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    | Islay

    Photography Trip

    Islay

    2 reviews


    Deposit From: £682£682
    Region: Inner Hebrides including Skye
    Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
    Confirmed: When 4 Travellers Book

    Next Departure: 8th - 12th Apr 2025
    Accommodation: Classic

    Grading:

    Carbon Footprint: 131kg ? What does this mean?
    Click here to find out about our carbon labelling project and what we're doing to be more sustainable.

    All you need to know about your trip, this essential document is a must for all adventures.

      From: £2,650 View Prices & Dates

      Trip Overview

      Created by: Colin Prior


      There’s a charm about Islay that captivates – perhaps it’s about the diversity of the interface between land and sea, which changes dramatically around the island. Perhaps it’s the richness and abundance of its wildlife, or perhaps it’s just ‘Ileach time’ – a pace that is more in keeping with the natural rhythms of the Hebridean island. Capture the magic of this special place alongside our expert guide and award-winning landscape photographer, Colin Prior.

      We are based at the Port Charlotte Hotel in the conservation village of Port Charlotte, which has a beachside location with stunning sea views of Loch Indaal. The hotel is recommended in the Michelin and Good Food Guides, highly rated in the Best of Scotland Guide, and holds a ‘Taste our Best’ Certificate awarded by Visit Scotland.

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      Day by Day
      Itinerary

      Day 1 – Glasgow to Islay Read Less

      Day 1

      Glasgow to Islay

      Colin will meet you at 09:00am within Glasgow Central Station in the small glass waiting room, which is centrally located and faces the information boards. After the group has assembled, we will drive to Kennacraig to catch the ferry to Islay. We will continue our journey to the Port Charlotte Hotel, where we will check in before heading out to our first location.

      Meals Included: Dinner

      Day 2 – Saligo Bay, The Oa and Lower Killeyan Read Less

      Day 2

      Saligo Bay, The Oa and Lower Killeyan

      We’ll rise early this morning to capture the sunrise at Saligo Bay where marram grass dunes overlook the Atlantic. Return for breakfast at the hotel, after which we will drive to the Oa peninsula in the south of the island. The cliffs afford great views in all directions – north to Eileanan Mora and Loch Indaal and east to Beinn Mhor and Port an Eas. After lunch, we will head over to Lower Killeyan, the cliffs around the bay forming a natural amphitheatre overlooking Loch Indaal where the seals haul out on the skerries and sea stacks.

      Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

      Day 3 – Loch Gruinart and Sanaigmore Bay Read Less

      Day 3

      Loch Gruinart and Sanaigmore Bay

      With a favourable forecast an early start will take us to Sanaigmore Bay for sunrise. Following breakfast we drive north, towards Loch Gruinart where expansive white sand beaches are rivalled only by those on Harris. When the tide is low, myriad shades of turquoise and blue can be seen in the water. At the end of the peninsula, Ardnave Point lies beyond marram grass dunes and overlooks Nave Island. The area is an RSPB Reserve and is rich in all kinds of bird life, particularly wildfowl and waders.

      Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

      Day 4 – Isle of Jura Read Less

      Day 4

      Isle of Jura

      Today we will drive north to Port Askaig and cross the Sound of Islay by ferry to Jura. During the day we will explore Jura’s coastline, shooting at several locations, including Craighouse’s coastline and Lowlandman’s Bay, before returning to Islay for dinner.

      Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

      Day 5 – Port Askaig, Kennacraig and Glasgow Read Less

      Day 5

      Port Askaig, Kennacraig and Glasgow

      After checking out, we will drive to Port Askaig and board the ferry and depart for Kennacraig. Back on the mainland we transfer across to Glasglow where the workshop will conclude at 2:30pm.

      Meals Included: Breakfast

      X
      Photography
      Islay

      To download a PDF copy of our Trip Itinerary, containing full details about this holiday, please complete the form below:

      Fields marked with * are mandatory

      The phone number field is not required but if you would like us to give you a call to help find the trip for you, then enter your telephone number including the country code.

      Trip Dates & Prices

      All payments taken in local currency GBP

      Trip Dates for 2025AvailabilityStatusPriceBook
      8th Apr - 12th Apr 20255 place(s) leftGuaranteed £2,650Book Now

      Make This Trip Private

      Fancy this trip just for your group? Get together with family and friends spend quality time exploring wild places. A private trip allows you to benefit from all the features of the group departure, including hand-picked accommodation and expert local guides but with the advantage of the flexibility to tailor the days to your group. Make the trip more or less challenging depending on your experience or choose to add in some optional extras like castle or distillery visits depending on your interests. The price of a private trip will depend on the number of travellers in your group. Let us know your preferred departure date and we'll take care of the rest.

      Enquire Now
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      Photography
      Islay

      For private departure enquiries, please complete the form below:

      Trip Details

      Accommodation Read More

      Based at the Port Charlotte Hotel, all clients will have a private room with en-suite facilities.

      Single rooms

      Each client will have a single room (unless a double or twin is requested) and all of the rooms are en-suite.

      Meals Read More

      All meals are included from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on the final day and we can look forward to some delicious three-course dinners. Any special dietary requirements can be catered for.

      Inclusions Read More
      • 4 nights accommodation in a single room in the Port Charlotte Hotel, which enjoys expansive views across Loch Indaal.
      • All meals as stated in the itinerary.
      • All transport throughout the trip, in a spacious people carrier, starting and finishing in Glasgow.
      • The services of Colin Prior, who will work closely with each group member throughout the holiday, helping you develop your photography skills.
      Grading Read More

      Green Graded 1-3

      Green graded walking holidays are suitable for active travellers who are reasonably fit and enjoy moderate hikes. We walk at a comfortable pace and you can expect to be out for 5-6 hours a day. The terrain will be mostly good paths and hill trails but these can still be muddy and rough in places. Some hikes may involve an ascent up to a max of approx 1,500 feet / 450m. Distances will be typically 8-10km but there may be the odd slightly longer day. Daily hike details are available in the itinerary.

