Join one of our unique Spain photography tours for landscape photo workshops in Andalusia exploring the southern coast, verdant national parks and forests in the region between Cadiz, Seville & Malaga. With collection and departure from Seville or Malaga, the tour is geared for photographers who have an interest in taking better landscape photographs in locations within easy reach of overnight accommodation. You can independently add more days to the trip at the end which will give you city-based photographic experience.
Learn how to find compositions
This tour is about spending time in a few varied locations and exploring the possibilities with your camera. To discover compositions that excite you and learn how your camera ‘sees’ as opposed to your eye. You’ll be guided not just to locations but on how to think about evaluating a scene and making decisions about how to get the key features to stand out. You’ll encounter many landscape opportunities that offer variety and the opportunity to use different focal lengths and filters. You’ll be working with the elements; breaking waves, gusts of wind, cascading water and using your camera controls to get the effects you want. Still, you are still in Spain and not the most inhospitable of places. A low-medium level of adventure, just enough to feel you’ve earned your photos. Ideal for photographers looking for tutored guidance and personal development within the landscape domain.
Forests
Shoreline
Rivers
This tour is different
Many companies say 8-10 is a small group but I genuinely think no more than 6 persons is ideal and typically for this tour it will be no more than 4 or 5. In a small group at each of the locations, you’ll have the chance to find your own area to explore; there’s sufficient scale to find your patch. Most of the locations are in national parks and protected areas unique in Spain. There are very few other tourists photographing or indeed even visiting these places. Spain does attract many landscape based photo tours and they are mainly based in the north. With a small group, you’ll have the opportunity for plenty of one to one tuition.
The tour plan
Your images are our priority. We’ll spend at least 2 days at each of the key locations; cork forest, beach and river allowing a day’s travel to get between them. Travel times are not excessive and these days include morning or/or evening photography. Early and late workshops are the best for light so we’ll travel to the photographic areas for those times and then return to our base to download images and review them before heading out again. Allowing a couple of days at each place means you have a chance to get to know the location and refine your first day’s technique or composition. The more you look the better your images will be.
+ click for a typical itinerary
The places you’ll visit
Aside from your arrival cities such as Malaga or Seville, we’ll be located in National parks located between Cadiz and Malaga and in the region west of Seville. Los Alcornocales Natural Park is the cork tree forest that runs north from Gibraltar and we’ll be spending most of our time in this area at several locations. Forests of cork and oak, waterfalls, rhododendrons and orchids allow different kinds of images. The ‘red river’ Rio Tinto gives you plenty of opportunities to both go wide and get in close and abstract, playing with colours although reds and yellows are already present without post saturation, a result of many years of mining.
Hands on instruction
The tour is for all levels of ability, you don’t have to be a landscape expert or have a brilliant sense of composition but it’s essential that you have the basics of how to control exposure and how to navigate around your camera. I’ll explain the depth of field, putting hyperfocal distance into practice, choosing the right lens and using your tripod and improving your workflow as well as how to approach a scene and order your composition and technique to get the shot you have in mind. The week is open to all ages but there is some walking over short distances. The tour is primarily about developing your skills as a photographer and acquiring more images for your portfolio. View my gallery of images from the region taken on a recent trip.
About time
Essentially the locations offer a timeless perspective on the Andalusian landscape. Rocky beach sandstone erosion, the rivers and waterfalls and shoreline and seascapes. The process of time is apparent but how can photographic textures be played with. In attempting to convey time how exactly do we vary our shutter speed to achieve different kinds of images and even surprise ourselves in these instances. Investing in an ND filter before arriving will be useful here. You can also begin to think about how your images relate to each other so there is some cohesion in your approach.
+ another take on the locations
Colour palette
Although there are some fabulous colours to be found on the shoreline and river on the tour, it’s often about subtly as well. Green, forest green en-mass does represent a challenge to photographers which is why there are few great landscape shots taken on the greenest Greek islands. Landscape photography is about finding tonal contrast within the subject and the cork trees of Andalusia provide such opportunities which is why it’s a great location to explore. It’s not all about saturating your photos in post which is a shortcut way to gain appeal but ultimately not as satisfying.
Framing
As always it’s about composition. Mostly what you leave out and perhaps as importantly the relationship between foreground and background. Does the background interfere with the key elements in the scene? How does the main subject clearly stand out or perhaps there is no dominant focal point. Having an idea of what the photograph is visually trying to convey can be a starting point. Too much and too little contrast are also deal breakers. Learning to look for tonal separation whilst avoiding distracting highlights will also be part of what each workshop will cover every day. Evening reviews are essential for this.
+ click for great framing examples
Wild woods
Surreal edges
Honeycombe
Your accommodation
There’ll be a mix of B&B’s and self-catering facilities set in rural locations. They are well facilitated with good bathrooms and on-site access to wifi. There’s no room sharing or supplement coming as a single person – you’ll have your own en-suite private bathroom. Couples are welcome and this is also a popular option. Evening dining is regional cuisine either served in local restaurants or you have the option of self-catering. Across the 7 nights, we’ll stay in 3 places. Click on the following links to see our first choice selection the establishment’s Hotel SC Hotel
Reserve your place on one of our Spain photography tours
After successful tours in 2022 and 2023, the next available tour will be March 15th – 22nd 2025. The group size will be limited to 4 persons with myself as instructor and guide. Transportation will be via private vehicle and includes collection from Malaga airport. The price will be £2195.00 for the 7 nights based on at least 3 people in the group including transport, accommodation and breakfasts. You can view my book of Andalusia from 2017 voted book of the month by Bob Books.
Use the form below to register your interest and I’ll promptly get back to you with availability. You’ll need a telephoto in your kit bag, a wide-angle and a decent tripod. If you require filters then I recommend Format Hitech. Let me know if you are unsure what to purchase. You’ll need to arrange flights into Malaga as your first choice and Seville as your second.