Dorset Wildlife photography

Our Dorset wildlife photography retreat has seven acres of land, nestled in a beautiful area of countryside, about 20 minutes from Dorchester. It’s a place to reconnect with nature and experience intimate encounters with British wildlife. I’m thrilled to share that our fox and badger hide is now open. This isn’t your standard viewing hut. It’s a half-hexagonal, partly underground hide designed so you sit in comfort at eye level. I run one-on-one photography training here but it’s also available to rent occasionally and accommodates three photographers. Contact me here about either. If you’d like to offer this as a present then see the gift voucher section below this photo. We have another hide built in the rafters of a barn where from April to September you can photograph swallows. More info further down this page.

Fox cubs Dorset

Dorset wildlife photography gift voucher

Dorset wildlife photography gift vouchers are available and cost £295. After purchase on the button below you’ll receive a gift voucher by email. I’ll ask you for their contact details and the date that you’ll tell them about it so I can contact them after that. I’ll then arrange a mutually convenient day with them and there’s no time limit – ie the gift vouchers never expire.

Buy Dorset wildlife gift voucher

Dorset wildlife photography prices

I mainly offer one-on-one Dorset wildlife photography training here which costs £295. Please contact me here about these or see gift voucher section above. They are suitable for complete beginners to experienced photographers. We can tailor these to your exact needs but we’d typically cover the following:

  1. An image review
  2. Making sure your camera and lens are set up to achieve the best results in the most intuitive way.
  3. Time spent out together photographing various wildlife including an evening session in our fox & badger hide.
  4. Post processing of photos from the session.
  5. Advice on developing your photography and honing your individual style.

We might also visit some of Dorset wildlife trust‘s nearby reserves during your visit.

Dorset wildlife photography hide
Dorset wildlife photography foxes
Badger photography Dorset

Dorset wildlife photography swallows

Swallow bird chicks
Swallows bird photography Dorset

From April to September we have swallows nesting in one of our barns. There’s a hide built up in the rafters where you can photograph these amazing birds at close quarters. Each summer they have two broods typically with four or five chicks in each. Time it right and you’ll be able to watch and photograph them having flying lessons inside the barn for a few days before they venture out for the first time.

A few recent clips of the first brood of swallows having flying lessons.

Dorset wildlife photography macro

Our first pond and wildflower area is making good progress and already offers some excellent macro photography opportunities. Frogs, toads, dragonflies, newts and butterflies are all regularly seen depending on time of year of course.

Dragonfly Dorset
Dragonfly photography

Dorset wildlife photography birds

Bird life is steadily increasing and recently we’ve had five grey wagtails, five swallows & four blackbirds all fledge within just one small area. Barn owls are regularly seen at dusk.

Bird photography Dorset
Grey wagtails Dorset wildlife
Grey wagtails bird photography Dorset

The photographer's journey

You might be coming to my Dorset wildlife photography retreat as a complete beginner which is such an exciting time. One of the sayings I love in life is unencumbered by experience. Anything is possible at this stage of learning a new skill and this is a time to be cherished. By the end of our session I guarantee you’ll never use auto again. My system of teaching is to de-mystify the technical side of photography and hand the creative control to you. There won’t be long technical ramblings as we’ll achieve this by taking photos together. Cameras have a daunting amount of settings and we’ll cut to the chase so you know what to use and just as importantly what not to use on your camera.

wildlife photography fox cubs

Creative plateau

But you might be much further along your photography path and have hit a plateau. The early days of photography have faded in your rear view and you feel uninspired. This can manifest itself so you no longer know what to photograph; or worse you question why you bother to photograph anything at all. The good news is that this is completely normal and just part your creative journey. In fact I’d go a stage further and say it’s a positive sign. You are no longer happy taking snap shots and need to find your individual style. My Dorset wildlife photography retreat is perfect for people at this stage and together we’ll work on this area in a fun, inspiring way.

Dorset wildlife photography background

I’ve been a professional wildlife photographer for over 20 years with my work appearing in numerous newspapers, magazines and calendars around the world such as Nat Geo, BBC wildlife, the Guardian & the Telegraph. There’s been the odd award along the way including winner of wildlife photographer of the year peoples choice. Although I still travel extensively – particularly for my work on great apes – I now try and spend lots of time in Dorset from March until October time. I get regular emails asking how you can make a career in wildlife photography and I’m happy to advise on this aspect too during my one-on-one sessions.

fox photography Dorset

Dorset birds

Here’s a list of current bird sightings at our Dorset wildlife photography retreat.

  1. House sparrow
  2. Starling
  3. Blue tit
  4. Great tit
  5. Long tailed tit
  6. Blackbird
  7. Chaffinch
  8. Goldfinch
  9. Wren
  10. Pied wagtail
  11. Grey wagtail
  12. Red kite
  13. Eurasian Jay
  14. Hoopoe
  15. Swallow
  16. House martin
  17. Swift
  18. Great spotted woodpecker
  19. Green woodpecker
  20. Jackdaw
  21. Rook
  22. Raven
  23. Crow
  24. Coal tit
  25. Marsh tit
  26. Nuthatch
  27. Song thrush
  28. Dunnock
  29. Greenfinch
  30. Goldfinch
  31. Barn owl
  32. Tawny owl
  33. Tree creeper
  34. Robin