Wildlife Photography

The photography of wild animals, plants and landscapes is an increasingly popular and absorbing activity. This weekend course covers equipment and techniques with opportunities for practical work at the Animal Ark and Country Park accompanied by leading professionals in the field. Whether you simply wish to take better wildlife photographs for your own pleasure, or wish to add stills photography to your skills-bank as a wildlife film-maker, then this course will prove invaluable. Included will be a guide to selling your images, which can become a useful revenue stream.

Your tutors for the weekend include award-winning professional wildlife photographer Mike Powles, and wildlife film-maker Mike Linley who has amassed a huge stills library including many stunning macro shots. (All photos on this page are © Mike Powles apart from the students' shots at the bottom of the page)

The location is Whitwell Hall Country Centre in the centre of Norfolk, UK. Accommodation is shared rooms, dormitory style (or there are nearby bed and breakfasts/hotels if you prefer), and there will be excellent home-cooked food.

No experience or equipment is required, but it is recommended you bring your camera(s), lenses, flash, accessories and tripod if you have them. If you have a laptop/computer it is also recommended you bring this for downloading/viewing images.

Itinerary

Friday: Aim to arrive by 6pm if possible
7pm - evening meal served (no problem if you arrive later)
8.30pm - introductory chat - who we are, who you are, and what we will be doing this weekend.
10pm - time to relax, chat with new friends, and watch wildlife films/photographs in the viewing lounge.

Saturday:
8am - breakfast
9am - introduction to wildlife photography, equipment and techniques
11am - tea break.
11.30am - photography in the grounds and countryside around Whitwell Hall.
1pm - lunch
2pm - introduction to the use of sets, artificial lighting and close-up photography
3pm - building sets
4pm - tea break
4.30pm - practical photography using sets with a variety of wildlife subjects (which are likely to include reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and invertebrates). This will also be an opportunity to try specialist macro equipment and a photographic microscope.
7pm - evening meal served
8pm - a chance to review photographs shot during the day. Further wildlife films/photographs will be shown and you will be free to continue chattng to the tutors and looking at the equipment provided.

Sunday:
8am - breakfast
9am - briefing on morning's field trip to photograph animals at the Animal Ark and Country Park.
9.30am - guided tour of the park
10.30am - practical work around the park. Subjects will include otters, meerkats, wallabies, peacocks, whooper swans, herons and many more.
12pm - return to Whitwell Hall
1pm - lunch
2pm - viewing of photographs shot over the weekend - this will include an informal competition with prizes for the top shots of the weekend (see bottom of this page for previous winners)
3.30pm - a guide to how to sell your photos through online agencies and by other methods.
4pm - course ends

** note the practical work sessions may be rescheduled depending on the weather.

Staff/Tutors

Mike Powles is a full time photographer and tour leader living on Norfolk’s north coast. The majority of his year is spent pursuing wildlife in the UK for clients and stock. Recent commissions have included the following: recording the restoration of wildlife habitats, capturing images of resident wildlife and important landscapes within large estates, conservation grade farming projects and a number of species reintroduction programmes.

In 2000 Mike was a winner in the British Gas Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition in the category “The World in our Hands” and in 2003 he won the “Travel” category in the Royal Geographical Society Photographer of the Year Competition. Mike’s work has been exhibited at London’s Heathrow Airport and has been used by the BBC, RSPB, National Geographic and British Petroleum amongst others. In addition his images appear in books, greeting cards, calendars and fine art posters.

Mike Linley (pictured left) Mike was a producer and scientific advisor to Survival the Internationally acclaimed wildlife programme making company from 1980 until its demise in 2001. During this time he filmed and produced over 60 documentaries, many of which won major International awards. He also researched, wrote and produced over 200 wildlife programmes for children including the series Animals in Action. He then formed Hairy Frog Productions Limited, an independent wildlife production company.

Piers Warren - Principal of Wildeye - Piers is well known throughout the wildlife film-making industry as the editor of Wildlife Film News and producer of wildlife-film.com, which he created in the 1990s. With a strong background in biology, education and conservation, he has had a lifelong passion for wildlife films and has a wide knowledge of natural history. He cut his teeth in the industry as a sound engineer and multi-media producer, running a studio for many years. He is one of the founders of the international organisation Filmmakers for Conservation and was Vice President for the first three years. Piers is the author of many magazine features and several books including Careers in Wildlife Film-making and Go Wild with Your Camcorder - How to Make Wildlife Films.

Booking Information

Costs: £245 per person
This includes tuition, accommodation (Whitwell Hall or camping), and meals (apart from lunches at The Animal Ark when there is a snack cafe available).

Forthcoming Dates:
Further dates to be notified

To be informed of future courses please add your email address in the column on the right to receive Wildeye Bulletins.

Booking: If the home page shows that there are places available for the course of your choice - please complete the online application form and send in your deposit/fee as detailed.

View our Terms and Conditions for Booking Courses.

See our Shop for details of instructional DVDs on wildlife photography
Wildlife Photography Masterclass DVD
Go Wild With Your Camera DVD

Previous Competition Winners
(these photos were all taken by students during courses)

June 2010 course

1st - Katrina Martin

2nd - Rosie Davison

Joint 3rd - Steven Robinson

1st - Neil Duffield	2nd - Neil Duffield	Joint 3rd - Denise Ferley
	Joint 3rd - Michael Huskinson

Thanks to the following companies for donating prizes for the competition:

Wildlife Watching Supplies

Staff and students - Wildlife Photography June 2010


Staff and students - Wildlife Photography Feb 2010