On this wildlfower photography walk you’ll learn about the earliest flower orchids that grow in the North Downs of Kent and how to photograph them.  

We will start by looking at our photography kit and you will learn some of the advantages and disadvantages of various pieces of photographic equipment.  You will then be taught how to use the aperture priority setting on your camera.  This will include learning about the impact that exposure, aperture and ISO have on your wildflower photographs.

After this introduction we will head off in search of the orchids.  Whenever we find a new orchid I will give you an overview of the species based upon my experience.  We will then start photographing the orchid and I will be there to help you to get amazing photographs of each species.   

This walk is for photographers and nature enthusiasts of any level!  You do not need any previous experience of identifying wildflowers or of taking photographs.  At the same time, if you do have some experience of wildflower photography you are very welcome to join us on this exciting wildflower photography walk in the Kent Downs. 

All of my photography workshops are taylored for people who use either digital SLR cameras or digital mirrorless cameras.  As long as your camera fits into one of these two classes, it dosen’t matter if you have an entry level or professional grade camera. 

You will also need a suitable lens to use with your camera.  Many lens types will be suitable for this photography walk.  My go to lens for photographing wildflowers is a 105mm macro lens as this allows me to get very close to the subject. However, many of my favourite wildflower shots have been taken with a kit lens such as the 18-55mm lens that came with my Nikon D5300.  Although I can’t get quite as close to the subject with this lens, it offers more flexibility and will be great for this wildflower photography walk. 

It’s always a good idea to carry spare, fully charged batteries and memory cards, so make sure you bring these.  Finally, don’t forget to bring something to clean/dry your lens with.  I personally use Rosco Lens Wipes and Eclipse Cleaning Fluid for this.   

This wildflower photography walk will still go ahead even if it’s raining.  For this reason I recommend bringing a rain cover for your camera gear.

I very rarely use a tripod for wildflower photography so you shouldn’t need one on this workshop. 

If you would like more specific details about which equipment will be suitable for this wildflower photography walk, please just get in touch.

On this wildflower photography walk we will be on our feet for around three hours.  We will be following paths for the majority of the time but may walk over uneven ground to reach some of the orchids. 

We will be walking at a leisurely pace and will stop frequently to photograph the orchids.  This is a good opportunity to rest your legs by sitting on the grass while others are photographing.    

This wildflower photography walk is taking place in early summer so I’m hoping that we’ll get good weather for it.  Be sure to bring sun protection, which might include sun lotion, a sun hat and clothes that can cover exposed skin.  

At the same time this is England and we are known for having very changeable weather!  Waterproof and warm clothing is always a good idea to have in case we’re unlucky with the weather. 

If you want to take notes throughout this workshop or sketch as we go, a notepad and pencil is a good idea.

You might also like to take a fold-up camping stool so that you can rest your legs when we stop walking to take photographs.

Easy to carry snacks can be good to keep energy levels up.  There wont be any shops within walking distance of where we’re going so be sure to bring them with you.