flamborough & thornwick bay landscape photography workshop

Selwick Bay at Flamborough Head and Thornwick Bay are two dramatic rocky coves on the east coast of Yorkshire. Both are surrounded by white chalk cliffs, crumbling sea stacks and jagged rock arches providing a wealth of photographic opportunity.

The rocky platform at Selwick Bay consists of a series of natural steps in the white Limestone and these give some lovely diagonal lines to work with as the swirling tide recedes. There are numerous Limpet clad boulders and shallow rock pools which make for the ideal foreground to complement the chalk headland and caves in the background. The views are also pretty spectacular from the cliffs above, where it is possible to compose panoramic images of Selwick Bay, the headland and the famous lighthouse. At Thornwick Bay We will be able to shoot the waves swirling between the Limestone rocks as the tide works its way out and the crumbling rock arch makes for a great focal point in the background. Again the geology here is superb, as are the cliffs and caves making up the distant views.

The exact format of this Yorkshire Coast Photography Workshop will depend on time of year. Through the summer months we will start later in the day (Around midday), working right through until sunset. In the winter months we will endeavour to meet one hour before sunrise, taking advantage of the shorter days and again working up until sunset.

There are no long or strenuous walks on The Yorkshire Coast Flamborough Thornwick Bay Photography Workshop, although there is quite a steep descent down steps onto the beach below from Flamborough Head, but this takes no more than five or ten minutes. At some point throughout the day, we will find time to stop off for a bite to eat, (This is usually in the cafe at Flamborough) This also gives us an opportunity to review the mornings images over breakfast/lunch, and go through one or two of the steps used to process images, before we make our way just round the headland to Thornwick Bay.

Depending on time of year, the workshop may conclude with us shooting the sunset views out to sea from the cliffs and the rocks that outline the bay. Through the summer months, the sun will set behind the cliffs in front of us, enhancing the views up the coast. The winter months will see the sun setting further down the coast which means we could finish up shooting Flamborough Lighthouse, possibly with some fiery colours overhead.

Again there is very little walking at Thornwick Bay, except down to the beach and back but it should be noted that there are some areas and rocks that can be slippery so good footwear is essential.