Our nature photography courses and workshops are specifically designed to give people of all kinds of levels the opportunity to improve their photography and to enjoy the great outdoors, culture and history of the North East of Scotland. We believe that by working with the local community such as professional photographers, tourism providers and non-profit organisations, you will have an unforgettable experience in an inspiring and sustainable environment!
Our courses and workshops are focussed on learning the technical skills of photography and image manipulation, artistic expression, visualization and conceptual thinking. We offer different courses to suit your requirements whether you are looking for a day, a weekend, an evening, in a small group, with two people or an individual session. If you don’t have your own camera and equipment, you can rent it with us. The number of participants on any course is kept small, with a maximum of 4 at any one time, in order to provide individual assistance where necessary and to keep impact on the environment as low as possible. By working in teams and supplying relevant notes and other useful material, you are encouraged to develop a critical yet constructive eye on your work.
Since 2007 Clifton has been working as a full time professional photographer and photography tutor. His photographs can be seen both in exhibitions across Aberdeenshire and in high end PR projects around the world. One of these projects which gave him great recognition of his work was during a world summit on fresh water management at the United Nations headquarters in New York. One of his photographs was published on the cover of documents which were placed at each delegate table. One of his seascape photos has been published in a tutorial DVD of the British photography magazine Digital Camera. The surreal image of the flying gulls is being used as CD cover by an international singer. As tutor he has delivered many individual and small group workshops in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for PictureNature and has received great feedback from his students (see below).
In 2008 his work and that of 11 other emerging photographers have been selected by world famous visual artist and educator John Paul Caponigro to be exhibited in top galleries across the United States from July 2009. Hopefully this will lead to a solo exhibition over there. Any new developments regarding this opportunity will be posted here.
Since 2009 he is regularly being commissioned by artists and art organisations that need high-quality images of their creative work for PR. By using his new camera Nikon D3x, his artistic eye and his excellent knowledge of colour balance, Clifton is now becoming a specialist in this niche market.
NEW: Workshop Learn Your Own Camera in Crathes Garden
We are delighted that from this year PictureNature will have the opportunity to run the Learn Your Own Camera workshops in the beautiful garden of Crathes Castle! Gain confidence in the technicalities of your camera and achieve the results you've always wanted. You will learn all about the features on your camera like shutter speed, aperture, film speed/ISO settings, jpg-formats, exposure and white balance. This workshop is suitable for beginners with a compact or DSLR camera. Due to different technical capabilities of both type of cameras, we have split the groups so that people with one type of camera are together. In that way we can provide you the best tuition. Minimum is 2, maximum is 4 people.
We are offering two options. Choose the one that suits your requirements and budget:
Option 1: Half day (Code WS/CAM1)
A 3,5-hour session with tuition of hands-on camera skills in the garden (weather permitting), greenhouse and indoors,
morning 9.30 am - 1.00 pm or afternoon 1.30 pm - 5.00 pm.
Price: £95.00 p.p.
Dates 2009: Saturday 28 March morning; compact, 28 March afternoon; DSLR
Saturday 25 April: DSLR only
Saturday 30 May morning: compact, 30 May afternoon: DSLR
Saturday 20 June morning: compact, 20 June afternoon: DSLR
Saturday 26 September: DSLR only
Saturday 24 October: DSLR only
Option 2: Full day (Code WS/CAM2)
A 7-hour session with tuition of hands-on camera skills in the garden (weather permitting), greenhouse and indoors + individual feedback and introduction into digital editing in meeting room with overhead projector,
from 9.30 am - 4.30 pm. DSLR cameras only!
Price: £175.00 p.p. (incl. lunch)
Dates 2009: Sunday 29 March, 26 April, 31 May, 21 June, 27 September, 25 October
Testimonials:
" The workshop was tailored to my exact requirements"
June Waters, Milltimber
" Perfect tutor/pupil ratio, excellent information delivered in a relaxed atmosphere at the correct pace. All felt at ease within minutes of meeting. Clifton so enjoyes his subject you cannot help but gain from going on the workshop".
Alan Harper, Aberdeen
" I learned a lot from Clifton and he explained things clearly and in a very interesting way. I love the fact that the group size is always kept small. I have been practising with my camera with some very interesting results!".
Kate Wood, Dyce
"A very good grounding in basic digital photography"
" I have already recommended this workshop to 2 people and would describe it as insightfully basic which is ideal for beginners"
" Well worth it!"
