THINGS TO KNOW

The retreats

If you enjoy spending time in Scotland’s wild places, photographing at the best time of day and having all the logistical worries taken care of, then you should perhaps think about joining us. Our retreats have a very flexible itinerary so that I can respond to the light and weather. We might work locally or we might drive several hours to find the best light. We might do both. What I can promise you is a fulfilling adventure combining serious photography with serious fun. Plus the occasional frothy coffee stop – that’s the retreat bit.

Do I need experience?

It's fair to say that we take our photography seriously so whilst you don't have to be a seasoned practitioner, we would suggest a basic command of your equipment. Beyond that, just come with an open mind and a passion for nature photography.

What will I learn?

Our priority is to spend time in our chosen location exploring each situation to the full. If you're an experienced photographer and prefer just getting on with it, then I’ll leave you alone. Alternatively, I can take you through the technical and creative elements of landscape photography to help you get the most from your time. During most retreats, I deliver evening tutorials, which will help your photography develop.

Do I need to be fit?

There's no getting away from it, photographing in some pretty wild places sometimes requires a long walk and getting wet and/or cold. That said, our retreats do not require you to be Indiana Jones and a reasonable standard of fitness and agility will work perfectly.

Where do we stay?

All of our retreats are based in a stunning location in the Cairngorms National Park. Our very own Mountain Lodge has private en-suite rooms and plenty of space for your gear. We run our retreats as house parties, keeping meal times flexible to fit in with the prime photography slots. Our live-in chef prepares wholesome meals from locally-sourced ingredients and of course we can cater for all manner of dietary requirements.

Environment?

We take our responsibility as a tour operator very seriously and are conscious of our impact on the environment. Not only do we strive to minimize this in a variety of ways, we donate a proportion of our income to a select number of conservation and rewilding initiatives.

Security

We won’t bore you with the niceties of Package Travel Regulations but you should just know that your advance payments are held in Trust until you’re safely back home and we’ve provided what we said we would provide. It’s not just the law, it’s a matter of common courtesy.

Insurance 

It is a condition of booking that you accept the hazards involved in visiting remote areas and engaging in potentially dangerous activities. To take part in one of our retreats, you must be covered by adequate insurance for the duration of the trip and for the activities undertaken. The insurance must cover for cancellation and curtailment, medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation), personal accident, injury and death. In addition you should be insured against loss of / damage to baggage, personal possessions and flight cancellations/delays.