Isle of Skye 2023
Mist and Majesty: the Skye’s the Limit
Isle of Skye Photography Workshop
£980 (€1,150)
24th – 27th February 2023
3 Nights
Landscape and seascape photographic tuition in the most iconic locations on Skye, renowned for its mist and mood. Departing from Glasgow International Airport, we will also have opportunities to photograph locations en-route in the Glencoe area and at Eilean Donan Castle.
Isle of Skye
Price
Full Price £980 (€1,150) Deposit £200 (€250)
Exertion Level
This tour involves some uphill hiking, so a moderate level of fitness is advised. The climb to the Old Man of Storr is steep and takes around 45 minutes (you may choose to opt out of this); the uphill trail following the River Brittle to visit 'the Fairy Pools' takes around 35 minutes.
Participants
3 Photographers Max; Min Group Size 2
Location
Skye, Dates 24th – 27th February 2023 Duration – 3 Nights
Accommodation
4* Hotel (single occupancy rooms guaranteed)
Workshop Includes
• 4* Hotel accommodation (breakfast not included)
• Full professional photographic tuition throughout the course
• Airport/Hotel pick up/drop off as specified
• Transport during the workshop
• Landscape and Nightscape photography field work tuition tailored to participants' skill level
• If schedule permits tuition in Lightroom and Photoshop, according to client's experience
X Workshop Excludes
• Flights
• All meals, snacks and drinks
• Travel and camera equipment insurance
Meeting Point
The trip commences and ends at Glasgow International Airport. Please arrange to arrive between 10:00 to 12:00 on 24th February . We will return to Glasgow by 20:00 (8:00 PM) on 27th February. Participants from Scotland, other parts of Britain, and further afield, can rendezvous at Glasgow International Airport or at our accommodation in Portree
Where we will stay
Our base will be Portree, the main town on Skye, which has a range of eateries, bars and shops. We will be staying in a 4* Georgian-era hotel described by The Telegraph as ‘A neat, sophisticated little hotel for lovers of clean, contemporary style in a peaceful position with a knock-your-socks-off view’. Single room occupancy is guaranteed. Breakfast by arrangement.
Itinerary
The photo tour is limited to only three participants to allow for one-on-one tuition, freedom of movement and sufficient space per person at each location.
We have timed our visit to coincide with a new moon which will give higher tides at sunrise/sunset and also the opportunity to practice some astrophotography, weather permitting. Our precise itinerary will be fluid and based on prevailing weather conditions, but we will take in prime locations including:
•The Old Man of Storr
•The Quiraing
•Talisker Beach
•The Cuillin Mountains from Elgol Beach
•The Fairy Pools
•Neist Point Lighthouse
•The Sligachan Bridge and River
What level of photography is required?
Whether you are a beginner looking to improve your photography skills, or an advanced photographer wanting to be taken to prime locations, our photo tour is open to all. Our only criteria is that you have a great passion for landscape photography, don't mind braving the elements, and have the energy and motivation to be constantly ‘on the go'!
What camera equipment do I need to bring?
• DSLR camera with full manual mode
• Sturdy tripod
• A wide angle lens
• A neutral density filter (optional)
• A polarising filter (optional)
• Hard and soft graduated filters (optional)
• Laptop with Lightroom and Photoshop installed (optional but recommended)
• Shower cap or suitable covering to keep your camera dry
What clothing/footwear/equipment do I need to bring?
The influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream give Skye a mild oceanic climate. Temperatures are generally cool in February, with an average range of 2-7 C, but westerly weather fronts can sweep in off the Atlantic bringing stormy, unsettled weather, and our previous visits have even coincided with snow. You must be well-equipped for various weather conditions, including mist and rain, so we recommend you bring the following:
• Sturdy, warm boots
• Wellies or waders for beach photography
• Waterproof jacket and trousers
• Down jacket or similar
• Warm hat and gloves
• Ice grips (for hiking on high ground if conditions are freezing)
• Head torch (with red light setting) for night photography
Price
The cost is £980 (€1,150) pp single occupancy
A deposit of £200 (€250) is required to secure your place. Stage payments of balance by arrangement.
Terms and conditions apply, read here
Reserve your tour now using PayPal
Pay deposit £200 (€250)
With its epic scenery, dramatic weather and magical light, the Isle of Skye has become the latest playground de jour for social media users, and a firm favourite for landscape photography.
It’s not hard to see why. Desolate, wind-blasted moors of heather dotted with sheep, sweep down to moody silver lochs. Gnarled peninsulas with fearsome basalt sea cliffs defiantly jut out into the restless Atlantic Ocean, and great saw-toothed mountains, geological lairds of the island, lift their sublime craggy heads to greet oft cloudy skies.
The volcanically derived landscape feels as vast and barren as Iceland’s, and its terrain is blanketed in a verdure reminiscent of the Faroe Islands. It gets very similar weather too, sitting in the firing line of the low pressure systems sweeping across the north Atlantic. Indeed, local people call their island Eilean a’Cheo, ‘Isle of Mist’, and the Vikings named it Sky-a ‘cloud island’.
The Isle of Skye’s most dramatic geological feature is undoubtedly the Trotternish Ridge escarpment, formed during a series of landslips, which runs for almost the full length of the 30km Trotternish peninsula. It includes the Isle of Skye’s most famous landmark – the Old Man of Storr – an isolated gnarly basalt pinnacle which featured in the opening scenes of Ridley Scott’s blockbuster movie, Prometheus. The Quiraing hosts equally dramatic rocky pinnacles and crags. Places such as the Fairy Pools, a series of turquoise pools and silver waterfalls, seem to have been lifted straight from the pages of a fantasy book. Read our blog Highlands and Islands: A Scottish Photographic Odyssey for more details.
Our tours specialise in small groups to give each participant the time and space to learn, or to develop, existing skills.
Dawn at the Quiraing
Eilean Donan Castle in the blue hour
The Old Man of Storr
The Elgol ‘egg’
The Needle
Neist Point Lighthouse