Put your limits to the test. St Abbs Head is one of the most scenic locations, with epic views of dramatic cliffs and clear blue water.  Away from the hustle and bustle of busy life, you'll enjoy the fresh sea air and sounds of the local seabirds.  On this photography tour, you'll battle against your own limits and the landscape as you hike to the top of the reserve in time to catch the sunrise illuminating St Abbs Lighthouse. The lighthouse is situated on the edge of a cliff which looks immense on camera due to the views straight across the sea. This is the perfect backdrop for the wee lighthouse in any weather event! We will meet at a car park at the start of the nature reserve walk at 4:30am. Then we will set off for a 45 minute hike through the reserve towards St Abbs Lighthouse. You will be given tips on how to create a composition based on the subject . We will discuss how to control lighting, depending on what weather is available on the day. You will be introduced to basic camera settings such as ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture . We have set aside 4 hours for the workshop, this includes 1 hour max for the hike towards the subject, 2 hours for the practical experience using a camera to capture a sunrise, and 1 hour for the hike back to the car park. You should join this workshop if: You want to learn a new skill or Enhance photography skills  Achieve a goal Reduce stress, anxiety and depression  Gain self confidence Improve mental health and wellbeing  Reduce loneliness and social isolation  Put your limits to the test  Overcome a fear  Experience the extraordinary Become part of a community that offer support and guidance with anything Become a photographer This workshop is challenging but so rewarding. You will be chuffed with yourself after hiking to the lighthouse and the views you'll experience.  If you don't have access to a camera, you can bring your smartphone and we can introduce you to the pro camera settings so you can still create something you will be proud of.  Due to covid-19 restrictions, we will be adhering to social distancing rules. We will wear masks if we need to show you something up close on your camera/smartphone. As it is an outdoor workshop, it is not a requirement for you to wear a mask but you are welcome to wear one if you would like to. If you can, please bring hand sanitizer so we can reduce the amount of potential transmission.   Inclusions What you'll need 🧤 Warm Clothing - It can get drafty on the cliffs ☂️ Waterproofs - Wellies, to avoid those soggy sock moments! 🍴 Food - A bite to eat to replenish the energy burned up the hills 🥤 Drink - Water to hydrate. You'll need it. 📋 Other - Photography equipment (camera, lenses, filters...or smartphone!), Covid protection (masks, hand sanitizer)

We have all been thrown into a restrictive lifestyle due to the global pandemic becoming a part of our lives for a year now.  Mental health is of the upmost importance. You, or somebody you care for may suffer in silence. You, or your loved ones may be fighting battles that are overwhelmingly difficult to conquer.  Photography has helped both of us at Sassenach Photography with our mental health. One of us was taken ill, and battled through both physical and mental battles. The other, the effects of having the social interactions restricted played havoc on the mind.  Photography improves mental wellbeing drastically because it focuses the mind on something new, something that has to happen quickly...but also intricately.  This workshop is built around focusing the mind, enhancing self confidence, improving mental wellbeing and learning a new skill. An immersive day learning basic Photography Any location tells a story, whether that be a lone tree on a hill or a mountain with a dramatic sky over it's peak.  The challenge is capturing that story for you to tell others. We will be teaching you the basics of photography to allow you to adapt techniques to your own photographs and make them something you will be proud of.  We will meet at Cocklawburn Beach, an absolutely stunning beach located outside of Berwick-Upon-Tweed at 5am to catch the sunrise. On the occasion that the weather isn't on our side, we will adapt to create something different. You will be given tips on how to create a composition based on the subject. We will discuss how to control lighting, depending on what weather is available on the day. You will be introduced to basic camera settings such as ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture. We have chosen this location for a few reasons.  The natural beauty of this beach is a photographer's heaven with the potential to create long exposures of the rocky limestone, or quick snapshots of the sun dancing on the tips of the sand dunes.  If you're a keen birdwatcher, there is plenty of bird activity on this beach with sightings of Black Scoters, Red-necked Grebes and Black-throated Divers.  The beach and the sea have many benefits with helping mental health. The sea air calms the mind, allowing time to breathe and escape from the constraints of every day life. You should join this workshop if: You want to learn a new skill or Enhance photography skills  Achieve a goal Reduce stress, anxiety and depression  Gain self confidence Improve mental health and wellbeing  Reduce loneliness and social isolation  Become part of a community that offer support and guidance with anything Become a photographer This is a chilled, relaxed workshop. We will only be introducing the basics of photography so it doesn't become a stressful situation but rather, an engaging and rewarding experience.  