Description

Photography might be considered to be the mix of inspiration and creative ideas with the technical skill and capability of operating the camera. Indeed, many people find that it’s much easier to learn technical features and controls than it is to conceive the ideas that inspire their use. Whilst most of our holidays look at both sides of this process, our ‘Making compositions that work’ week, concentrates more heavily on all of the creative elements that go into making a great image.

 

This holiday will begin with ensuring everyone has a good set of foundation ideas that enable us to make images that conform to our normal visual preferences. These thoughts might include:

• Making the picture simple

• Finding the best angle 

• Creating tight compositions with detail

• Using symmetry and balance

• Using shapes and colours

• Rule of thirds and cardinal points

• Identifying and using light 

• Timing

 

Once we feel confident in these thoughts, we can think about what personal preferences we might have in terms of what we individually like in pictures or what we feel our photographs should ‘say’. This is the beginning of us understanding our own preference for style in our photos’. 

 

Throughout the rest of the week, we will then work through the daily routine of shooting images with control, editing them and then reviewing the photographs to understand not only what we think works but also what we like personally in terms of style. At the end of each day, guests will be encouraged to share their pictures and really take time to explore why we create the photos’ we do, and what connection this makes to those that view these images afterwards.

 

During the 5 days of photography, we will carefully explore the beautiful landscapes of the Scottish far north. As with all of our trips, we will take a broad view of subjects, always searching for opportunities to find intimate photographic stories in the things we encounter. The tutors and guides will encourage a wide range of creative interpretations of the things we find and will demonstrate alternative techniques and ideas to maximise our creativity. 

 

Subjects during the week, might be very diverse, from majestic upland landscapes, to hidden history in abandoned crofts plus, of course, the chance of nature and wildlife. The ‘Flow Country’ of the central far north of Scotland is one of the least densely populated areas in Europe, and this vast, wild location is rich in both natural and human history.

 

A core idea we strongly believe in, is to treat each excursion as a visual ‘treasure hunt’, looking for subjects where stories can be unlocked in a carefully created picture. There is nothing better than returning home feeling that we can share something undiscovered in a photograph we have been able to reveal during our day’s exploration.

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The small team at Wild Arena are all passionate about photography and sharing our love of the Scottish landscape with our guests. Our creative photography tours are designed to make the most of our wild and unspoilt location to provide the perfect place for digging deeper into the world of making images.

 

Equipment for the week is less important than our creative output, but cameras with less automation and more functions often allow a greater freedom of expression. Of course, the tutors will always be on hand to offer advice on how best to use the cameras to make the pictures we are hoping for. We will also run through a number of more unusual techniques that may broaden our artistic output.

 

Outside of the time spent capturing pictures, we usually encourage guests to slow down sufficiently to appreciate the sights, sounds and feelings present in the places we visit. These opportunities to simply ‘explore’ with no agenda, can often lead to the most rewarding outcomes!

 

What can you expect during your week with us? 

Well, we hope to welcome everyone as a friend, creating a comfortable ‘home from home’ feeling whilst staying with us at Forsinard Lodge. During this trip we will be especially mindful of providing itineraries that offer room for individual creative expression and we hope everyone will return home feeling inspired by their stay with us.