      Travel - Arrival and Departure Read More

      You will meet Colin Prior at Glasgow Central Station in the small glass waiting room, which is centrally located and faces the information boards at 09.00am on Day 1 of your trip.

      You will be returned to Glasgow Central Station at 2:30pm on the final day of your trip.

      If you would like to use your own vehicle on the trip, please contact our team to discuss this.

      Your Photography Coach Read More

      Colin Prior is one of the UK’s leading landscape photographers. His spectacular panoramic images capture the beauty and eternal quality of the world’s wild places, especially those of his own native Scotland.

      He brings to his work a strong personal vision combined with supreme technical mastery of his chosen medium. Each photograph uniquely captures fleeting moments of nature that will never repeat themselves.

      Colin is also a patient and skilled photography coach and enjoys helping clients improve their skills on these trips.

      Photography Equipment Read More

      The information below is intended simply as a guide to help you achieve the most enjoyment from this tour.

      Cameras: All brands of cameras and lenses do the same thing; they look outwardly into the world and record what they see on different-sized sensors. What differentiates what they see is not the camera but the person looking through the viewfinder. So, what will help you gain the most from this tour is familiarity with your own camera’s layout and menu structure. There is no shortage of tutorials on YouTube to aid you in this process, and it is essential that you take the time to understand how to control the most salient features of the camera.

      Camera bags: Camera bags come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important that your bag comfortably holds the equipment you wish to carry over uneven terrain and that its design or lack of it does not affect your balance. Backpacks distribute weight evenly between your shoulders and hips and are normally supplied with a rain cover.

      Lens: Lenses are a personal choice. Many landscape photographers will choose to shoot with a 16-35 mm, 24-70 mm, or 24-105 mm lens. Shooting with zoom lenses makes a great deal of sense as it reduces the equivalent number of prime lenses that would otherwise have to be carried. Many photographers complement their wide-angle zooms with either a 70-200 mm or 100-400 mm lens. If you enjoy working within the landscape, a 90 mm or 100 mm Macro lens opens myriad possibilities.

      Filters: Under certain circumstances, filters are indispensable. Graduated neutral density filters control contrast locally and come in a range densities and graduations. The dynamic range of modern sensors has mitigated the need to use filters on many occasions and accordingly, I carry only two – a 0.6 (2 stop) filter with a soft graduation and a polarising filter which I used judicially.

      Tripods: Despite image stabilisation allowing the hand-holding of cameras down to very low shutter speeds, there is still no substitute for a good tripod in landscape photography. The emphasis should be on a relatively lightweight model that is easy to carry, but with one caveat: that it is more vulnerable to strong winds. One important factor when considering a tripod is that you can work comfortably with your camera at eye level – many u2018travel tripods’ reach their maximum height well below this height and are stressful to use. Carbon fibre tripods are lighter and more expensive than those made from aluminium but do the same job.

      Backup and storage: It’s always a good idea to have your images in more than one place. Ideally, you may wish to bring your laptop back up and select your best images for the critique session at the end of the tour.

      Wet weather protection for your camera: This isn’t essential, however, most digital camera don’t like moisture that much and it makes sense if you have some sort of cover – if it was raining heavily, it is unlikely that we would be photographing for long, however, a random shower or constant light drizzle can sometimes be problematic. Whilst there are specialist solutions available, having a polythene bag to hand would do the job.

      Lens cloth: A lens cloth is useful for removing rain or sea spray that has gotten onto a lens.

      A remote release is crucial to ensure sharp images, whether cable, Bluetooth, or app.

      Spare batteries: make sure that you don’t run out of juice.

      Speak to an Expert

      Bridget Brown

      Our friendly office team hail from across the world but share a passion for the outdoor and wild spaces of Scotland. We are committed to providing you with the best customer service and are more than happy to chat through options and provide help and advice. Get in touch to find your perfect adventure.

      Ask Bridget a Question

      Difficulty Grades Explained

      Green Graded 1-3

      Green graded walking holidays are suitable for active travellers who are reasonably fit and enjoy moderate hikes. We walk at a comfortable pace and you can expect to be out for 5-6 hours a day. The terrain will be mostly good paths and hill trails but these can still be muddy and rough in places. Some hikes may involve an ascent up to a max of approx 1,500 feet / 450m. Distances will be typically 8-10km but there may be the odd slightly longer day. Daily hike details are available in the itinerary.

      Find Out More

      Trip Reviews

      Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 2 review(s) of Photography – Islay

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      Every client receives a feedback survey when they return from their guided, self guided or tailor made holiday with us. Once completed the review is published on our website just as soon as our database updates. The little touches and details are important to us and where issues are raised we make positive changes to our trips to improve your experience.

      That’s why we read each of our client’s reviews and although we don’t respond to all of them, if it’s glowing feedback then we get the satisfaction of helping to make your holidays truly memorable.

      CC

      Christine Cuthbertson

      Reviewed on 30/04/2024

      Age: 60 - 70
      Country: United States
      Trip Date: 16/04/2024
      Trips Taken: 1

      The Bottom Line

      RC

      Roddy Clark

      Reviewed on 04/05/2022

      Age: 60 - 70
      Country: United Kingdom
      Trip Date: 19/04/2022
      Trips Taken: 2

      The Bottom Line

      The Bottom Line

      Fabulous photography trip to Islay, an island I had never been to before. Great time!

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