WORKSHOP DETAILS AND ARRIVAL
Group size: 8 participants
Guides: Skarpi Thrainsson (Iceland) – Cody Duncan (Norway)
When: October 23 – 30, 2024
Where to fly: The workshop begins in Glasgow, Scotland on Wednesday October 23, 2024 and ends in Glasgow on Wednesday October 30, 2024
Accommodation: Hotel accommodation with private Bathrooms in Glasgow, Glencoe, and Isle of Skye
More details can be found at: Arctic Exposure Workshops – Isle of Skye 2024
PRICING AND BOOKING
Workshop price: $7,200 (USD)
Deposit: $2000 (USD)
Single room supplement: $1,000 (USD)
Full payment is due 90 days before workshop.
BOOKING OR QUESTIONS, CONTACT:
workshops@codyduncan.com
In our Scotland Isle of Skye Photo workshop, we spend eight days photographing and exploring this photography paradise of the Scottish Highlands.
The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is connected to Scotland’s northwest coast by the Skye Bridge. The second-largest island in Scotland and the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides archipelago of Scotland. Skye is 50 miles long, 1,656 km2 (639 sq mi) with a population of just over 10.000 people.
Skye is known for its scenery, rugged landscapes, picturesque fishing villages, and medieval castles that will take your breath away. We’ll explore the indented coastline of peninsulas and narrow lochs and its beautiful mountain views.
The climate is mild, wet, and windy. The abundant wildlife includes birds, the golden eagle, Atlantic puffins, red deer, seals, whales, and Atlantic salmon. The local flora is dominated by heather moor, and nationally significant invertebrate populations live on the surrounding sea bed.
Skye, It’s world-famous for its landscapes that have provided locations for various novels, feature films, music videos, and photographs.
ITINERARY
Day 1 – Arrival in Scotland
We start at noon with airport pick-up at Glasgow airport. If you want to arrive a day early, there are plenty of hotel options around Glasgow airport.
We’ll drive off to Glencoe for a sunset shoot, hotel check-in, and dinner at our hotel when we have all gathered.
The area around Glencoe is known for its waterfalls, lochs and moors, and trails that climb peaks such as Buachaille Etive Mor (The Buckle) and The Three Sisters of Glencoe, Bidean nam Bian, Loch Lomond, River Orchy waterfalls, Rannoch moor, and Clencoe views.
DAY 2 – 4 – Isle of Skye
After breakfast, we’ll head north for the Isle of Skye, our main destination for this workshop. We’ll stop along the way.
Just before crossing the bridge to Skye, we’ll stop at Eilean Donan Castle, one of Scotland‘s most scenic castles.
We’ll stay on the Isle of Skye for the next five nights and photograph many of its iconic locations. Notable locations include; Slagachan, known for its stunning rivers and views of the Cuillin Hills, the stone bridge over the Sligachan river, Allt Dearg Mor River, and the Allt Dariach River. Just 15 minutes down the road from Sligachan is Portree, the capital of Skye—a small but bustling city. Here we will find an assortment of food and shopping, maybe a quick fish and chips for lunch, or a wander down along the colorful houses of the harbor.
The Fairy Pools is a series of flowing waterfalls and pools set among the dramatic background of the Black Cuillin rising 1000m above. The deep-green and blue water that tumbles down the River Brittle makes the Fairy Pools interesting. Some small waterfalls and cascades create appealing foregrounds, while the Black Cuillin Mountains fill the background.
Continuing past the Fairy pools a winding one-lane road leads to a wide sandy beach on the shore of Loch Brittle with the Black Cuillin rising high overhead. Another beach location is Talisker Bay, the island’s most attractive beach.
DAY 5 – 6 – Isle of Skye
We continue to explore the Isle of Skye.
Trotternish ridge has both the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr, one of the Isle’s most iconic locations. It is about a 1-hour hike up a mostly gravel path to get up into the Storr.
The Skye has 12 working lighthouses, and the Neist Point hosts one of Scotland’s most famous ones with views towards the distant rising hills of the Outer Hebrides, perfect for sunset.
Kilt Rock and Mealt waterfall Kilt Rock is an area of stunning 200-foot-high sea cliffs made of tall dolerite columns.
Elgol is a small fishing village with dramatic beach views of the Black Cuillin hills.
Boust Hill has a great hill view with a lake and farmhouse with great views of the mountains in the distance.
