Winner of International Garden Photography of the Year Macro Category 2021. 

Highly Commended and Commended Square Crop Category 2021.

Shortlisted RPS Portfolio IGPOTY 2021.

3rd place and Highly Commended Black and White Category 2022.

February 2023 1st Place and Commended IGPOTY Beauty of Plants category.

Highly commended and 3 shortlisted images Black and White category 2023.

Commended IGPOTY Beauty of Plants category Feb 2024.

Finalist and highly commended  IGPOTY Square Crop Sept 2024.

2025 International Garden Photography of the Year finalist (Beauty of Plants), highly commended (abstract) and highly commended (RPS Portfolio of 6 images).

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I have been running studio based botanical / macro workshops for over 12 years. These take place in a  studio in my home with overnight accommodation if required  (self-catering or full board). I am based near Fort William in Scotland. 

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Workshop price £160 for 1:2:1 or £80pp per day for two.

Multiple days with accommodation and full board available - enquire for rates.

Dates by negotiation.

Email to discuss your requirements. 

 

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

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These events are for those who enjoy shooting botanical subjects in a creative way (flowers from my garden and a fabulous collection of dried plants), or want to learn more about close-up and macro photography.

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Examples of cARterART botanical, macro and close-up photography can be seen here.

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The Workshops are 1 or 2 days from 10am - 4pm.

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Each day starts with a comprehensive presentation and technical information. If you are having a 1:1 each day will be tailored around your needs. We then progress to taking images.

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Topics will include:

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• Composition for botanical photography

• Using natural and artificial light

• Exposing for creative imagery 

• Macro and/or close up photography - using the equipment you have but discovering and using the equipment I provide 

• Extension tubes - and other ways of getting closer

• Image aesthetics - what makes a good photograph

• Exploring different backdrops and learning how they make or break an image, including some ideas you may not have considered

• In-camera techniques to make images more interesting

• Low cost solutions for close-up photography

• What to shoot in winter - how to dry subjects.

 

Advanced topics available on request:

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• Depth of field expansion (Focus Stacking)

• In camera double exposure

• ICM

• Getting the most from RAW and processing images using Photoshop

• NEW microscopy - using a microscope to photograph a whole new world invisible to the eye - this requires at least a half day.

• Flat lay photography

• Lensbaby Velvet. 

 

This workshop is designed to enable careful photography exploring the wonder and beauty of plants but techniques learnt can be applied to any subject. I want to encourage slowing down, taking the time to make a well-crafted photograph built from beautiful forms, your own emotional reactions, and studied composition. Attendees have gone on to have success in major competitions. 

 

Those interested in macro techniques will value the opportunity to photograph inside at table height, away from the wind. 

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Equipment:

 

Tripods are essential and can be borrowed if you don’t have one. If you have macro capability this is ideal but a longer zoom (up to 300mm) will give close-up shots. I will teach you how to use your current equipment creatively. I can let Canon users use a variety of my own lenses including macro and a Lensbaby Velvet 85mm. 

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Fully licenced en-suite accommodation is available if needed. Either full board, bed and breakfast or self catering in our cabin. Non-photographing partners welcome. The self-catering cabin is on AirBnB and is called Sweet Pea Pod if you want to check it out. 

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Testimonials:

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Jan Curle " I thoroughly enjoyed the two-day macro photography workshop with you, Claire. I've learnt so much that when I apply the techniques correctly in future will improve my photography significantly. It was incredibly important having the 1:1 experience, enabling my specific weaknesses to be addressed. I hope to return and recommended highly to others."

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"Your workshop today was excellent, being fun, enjoyable with like-minded people and very informative. Thank you so much for all the time and effort involved in putting these on for us. It is great to keep learning, so that we can improve our photography skills. I will look forward to more courses in the future." Rose Finch

 

"Thanks again for such a superb day yesterday, I'd love to do it all over again."  SH

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