Lake District & Eryri Landscape Photography Workshops

Lake District 1-1 Workshops and Groups 

Come and develop your landscape photography skills with me and Vicki Procter in the fantastic scenery of the Lake District!

My bespoke one-to-one and small-group landscape photography workshops will help you enhance and /or further your camera skills. We will take you from first viewing at the location to processing the image. This will include establishing better knowledge of your camera, composition, the understanding of light and all undertaken while photographing in some of the area's finest landscapes.

The Lake District offers a vast, diverse variety of locations for you, the landscape photographer to derive the most from. Whether that be in Wasdale or Eskdale, around Coniston or the Langdales, you will not be disappointed. I have many, many years of experience of taking photographs and teaching in the lakes and I took my first image only dads camera there back in the early 1960’s. Yes, they had cameras then!

Many of you will want to concentrate on the bigger, classic views on your landscape photography workshop, and for that we will visit locations such as Wast Water or overlooking the Upper Esk. Whilst there ‘on location,’ I can teach you how to control your camera by going through a simple process and achieving consistent results. I use a tri[pod and if you don’t have one, I can lend you one. Graduated filters are a must for me and if you don’t have some, I will lend you them for the duration. My process is very simple and we will undertake a series of ‘checks’ so that the final image in camera will only require a minimal amount of work in Lightroom. These locations allied with my methods will make your time spent out in the landscape with Vicki and I so much more enjoyable.

Prior to the day(s) we have arranged, we will have exchanged a number of emails (and/or spoken on the phone) and as a part of your workshop, I will ask you to forward a dozen of your best landscapes to me. These will form part of the start of our time together at the opening of the workshop as we discuss the forthcoming day over a coffee before we move out. Once we have been out ‘in the field’ we will return and process your images. Vicki will send the guide notes out to you a few days after you have left.

I do go to ‘honeypots’ if you so wish and I can always find spots there where we will not be part of a crowd. It is not a problem.

One of my favourite places to visit is the route that takes you over Birker Fell. It gives a fantastic view of the Scafells and the Upper Esk. Even when the clag is down it still delivers a view that will want you coming back for more! My particular choice of landscape photographs are the dramatic ones where the ‘godlight’ or ‘celestial totch’ illuminate the fells through the gloom and I have been lucky to manage a few from there over the years.

“Mark, I feel I must write to express my gratitude and thanks to you and Vicki Procter regarding the delivery of your two-day workshop in the lakes which has been nothing more than absolutely fantastic! It has been so much fun, with ...'cough' jokes? along the way. I was put at ease from the very first moment of our meet-up and never at any point did I feel that I was put under any pressure. It is difficult to put into words just how grateful I am and that your delivery was exactly what I was looking for when I booked onto the workshop! I do feel a lot more confident going forward because my approach before taking a shot is now more considered and structured, giving me a better understanding of what I am now doing resulting in a better chance of getting as much right in camera instead. My days of sorting through 50+ shots and hours in front of the computer are now gone thanks to you both! An added bonus? I have gained two fabulous friends and I will book you on another workshop.

Tony Bain, Chorley

As well as the classics, others will want to pursue something that is close to my heart, namely the smaller, more ‘intimate landscapes’ that go to make up the bigger picture. With outstanding places such as the industrial landscapes of the quarries at Hodge Close to throw into the mix, you don’t have to ‘plant your tripod’ where others have done. This is a great place to explore.

Whilst Keswick and Ambleside are known for their commerciality, I sometimes use it as a base because they are ideally placed for me to deliver my workshops. It is no wonder this area is very well visited in the holidays because nearly everywhere you look is a potential photograph.

It can be difficult to move around sometimes so I avoid weekends and deliver the workshops Tuesday to Thursday. You can never guarantee that it will be quieter but we have places we know that will still deliver. Some are easy to work with others that will have you thinking!

I have a nice circular route that we can take through the Newlands Valley over to Buttermere and there is plenty to do when you arrive there with your camera. Plenty! Coming back, I usually go via the magnificent Honister Pass where there are waterfalls that are set in the most glorious of scenery. Continuing the journey back to Keswick there is the imposing Eagle Crag overlooking Galleny Force at Langstrath. All perfect for delivering landscape photography workshops and to be fair, each of those could and does sometimes demand a full day of your time. However, we discuss and decide what you want, then put you in those places to maximise your time with us.

Over on the western side, sits Ravenglass, which is the only coastal village in the National Park. That offers a completely different type of landscape photography for you to explore. Sunsets and mountainous backdrops!

“If Carlsberg did Photography Workshops.....

My family gave me a one day workshop with Mark for my birthday. What a fantastic present! I’ve always loved photography but would snap off loads of photos and then search through to find the few that I felt hit the mark (no pun intended!). Within the first few hours of the workshop I realised that, whilst I might have a great love of photography and could capture a few happy snaps, I didn’t have any process or even much understanding of how to take time, compose, and put real thought into getting great photos. Now, thanks to Mark, I understand that that there really is a much better process to work with, and I am having great fun putting this into practice. It is reducing the clutter stored on my laptop as I now only come back with fewer images from a shoot, as opposed to hundreds to wade through looking for the better ones!!  During the day out in Wasdale, I enjoyed great company and laughed a lot. Thanks so much to Mark and Vicki who have an extraordinary ability to teach this process. He also has some great stories to share! A big thanks to Vicki (a very talented photographer) who also helped me through the workshop, contributing to a thoroughly fabulous day. I can’t wait to book on another workshop soon to gain more knowledge and have fun in the fells. Thanks again for a really fantastic day. Lots of laughs, lots of learning, and lots more enjoyment every time I take my camera out now.”