" Clifton makes a real difference to someone like me who clearly didn't know how to use the camera properly. I could pick up tips and advice which I will now make use of all the time!"
Rosemary, Banchory
Introduction course
This course is the next step up from Learn Your Own Camera workshop and is only suitable for DSLR camera owners. It will be taught in RAW only. In two days the following subjects will be covered;
- The art of nature by textures, patterns, colour and size
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Artistic skills such as composition and light
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Technical skills such as shutter speed, aperture, film speed/ISO settings and white balance will be covered briefly. We expect you to have the basic knowledge of how to use these features on your (rented) camera.
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Equipment
- Photo shop skills:
- converting from RAW
- Adjusting levels, curves and colour saturation
- introduction histogram
Group session (code INTRO/GR):
Minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 people. 2 full days. If you bring along more people to complete the group, you will receive a discount of up to 25 % on your own booking.
Price: £280.00 pp (including lunch)
Dates 2009: 4 and 5 April, 2 and 3 May, 6 and 7 June, 27 and 28 June. Contact us for availability.
Testimonials:
" The course was beyond my expectations! It was a thoroughly enjoyable and informative weekend. My photography will most certainly have improved technically and artistically and I am highly enthused to get out and take more pictures. Great value for money. Thank you, Clifton!"
Lucy Wisely, Aboyne, Scotland
" The Introduction course was first class. Clifton deserves a special mention. Apart from processing quite superb technical skills, he clearly is very artistic and passionate about photography. Not only that, he has such a down to earth, friendly and approachable manner-he really was the ideal instructor".
Ian Chalmers, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
" I would recommend the Introduction course to anyone, because Clifton takes time and effort to each individually. His advice is always spot-on and he knows how to tell someone ways to improve their work without being highly critical. Clifton is alsoincredibly enthusiastic and gives us a lot of encouragement, which is important when you are trying to be creative".
Vilma Mc Adam, Aberdeen, Scotland.
" I was attracted to the course because of the photographs on the website. The style is one I find appealing and the standard is better than many I have seen. Although I chose the Introduction course, Clifton was able to adapt it to suit my needs and pushed me ahead rather than going over things I found I remembered. He advised me about equipment for my style of photography and suggested which areas to work on to improve. I found the course enjoyable and was inspired to get out and take photographs with greater confidence".
Patricia Snowdon, Fintray, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
" Cliff is an excellent and enthusiastic teacher, who uses his passion to inspire students, no matter what level they are at. He taught me how to see things differently by moving my body. Technically, Cliff paints a picture of how all the different elements come together and interact with eachother. We had great fun and it didn't seem like learning at all. I can't wait till next time!"
Maxine Fawcett, Dyce, Aberdeen, Scotland.
"I enjoyed the course greatly especially because there were only two of us and Clifton was able to give us a great deal of personal attention. He was very patient and I feel I gained a lot from the experience which I hope will benefit my photography in years to come. Please convey my thanks to him."
Dennis Scott, Inverurie, Scotland
" I learned so much about so many different aspects of photography, it's hard to tell where to start. I left with full of enthusiasm and with masses of ideas of what I want to photograph. Clifton is so good at explaining things and has givem me the confidence to go and try new things. He has also made me think a lot about goals to set myself that will undoubtedly improve my photography skills".
Louise Black, Aberdeen, Scotland.
Intermediate course
In this course you will not only apply the skills learned in the Introduction course but also learn about:
- how to use filters and extension tubes
- white balance
- long exposures
- histogram in depth
- preparation for printing
- sharpening
- colour balance, noise reduction and layer masking
Included in this course are some useful photographic accessories to practice your skills during the course and in your own time. Having your own D-SLR or extensive experience with a rented D-SLR is prerequisite for this course.
Group session (code INT/GR):
Minimum 2, maximum 3 people. 2 full days. If you bring along more people, you will receive a discount of up to 25 % on your own booking.
Price: £300.00 p.p. (including lunch)
Dates 2009: 9 and 10 May. Contact us for availability.
Testimonials:
" I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend and would not change a thing in the Intermediate course. It was very relaxed and informal and Cliff is a great guy too. I would definitely come back and recommend it to my friends".
Pamela Cameron, Perth, Scotland.
One or two day Individualised Intensive workshop
This workshop is completely tailor made to meet your requirements, no matter what level of photography skills. Whether you want to learn more about photography in general or a specific skill you would like to improve or a special landscape location, we will design the course you have always been looking for!
