Autumn photography course with Wild Arena - 10/10/2012
Capture the waders wildfowl and dragonflies out on the Ouse Washes with a photography guide.
Wild Arena has joined forces with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust to offer a seasonal photographic workshop at WWT Welney. The aim of these days is to give photographers of all levels of experience an opportunity to develop their skills with a mixture of practical opportunities and structured tuition from one of the qualified Wild Arena guides.
During the autumn WWT Welney welcomes back tens of thousands of wildfowl as the whooper and Bewick's swans return to the UK as well as duck species such as the wigeon, pochard, pintail, teal and shoveler. On warm sunny days late dragonflies can still be seen, whilst in good water levels flocks of waders such as black-tailed godwit, golden plover and lapwing use the reserve to feed on. Barn owls hunting in the early afternoon happens on a regular occurance also. The wild nature of the reserve at WWT Welney should provide more challenging chances for those wishing to be stretched by more elusive quarry!
During the day the Wild Arena guide will talk through not only some basic camera features but also practical techniques for achieving better images of nature subjects. Key topics will include:
-
Camera features (file formats, white balance,
ISO, exposure etc) - Choice of equipment
- Use of lenses
- Composition principals
-
Using angles and background choice to best
advantage - The importance of light
During the morning we will also be escorted around the venues key attractions by a warden to help us all get the best from what the centres have to offer. We will also do our best to tie in with feeding times and scheduled activities to see the birds at their most active.
- Fitness Level - These events are suitable for guests with average fitness. The day will include 2 walks around the venues over made up paths.
- Photography Level - These events are suitable for photographers with all levels of experience and equipment. The guide on the day should be able to offer constructive tuition relevant to all and topics such as composition, the use of light and choosing angles and backgrounds are universal. The events will be focused specifically on nature and bird photography.
- Disability Access - WWT Welney has good disability access but we suggest you contact us directly to discuss them specifically and to check on your individual requirements.
- Group Size - The group size for this event should be approximately 12 guests
Itinerary
09.45: Arrival at the centre (full directions will be provided upon booking)
10.00: Welcome introduction with tea/coffee, covering basic camera controls, equipment thoughts and simple creative techniques
11.00: Walk around the site with Wild Arena photographic guide to put some new ideas into practice
12.00: Short break followed by Questions & Answers and review of delegates work
13.00: Summary and Close
Please note: The itinerary is provisional and subject to change depending on weather conditions and the availability of the exhibits. Start and finish times are fixed to enable transport planning.
What’s included
Tea/coffee on arrival
Full tuition
Entrance to the venue
Guided walk
| Centre: | WWT Welney |
| Date: | Wednesday 10th October, 2012 |
| Time: | 9.30am -1pm |
| Duration: | 3.5 hours |
| Cost: | £29.00, includes admission |
| Cost includes admission: | Yes |
| Free for members: | No |
| Refreshments included in price: | Yes - Tea and coffee provided in morning and afternoon but lunch not included. |
| Accessibility for wheelchairs: | Yes |
| Accessibility for pushchairs: | No |
| Suitable for Under 2s: | No |
| Suitable for children: | No |
| Equipment: | What to bring:
You will be outside for some of the day so you should be dressed to suit the season and weather. We suggest you have a water-proof coat in case of rain. Waterproof over trousers are always useful on the day as this allows the photographer to comfortably take pictures from a lower level on potentially damp ground. We also suggest guests where stout footwear in case the ground is muddy or wet. Tea & coffee will be provided on arrival and during the afternoon. At lunchtime guests may either bring a packed lunch to enjoy outside in the reserves or purchase something from the wide range of sandwiches and hot food in the centre restaurant. You are very welcome to bring whatever photographic equipment you believe may be suitable. There is some walking involved so it is best to bring a camera bag that is of a suitable size. It should also be noted that any equipment left in the vehicles is done so at the owners risk and we suggest you only bring what equipment you can reasonably carry. Digital users should be as much memory as possible as we find people usually take more pictures than they anticipate. We suggest you ensure your batteries are fully charged and you bring spares if you have them. There should be the option to charge batteries at lunchtime if required. For film users we recommend ISO 100 or 200 films in normal conditions, although ISO 400 may be useful in poor lighting or weather. Guests are also encouraged to bring examples of previous images to review and critique. This is not only useful to illustrate what has worked well but also what might have gone wrong as well! We have access to a supply of spare memory, film, batteries and cleaning materials if required. |
| Need to book in advance?: | Yes |
| How to book: | Contact Wild Arena to book places either by phoning the number below or by going to their webpage via the link below. |
| Event contact name: | Wild Arena |
| Event contact telephone number: | 0151 426 8088 |
| Event website: | www.wildarena.com/products/4414-10213/wwt-bird-nature-photography-day.php |
