is very passionate about what he does. Ian is also a great teacher – after spending a half day workshop with him I have taken away many tips and techniques that will stay with me for a very long time. Ian was very patient and explained everything in good detail
Alex Taylor
August 16, 2016 - Excellent one-to-one photography workshop at Lake Bled, Slovenia. Not just covering the techniques but also thinking about image composition and the impact of clouds on the final result. Thoroughly enjoyable and made me rethink the way I take photographs.
Thank you,
Shaun
Shaun Dunphy
June 11, 2018
included in the price
Accommodation: 2 nights in a single room
(I can arrange extra nights if required)
All transport on workshop days
All tuition and guidance
Free ebook guide to photography
not included in the price
Flights
Lunch and Dinner
Travel insurance
(Guests must ensure they have their own travel insurance)
Suitable for:
DSLR users ideally (but some advanced compact or bridge SLRs may suit. Contact me to discuss whether your camera is suitable or not). This is especially useful for compact users whose camera is not advanced enough for the beginners workshop. Instead, you can come here and learn how to get the best from your camera.
difficulty level
This workshop involves a fair bit of walking on grassy terrain which could likely be wet and muddy. Good sturdy, water resistant boots are advised. At Durdle door there is quite a steep walk from the car park to the beach. We will be coming down from the clifftop.
equipment needed
Camera (Obviously)
Tripod.
Remote shutter release cable.
Spare batteries.
Raincover (or umbrella).
equipment desired
Polarising filter
Neutral density filter
ND grad filters
Head or hand torch
(for working, and getting back to the car in the dark)
getting to UK
Best option for Dorset is to fly to London.
getting to the location
We will be based at the Heights Hotel in Portland. You can get there by train to Weymouth and then a bus or taxi onwards.
what to wear
It will be winter, so warm clothes. Ideally layers that can remove or put on as we’ll either be shooting before sunrise or after sunset, in the dark, when it will be colder. You will also need a raincoat.
Group bookings
Group bookings are available on request.
Contact me for more info
Booking
If you are interested in this workshop then you can enquire or book via the contact form below.
Payment
Once a booking is agreed you will be sent an invoice for payment, a deposit of £100 is payable upon booking and the balance is due at least 4 weeks before the workshop date, unless otherwise agreed or booking was made closer to the date. Payment can be made by bank transfer, paypal or personal cheque.
cancellations
If your workshop is cancelled for any reason by me then a full refund will be given, or you will have the chance to join another group. Should you cancel for any reason after payment has been made then a full refund will be given up to one week before the workshop date, but after that a full refund will only be given if I have a minimum of three people on the date of your booking.
detailed ebook
I know how hard it can be to try and scribble down notes at any kind of lesson or workshop, so to this end I have created a detailed ebook that is totally free.