Llangollen Locations Photography Workshop (May 2nd 2025)

Description

Join me on May 2nd to explore locations in and around Llangollen, North Wales. This little gem of an area is a place I have the pleasure to call home and I truly think it is an overlooked area for photography. It offers some stunning locations in a small valley which such easy access. A lot of people would carry on down the A5 to Snowdonia (I was guilty of this too) but everyone who has done this workshop so far has said they can’t believe they had omitted the area for so long.

We have the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct which is part of the World Heritage Site and is the highest canal aqueduct in the world and also the longest in the UK, a true feat of engineering built by Thomas Telford in 1805. Narrowboats take on the challenge of going across the aqueduct and it is a fantastic sight to see but the best view of the structure is from valley level looking up at it. Just down the Dee Valley you also have the Traphont Viaduct at Cefn Mawr.

Further down the road you have the Panorama Walk of Trevor Rocks which looks over Castell Dinas Bran. Here we have a real mixture of geology, with the higher viewpoint near Garth being gritstone and the further down the escarpment you go, the more limestone there is. This means we can shoot two very different compositions within close proximity. One of the spots is likely to be our sunset spot too.

It is likely we will start the day over at Nant Mill, about a 10 minute drive from the aqueduct. This beautiful woodland has a stunning waterfall/weir nestled away in the woods and is a fantastic way to start the day, learn about long exposures, shooting in manual and generally a nice slow pace to learn the basics before moving on to grand landscapes.

Other places we may visit is Horseshoe Falls, a weir that separates the River Dee to feed the Llangollen Canal which continues on all the way to Nantwich. The falls can get busy so we will make a judgement call on the day but fortunately is only a minutes walk from the car. Some more bonus locations could be Velvet Hill and the Chainbridge which are both near Horseshoe Falls.

We will spend the day visiting these locations and hopefully more, making the most of the weather and light. All locations are relatively easy access.

Throughout the day we will look at techniques such as focusing, using a tripod, use of filters vs exposure blending, composition, working with the light and more. This is largely photographic walk and as such, we will build techniques throughout the day and the aim is to put what we have learnt into practice for sunset.

I am more than happy to discuss other more advanced techniques on 1-2-1 basis as well as to the group, depending on what is beneficial.

The day is tailored around you as much as possible, and I strive to give each of you on the course for that day the best day possible. At the end of the day, you will have hopefully learnt new techniques and taken away some imagery you will be proud of. I am a friendly and relaxed tutor, and I welcome you to keep in touch with me after the course to ask me any questions you may have looked over on the day. I have also created a Facebook client area where you can keep in touch, share your photos and keep in touch with other attendees from the day.

Upon booking, you will be sent an order confirmation email which includes meeting details, kit-list, discount codes and a questionnaire for you to fill out. This questionnaire just allows me to get information about you, so I can plan the day appropriately for the whole group.

There will be a maximum group size of 4 meaning there will be plenty of 1-2-1 time. I will be on hand throughout the day for any questions and my focus will be on ensuring you have the best day possible.

There is a £40 deposit required to secure your place on this workshop, with the balance due no later than 6 weeks before the workshop.