Beginner’s Landscape Photography Workshops in Devon
Small‑group residential weekend workshops for beginner landscape photographers in Devon
If you’re new to landscape photography, or an early improver, and would like a relaxed, practical weekend to build your skills, these residential workshops are for you. Over two days in East Devon you’ll learn the essentials of using your camera, composition and light, with a mix of simple classroom sessions and guided coastal shoots. Many students travel from outside Devon for the weekend, staying at Mazzard Farm, an award‑winning countryside base, and you’ll go home with new skills, new images and much more confidence with your camera.
Why choose this beginner’s landscape photography workshop?
This weekend is designed for people who want to make a proper start with landscape photography without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. The group is small, so there’s plenty of individual help and a friendly, social feel, with time to ask questions and learn from each other as well as from me. We cover the foundations properly, then put them into practice on location, making it ideal if you’re happy to travel for a focused, all‑inclusive weekend rather than committing to weeks of evening classes at home.
Who the weekend is for
– Complete beginners who want to get off auto and understand their camera properly.
– Early‑improver photographers who’ve done a little landscape work but lack confidence.
– People happy to travel to Devon for a relaxed, residential weekend rather than weekly lessons.
– Guests coming from across the UK, often from the South East, Midlands and North West.


Workshop dates
Autumn Beginner's weekend, 25-27 Sept 2026
(Friday late afternoon arrival, Sunday late afternoon departure)
If you’re interested in future dates, please get in touch and I’ll let you know when new weekends are announced.
Beginner's Landscape Photography Workshop
Location:
Mazzard Farm, Ottery St Mary, East Devon
Level:
Beginners and early improvers
Group size:
Minimum 3, maximum 6 photographers
Length:
Friday evening to Sunday late afternoon (plus Sunday night optional)
What you'll learn:
What you’ll learn: How to set up and use your camera with confidence, control exposure and focus, compose stronger landscapes, work with different types of natural light, and carry out simple editing to polish your favourite images.
What's included:
2 (or 3) nights’ self‑catering accommodation, all tuition, guided location shoots, Friday supper & welcome hamper
Price:
£399 residential or £219 non‑residential, with a £139 deposit to secure your place and the remaining balance due 28 days before the workshop.
Why choose Gary Holpin photography for your photography training?
Award winning accomodation
Our weekends are based at Mazzard Farm, an award‑winning countryside retreat near Ottery St Mary. You’ll stay in comfortable self‑catering cottages set around a peaceful courtyard, with woodland and orchards on the doorstep – a relaxing base after a full day of photography.
Exceptional training
I specialise in helping beginners and early improvers in a calm, straightforward way, without unnecessary jargon. Group sizes are capped at six, so there’s plenty of time for individual help and questions, and my workshops consistently receive five‑star feedback from previous attendees.

Experience devon's scenery
Over the weekend we’ll visit some of the best coastal and countryside locations in East Devon, such as Sidmouth and Beer (weather permitting). As a Devon‑based landscape specialist I know a range of beautiful spots that are perfect for learning landscape photography, giving you plenty of chances to put new skills into practice.

Course details
Group Size
Small groups of a maximum of six photographers, so you get plenty of individual help with your camera and one‑to‑one support when you need it, whatever make or model you use.
Refreshments
Your fee includes a welcome meal on Friday evening, plus a breakfast hamper and tea and coffee in your cottage. For other meals you’ll pay as you go, and I’m happy to suggest local options. Many guests choose to eat together, which makes for a relaxed, sociable weekend.
Accommodation
You’ll stay in a comfortable self‑contained holiday cottage at Mazzard Farm, with your own bedroom and shared lounge and kitchen. In some cases you may share the cottage with one other guest of the same sex.
Training
Training usually runs from around 9.30 am to 5.30 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, with breaks built in. Outside these hours you’re free to relax at Mazzard Farm or explore the local area at your own pace.
Transport
During the workshop we generally car share between students to reduce the number of car miles.
Payment
To secure your place, a £139 deposit is payable when you book. The remaining balance is due 28 days before the workshop. Weekend workshops run with a minimum number of students and are usually confirmed around six weeks before the start date. If a weekend has to be rescheduled, you can choose either to have your deposit transferred to a future date or to receive a full refund of your deposit. Please see the FAQs for full cancellation terms and consider suitable travel insurance.


