Description

Join macro photographer Lee Frost on one of his favourite local nature reserves, for a creative & fun photography workshop!

The workshop is designed to be of benefit for people at the start of their macro-photography journey. However, anyone is welcome at any level with their macro-photography. Lee will show the types of apertures, shutter speeds, and ISO he uses for his style of macro-photography. He will also look to cover, field craft, essential equipment, and give hints and tips for editing.

The venue for the workshop, Whitfield Valley Nature Reserve is one of the largest in Stoke-on-Trent. Within its 225 acres of land, it has many habitats where invertebrates can be found, including; grassland, wetlands, hay meadow, 2 ponds and a wildflower area. Lee is very familiar with the site and knows where to find certain species of insects. We may see some various species of damselflies, dragonflies, longhorn beetles, weevils and butterflies, plus lots more and maybe some surprise finds! This reserve is also very quiet, which makes it good location for photography and less chance of the insects (and photographers) getting disturbed.

During the workshop Lee will be keen to teach and show everything he knows, from fieldcraft & how to approach certain insects, to learning the best settings, use of equipment, composition, and focus stacking.

Lee Frost has always had an interest and passion for the natural world. Growing up close to the countryside in Staffordshire he was always out looking for nature amongst the fields, woodlands and streams.

8 years ago, Lee bought his my first DSLR camera and began his photographic journey. He self-taught himself everything, by learning the camera basics, practising, and understanding how the camera works. He soon found himself hooked by macro, amazed by the level of detail & beauty such photography can reveal of the wildlife literally beneath our feet.

Lee rapidly developed into a skilled macro photographer and has gone on to have his work published in numerous publications including Practical Photographer, Digital SLR, Amateur Photographer, Digital Camera world, BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, as well as a range of national newspapers.

He has also won several awards, and was named Overall Winner of the Macro Category of The British Photography Awards 2023.

Format of the day:

Arrival at Whitfield Valley Nature Reserve and welcome. Please arrive in the car park by 4:45am, Lee will be there to meet you.

• 5am Short briefing about the day
• Then we will head out on site for the duration of the workshop
• 12 noon Finish

What To Bring

Camera(s), lenses (ideally a macro lens), flash, diffuser, memory card (s), spare camera/flash battery (ies), lens wipes.

Outdoor clothing – waterproofs, fleeces, good and sturdy outdoor shoes, it can be very chilly at that time in the morning.

Lunch/snacks/drink – these are not provided for this workshop.

Important Information Including Health & Safety

• Please DO NOT leave any valuables in the car or leave anything visible.
• There may be ticks present so please be mindful of this.
• If it’s a clear sunny day, please bring sunscreen/hat as parts of the reserve are exposed to the elements.
• There are NO facilities at the reserve, please make a pit stop if needed before hand.
• It can be wet first thing so it’s worth brining waterproofs, especially trousers.
• The ground can be uneven in places, but it is flat, we will be taking it very slow, so we don’t miss anything.

Contact us now to find out more or reserve places on what we expect to be a very popular workshop!