Photography Weekends Britain – new guidebook on 25 landscape, city & wildlife photography breaks

Author Will Gray gives an inside guide to his new book Photography Weekends Britain

It wasn’t easy selecting just 25 locations on which to base the photography weekends in this book. There were some destinations that simply had to be covered, such as all 15 of Britain’s national parks, and photogenic cities like London, Edinburgh and Cambridge. I was then left with the dilemma of filling the remaining chapters with photography hotspots such as the Dorset coast, north Norfolk, the Gower Peninsula and Isle of Skye. The result, I hope, is a collection of 25 of the best ways to spend a rewarding weekend of photography in Britain. Of course, if you want to make it a week or longer, several chapters can easily be combined into a photographic odyssey covering, say, South Wales or northwest Scotland. Similarly, if you’ve only got a day to spare, there are numerous places in this guide that work well on their own.

WEEKENDS WELL SPENT 

Ask any photographer about the best time of day to shoot landscapes and they will usually say sunrise or sunset. But if you’re going away for a weekend of photography, you need to make the most of your time and find subjects to shoot throughout the day. That’s where this guidebook comes in. It’s been carefully researched to ensure that each weekend action plan is not only realistic from a travel point of view, but also features a line-up of photo locations that span dawn and dusk – as well as the hours in-between. Of course, we’d all love to capture every scene in the golden hour, but that’s not always practical or desirable. This guide will help you make the most of the light, whatever the time, wherever you are. 

ESSENTIALS & ACTION PLANS

Following the introduction section, where you’ll find information on photography gear, the seasons and techniques for shooting woodlands, coasts, mountains, wildlife and cities, the main part of this guidebook is dedicated to the 25 photography weekends. Each one includes an Essentials spread with at-a-glance details of travel logistics, tourist information, where to stay and where to eat, as well as a summary of the weekend action plan and a map showing the photo locations covered.

PHOTO LOCATIONS, SIDE TRIPS & MASTERCLASSES

The Photo locations form the bulk of each chapter and usually start with a sunrise shoot on Day 1 and finish with sunset on Day 2. Sometimes an additional night is recommended for practical reasons. For each location, you’ll usually find a symbol and a camera icon – each one followed by a what3words code that will help you navigate precisely to the closest parking spot and the suggested point for where the photograph is taken. See below for details of how to use what3words on your phone or computer. At the end of each chapter, Extra stops and Side trips are sometimes included – ideal if you have time to extend your photography break or want to plan a separate day trip. Scattered throughout the guide are Landscape masterclasses and Wildlife masterclasses in which I offer a detailed analysis of photographic technique.

Find out more about Photography Weekends Britain here.

Order your copy from Amazon here.