Photography Holidays, led by David Taylor

The Fine Detail...

David Taylor’s Photography Holidays at St Cuthbert’s House offer something very special.

In restricting our group sizes to a maximum of six, every participant is able to benefit from both small-group and ample individual tuition. The photography group enjoys exclusive use of our beautiful house, creating a country-house weekend atmosphere, and each guest benefits from sole occupancy of one of the beautifully appointed bedrooms, complete with its own luxurious bathroom, LCD digital television, hairdryer, and drinks-making facilities.

We also offer a special discounted rate for
non-participants, so if your partner wants to come and enjoy a relaxing time too, that’s great!

What Can I Expect From The Photography Workshops?

The photography workshops aim to help you develop your photography skills on both a technical and an artistic level, to enable you to get the very most out of your equipment whilst making pleasing images you can feel proud of. Whether you are a beginner, with only basic photography skills, or a more experienced photographer, the photography workshops will enable you to make great strides in improving your image-making.

Our small group size means that you will have ready access to one-to-one attention from David. Whatever your level of ability, you will be able to make real progress and concentrate on the aspects of your photography which you’d most like to improve.

The workshop programme will begin with guidance on composition, including advice on deciding on the most effective viewpoint for your shot, and framing the image for maximum impact. We may experiment with imaging frames to encourage creative composition and to encourage you to discover new ways of looking at, and seeing, the landscape.

In tandem with our work on composition, we will also look at the technical aspects of shot-making, such as the creative use of depth of field and length of exposure, and the effects of light and contrast range on the beauty of a photograph. We will also discuss the use of filters in further enhancing an image.

After your holiday we will send you a very special memento – a set of 10 high quality greetings cards featuring the best image you feel you have produced over the weekend. The cards will be professionally produced, using state-of-the-art digital print technology. Beautifully presented in individual cellophane packets, and complete with white envelopes, they will be perfect for presenting to friends or family, or just to keep as a reminder of what we feel sure will be a wonderful few days of photographic discovery!

What Does A Typical Workshop Day Consist Of?

For those guests happy to rise early, each day will begin with a dawn shoot, weather permitting. We return to St Cuthbert’s House for one of Jill’s legendary breakfasts, before setting out again for a full day’s photography at one of the many unspoilt locations along the stunning Northumberland coast.

Our subjects might include the grand sweep of a deserted stretch of beach, one of the area’s rugged castles, or an element of the fascinating and varied geology to be found along the region’s coast. The possibilities are endless, but you can be assured that there will never be a hurry to move from one place to another. You will have plenty of time to explore each location and immerse yourself in your new surroundings, to experiment with setting up each shot, and to enjoy applying your new skills to the full.

There will be time over dinner, and later into each evening, for discussion on any number of photography topics. You might have a question which has arisen out of the day’s photography or a technical matter on which you would like advice. Or you might prefer to discuss the art or the philosophy of photography. We may also use this time to have a look at and discuss examples of work which participants have brought with them - in a constructive and supportive manner, of course!

Our evenings will also give us the opportunity to discuss and review our day’s photography. In the atmospheric and comfortable surroundings of The Cuthbert Room, we will have access to a state-of-the-art digital projector and large projector screen, which will enable digital users to see the results of their day’s efforts, and will also facilitate discussion on various aspects of the photographic process.

What Equipment Will I Need?

Bring with you the equipment you already own. The aim of the holiday is to enable you to make the most of the camera kit you have, rather than emphasising the limitations you feel it might present! A tripod is important if you wish to use your camera to its full potential, so if you don’t already own one, and you want to take your photography seriously, it might be worth investing in one. However, we may be able to lend you a tripod for the weekend, so please ask if you are in any doubt.

May I Bring Along A Non-Participating Partner?

Yes, we extend a very warm welcome to non-participating partners on our holidays, at a special reduced rate. Even non-photographers will find lots to do to fill their days – see our Useful Stuff pages for some ideas.

We can also offer you Bed and Breakfast before or after the photography element of the holiday (subject to availability), if you’d like to extend your stay with us.

How Can I Find Out More?

If you would like more information about the photography elements of the holiday before making your booking, do feel free to phone David for a chat on (01434) 607637, and he will be happy to answer your questions.

You may also like to visit David’s website. Here you can explore an extensive collection of David’s photography, as well as learning a little about his background and philosophy, and reading some of his entertaining and informative photography articles.

Dates, Prices and Availability

David Taylor Find out more about David by visiting his website

The information on this page is also available as a very attractive pdf file which David has put together.

The small print: our Terms and Conditions are here.