Explore Purbeck: Small Group Workshop

Think of Dorset - and the Isle of Purbeck in particular - and no doubt iconic locations such as Durdle Door, Kimmeridge Bay and Corfe Castle will spring to mind. But there is so much more to Purbeck than these locations, spectacular as they are. In fact, just around the corner from some of this country’s most popular landmarks are quiet, secluded coves, abandoned quarries and imposing sea stacks.

We’ve never featured these locations on previous workshops, simply because they are not practical for larger groups. So to allow us access, this workshop has a maximum group size of just 6 participants (but still with two tutors). You’ll therefore be able to photograph from some of the more restricted viewpoints without getting in each others’ way. Another benefit of the smaller group size is that there will be an impressive 1:3 tutor to participant ratio, guaranteeing you a huge amount of individual attention.

Of course, we’re not going to simply ignore the more popular locations such as Durdle Door, but when we do visit them, we’ll make sure that we can show you some new angles and lesser-known viewpoints. There will be three days of photography, including 3 sunsets and 2 dawn shoots.

Early autumn is one of the best times of the year to be shooting in Purbeck. The sun is rising and setting at the perfect angle for photography on the Jurassic coast and early autumn often brings with it some low-lying mist and fog - ideal for shooting the ruins of Corfe Castle.

For this workshop, we will be based at the Kingston Country Courtyard, ideally located just a stone’s throw from one of the best viewpoints of Corfe Castle, and a venue full of character and charm. The small group size means that rather than having formal tutorials in a meeting room, we can review images on laptops over a drink in the evening. Included in the price are 2 nights’ dinner, B&B accommodation (single occupancy) and packed lunches on all 3 days.

Your tutors for this workshop are Ross Hoddinott and Mark Bauer. Mark is a Purbeck resident and author of the Fotovue guidebook, ‘Photographing Dorset’ and Ross has been exploring the area for many years with his camera. You can therefore be confident that with their in-depth local knowledge, they will always make sure you are in the right place at the right time to make the most of the locations.

We hope you can join us…