Tailored photography courses and workshops in Scotland for the best experience!
Our program for the first half of 2010 is now online! Check our new courses and available dates below.
Our courses in a sustainable environment
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 use our equipment for free. 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.
About the tutor
Being born and bred in a fishing town in the North East of Scotland, it's not surprising that the sea has played a large role in Clifton Mair's life. He has spent 20 years working part time with black & white film, manual mechanical cameras and a convential darkroom. Then he moved on to colour slide film which he used extensively for about 7 years. Four years ago he converted to digital imaging, although he still enjoys working with his medium film format cameras.
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.
Choose the course which suits you best:
Workshop Learn Your Own Camera
This year we will continue with our very popular Learn Your Own Camera workshops. 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 and exposure. This workshop is suitable for beginners with a DSLR camera only. If you don't have one yourself, you can experiment with one of ours. Minimum is 2, maximum is 4 people. The workshop will start at Clifton Mair's studio in Aberdeen. The coast and the Winter Gardens will be our main locations to teach you the necessary photography skills.
A full day session with tuition of hands-on camera skills, individual feedback and introduction into digital editing from 9.30 am - 4.30 pm. DSLR cameras only!
Price: £175.00 p.p. (incl. lunch)
Location: Aberdeen
Dates 2010: Saturday 27 March, 17 April, 22 May and 19 June.
Testimonials:
" The workshop was tailored to my exact requirements"
" 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".
" 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!".
"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!"
"I thoroughly enjoyed the entire workshop. It was very fulfulling!"
"The workshop gave me an excellent introduction to the manual settings on my camera, which has now given me the confidence and knowledge to experiment with these functions. It also provided numerous useful tips for taking better photographs which will prove very useful. An excellent workshop for the beginner photographer".
" This was an excellent workshop because Clifton was able to adjust the content to the participants' needs. We were not restricted to a basic introduction. It also allowed us to see what was expected by you for each grade. As someone said: with digital cameras, everyone thinks they are a great photographer".
"A very interesting and enjoyable day, particularly as it recognised the existing skills of the students and provided personal tuition to the students' interest and abilities. I was also delighted that there was no attempt to talk down to the students and we were all encouraged to practise and further develop our skills".
" Good useful information from a tutor who clearly knows his subject in detail and enthuses his students. I wish all courses were like this!"
NEW: Introduction into Digital Processing
Taking a good photo with your camera is just the start. Digital processing is the next step and can take a lot of time, effort and even frustrations to get the right results. This full-day workshop provides you with the most effective tools to enhance your photographs. Clifton will guide you through the basic steps of the most important software for photographers like Lighroom and Photoshop. The maximum amount of people is 4, so you will receive the individual approach you can expect from us. We are currently finalising the program of this workshop. More details will follow be published here soon.
Price: £175.00
Location: Aberdeen, indoors
Dates: Sunday 28 March, 18 April and 23 May.
We can also provide one-on-one sessions at a time which is convenient for you. The price is £45.00 per hour. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
New: Intermediate Digital Processing
This two-day workshop will go more in-depth and will give you more creative tools to enhance your photographs. Participants should already be familiar with photographic digital software or have joined the Introduction into Digital Processing workshop before they can enroll. More details about the content of this workshop will follow soon. Maximum is 4 people.
Price: £300.00
Location: Aberdeen, indoors.
Dates: 1 and 2 May, 12 and 13 May.
Introduction course
This course is the next step up from Learn Your Own Camera workshop. It will be taught in RAW only. In two days the following subjects will be covered;
1. The art of nature by textures, patterns, colour and size
2. Artistic skills such as composition and light
3. Technical skills such as shutter speed, aperture, film speed/ISO settings, histogram 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.
4. Equipment .
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)
Location: Aberdeen and surroundings
Dates 2010: 10 and 11 April, 8 and 9 May, 29 and 30 May.
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.
"This course has enhanced every aspect of my skill level"
Anonymous
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
- introduction into 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:
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)
Location: Aberdeen and surroundings
Dates 2010: 1 and 2 May, 12 and 13 June.
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).
Price two days: £525.00 pp (incl. lunch).
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 view, 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.
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.