We will however set you a challenge to try after the workshop has finished. This will involve creating a photograph using the information we have provided during the workshop, and applying that to a criteria we will give you. This is voluntary, and just for fun. You will have the option to share your photo on our Facebook group for others to leave feedback on.  If you don't have access to a camera, you can bring your smartphone and we can introduce you to the pro camera settings so you can still create something you will be proud of.  Due to covid-19 restrictions, we will be adhering to social distancing rules. We will wear masks if we need to show you something up close on your camera/smartphone. As it is an outdoor workshop, it is not a requirement for you to wear a mask but you are welcome to wear one if you would like to. If you can, please bring hand sanitizer so we can reduce the amount of potential transmission.   Inclusions What you'll need ☂️ Waterproofs - Wellies 🥤 Drink - Bottle of water 📋 Other - Photography gear (camera, tripod, lenses, filters etc)/or Smartphone. Covid protection (face masks, hand sanitizer etc)

If you are learning photography, why not learn how to capture two iconic subjects....Lindisfarne Castle and the Holy Island Causeway!  Lindisfarne Castle has dominated the horizon since the 16th century, on clear days it is even visible from the Scottish Borders. It is sited upon Beblowe Craig, a huge volcanic mound. The castle has been present during many significant historical events. It has seen Monks, Viking raids, Normans, the Scottish Wars of Independence, the island become Tudor ownership under the one and only Henry VIII, the castle itself being captured by Jacobite rebels....and now it has to deal with the army of sheep inhabiting its land!  The causeway becomes completely submerged by the sea twice daily, meaning the island is cut off from the mainland. But when it is open, you can experience the raw natural beauty that is presented once the sea subsides. The road across the causeway has a little hut alongside it, which is very photogenic...especially under a moody, grey sky! There are posts marking the old crossing, Pilgrim's Way. These are a great subject to practice shooting minimal, fine art photographs, paired with the Refugee Boxes, you can get some incredible images. Even with the accuracy of the tide times which allow you amble time to enter or leave the island safely, there are still people who think their cars can somehow beat the incoming tides! The Refugee Boxes and the Hut have been used by those people because they were caught out! So don't risk it, your car is not stronger or faster than the sea. We have taken the time to explore many different shooting angle in multiple lighting conditions, which means we can help advice you on how to take the best images of these two iconic subjects. We focus on capturing a story, we think about the 'why?' when we compose an image. Why is Lindisfarne Castle iconic? How can we create an image that shows an 'iconic' feeling? How can the lighting we are presented with e.g. pink sunrise, dark moody clouds exaggerate that feeling?  We will challenge you to think about these aspects when you compose your shot.  We will meet at the main car park on the island and walk to Lindisfarne Castle for either sunrise or sunset (this depends on the tide times for access onto and off the island) We will explore the castle from the grounds outside and then you will be.. ...given tips on how to create a composition based on the subject, and how to take the components you are presented with to create an image that tells a story. ...advised on how to control lighting, depending on what weather is available on the day. ...introduced to camera settings such as ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture, practiced in manual mode. After we have finished at the castle, we will set off to explore the causeway where the tips you have learned and practiced at the castle will also be put to use. We have set aside two timeslots with 4 hours each, an early morning timeslot focusing on a potential sunrise, and an evening timeslot to capture the sunset. Be sure to book with those in mind. You should join this workshop if: You want to learn a new skill or  Enhance photography skills  Achieve a goal  Reduce stress, anxiety and depression  Gain self confidence  Improve mental health and wellbeing  Reduce loneliness and social isolation  Put your limits to the test  Overcome a fear  Experience the extraordinary  Learn how to create powerful photographs Become part of a community that offer support and guidance with anything  Become a photographer This workshop will leave you asking questions about what makes a good image. This workshop is for camera users only.  We have to take the tide times into account when running this workshop to ensure the safety of both ourselves and you, the participant. With this in mind, please be aware that the workshop times may be altered to correspond with the tide times of the island. 5% of the workshop price will be donated to Lindisfarne Castle through The National Trust throughout the month of April. Due to covid-19 restrictions, we will be adhering to social distancing rules. We will wear masks if we need to show you something up close on your camera/smartphone. As it is an outdoor workshop, it is not a requirement for you to wear a mask but you are welcome to wear one if you would like to. If you can, please bring hand sanitizer so we can reduce the amount of potential transmission.   Inclusions What you'll need 🧤 Warm Clothing ☂️ Waterproofs - Wellies!! 🍴 Food 🥤 Drink - Water, flask of tea etc 📋 Other - Photography equipment (camera, lenses, filters, tripod, batteries, memory cards!)