4 day residential photography courses in the beautiful Lake District
Workshop Series: Lake District (max 4 people per course!)
LD19-3 10 Nov 2019 - 13 Nov 2019 (SOLD OUT)
LD20-1 15 Mar 2020 - 18 Mar 2020
Summary (a full 4 day residential photo holiday)
A full 4 day photographic experience.
The Lake District is a beautiful location for photographers.
Chris will take you to the perfect locations at the right time of each day and will assist you in finding the most engaging composition and making your best shots in each location.
The focus of this course is on taking photographs, including dawn and sunset shoots. Chris will work with you at your own pace, helping you get more from your camera as you also develop key compositional skills. A couple of overviews on RAW file editing and general Lightroom processing will give you an important insight into making that final, finished image.
In the evenings, there will be the opportunity to discuss your best (or most challenging) shot of the day.
This workshop will give you the opportunity to build your own portfolio whilst learning new techniques in the field, together with some post-production tuition as part of a small group (max 4 people per course).
Cost (4 day course)
£ 850 per photographer for the tuition (see 'What's included' & 'What's not included', below). Includes all travel during the course.
£ 170 per photographer for your own en-suite room (Bed & B)at The Edwardene Hotel, Keswick for the 3 nights. (double occupancy rate £245 per room total for both occupants incl breakfasts)
A £ 150 deposit* is due at time of booking due to Chris Ceaser Photographic Enterprises Ltd. A further deposit of £75 is due to the hotel to guarantee your room.
Non-photography partners are welcome, see double occupancy prices above. Please ask for details!
What's included?
Your Lake District Workshop Includes:
- 3 nights’ lodging at the lovely Edwardene guest house in beautiful Keswick. edwardenehotel.co.uk
All bedrooms have private, en-suite bathroom.
Full Cumbrian breakfast is included with lots of options. - All travel throughout the duration of the course.
- A sunrise, sunset and other field sessions during each day
- Personal instruction by Chris in the field, including on the spot critiques and advice
- 2 x 45/60 minute overviews on post-production workflow by Chris using Lightroom
- 3 short group critique sessions, in which the shots you take during the workshop are discussed
You will be staying at the Edwardene Hotel edwardenehotel.co.uk
What’s not included?
The following is not Included but we are happy to advise you on options, where appropriate:
- Travel to the hotel - We can provide advice on the options available – please ask.
- Meals/drinks - Lunch/drinks are up to you – we normally stop at a cafe/pub for a break at lunchtime!
- Dinner. There are lots of great places to eat in Keswick covering a range of tastes. You are welcome to do your own thing at the end of the day's shooting, but you are always welcome to join Chris at dinner!
- Insurances for you and your kit. Please contact Chris to discuss this if you do not have adequate insurances. Cover is available form just £7.
Itinerary
Sunday
The course begins over a coffee at the hotel at 10am – meet the group, get the cars parked up and chat about the days ahead.
The rest of the day will be spent out in the beautiful Lakes landscape, shooting the wonderful scenery.
We will finish with a sunset shoot before heading back for a scrumptious dinner at one of Keswick's eateries, unless you fancy some free time to yourself!
Monday sunrise to Wednesday at sunset.
Sunrise
Sunrise is at around 7.15 - 7.30 each morning.
Your day will begin at around 06:15 as we leave the hotel for the sunrise shoot.
Locations will vary depending on the weather/light.
We head back to the hotel after shooting, for a hearty breakfast at around 09:00.
Day
The period between the sunrise and sunset shoots is broken up into small processing sessions and the opportunity to explore the area.
- Chris will run a couple of 45/60 minute seminars on post-production workflow and techniques, back at the Hotel looking at Lightroom. The timing of this will be confirmed on the day as it may depend on conditions – if the light is good, we shoot! You might choose to pick up a sandwich in a local café to eat during the seminars.
- Chris will also run a critique session at the end of each day, normally before dinner. This will feature the Photographer’s own work and Chris will give constructive feedback on the chosen images from each day.
- Other field sessions with Chris will be available during each day. The emphasis of the course will be on taking photographs and having a great time away with your camera!
- If you wish to have your shots critiqued in the evening, please bring your images either on a USB stick, or your ipad/laptop (there is no need to bring your own laptop unless you want to process images as you go). The shot can be straight from your camera or one that you have processed. We limit the critique sessions to two or three shots per day, per Photographer, to ensure that the discussions are useful. You may choose to submit a shot you are particularly happy with, or one that you would like help to improve.
Sunset
Sunset is at around 16:00 - 18:00 each day.
We will aim to be at our chosen location an hour or so before sunset to allow us to work through the compositional process before waiting for the light and making that perfect image.