We offer you a free personal meeting with your tutor (or phone call if this isn't possible) without any obligations. This will give you the opportunity to discuss your requirements in full detail and the tutor can assess your ability. If you are happy with your personal photography plan, you can book the workshop. Maximum amount of people is 2.
Availability: by application. Contact us and discuss the date(s) which suit you best.
Price one day: £325.00 pp (including lunch). Code WS/IND1
Price two days: £525.00 pp (incl. lunch). Code WS/IND2
Testimonials:
" I am glad I chose the Individualised workshop because I have learnt so much in one weekend. Clifton is a fantastic tutor and makes you feel completely at ease. He let me experiment with my photographs and never made me feel that there were any limits to expressing my creativity. In fact, he actively encouraged it! I have bought many books on photography and have always struggled. I will definitely come back for the Intermediate course".
Yasmeen, Scotland
" I am very pleased because it has been extremely worthwile doing a one-on-one workshop. In that way all my questions were answered. Clifton's enthusiasm, patience and attitude has definitely encouraged me. The workshop is excellent value for money and I would recommend it to anybody who would like to improve his skills".
Jacqui Morris, Scotland
" Cliff is a knowledgable and sympathetic tutor. He tailors the course to whatever the student wants to get out of it as the day progresses. He is understanding and flexible and from his point of vie, the course is perfect for those with some experience who know roughly what they want to achieve".
Paul Doyle, Scotland
"( ...)I liked the encouragement to adopt an experimental approach, to accept mistakes as a valuable and essential part of learning photography and just do it. That is quite freeing and makes learning enjoyable and creatively playful(...).
Anonymous
"One-on-one tuition is the best to learn far more"
Anonymous
Fast track to semi-professional photographer
If you are already a keen photographer and want to know how you can showcase your work in a professional way, then consider this course. For a period of 6 months, one day a month, you will be trained and coached by Clifton Mair. After each session you will be given assignments which will be discussed in the next session. The following subjects will be covered:
- Technical skills such as the camera, Photoshop CS3, Lightroom and printing
- Conceptual design: thinking in patterns, textures, colours and structures
- Presentation: learn how to build your portfolio and to prepare for an exhibition
- Fine art photography: fine art photography, process of experimentation, developing a creative vision
This course is very intense and requires full commitment from you and your tutor. Therefore it's necessary to take a half day assessment session or have attended one of the other courses. The maximum is 2 people. If you are interested, please contact us to discuss further details.The course starts in April and ends in October.
Workshop Digital Imaging
Learn how to manage your digital workflow and edit your photos with Photoshop Lightroom. You will be guided through the essential steps to manage, improve and present your photos with the help of a professional photographer. In the first session of three hours you will familiarise with the software. During the second session of the workshop you will apply the learned skills to your own photos. Course notes and a 1GB USB stick are included. Minimum amount of people is 2, maximum is 4. Basic knowledge of and experience with digital editing (camera or third-party software) is required.
Availability: by application. Contact us to discuss available dates.
Location: Banchory Business Centre or Aberdeen
Price excl. software: £250.00 pp. (Code WS/DI)
If you bring along more people, you will receive a discount of up to 25 % on your own booking.
We can also provide one-on-one sessions at your house or office on a time which is convenient for you. The price is £45.00 per hour. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
Accomodation
If you need accomodation during your workshop or course, we would be more than happy to give you some suggestions. A list of some websites of local accomodation providers is mentioned on our links page.
You can also contact us to discuss your requirements so that we can direct you to the right place.
Gift vouchers; unique and personal
Our gift vouchers are a perfect present for a birthday, anniversary, retirement or wedding. The person can choose the course or workshop that suits him/her best. The vouchers can be redeemed at any time. Different values are available in the shop. More information about our gift vouchers can also be found in customer services of this website.
Terms & Conditions
Please read our terms & conditions before you make a booking.
How to make a booking
After you have contacted us for available date(s), please fill in our booking form, submit it to us and make payment online via our secured system Worldpay or offline by giving your debit/credit card details by phone. We will then send you a confirmation of your booking. Prior to your course or workshop you will receive detailed information about the content of the course, the times, the place and other relevant issues.
If you have any questions about our courses or workshops or if you want to arrange a personal meeting with your tutor as part of a workshop, please contact us by phone or email or send us an enquiry form.
