Mendip Hills and Somerset Levels photography course
A rocky hillside gorge and lowland marshes
Saturday 19th September 2026. Cheddar Gorge and Ham Wall, Somerset
Course locations: Cheddar Gorge and Ham Wall Nature Reserve (near Glastonbury)
Times: 12.30pm to sunset (7.15pm approx)
Price: £100.00 per person
Photography in some of Somerset’s most beautiful countryside
In this Mendip Hills and Somerset Levels photography course we will spend an afternoon and evening photographing in some of Somerset’s beautiful, but often underrated landscapes. During the first part of the day we will be shooting the limestone cliffs of the magnificent Cheddar Gorge.
The evening will see us move to the beautiful Ham Wall Nature Reserve on the Somerset Levels, one of the Level’s largest, oldest and wettest marshland areas. Here we’ll photograph some of the watery landscape, as well as sunset, with some possibilities of views towards Glastonbury Tor. We may also have some opportunities for wildlife photography, primarily egrets and herons, though owls, deer and bitterns are a possibility.
What I will be teaching during the Mendip Hills and Somerset Levels photography course:
The course will aim to teach the following skills:
- Spotting potentially great photographic subjects among the chaos of the landscape;
- Creating the greatest impact for the subjects by optimising composition and minimising clutter through lens choice, exposure time and lens aperture, and perspective (ie your own position relative to the subject);
- Learning to use a tripod in your photography – how to position it, set it up and mount the camera – particularly when light levels are low and/or depth of field (the amount of image that is sharp) needs to be maximised;
- Making the best use of your camera’s most important features, and knowing how to use these features to help in the creative process.
Participants should have a knowledge of how to operate their own camera in order to get at least basic images. Beyond this, the most important requirements are enthusiasm, a desire to enjoy photography and a willingness to learn!
Note: Since we’ll be working very much outdoors, what we are able to do during the day is very weather-dependent. Weather conditions may make it necessary to vary the photography subject matter and/or location.