Weekend itinerary – in brief
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Friday evening: Arrive at Mazzard Farm, settle into your cottage and join a relaxed welcome meal with the group in Ottery St Mary.
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Saturday: Morning training session at Mazzard Farm, followed by an afternoon coastal shoot (for example Sidmouth) and a group image review back at base.
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Sunday: Further training and a second location shoot (such as Beer), then a final image review and informal prize for “photo of the weekend” before you head home.
What you'll learn
– What makes a strong landscape photo and how to improve your composition.
– How your camera works, what the main buttons and on‑screen information mean.
– Simple steps to move off automatic mode and take more control.
– How to set focus and exposure so your photos are sharp and well‑balanced.
– Why light matters so much, and how to handle tricky lighting.
– Creative use of shutter speed for movement and low‑light shots.
– A bit about useful kit, apps for planning shoots, and a gentle introduction to editing in Lightroom.
Photos of students on my workshops since 2018
What previous students say…
“I was a little nervous beforehand as a total beginner, but I needn’t have worried. The small group, relaxed teaching style and fun photo challenges meant no question went unanswered. I left with much more confidence, a better understanding of my camera and how to take better landscape photos – and Mazzard Farm is a lovely place to stay. Highly recommended.”, Kathy, Google review, 2025
“I can highly recommend Gary’s beginner photography weekend. I came away having learnt so much, with a much better understanding of my camera and its settings for landscape photography. The format of the weekend worked really well, the stay at Mazzard Farm was extremely comfortable, and it was a fun weekend with a great group of people.”, Tara, Google review, 2025
“My daughter and I have just completed an amazing beginner weekend in landscape photography with Gary at Mazzard Farm. We found the course inspiring and it really improved our knowledge. Gary’s training was very informative at a relaxed pace, and we now have a much better understanding of how to use the camera to get the best landscape photos possible.”, Tony, Google review, 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
Payments, deposits and cancellations
A £139 deposit is required to confirm your place on a weekend workshop. You can pay this via the PayPal button on the booking page or by BACS once I’ve sent an invoice. The remaining balance is due 28 days before the workshop.
Workshops usually require a minimum number of participants to go ahead. A decision on whether the workshop will run is made around six weeks before the start date. If a weekend has to be rescheduled, you can choose either to have your deposit transferred to a future date (including an alternative weekend) or to receive a full refund of your deposit.
Deposits are otherwise non‑refundable. I recommend taking out suitable insurance to cover you in case you need to cancel due to illness or other unforeseen reasons. Once the balance has been paid, course fees are not refundable, but may be transferred to a later workshop if your place can be filled by another participant (either found by you or me).
What camera do I need?
You’ll need a camera that can move from automatic mode into manual control, so you can adjust the exposure settings yourself. Any compact, bridge, mirrorless or DSLR camera is fine, as long as it has a mode dial with options such as A (or Av), P and M. If you’re unsure whether your camera is suitable, please get in touch and we can discuss it.
What should I bring?
Suitable outdoor shoes or walking boots. We won’t be walking far, but we will wander onto unpaved areas such as beaches and moorland.
Your camera (of course) and any lenses you have.
Your camera manual if you have it, either a paper copy or electronic. If you can’t find the original, a quick online search will usually turn up a downloadable version.
At least one memory card and a fully charged battery, plus a spare battery and your charger if you have them.
Waterproofs for both you and your camera kit – a waterproof rucksack or camera bag is ideal. I won’t make you walk around in pouring rain, but there’s always a chance of getting caught out by the weather.
Drinks and snacks. Although we won’t be far from civilisation and can usually dive into a shop if needed, it’s useful to have something with you in case we don’t pass one when hunger sets in.
Some change in case it’s needed for parking.
What if the weather is bad?
We can work around most weather, but persistent heavy rain is more of a challenge. In five years I’ve not yet had to cancel a weekend completely, but this is Devon, so it is always a possibility. If the forecast is poor I’ll do my best to plan relevant indoor photography activities and adjust our timings to avoid the worst of the rain. However, please be aware that bad weather can still affect what we are able to do and may have some impact on your enjoyment of the weekend.
Questions about the accommodation?
Most questions about your accommodation at Mazzard Farm can be answered by the following pages on their website:
If you’re still unsure about anything after reading those, feel free to ask me.
Do I need insurance?
I’m afraid I’m not able to insure against client cancellations, which is why workshop payments are non‑refundable. To protect your booking, I strongly recommend taking out suitable travel or holiday insurance that covers course or workshop fees in case you have to cancel unexpectedly (for example due to illness, family emergencies or travel disruption). This way, you should be able to claim back your costs if something unforeseen prevents you from attending.
What level do I need to be at with my photography?
No prior knowledge is required, as the course is designed for beginners. As long as you have a suitable camera and the enthusiasm to learn, you’ll be fine. The weekend is also suitable for photographers who have a little knowledge and want to improve their landscape skills.
How many people will be on the workshop?
There will be a maximum of six participants on this workshop, which keeps the group small enough for plenty of individual attention and flexibility on location choices. You’ll have lots of opportunity to ask questions, get feedback on your images, and receive one‑to‑one guidance out on location and during the editing sessions.
How much walking is involved?
I usually choose locations that don’t involve too much walking, so we can spend more time taking photos and less time travelling between spots. However, you will need reasonable mobility and be comfortable walking up to around half a mile, sometimes over uneven or sloping ground such as coastal paths, moorland or beaches. Where possible, I’ll tailor the specific locations to the overall fitness and mobility of the group, so if you have any concerns, please let me know in advance.
Still unsure if this weekend is right for you, or have a question I haven’t covered here? Just send me a quick message and I’ll be happy to help you decide.



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