Kate Wilson, Cumbria 

One thing I do not do, is spend time ascending the fells or foot slogging for hours on foot. My landscape photography workshops are not walking courses but those where we concentrate on your photography. Of course, there will be places we can go to that delivers a more elevated position, (where the lanes will afford us the ability to go higher in the car) and I do that when needed. However, in the main, we will drive to the various locations and we will be walking on low, undulating terrain. That still means that you will need appropriate clothing for the mountains. It is the lakes after all and the weather can be a tad hostile when it wants too! I am an advocate of poles too and always have them with me.

“In my 2 day landscape photography workshop with Mark and Vicki, I learned so much! Like many photographers I have spent countless hours working on images in photoshop to get them just right. Using the techniques I have been shown, I am now processing images in minutes and they look great! Add to that the friendly approach, listening to what I wanted from the workshop (and the never-ending stream of jokes!) made for a very pleasant and valuable experience. I would 100% recommend to any aspiring photographer.”

Tim Amphlett, Lancashire

The weather can be challenging in the lakes but IO have to be honest, that’s when I personally like to venture out and get those moody, dramatic images. Now please do not get me wrong, one thing that Vicki and I do is always respect the landscape. Our moto is simple : the mountains will be there another day.

Mountain skills trained, we put into practice what we have learned. There are many weather apps to look at but we keep a keen eye on the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) and are sensible. More often than not, we may encounter a number of frequent showers during the day but as we carry a couple of golf brollies, we are capable of working together, getting the required images with you. There are times though when it can be amazonian and in some cases, we will suggest a rescheduling.

“Mark, I wanted to offer my grateful thanks for an excellent 2 day course with yourself and Vicki recently. I quickly realised I was in the presence of a ‘Master’ and was happy to play ‘Grasshopper’ on this occasion ha ha! ( ref. King Fu 1970’s tv series). During our first hours together, I had to unlearn some of the bad habits I had gathered taking pictures in the past. You offered a solution via a simple methodical process and patient mentoring. Both you and Vicki offered your knowledge and expertise willingly and we had great fun due to an informal and friendly atmosphere throughout. Equally important to me was an understanding of composition and camera control as technical issues are not my forte. You guided me expertly through this and I now have the confidence to set my camera correctly. The course was one of the most surprising and satisfying 2 days I have had in a very long time as it was both educational and entertaining. I go forward with renewed vigour spending days out with my camera. If you are considering a workshop with people who really do teach and NOT guide as I have had the misfortune to have been on in the past, then Mark and Vicki are great photographers who love to teach others, a brilliant combination. Thanks again to you both and having already re booked with you, I will see you both in ‘26 and ‘27!

Ronny Marsden, Lancashire

Whilst we do not undertake ‘open’ courses for people, Vicki and I will deliver group landscape photography workshops to clubs and societies. These prove very popular and require a minimum of four and maximum of six people.

“I would like to thank you both On behalf of the members of the Lancaster Photographic Society who attended your excellent one day Workshop by the River Brathay. to say that we all thoroughly enjoyed our day, despite the typical lakes weather is an understatement! Just our luck too, being sandwiched in between fine and sunny days! It didn’t dampen our spirits though. The approach by Mark and Vicki was excellent and after having a group chat over coffee, we set off along the River which is a perfect spot for great images. Mark and Vicki are very knowledgeable with their craft and we all learned a thing or two due to the relaxed style they delivered to us. I have to say that they were both very patient with us all. Not only did we have a good laugh but more importantly, we all came away with a new way of taking a good landscape whatever the weather. Without doubt we all agreed that we would highly recommend Mark and Vicki for a day’s club workshop.”

Ruth Lochrie, Lancaster Photographic Society

“Recently, five members of the Bolton Camera Club, went out with Mark and Vicki to the Lake District on a days workshop. What a great time we had and all of us said how much we really enjoyed it and learned something from you both. Whether that be camera/lens settings, compositional tips, exposure calculation, use of relevant equipment but just as importantly, how to even see the shot within a landscape in front of you! It was all extremely useful and no time was wasted. The two locations you took us to were stunning and the manner in which you and Vicky present the information and share your knowledge puts everyone at ease. The support and advice from both Vicki and yourself were relaxed, supportive, timely and appropriate ensuring that you were encouraging and challenging in group and individual interactions. Imparting your knowledge allowed us to ‘see’ a vision of the final image. This, allied with simplifying the photographic process, allowed us to do this.  By adopting that systematic approach to the image creating process, was invaluable Just as importantly we enjoyed the day.Once again, thanks from all of us for a thoroughly enjoyable day of photography and I know we are already planning a second outing with you both.”

Eric Grindle and John Durham, Bolton Camera Club

*It is important to note that this is not the end of your time with us, as you will now be part of a substantial number of people who we have had the privilege of working with over the years. We make ourselves available to you, to proffer help of which there is no additional fee and if needs be continue with your photographic progression and welcome you back on further workshops.*

Full landscape photography workshop and course details can be found here.