Donegal Photography Workshop
Discover the Enchanting Beauty of Donegal
Uncover the breathtaking landscapes of Donegal, Ireland, and learn the art of capturing captivating images on this exclusive 5-day, 4-night photography workshop.
DATE(S)
2nd – 6th Sep 2024
DURATION
5 Nights B&B
GROUP SIZE
Maximum of 4
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Moderate
5 Days, 4 Nights
Donegal Photography Workshop
Join the original Donegal Photography Workshop from 2nd to 6th September 2024 and immerse yourself in the untamed and unspoilt beauty of Donegal. With only four spots available, you’ll receive tailored instruction and guidance from professional photographer and Aurora guide, Tyler Collins, as you explore iconic locations such as Fanad Head Lighthouse, Great Pollet Arch, and the breathtaking Murder Hole Beach.
Experience the luxury of staying at the 4-star An Chúirt Hotel in Gweedore and travel in comfort and style in our Land Rover Discovery. Throughout the workshop, Tyler will impart his expertise on camera settings, composition, long exposures, low-light photography, and editing techniques. Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to enhance your photography skills while discovering the captivating landscapes of Donegal.
Book now for just £1450 per person, with only a 15% deposit required to secure your spot!
Places we’ll visit
This is just an overview of all the potential locations that we will visit. We won’t get to every single location as some of the locations depend on the correct weather/tide conditions.
Itinerary
I have now conducted over 50 photography tours and workshops, and based on my experience, adhering to a fixed daily itinerary can significantly limit your chances of capturing the best possible images.
Instead, I prefer to work in harmony with the weather conditions, choosing our locations based on the most favorable forecasted conditions. Each evening, I will carefully plan the next day’s itinerary and communicate the departure time for the morning. This approach ensures that we position ourselves in the right place at the right time to maximise our photography opportunities.
Day 1 – Arrival Day
Your journey begins with a flight to Belfast (BFS) International Airport either on the Sunday or Monday morning. Starting at 9 am, I will begin picking up participants from Belfast (BFS), and we will then proceed to An Chúirt Hotel, a highly-rated 4-star bed and breakfast, where check-in will be at 2 pm. In the evening, we’ll enjoy an early dinner at the hotel, followed by our first sunset photography session.
Day 2 to 4 – The Adventure
These three full days mark the heart of our photographic adventure. We’ll seize every opportunity to capture stunning images. Our daily routine will kick off with a sunrise session, followed by a hearty breakfast. Afterward, we’ll have a few hours of downtime before setting out around 11 am for our next shooting location.
Lunch will be enjoyed in the field to minimise disruptions to our photography schedule.
Later in the day, we’ll have an early dinner around 4 pm, followed by our sunset photography session, ensuring we make the most of the day’s optimal lighting conditions.
Day 5 – Departure Day
On our departure day, we’ll once again embark on a sunrise shoot, followed by breakfast. We’ll then check out of the hotel and embark on our final photography session together. This day will have a more relaxed pace, with all locations easily accessible on foot. The workshop will conclude around 2 pm, after which we’ll make our way back to Belfast (BFS) International Airport.
Overall, the workshop is designed to offer flexibility, enjoyment, and education. We’ll have dedicated time for reviewing and critiquing images, and you’ll have the opportunity to engage in discussions about your work with me.
Sunrise occurs at approximately 6:30 am, while sunset takes place around 8:20 pm, providing us with ample opportunities to capture the beauty of the landscape.
Your Guide
Photographer, Light Chaser, Aurora Guide, Web Dev, Biker, Daddy and I’ve got a very understanding girlfriend in no particular order.
Gallery
What you’ll learn
On this trip I’m at your complete disposal to help and teach you everything I know about photography if you desire.
Here are a few of the key skills that I can cover.
Camera Settings: It starts with the basics. RAW, Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO. Learn how and when to use the various modes on your camera to get the shot you want.
Composition: Composition is everything in landscape photography. Learn what I’m looking for when composing a landscape photograph.
Long Exposures: Learn how to use long exposures so you can create dramatic and interesting photographs.
Histogram: Learn how to read your histogram so that you’re exposing correctly and capturing maximum data with no clipping.
Low Light: Learn how to photograph the night sky and if luck is on our side, we’ll also shoot the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis).