Your shooting day will end after sunset, and then we will head back to the hotel to look at processing and image critiques before dinner
Evening
- Chris will run 2, 45-minute overviews on post-production techniques using Lightroom, back at the hotel at some stage during the course. The timing of this will be confirmed on the day as it may depend on conditions – if the light is good, we shoot!
Critique sessions will be held back at the hotel possibly around 19:00 and should last around 30-45 minutes. After that, we will all take a short break before heading out for dinner.
The course ends at sunset on the final day.
Workshop ends at sunset on the Wednesday
Cancellation & Insurances
- All deposits* are non-refundable
- Chris Ceaser Photography does not offer cancellation refunds. Please take out adequate insurance to cover cancellations due to ill health, jury service etc. Please ask for recommendations and see below.
Insurances and refunds:
YOU are responsible for your own insurances. This needs to cover you and your kit for things such as emergency illness whilst away, theft of your kit, inability to travel due to illness etc. Should you not be able to travel at the time of the course you will need to claim on your own insurance. Chris will provide you with an invoice and a letter confirming you did not attend. There is NO refund should you cancel after paying your deposits and balances. This is why you need your own insurances in place.
WE are covered under our own EVENT INSURANCE in the case that Chris cannot attend (due to illness, etc). This also covers the whole group in case of travel being impossible (due to severe weather etc). It is important to understand that the insurance company MUST declare travel unsafe for this to come into force. If Chris can make it to the course location then the course is deemed to have started so you are back to claiming on your own insurances, cover permitting. (We did reimburse the group during the 'Beast From the East' in 2018, when we were advised by our insurers that travel was not safe)
Our event insurance is quite comprehensive, but it does NOT cover things such as rainy weather, overcast weather etc. In these cases the course goes ahead, just like a normal booked holiday would. Make sure your any operator you may use has such EVENT insurances in place or you may risk losing your money. You still need your OWN insurances in place to cover you and your kit (policies can cost as little as £9 for £5000 cover). Contact Chris on 07920 044094 to chat about insurances. You may already have such insurances in place, with your bank for example, but please check the policies cover you in case of illness or theft of kit either abroad or at home.
Chris runs his courses on a personal basis and normally provides all tuition etc personally. However, Chris Ceaser Photography reserves the right to replace instructors in the event of illness, emergency or death.
Terms & Conditions
We insist that you purchase travel insurance for your workshop. This can protect you in case of an unforeseen situation that would require a last minute cancellation (jury service, illness etc, to both you and your tutor). Your gear will also be covered!
The workshops include: bed, breakfast and lodging in your own em-suite room, all field sessions including transport and seminars/critiques which include thoughtful, personalised instruction from Chris.
Not included: Transportation to and from Hotel, lunches, dinners or drinks
The Hotel
We will be staying at The Edwardene Hotel, in the heart of the Lake District
You will stay in your own room with private facilities. The Edwardene offers award-winning breakfasts and friendly service in a 'Gold Award' guest house. This has my choice of hotel for over 7 years when I visit the Lakes for my own photography. The rooms are lovely and well appointed and Russell and Marie offer an excellent level of service and they will do their best to tend to any needs you may have.
Check out the hotel website - edwardenehotel.co.uk
Is this Workshop suitable for you?
Are you comfortable with your camera and its settings?
Yes - The workshop will help you develop your technical & compositional skills and allow you to develop your own photographic style.
No - Please contact Chris on +44 7920 044094 to discuss – a short pre-workshop session may be arranged to give you the confidence to join this Workshop.
Are you comfortable using Lee Filters?
Yes - The workshop will help you build on your experience to date, introducing you to new filters / techniques.
No - Chris has filters available to borrow during the workshop and will teach you how to use them effectively. Please contact him on +44 7920 044094 to discuss, prior to booking.
Do you have Lightroom on your laptop? (NB. It is NOT essential to bring a laptop)
Yes - The workshop will help you build on your editing/workflow experience to date – Chris will demonstrate his own workflow/editing techniques with lots of pro tips to help you improve.
No - Free trial periods are available on Adobe’s website.
Please contact Chris on +44 7920 044094 to discuss, prior to booking.
Requirements
All Photographers must bring:
- A digital SLR camera & lenses
- Filters, if you have them – if not, please let Chris know so that he can arrange for you to borrow them
- A laptop computer with lightroom if you want to work on your own images during rest periods.
- A sturdy tripod
- Cold weather gear
- A moderate level of fitness – there will be lots of walking on the flat with the odd little bridge to cross.
Remember – places are limited.
A maximum of 4 Photographers join each Workshop, so please book early to secure your place on this fantastic trip!
