Wild Photography Holidays - Photography & Adventure Travel: Dahlia Photography Workshop with Polina Plotnikova

Dahlia Photography Workshop with Polina Plotnikova

Highlights include…

• Photographing Dahlias in natural & studio light
• Photographing Dahlias at the Dahlia Farm
• Visual presentations from Polina
• Introduction to growing, picking and arranging at Dahlia Beach
• Flower Arranging workshop
• Lovely Riverside Hotel
• Pre-visualising for creativity
• Multiple exposures in camera
• Introduction to Lensbaby lenses
• Post processing flower images

Introduction

We are pleased to invite you to our Dahlia photography workshop led by Polina Plotnikova and assisted by WPH directors Geraldine Westrupp and Martin Sammtleben

The stunning and diverse Dahlia flowers with their incredible range of colours, shapes and sizes are a favourite of photographers and flower enthusiasts alike. During this workshop, we will explore the many facets of Dahlia photography, from capturing the intricate details of individual blooms to creating stunning compositions with clusters of flowers. Polina will help participants to investigate new ways of approaching flower photography by demonstrating and encouraging participants to discover something unique in a flower, something hidden or not necessarily obvious at first sight. She will open new possibilities using techniques and ‘gadgets’ that you may have heard about but never had the opportunity to try out (nothing too complicated!) We will practice the art of pre-visualising your creative flower shot and encourage you to find your own unique way of expressing yourself with the camera including multiple exposures in camera to capture dreamy and creative interpretations of the Dahlia.

In addition to the technical aspects of flower photography, including lighting, composition, and depth of field, we will experiment with a variety of different backgrounds to capture the beauty of these flowers in new and creative ways. Whether you prefer a simple, monochromatic background that highlights the vivid colours of the Dahlias or a textured and patterned background that adds depth and interest to the images, you will have the opportunity to explore different techniques and discover the ones that work best for your individual style and vision.

We have chosen our riverside hotel to enable us to work in conjunction with Andie McDowell who runs the innovative Dahlia Beach which is close to the hotel. We will enjoy a ‘Flower Arranging Experience’ at Dahlia Beach with a 2 hour introduction to growing, picking and arranging Dahlias. We will have access to her marvellous Dahlia field for the whole day and we will probably take lunch there too. The Dahlias for our studio photography sessions will be sourced from Dahlia Beach.

Whether you’re an experienced photographer or a beginner just starting out, this workshop will provide you with the tools and techniques to take your flower photography to a new level of creativity.

Polina is part of the Lensbaby International Trailblazers Team. During this workshop she will demonstrate how to work with various Lensbaby lenses/optics and she will show participants how special effect vintage lenses can liberate and boost your creativity. If you have one do bring it along, if you don’t own one yet you will be given the opportunity to experiment and potentially transform your creative flower photography.

“There truly aren’t enough words to describe the exquisiteness of Dahlias. They’re simply stunning with their grand size — I have dinner plates smaller! And those rich colours — they’re absolutely drenched in beauty. It’s little wonder that they represent dignity and elegance.” Heather Webber

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at The Cosener House Hotel

Participants should arrive in time for our first night get together at 18:00 when we will have introductions, a workshop briefing and a presentation from Polina. This will be followed by dinner at the hotel.

Day 2: Dahlia Beach

After breakfast there will be a visual presentation with tips on outdoor flower photography from Polina. Following this we will relocate to a Dahlia farm where we will work in conjunction with Andie McDowell owner of the innovative Dahlia Beach which is 20 minutes by car from the hotel. We will enjoy a ‘Flower Arranging Experience’ with a 2 hour introduction to growing, picking and arranging Dahlias with access to her marvellous Dahlia field for the whole day. We will leave “The Beach” for lunch.

We return in the afternoon for some concentrated Dahlia photography under the watchful photographic eye of Polina. Our Dahlias for the next days studio photography sessions will be sourced from Dahlia Beach. Early evening we will return to the hotel for dinner and a discussion of the day’s experiences.
Hotel Accommodation (D)

Day 3: Creative Dahlia photography

After breakfast Polina’s presentation will cover indoor flower photography tips. Following lunch we will use Dahlias from the farm for both indoor and outdoor sessions using a mixture of studio and natural light.
Hotel Accommodation (B,D)

There will be a late afternoon post processing session on the large screen where Polina will demonstrate how she develops her images. This will be followed by a post processing session when everyone can work on their own images on their laptops, with tuition on an individual basis. After dinner there will be a final presentation of participants images
Hotel Accommodation (B,D)

Day 4: Departure

There will be an optional outdoor session in the grounds of the hotel with Dahlias from the farm in early morning light followed by breakfast. WPH services finish after breakfast.
(B)

Accommodation

We will be staying at the riverside www.thecosenershouse.co.uk where guests will have a single occupancy room with private facilities.

Included

• 3 nights hotel
• 3 Evening meals
• 3 breakfasts
• Entrance to Dahlia Beach

Not Included

• Lunches
• Alcohol
• Anything not mentioned as included

Transport

Some participants may wish to drive to and from the hotel. The alternative is the train, the nearest station is Oxford the hotel is around 20 minutes, a short taxi ride. The distance from the hotel to Dahlia Beach is around 20 minutes.