Fairy Glen is a small valley with an almost otherworldy landscape of twisted trees and small hills.
Dunvegan Castle is inarguably the most beautiful castle to photograph on the Isle of Skye and the only true castle on the island.
DAY 7 – Glasgow
After Breakfast and sunrise shoot, we say farewell to the Isle of Skye and make our way back to Glasgow.
We’ll make stops along the way and capture castles, lochs, fantastic mountainscapes, and quaint villages.
Then we end the day at a hotel close to the airport in Glasgow.
DAY 8 – Departure Day
Departure day here we say our goodbyes as we head back to the airport.
If you fly with Icelandair you can do a Stopover in Iceland on your way back and explore Iceland with Skarpi; https://arcticexposure.is/custom-tours
WORKSHOP PRICE INCLUDES
All accommodation
All meals
All Transportation throughout the workshop
Photographic tutoring and guidance by pro Landscape Photographers Skarpi Thrainsson and Cody Duncan
Image critique and post-processing sessions
We submit a Complete Packing list for the tour, with recommended equipment and clothing to bring on the tour
NOT INCLUDED
Air travel to and from Glasgow, Scotland.
Alcoholic drinks.
Anything else not mentioned as included.
WHAT TO BRING
Photography Gear
You will need a camera bag which is suitable for mountain hiking. This means it should not be overly heavy, while having enough room to carry your camera gear, extra clothing and some food/water.
Camera – Any camera welcome, but a full frame DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual mode will give you the best performance.
Tripod – A strong tripod that can tolerate the frequently windy and stormy conditions of winter.
Lenses – A selection of lenses from 14 to 200mm is recommended. A fast wide angle f/2.8 or faster is beneficial for shooting northern lights, should they appear.
Filters – This is somewhat to shooting style, but I heavily recommend a set of neutral density filters, covering: 3, 6, and 10 stops.
Cable Release – Cable or remote camera release, preferably with ability to lock in bulb mode for long exposures.
Camera Cover – It is likely we will encounter some adverse weather on Lofoten, so you want to be able to cover your camera and keep shooting.
Lens cleaning – Some locations can be exposed to sea spray. I recommend a combination of pre-moistened disposable lens wipes (Zeiss and Nikon make some) and dry cleaning tissues. I find microfiber cloths don’t handle the maritime conditions and quickly become unusable.
Storage – Bring plenty of memory cards to last for multiple days of shooting.
Batteries – Bring enough batteries to last for several days of shooting.
Clothing and Footwear
Isle of Skye can be a wet and windy location! With winter quickly approaching you should be prepared for temperatures near freezing.
Rain gear – You will need fully waterproof jacket and pants.
Footwear – In addition to normal shoes or hiking boots, I very strongly recommend rubber boots for easier movement over Skye’s abundant bog and wet ground. We will be spending a lot of time in muddy and wet terrain.
ABOUT CODY
Cody Duncan is one of the most experienced photographers living and working on Lofoten today. Since first visiting the Islands as a young backpacker in 2001, he traveled to Lofoten more than 20 times before deciding it was finally time to make the islands home in the winter of 2016.
Since 2010 he has run the website 68 North to showcase his ever growing Lofoten portfolio which has now become one of the best photography and travel resources available today. In 2015 Cody began publishing photography guides focused on the unique seasonal nature of the Islands, drawing upon his years of experience exploring hidden corners and lonely mountain tops across Lofoten.
Cody was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. Spending many of his early years surfing the cold waters of the Pacific, just down the road from his childhood home. His early 20’s saw him turn his focus to the mountains, soloing numerous 4000+ meter peaks in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. As his photography career developed, he soon found himself spending more time in the wild landscapes and turbulent weather of northern Europe. Cody’s images have been published by: Visit Norway, National Geographic, Men’s Journal, Sunset Magazine, Lonely Planet Magazine, GEO Saison, British Airways High Life, and numerous calendars, travel guides, and more.
Cody lives on the Lofoten Islands, Norway.
FINE PRINT
If you cancel and the Workshop is otherwise filled, we will refund you the full amount you have paid towards the tuition, minus a $150 service charge. If you cancel and the Workshop does not fill, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the Workshop:
Greater than 90 days from the start date of the Workshop: full refund minus $150 fee.
75 days: 75% refund
60 days: 50% refund
Less than 60 days: no refund
Refunds will be paid by the same method that the original payment was made. Refunds will be initiated within 72 hours of the time that the request is approved.
