Best photography courses, classes and experience days – from wildlife to walking tours
Let us lens you a hand with this list of the 15 best photography courses and experiences to try in 2023.
In this modern world, our first response to seeing something new or beautiful is to whip out a phone and take a picture of it. Be it a cute animal, a gushing river or an ancient building, you can guarantee that within seconds, it will be caught up in the endless cloud of selfies and pics. So, does that mean that today, all of us are photographers?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: There’s so much more to learn about the art of photography, from knowing how to work with angles and lighting to understanding the million-and-one settings in your camera. Plus, not everyone has a natural eye for what makes a great photo.
But it’s never too late to learn, which is why we’ve assembled this guide to the best photography experiences to do in the UK.
In this list we’ve put courses, classes and tours where you can better learn the art of the camera, covering a range of subjects including babies, dogs, buildings and mountains.
Whether you want to seriously learn the beginnings of photography, or just fancy dripping about with a camera for a few hours, there’s something here for you to snap up.
Have we captured your attention? Good. Here’s a list of the best photography experiences to try in 2023.
A photography course would make a brilliant gift for a loved one, and for more present inspiration, take a look at the top experience birthday gifts and London experience gifts.
Best photography courses and experiences at a glance
- Wildlife Photography Experience in Chester Zoo, £150
- Edinburgh at Night Photography Workshop, £75
- Two Hour Videography Course in London, £46
- Astrophotography Online Course, from £29.95
- London Street Art Photography Tour for Two, £40
- Discover Smart Phone Photography Course, £49
- Snowdonia National Park Photography Experience, £140
- Full Day Photoshop Online Interactive Training, £32
- Home Projects Eight Part Online Photography Course, £29
- Action Dog Photography Workshop, £99
- Online Portrait Photography Course, £49
- Coastal Photography Weekend Breaks, from £725
- Private Full Day Canon Lesson in Worcester, £150
- Online Child and Baby Photography Course, £95
- Online Flower and Plant Photography Course, £95
Best photography courses and experiences to do in 2023
Wildlife Photography Experience in Chester Zoo
Fulfil your dream to work with animals with this wildlife photography experience at Chester Zoo. Led by a passionate wildlife photographer, you’ll learn all the basics of camera settings and shot composition, and will get up close to orangutans, elephants, tigers and more. But be careful – they might snap back at you!
For more zoo days, check out the best animal experiences to try in 2023.
Buy Wildlife Photography Experience in Chester Zoo for £150 at Experience Days
Edinburgh at Night Photography Workshop
See the historic Scottish capital like never before with this Edinburgh at night workshop. Through the lens of your camera you’ll capture the twinkling lights, gorgeous views, and nighttime atmosphere of 'Auld Reekie'. Plus, you’ll receive expert technical advice to help you cope with low and unnatural lighting – this experience is best suited to intermediate photographers.
Buy Edinburgh at Night Photography Workshop for £75 at Experience Days
Two Hour Videography Course in London
Cameras aren’t just about awkward posing and frozen moments anymore. In fact, videography is one of the most valuable skills you can learn if you want to advance in media, so why not try this two-hour course in London?
Perfect for aspiring filmmakers, you’ll start day learning how to handle and use a DSLR camera. Then, when you’re ready, you can plan spill out onto the streets and plan, film and edit your very own movie.
Buy Two Hour Videography Course in London for £46 at Experience Days
Astrophotography Online Course
Is there anything more beautiful than the night sky? Although many of us try to capture its magnificence through our phones, the moon and stars are notoriously hard to photograph. Enter this online Astrophotography course. Over 16 lessons, you’ll master the task of photographing the stars while learning lighting and editing skills, plus you’ll receive feedback on your work from an instructor.
Buy Astrophotography Online Course from £29.95 at Virgin Experience Days
London Street Art Photography Tour for Two
On this tour, you’ll head into the artsy streets of east London in search of hidden gems, be it small pieces of graffiti or huge murals. While walking through the likes of Shoreditch, Hoxton and Brick Lane, you’ll get to appreciate and memorialise all of the unique art that gives the area its character. At the end of it all, you’ll also receive Banksy’s Street Art Book and a good set of photos.
