Opening times

Selected dates in May and June.

Type of place
Habitat

Our photography workshops are a great opportunity to perfect your snapping skills.

A man taking a photograph

Do you want to learn to take better photographs, understand your camera better or want to take photos on that once in a lifetime trip? Our workshops are a must for all amateur wildlife photographers. Run by professional photographer Dave Stevenson, our day long workshops combine a tutorial session and an incredible location to practice your skills. 

Your Photography Workshops at Whipsnade Zoo experience

  • Our workshops will teach you more about the technical side of photography and start to look at the fundamentals of composition, leaving you with the knowledge to keep your photography moving forwards. This workshop aims to take you from the automatic settings to mastering your camera's manual modes for more creative photography (we recommend bringing a DSLR camera to get the most out of our workshops).
  • Our host photographer will walk you through getting your camera's auto-focus system to work for you. You'll learn the basics of using telephoto lenses, with plenty of real-life examples. By the end, you'll feel comfortable using your camera's manual modes and will be ready to take your wildlife photography to the next level.
  • After the classroom session, your host photographer will take you around the Zoo to put what you have learnt into practice and providing further hands on instruction to get the best photos.

What to expect on the day

The session starts at 10:30am with hot drinks and the tutorial session, after this it’s time to head out into the Zoo to explore and try out the tips from Dave. The experience runs until 4pm. The workshop lasts approximately six hours, with a 30 minute break for lunch.

There will be a maximum of ten people taking part in the workshop, giving you lots of time to explore and get those perfect pictures. The group will walk around the site together, so please wear sensible shoes. 

Tip: You will have plenty of opportunity to take some fantastic photographs so don’t forget to bring a spare battery and memory card.

Book a date now

Price 

  • £130 per person

Please note:  Gold MembersPatrons and Fellows receive a 10% discount on this experience. Please enter your CRM ID in the Offer Code box.  

How to book a place on a Photography Workshop at Whipsnade Zoo 

Information to know before you book

  • Participants must be over the age of 16 years old.
  • General admission is included for the participant.
  • The experience takes place outdoors so please come prepared with wet weather clothes. We don't mind a bit of rain, so the workshop will still run. We would recommend bringing appropriate waterproof clothing and footwear. Please also ensure that your camera and other equipment is protected.
  • Lunch and refreshments are not included in the price, but can be purchased from the cafe. Participants are also welcome to bring a packed lunch with them. 
  • We recommend checking the weather forecast in advance of the workshop. There will be lots of walking around so please ensure you wear comfortable shoes or boots. A few layers are a good idea as the weather can be changeable and a raincoat is always a good plan. 
  • Please see our full terms and conditions for more information.

What camera and equipment do I need to bring?

You must have a digital camera with a few spare memory cards and a fully charged battery. We strongly recommend a decent length lens – 200mm is a decent starting point, and over the years we’ve noticed various 70-300mm lenses are popular choices. 

Digital SLR and mirrorless camera users tend to get the most out of the day, but over the years we've worked with everything from basic compacts to high-end DSLR's and no-one ever gets turned away.

Other nice to have kit includes:

  • A long(er) lens 
  • A spare memory card - you always need more than you think. 
  • A spare battery - if you have a bridge or a mirrorless camera on which you compose by using an LCD screen, a spare battery will be worth its weight in gold. If you have a DSLR you probably won’t need a spare battery, but you must charge your DSLR battery the night before the workshop. Don’t forget to put it back in your camera.

If you have any questions about booking please contact us on [email protected]

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