Grey Seal Workshop

This is a fully tutored small group photography workshop on a date to suit you between mid November - December.  Your group must have a minimum of two people, and a maximum of ten. Each session will have two photographers providing tuition.  Suitable for ages 18+ unless accompanied by a full paying adult.

2 people - £175 each for one day, £250 each for two days.

Britain is home to around 38% of the world population of grey seals, with the RAF Donna Nook coastline being one of the best places to see them as they come ashore every November & December to give birth.  The pups are born with their fluffy white 'lanugo' coat which start to moult when they are 2-3 weeks old, staying on the beach till they are 5-6 weeks old.  Our visit will coincide with new born pups as well as those both starting their moult and fully moulted, along with of course, the cows and bulls.  Last year we had the privilege to witness the birth of a pup, over in seconds you never know what will happen as you walk past the heavily pregnant cows. If we're lucky we may also get the chance to see if we can spot a rare melanistic (black) seal.

We will help you get to grips with your settings for seal photography and be on hand throughout the morning for any advice.  You are of course free to wander off if you wish or stay with the group.  Donna Nook can get very busy, especially on a weekend, so our workshops will be at the crack of dawn, which will also get us the best morning light.

Each morning we will leave the hotel at 0700 prompt, heading off on the 30 minute drive to Donna Nook where sunrise will be around 07.45 and meeting those who haven't stayed the night before at the hotel, in the car park at 07:30.  Parking in the farmers field car park costs £5 per car, and has portaloos and a catering van.  Up and over the dunes (relatively easy), there is one main path for the seals which is mainly flat.  If you are a blue badge holder you can use the main tarmac car park with access to the opposite end of the path, but be aware there is no toilet here.  We will stay for as long as we like (or as long as we can stand the cold! From previous experience we leave around 11-12) before either saying our goodbyes or heading back to the hotel to get warmed up on the first day.  If staying two nights, during the first afternoon we will go through our images captured that morning, showing you how to use Lightroom to edit those images, either on our own laptops or bring your own with you.  We can then give you advice on anything that may improve your images for you to try the next morning.  Just as it gets dark we will then head down to the beach by the hotel for a surprise go at some wire wool spinning.  Afterwards we will then head back for a nice hot dinner.

There has been lots of controversy regarding photographers disturbing the breeding of the seals at Donna Nook, so please note, we will be attending the approved Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust visiting area with dedicated walkway where the photos here were taken, and not intruding on to the beach further down.

Accommodation, travel & meals are NOT included.  We will be staying at the Premier Inn in Cleethorpes, so if you choose to stay over there, you can join us for dinner and breakfast - let us know you're coming and we'll book a table.

Full directions and map will be sent on booking.

What to bring:

Clothing

• Comfortable/suitable clothing for the time of year - thermals, layers, thick socks, gloves, scarf, woolly hat, waterproofs.
• Suitable footwear such as walking boots as we will be walking across some uneven ground which could be wet.

Camera equipment

• DSLR, mirrorless or bridge camera, to get the most from tutoring - phones and point and shoot cameras are welcome for those who just want the experience and can still learn about composition.
• Variety of lenses.  The seals will range from being right under your nose to some distance away.  A mid range 70-200mm or 100-400mm will suffice for most shots and will mean you don't have to carry too much gear.
• Monopods may be useful for heavier lenses.
• Stormjacket or plastic bag with elastic band for protecting your camera/lens from rain.
• For wire wool spinning, a wider angle lens, tripod and cable release.
• Spare memory cards.
• Fully charged batteries and battery charger - remember batteries lose charge quicker in the cold.

Miscellaneous

• Hand warmers.
• Thermos flask for hot drinks.
• Umbrella.
• Camping chair/seat if you have limited mobility and don't want to be on your feet for so long - I have a fabulous rugged trolley on wheels that has a seat that pulls down, which guests are always welcome to take a pew!

Important Information:

• Full payment is required on booking, details for a direct bank transfer will be provided.
• As with all wildlife, sightings can not be guaranteed.
• Please respect the wildlife and don't do anything to distress the animals.
• Do not feet the wildlife and take any litter home with you.