Testimonials
Having spent one day in the Yorkshire Dales and another on the Yorkshire Coast over the summer, I just returned from 4 days in the Lakes with Chris. I spent the past year travelling and attending photography workshops across Russia, North America, Asia and Europe (including a 4 day National Geographic Photography Expedition in New York another in New Orleans) so was pretty comfortable participating in workshops, but the trips that Chris ran were by far the best. I learned more with him than on any other course – he’s clear, straightforward, helpful and funny. He worked through my technical questions efficiently, which enabled me to spend more time on composition and using the neutral density filters etc – more fun, but for me, more tricky. He’s extraordinarily patient and kind, while managing to still be honest and helpful. Taking a course with Chris is a great way to meet new people, learn new things and enjoy the landscapes of the North, while waiting for the light (and possibly also sheltering from the rain). Amazing value for money as compared to the other courses I’ve taken in the UK (some in directly comparable locations) and abroad. I can’t recommend these workshops enough – whether you ‘re about to open the box that your DSLR came in for the very first time or you’ve been playing with your camera for years, you’ll learn a huge amount, laugh a lot and probably never look at a cloud in quite the same way again. And when you get home, you’ll be astonished at what you managed to achieve. Rebecca Sheppard. (3 day residential course - the Lake District Nov 2014)
I have just returned from a March workshop in the Lakes. This was my first workshop with Chris. It was well thought out and Chris was very approachable. The weather was against us over the 3 days, turning Chris' original plans upside down, but with some rapid replanning and making the best use of the opportunities available - like the afternoon light at Castlerigg - and visiting some alternative locations like an old slate mine and the hamlet of Watendlath, I went home with a range of shots I was really happy with.
Rob Vaughan. (3 Day Residential - Lake District March 2013)
I have attended two of Chris’s courses and have been most impressed by the patience and professionalism of his instruction. The courses are tailored to meet the requirements of all who attend, and the small number of people on each course means that everyone leaves having learned a lot without feeling overwhelmed. You will be taken through the whole composition, image taking and processing procedures such that you will be able to create a photograph of which you can feel proud. I think Chris’s portfolio speaks for itself, and if you are looking to be able to produce images of this quality then one of his courses set in some of the most scenic countryside Britain has to offer may be just
what you are looking for. David Cooper. (3 Day Residential - Lake District March 2012)
This residential photography workshop was superb. Chris was friendly, approachable and patient, demonstrating an outstanding knowledge of the image making process itself and the locations we visited. We always seemed to be in the right place at the right time! The small group of just 4 people allowed Chris to work with us all whilst we were out in the field, providing a 'critique' on certain shots as we were actually making them. He worked with each of us at our own level and his advice on how to break down the composition of a particular scene was extremely insightful. His overviews on RAW processing, (something I had not encountered before) and simple Photoshop techniques were delivered in an effective manner that was easy to understand. The hotel and the food were of a high standard and this added to the 'holiday' experience. All things considered I felt that the course offered excellent value for money, with the emphasis firmly on making quality images! If you are looking to spend time away with your camera as part of a small, friendly group then I would highly recommend one of Chris's workshops. Philip Thake. (3 Day Residential - Lake District March 2016)
"This was a fantastic course for the aspiring landscape photographer. Having met Chris before and seen his work, I had high hopes that it would be worthwhile, and I’m pleased to report that it far exceeded my expectations. Chris patiently took us through the whole process, from setting up our camera equipment, through image composition and capture right through to editing our masterpieces on Photoshop Elements. My knowledge of Photoshop Elements has improved enormously, now that Chris has explained a logical editing process, and to see the finished results when he printed them out was a proud moment. Chris is a patient teacher and spent the whole time ensuring that we understood everything, happily answering questions on any aspect needing clarification. The small group number was an enormous benefit, and often it felt like having 1:1 tuition, unlike other courses I have attended with more participants. The three days were packed full of opportunities to learn, and looking back I am amazed at what we fitted in and delighted with the results achieved. Oh, I almost forgot - it was great fun too! I look forward to attending another of his courses in the future and developing my skills further. Many thanks Chris!" - Graeme Reynolds (3 Day residential course. Lake District. 2011)
This course exceeded my expectations. Chris is enthusiastic and inspiring and goes the extra mile in all respects. Over the three days we visited a range of superb locations and covered the complete process from composition and camera settings through to editing and creating a finished print, with personal guidance and insight from Chris at every stage. I had been struggling for some months to produce any work that I was happy with – my ambition was just to take at least one shot that I would be proud to hang on my wall. In the end I came away with a dozen that I would be happy to see on anybody’s wall. The hotel was excellent, the dawn shoots were magical and it was really enjoyable to share the experience with two fellow enthusiasts - John Fallows
(3 day course, Lake District 2010)
Fancy trying out the LEE filter system?
We have 3 full sets of LEE Filters to loan out during the courses. These filters will allow you to balance the different exposure values across an image, normally between the sky and the land. If you would like to try some of these fantastic filters then please mention it at the time of booking.