Buy London Street Art Photography Tour for Two for £40 at Virgin Experience Days
Discover Smart Phone Photography Course
Smart phone cameras have come a long way in the last few years, to the point that even professional movies have been filmed on a smart phone. So, to help you better understand this piece of kit we all own, try out this phone photography course.
With the option to take place in person or online, you’ll learn all the settings, modes and features your camera has. Led by an award-winning photographer, you’ll cover topics such as mood lighting, composition and portraiture, as well as going over Still Life and Landscape Photography.
If you want to check out one of the best smartphone cameras to date, take a look at our guide to the Samsung Galaxy S23.
Buy Discover Smart Phone Photography Course for £49 at Virgin Experience Days
Snowdonia National Park Photography Experience
If you like to be thrown in at the deep end, you can learn the beginnings of photography while surrounded by one of Britain’s most majestic and photogenic settings: Snowdonia. It will be hard to focus on the techniques of photography when surrounded by the grandeur of this north Wales mountain range, but if you can pay attention, you’ll be able to hone your skills and come home with an incredible set of photos, as well as getting a view of a lifetime.
For more great days out in Wales, take a look at the best things to do in Cardiff in 2023.
Buy Snowdonia National Park Photography Experience for £140 at Virgin Experience Days
Full Day Photoshop Online Interactive Training
If graphic design is your thing, prepare to meet your new best friend – Photoshop. One of the most creative and useful tools available, you can learn the art of Photoshop through this intense one-day crash course. Taught by an Adobe instructor, your session will include all the essentials of the programme, plus it will be recorded so you can watch it back for reference.
Buy Full Day Photoshop Online Interactive Training for £32 at Virgin Experience Days
Home Projects Eight Part Online Photography Course
With this voucher, you’ll have access to eight online photography courses that will take you from beginner to pro. Across the seven hours of lessons, you can submit your photos for feedback, get support from a tutor and have access to the iPhotography community chat, which has over 100,000 photographers.
Buy Home Projects Eight Part Online Photography Course for £29 at Virgin Experience Days
Action Dog Photography Workshop
Get up close to some very good boys with this dog photography workshop. In the woods of West Sussex, you’ll come across a group of highly trained working gun dogs and will get to chance to photograph them as they train. The pups, usually Setters, Springers and Labradors, will be jumping, running and searching as they perform a series of seek and retrieval exercises – so there’ll be plenty of action shots to capture, as well as some cute faces.
Buy Action Dog Photography Workshop for £99 at Into the Blue
Online Portrait Photography Course
This 18-module portrait course is currently having a major discount, with £100 off the price. Much like the other online courses, this experience will take you through all the skills and knowledge required to take a good portrait photo. It’s perfect for beginners, plus it can give you feedback, tutorials, and even a graduation certificate at the end.
Buy Online Portrait Photography Course for £149 £49 at Into the Blue
Coastal Photography Weekend Breaks
Get ready to leave it all behind and head down to the coast this spring with these incredible weekend photography breaks. In either Dorset, Devon or Suffolk, you’ll get a full package holiday complete with a hotel stay, meal reservations, and one-to-one tuition with a photography instructor.
Buy Coastal Photography Weekend Breaks from £725 at Into the Blue
Private Full Day Canon Lesson in Worcester
This experience is unique in that it focuses on one particular brand of camera: Canon. It’s also one of the rare experiences that provides the camera for you.
Taking place in Worcester, you’ll meet your instructor Richard who has spent over two decades working in photography with a Canon camera. Under his guidance, you’ll learn about Canon’s auto focus system, metering, and exposure techniques.
Buy Private Full Day Canon Lesson in Worcester for £150 at Experience Days
For more top experiences up and down the country, take a look at the best UK driving experiences.
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Online Child and Baby Photography Course for One
If you’re a parent, chances are you’ll be used to snapping photos of your little one – but what if you could learn to do it better? With the help of a professional, you can learn how to take some frame-worthy photos of your child as well as learning how to use and handle various cameras.
Buy Online Child and Baby Photography Course for £109 £95 at Red Letter Days
Online Flower and Plant Photography Course for One
Be at one with nature with this online plant photography course and learn how to see the beauty in everything, from the brightest bouquet to the garden weed. This course is currently discounted from £109 to £95, so don’t leaf it to the last minute to buy!
Buy Online Flower and Plant Photography Course for £109 £95 at Red Letter Days
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