Cornwall

Over the course of this photography workshop, Joe and I will take you to many of our favourite locations in the rugged west of the British Isles.

 

We will be based in Mawgan Porth, on the north coast of Cornwall, equidistant from Padstow and Newquay. Northwest facing, the whole coastline will be perfect for sunset photography when we visit in April.

The high cliffs are broken periodically by rock girt bays with intimate beaches and, occasionally, broader sweeps of pale sand. One of the finest of these - Bedruthan Steps - can be found a scant 4km from our base. The views from the clifftop are spectacular but the climb down, at low tide, rewards the active photographer. There is everything from an epic panorama of sea and huge stacks, to intimate views of tidal pools and the branched deltas of small streams flowing across the sand.

Further afield, to the north, the coast presents countless geological delights. Pentire Head and The Rumps is a great sunset location, across the Camel Estuary from picturesque Padstow. Nearby Polzeath has a beautiful wide stretch of golden sand at low tide, when it is also possible to access an area of unusual green and purple coloured rocks. Farther still, the aptly named High Cliff, at 200m, is Cornwall's highest. At the base of the cliffs, behind Strangles beach, there are fascinating patterns produced by white quartz intrusions into black shale. A little further on, Widemouth bay has a wonderful mix of coloured sandstones and more dark shale contrasting with quartz.

Southwestward, along the north coast, there are numerous faded signs of the tin mining industry, such as the extensive remains of wheelhouses on clifftops around Botallack. Across the bay from St. Ives, the crisp white lighthouse at Godrevy punctuates the skyline above an intriguing maze of shattered, contorted rocks. We may also venture south to the Channel coast and The Lizard peninsula, its coastline punctuated by rocky coves with attractive fishing villages.

Framed by Mount's Bay and topped with a medieval church and castle, islands with tidal causeways don't get much more spectacular than St. Michael’s Mount. Although renowned as a dawn location, photographers can enjoy it an any time of day by working around the tidal and weather conditions to find the best angles.

Inland, the landscape of Cornwall is one of gently rolling hills, deep wooded valleys and ancient Celtic remains. We can hope that ramsons and bluebells will be in full flower during our visit.

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As always on our workshops, in addition to photography in the field, time will be dedicated to constructive critique sessions and instruction on using Photoshop, Lightroom and Capture One.

 

We will be catered for by our own chef, Saskia. This will allow us to set meal times according to our photographic needs, rather than the other way around. We are able to cater to any dietary needs, such as gluten free or allergies.

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