Photography Lessons

Learn Photography at a Pace that Suits You

If you’re struggling with a camera roll that never quite does justice to the experience, or may looking to gain confidence with your camera and photography. A private lesson fixes that.

Working on the things you actually want to photograph, at whatever pace suits you. We talk through a setting, you dial it in yourself, we look at the result, building on knowledge through practical application. By the end you'll know not just which setting to use, but why, and that knowledge comes with you everywhere afterwards: the next big trip, family gathering, the next holiday, the next unexpected wildlife encounter, whatever it is you’ll be ready for it!

For over 15 years I've helped people with every brand and type of camera and every level of experience, from complete beginners to people wanting to turn phtogoraphy into their profession. Whatever you've got and wherever you're starting from, we'll start there.

What we can cover

These are the themes people ask for most often. Every lesson is planned around you, so if what you're after isn't here, just ask. The half day and full day ideas are starting points rather than a fixed menu, and plenty of people combine two.

Get to know your camera

Whatever camera you have, I'll take you straight to the handful of core settings that matter and show you how they work together, so you're in control of the camera rather than the other way round. Better photos of the family, your travels or the wildlife in your garden: you'll learn how to choose the right settings for each and do justice to the memories you make.

Camera phone photography

It's mind-blowing how far camera phones have come. Used well, they can take exhibition-quality photos, and I've helped people get to grips with all kinds of phones: the settings tucked away in the camera app, and the creative and practical habits that turn quick snaps into photos you'd happily frame.

Wildlife

Beginner to advanced, from fieldcraft (finding wildlife and getting great shots without disturbing it) to focusing techniques for a bird that won't keep still, and everything in between. Years of walking the same woods, moors, rivers and cliffs, and learning which call means what, have given me an intimate insight into the wildlife here and how it behaves, and that is most of the battle. Plans can be tailored around pretty much anything, but if you're looking for ideas:

• Half day: settings and gear, creative wildlife photography (composition and creative techniques), red kites, woodland wildlife, wetlands, macro, owls in the wild, deer, moorland wildlife, insects in flight, editing and workflow.

• Full day: all of the above with more time in the field, plus red squirrels, otter trekking and the Yorkshire Coast.

Street and travel

Ever taken a trip, a load of photos, and got home to find none of them show what made it special? Gain the confidence to photograph people, spot the creative possibilities in any environment and take photos you're proud of whatever the weather is doing. Or try a twilight-into-night session for the kind of photographs you'd hang on the wall. I'm happy to run these anywhere, but for ideas:

• Half day (within an hour of the studio): Leeds, Harrogate, Saltaire, Bradford, Ilkley.

• Full day: all of the above plus York, Knaresborough, Whitby, Halifax, Manchester, Durham and Newcastle.

Landscape

Learn the art of balancing the technical and the creative to take your landscape photography to the next level: classic golden hour landscapes (the low, warm light just after sunrise and before sunset), subtle woodland scenes, seascapes, abstracts and ICM (intentional camera movement, where you move the camera during a longer exposure for a painterly result). Or try something new: astrophotography, long exposures, HDR (blending several exposures to keep detail in both a bright sky and dark ground) and focus stacking (combining frames focused at different distances so the whole scene is sharp).

• Half day: settings plus a local walk on the moors or along the Wharfe, astrophotography, Grassington, Malham, Lower Wharfedale, Ilkley Moor, editing landscapes.

• Full day: all of the above plus coastal seascapes on the Yorkshire and Northumberland coasts, the Yorkshire Dales, the North York Moors [check: your outline says "Yorkshire Moors"; change back if you meant something broader], the Peak District and the Lakes, or a Shoot, Edit and Print day.

Macro

From the details in a city wall or on the woodland floor to bees, butterflies and fungi. Done well, macro photography (close-up work, where small things fill the frame) is a powerful way to make engaging photos, and the closer you get, the more your settings matter. I love taking macro photos, and I love helping people achieve their vision with them, both technically and creatively.

• Half day: key settings and approaches.

• Full day: the same with more time in the field, plus optional editing and/or printing.

 Sessions and prices

Four lengths, from a quick taster at the studio to a full day in the field. All fees are flat rate, so you're welcome to bring a friend and split the cost. Half and full day lessons come with personalised, fully illustrated notes emailed to you afterwards.

1 hour taster: £50

A gentle way in. Try a taster before a longer lesson, or learn one step at a time: cover something, take a week or two to practise, then come back for the next piece. At the studio in Burley in Wharfedale (Monday to Friday, daytime or evening) or over a video call.

101 Session (2 hours): £90

Short and focused, for a particular problem. A walk-through of a new camera or lens, getting your head round editing software, or a practical introduction to better photos on your phone or a simple camera. Held at the studio.

Half day (around 3.5 hours): £145

Enough time to properly get to grips with one aspect of photography, with real practice in the field. From the studio, or anywhere within an hour's drive of Burley in Wharfedale. Personalised, fully illustrated notes emailed to you afterwards.

Full day (6 to 8 hours): £260

The one for lots of time in the field: special excursions, a custom guided tour of somewhere you've always wanted to photograph, or one of the popular Shoot, Edit and Print days. Anywhere across Yorkshire and Lancashire, plus parts of Cumbria and Northumberland. Illustrated notes afterwards. Add a print of your best shot from the day: Full Day + A3 print £290, Full Day + A2 print £310

Gift vouchers

Help someone take their photographic journey further with a gift they'll use and remember. Choose eVoucher as the booking type above and pick a session length.

Online lessons

Can't get to Yorkshire? One-hour tasters run over video call, and there are dedicated Online 1:1 Photography Lessons too.

Ideas by season

Camera settings, general wildlife, landscape, macro and street and travel run all year; this is for everything with a season.

Some things are worth planning the date around, and it's half the fun. Here's roughly what's on when. Timings shift with the weather and the wildlife, so treat it as a guide rather than a timetable, and if there's something specific you'd love to photograph, tell me and we'll plan the date around it.

• January to March: night and astrophotography, winter landscapes, the first snowdrops and crocuses, and winter wildlife: starling murmurations, otters, kingfishers and owls.

• April to June: spring landscapes and woodland flowers (wood anemones, bluebells and more), early butterflies, moorland nesting birds (curlew, red grouse, lapwing, golden plover and snipe), puffins and the breeding seabird colonies, garden flora and fauna, and spring on the river.

• July to September: heather moorland landscapes and wildlife, kingfishers, butterflies and dragonflies, and gardens at their busiest.

• October to December: night and astrophotography again, seascapes, autumn colour in the Lakes, fungi, festive events and scenes, and York at Christmas.

How it works

1. Pick a session. Choose a length above and book it as an in-person lesson, or as an eVoucher if it's a gift.

2. Tell me about you. Your camera or phone, what you'd love to photograph and what's been frustrating you. I'll suggest a plan and a place.

3. Choose a date. Check availability using the form below, or just get in touch and we'll find a date that works for you.

4. Keep learning. Half and full day lessons come with personalised, fully illustrated notes by email, so nothing we cover gets forgotten.

Got a date in mind? Check private lesson availability here…

Meet Your Tutor…

All events and lessons are thoughtfully delivered by me, Rich Bunce, aka The Walking Photographer. I've been a professional photographer for over 15 years, and have been sharing my photography skills and tips for a similar amount of time. With over 3,000 sign-ups and hundreds of private lessons since founding Walking Photography, I've learnt to adjust my approach to the individuals I meet, helping them feel more confident with their camera and their creativity.