Scotland
Outer Hebrides
15 – 21 August 2027
Seven days on the islands at the western edge of Scotland, where the Atlantic meets white sand and the light lasts most of the night. Six photographers, two teachers, and a plan rewritten every afternoon around the forecast.
Places we may go
These are the anchors of the week. Which one we shoot on a given morning is decided the evening before, together, reading the forecast — and that choice is part of what you learn here.
This list is not exhaustive and it can change. A swell that arrives early, a road shut by the weather, or a sky clearly worth chasing somewhere else are all good reasons to spend a morning in a place that is not on this page.
A question before you decide? Write to me, that is where every workshop starts.
Request a seatThere is no day-by-day itinerary. There is a rhythm.
We don’t publish a fixed programme, because the weather decides where we should be — and chasing the wrong location on the wrong morning is the surest way to come home with nothing. What stays the same every day is the shape below. What changes is where we point the cameras.
Dry
No rain in the forecast. The day is built around its two ends: out for first light, and out again long before sunset to find the frame. The middle of it belongs to you and to the island.
| 05:10 | Sunrise | Out before the light, low sun across the sand |
| 06:45 | Rest | Back to the house: the morning is yours to sleep |
| 11:00 | Theory | We meet again and work on the topics of the week |
| 13:30 | On the road | A tweed mill, a distillery, the standing stones |
| 16:30 | One meal together | A single proper meal, because sunset is late up here |
| 19:15 | Sunset | In position an hour and a half early, to find the frame |
Wet
Rain on and off. We skip the sunrise and start later: it is the right day for the island itself, and the light usually gives something back in the evening.
| 09:30 | Theory | A later start, and a longer session |
| 12:00 | On the road | A tweed mill, a distillery, the standing stones |
| 16:00 | One meal together | |
| 17:30 | Post-production, forecast or planning | The evening is decided from the radar |
| 19:15 | Sunset | We go early anyway: rain clearing is the best light there is |
Stormy
Wind and rain that will not let up. Nothing worth standing outside for, so the day moves indoors: this is where the week gets its groundwork done, and where we are ready if the sky opens.
| 09:30 | Theory, long session | The table work that makes the rest of the week better |
| 12:30 | Post-production, forecast or planning | Your own files, one to one |
| 15:00 | Out of the weather | The pub, and the conversations that come with it |
| 17:00 | Image review | Your portfolio, honestly looked at |
| 20:48 | Out if it opens | On this coast a gap after a storm is worth dropping everything for |
What we work on
- Scouting and planning: reading maps, tides and forecasts
- Weather: reading the cloud, and making the most of what the day gives
- Composition, and the discipline of seeing the frame before shooting
- Exposure with the histogram, in light that changes fast
- Filters: graduated, polariser, ND
- Advanced long exposure
- Post-production, on your own files, during the week
- Image review, one to one
A question before you decide? Write to me, that is where every workshop starts.
Request a seatIn the field
What a week actually looks like, past the finished pictures: the waiting, the walking, and the people doing it with you.
Your teachers
Alessio Andreani
NiSi Ambassador
His work has been published by The Times, Digital Photographer Magazine, Traveler, NPhoto and Digital Photo.
Francesco Gola
ZEISS, BenQ, NiSi, f-stop Gear and Calibrite Ambassador
Based in Milan, he works with companies, magazines and photography schools across Europe.
What is included
Included
- Tuition from two professional photographers
- Accommodation in a single room, 6 nights
- Transport on the islands, fuel and tolls
- Photographic and logistic planning
- All tickets and entrance fees
Not included
- Travel to and from the Outer Hebrides
- Food and drink
- Travel and medical insurance
- Anything not listed under Included
Request a seat
Tell us about yourself and what you would like to work on. Asking for information does not commit you to anything.
Good to know
Accommodation
A comfortable house in Stornoway is our base for the whole week, with a single room each and space to work on files together in the evening.
Fitness level
No technical walking. Expect short approaches on uneven ground and early starts, carrying your own gear.
Experience required
All levels. The group is small enough that we can work with you where you are, from first tripod to long exposure.
Equipment
Camera, tripod, wide and medium lenses, filters. A full list is sent once you are enrolled, and NiSi filters can be lent during the week.
Weather
August in the Hebrides means anything from flat calm to horizontal rain, often on the same day. Waterproofs are not optional.
Getting there
Fly to Stornoway via Glasgow, Edinburgh or Inverness, or take the ferry from Ullapool. We meet around noon on the 15th and finish after the morning shoot on the 21st.
Payments and cancellation
A 30% deposit confirms your place, the balance is due 60 days before departure. Full conditions are sent with the booking form.