Birds of prey have always been a favorite with photographers and can be a very challenging subject to photograph, especially in flight. On this session, we aim to cover the best use of equipment to get captivating shots of the Birds in natural settings.

This session will take place with SMJ Falconry in the beautiful setting of Oxenhope. The center is set within natural scenery including photogenic stone walls, hills, and fields. With this in mind, we will be concentrating on native birds in this wonderful habitat. Our experienced falconer will position and fly the birds to enable the best use of photographic opportunities as well as ensuring the comfort of the Birds.

So, if you’re new to this type of photography or simply love Birds of Prey, then this is the perfect session for you. The falconer and Wild Arena guide will be on hand all day to ensure you get the best possible pictures from this session and with a small group of just 6 photographers, there will be plenty of time for everyone to get the help they need.

The session will start with a detailed briefing from your photography guide, on how to set up your camera and the proposed running order for the day. This will be decided on the day, depending on weather conditions and availability of the Birds.

• Key subjects for the workshop should include:

Native Birds of Prey: Different species may be available on the day, we would hope to see Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Barn Owl, Red Kite, and Kestrel.

Above all else, we want our welcoming, small-group workshops to be relaxing and creatively stimulating.

• Venue

Our venue for this workshop is SMJ Falconry in Oxenhope, West Yorkshire. The centre is set in beautiful countryside only 2.5 miles from the picture postcard village of Haworth. The landscape is rugged moorland, hills, and valleys, interspersed by pretty reservoirs.

• Group Size

6 people

• Who should attend

Wild Arena workshops are not suitable for children under the age of 14 years old and a full paying adult must accompany any under 16’s.

Moderate Fitness, uphill walking over rough ground. You will need to be able to cover short distances over rough pathways

Beginners and up, using D-SLR/ Mirrorless cameras.

• Learning outcomes

We try to tailor all our sessions to suit our guests, so we do not always cover all the topics depending on the individual needs.

Typical topics we can cover in this session are: Setting up focus and exposure for action shots, the use of depth of field, use of long lenses and tripods.