Editing: Learn how I edit my photographs using Adobe Lightroom Classic with final touches in Photoshop. (Only during bad weather)
What’s included?
- Airport Transfers
- 5 days of tuition/guidance
- Transport throughout tour
- 4 Nights Bed & Breakfast in the 4 star hotel the An Chúirt Hotel
- Any entrance fees.
- Flights/Travel to/from Belfast (I can help arrange transport if needed)
- Lunch/Dinner and alcohol or snacks.
- Travel & Equipment Insurance
- Visas (if necessary)
Good to Know
Flights: You will fly to Belfast (BFS) International Airport. You can also fly to Belfast City (BHD) but will need to get a taxi to the Belfast (BFS) which will cost you approximately £40.
For international guests, there is the option of flying into Dublin (DUB) and then catching a connecting flight to Donegal (CFN). Donegal Airport is 15 minutes from our Hotel. You are also more than welcome to meeting me An Churt Hotel at 2pm as well.
If you need help with looking for a flight, just drop me a message as there are multiple different routes and options.
Meeting Point: The meeting point for the workshop will be Belfast International Airport or accommodation in the surrounding area from 9am.
Accommodation: I’ve booked a 4 star hotel, An Chúirt Hotel, Gweedore. Each participant will have their own room and breakfast is included each morning.
Packing List: A full packing list will be emailed to you after you complete your booking.
Hiking – Some of the locations require some short hiking of up to 30 minutes. (It’s worth it!) You must be able to walk on uneven, sometimes steep and slippery ground.
UK Mobile Network – If coming from the UK, your data roaming will work and come out of your data back home.
Donegal Photography Workshops Dates & Prices
Prices quoted are per person. Only a 15% deposit is required to secure your spot on the tour. The remainder of the balance is due 8 weeks before the start date of the tour.
Date
Duration
Price
Places Left
2nd – 6th September 2024
4 Nights / 5 Days
£1450
2/4 Spots Left
Don’t just take my word for it…
THE REVIEWS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Highly Recommend Chasing Lights Tours. Just recently home from 7 Nights in Lofoten Islands, Norway and it was absolutely incredible. Tylers knowledge of the area and skies allowed us to capture the Northern Lights on more than several occasion's throughout the course. Accommodation was perfect for the trip, A home from home with a supermarket and coffee shop right on our doorstep. Tylers enthusiasm for photography and the love of the outdoors was very refreshing and infectious, As a commercial photographer by traded I went into this course looking to learn as much as I could and Tylers wealth of knowledge and patients allowed me to learn so much in such a sort period of time. I would like to thank Tyler again and I look forward to going on another course very soon.
Highly Recommend Chasing Lights Tours. Just recently home from 7 Nights in Lofoten Islands, Norway and it was absolutely incredible. Tylers knowledge of the area and skies allowed us to capture the Northern Lights on more than several occasion's throughout the course. Accommodation was perfect for the trip, A home from home with a supermarket and coffee shop right on our doorstep. Tylers enthusiasm for photography and the love of the outdoors was very refreshing and infectious, As a commercial photographer by traded I went into this course looking to learn as much as I could and Tylers wealth of knowledge and patients allowed me to learn so much in such sort period of time. I would like to thank Tyler again and I look forward to going on another course very soon.
I was lucky enough to go on a photography tour to Lofoten last month with Chasing Lights Tours and I couldn't have asked for a better guide than Tyler. He is a knowledgeable and experienced photographer, and he provided valuable tips and advice on everything from camera set-ups through to post-production techniques. Throughout the tour, Tyler was easy going, generous and had a great sense of humour. He was also a confident and safe driver, taking us to some great locations in the archipelago. Thanks to his knowledge of the best viewing areas and an understanding of the necessary weather conditions, I was able to see the northern lights on two occasions! I had an amazing trip and felt that I learnt a lot during the tour. I am now more confident in using my camera kit and have some beautiful photos and memories of taking them which I will cherish. I can't recommend Tyler and Chasing Lights Tours highly enough - it was a fantastic experience, and I am very grateful to Tyler for making it so enjoyable.
The Lofoten Photography Tour with Chasing Light Tours was excellent! Tyler is an accomplished and creative photographer who is extremely professional and very knowledgeable. The entire tour was packed full of relevant information that was presented in a very accessible and user-friendly way, about focusing, aperture settings, shutter speeds, ISO settings and much, much more. This enabled me to use my camera to its full potential. The tour was also enjoyable and fun. Tyler looked after everyone extremely well and drove with care and skill on the icy roads. He took us to well-chosen locations that he had previously researched and visited to maximise photographic potential. The spacious accommodation that we stayed in was great and had all the amenities that we needed. I highly recommend going on a photography tour with Chasing Light Tours!
Tyler led us through a trip to Lofoten in the end of January 2023. His experience within this area, his patience with clients and aurora borealis (northern lights) forecasting skills made it a once in a lifetime experience. Tyler’s workshops consist of small groups, so he can pick everyone up at his/her photography level. Whether you are experienced or not, he‘ll improve you. Thanks for the great trip!
Just back from a fantastic trip with Tyler to the Lofoten Islands. The trip was managed expertly from start to finish, and the small group size meant you got as much or little tuition as you wanted. Tyler clearly knows the area intimately, and the right time to visit, and really enjoys the ever changing landscapes, he isn’t simply going through the motions. We even got woken late at night when Tyler spotted the lights and given the option to go out and see. You can tell he wants to get you the best experience, and photographic opportunities possible. I think it’s fair to say we all come back happy with our images and shared adventure, and I for one will be re-booking sometime soon. Life is all about getting these type of amazing experiences so if you get the chance, go for it. Thanks Tyler.
I was on the 7 nights Lofoten Islands photo tour with Tyler and 3 other photographers in October 2022. Tyler knows the Lofoten Islands very well and knows landscape and Northern Lights photography very well. He took us to many great locations. The weather was somewhat challenging with rain, some high winds and snow. But we were able to go out 3 nights for Auroras and got some nice photos. He provides help with camera settings to get the best captures. Group size is kept small. Follow his guidelines for clothing (make sure you have waterproof gloves and pants) and you can be comfortable in the weather. I can recommend Tyler to help you get the most out of a photography trip to the Lofoten Islands.
I have always wanted to visit Lofoten to take landscape photographs. A friend suggested Chasing Light Tours. I was not disappointed even though there were several rainy days. Tyler Collins was an outstanding tour leader. Apart from being a very competent photographer, he had expert knowledge of the area and took us to the best locations for the weather conditions. Tyler gave technical and composition advice where needed, in an pleasant and friendly manner. Tylor has years of experience in this field which is very apparent.
Tyler's tour of the Lofoten Islands was an incredible experience. If you are expecting 5 star hotels and fine dining look elsewhere but what you do get is real knowledge of the area and some great inspiration to take epic photos. We were lucky enough to see aurora 2 nights of the trip but the rest of the week was spent in some amazing places. Highly recommend Tyler Collins Photography
Been to Norway, Lofoten with Tyler, 7 days of photography, 7 great days in good company. Tyler nows photography and is very will prepared, get us to the right place at the right time, we visited amazing locations, Tyler gives good advies about focusing and composition. Driving on the ice roads is a skill, never felt unsafe for a moment! I would highly recommend booking one of their tours or workshops, you won't be disapointed.
I attended Tyler's Lofoten tour Feb 2020 and what an experience it was. We got some amazing photos and Tyler is a first class guide with great knowledge and experience with conditions being tough he still went out of his way to get the group to locations where others would have just said no it's snowing and subsequently we got amazing winter shots. I would wholeheartedly recommend Tyler as a guide and an expert on Northern lights with such experience and gut feelings which paid off with four nights of aurora activity. Book him now you won't regret it.
I recently returned from a workshop with Tyler at the Lofoten island's. The whole trip from start to finish was excellent. Even when conditions were extremely difficult for photography (2 day snow blizzard), we managed to get fantastic images, if it wasn't for Tylers determination to get us out, I would have stayed in the log cabin with the fire going! Tyler had obviously done his homework regarding sunrise and sunset locations, and due to this we got nice side lighting on each location. We were lucky enough to get aurora 4 nights out of 7 and the last night the sky exploded which put the icing on the cake. Tyler is a perfectionist when it comes to composition and i learnt a lot from him during this trip. If you are lokking a tour where you a going to visit Epic locations, get great tuition and brilliant craic Tylers your man.
