Expressive Photography is the lifestyle of going into the landscape to be in the landscape; to engage with it, be fascinated by it and vitalised by it. We make sketches with our cameras of things we find interesting and return home to make photographs from these sketches that express our relationship with the world.
Absolutely. Expressive Photography was founded by Scottish professional landscape photographer Alister Benn, and Norwegian artist Ann Kristin Lindaas. Expressive Photography is a UK Limited company with it’s registered address in London. Our address is 20-22 Wenlock Road, London, N1 7GU. Alister Benn has been running photo workshops from Tibet and the Gobi Desert, to Iceland, Spain and the Scottish Highlands and Islands since 2012. Over 80% of guests come back on successive workshops and some are fast approaching double figures. We have never had a complaint, not had any financial disputes. Safety is our absolute care and will never risk life or limb to get a shot.
The nature of this business involves booking workshops 12-18 months in advance. We fill up quickly and plan a long way into the future. Between making a booking, paying a deposit and the actual workshop, a lot of life can happen. Accidents, ill health, family emergencies and almost any other event that can make your attendance on the workshop impossible. In the event of cancelling a workshop we can, and do offer refunds, but with some limitations and exceptions. Please read our full terms and conditions to fully understand the policies in place. We do strongly recommend taking out some sort of travel insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances that may require you to cancel your Expressive Photography Workshop. We know from past experience how valuable this can be, often at a difficult time.
Physical ability and levels of difficultly are really quite subjective; something very easy for one person may be impossible for another. Expressive Photography Workshops can be challenging on a number of levels. It is vital that you are honest with us and yourself about your physical ability. We generally have very small groups and if someone is significantly less able than the others, it can have serious implications to the enjoyment of the whole group. We reserve the right to remove you from the trip if your level of fitness is far less than you led us to believe.
In the trip descriptions we grade each workshop by one of three terms: “Easy” “Moderate” or “Challenging”
Easy: Most of the photography is close to where the vehicles are parked, typically within 100 yards to a mile or so. The ground would generally be level, but may have some change in elevation, either slightly uphill or down. Of course, the return would either be a climb back up, or an easier descent.
You are able to:
- Stay out most of the day, but depending on time of year, rests are normal in the afternoon.
- Climb several flights of stairs without difficulty
- Carry all your own camera bags, luggage and tripod without assistance
- Walk on uneven ground without assistance
- Walk on wet, slippery surfaces without assistance
Moderate: On our more challenging workshops, the terrain doesn’t get much worse, it generally just means the trails are steeper and longer.
You are able to:
- Walk for two hours carrying your own gear
- Walk through deep snow or on ice
- Stand up from laying on the ground without difficulty
- Climb and descent 10 flights of stairs carrying your camera bag without assistance
- Scramble over wet rocks and uneven ground carrying your own gear
Challenging: Some strenuous hikes over uneven ground with substantial elevation change. On coastal locations, standing on uneven wet surfaces and climbing over boulders and wet rocks. An honest appraisal of your physical ability is essential to fully enjoy the workshop and access all the shooting locations we will be guiding you too.
You are able to:
- Squat 20 times with your camera pack on
- Hike with your camera bag at elevation
- From a seated position on the floor, rise to standing without using your hands
Stuff happens! Unfortunately, but it does. Every year we have a few cases of people having to cancel trips for one reason or another. Insurance is available to cover most eventualities, and we would strongly recommend you invest in this for peace of mind for you and your families.
Trip Insurance typically covers you when you have to cancel a trip due to an illness or injury, or sometimes even work-related reasons, or family medical reasons. Coverages can include reimbursement for money paid to airlines, Expressive Photography Workshops, and other travel providers. It’s your choice to purchase this insurance, or not.
Travel Medical Insurance covers you for medical treatment, hospitalisation, doctor’s visits and more, in countries where your home-based medical insurance will not cover you. We strongly urge you to obtain this insurance for any workshop that is outside of your home country, because your existing medical insurance will not cover you. You will be surprised at how little it can cost for lots of coverage. For some workshops this is a condition of joining and proof will be required prior to the start of the trip.
Medical Evacuation Insurance covers your medical evacuation from a remote region of the world to the nearest hospital for medical treatment. Some policies will even medically evacuate you to your home hospital, as well. This type of insurance is an absolute requirement for some of our more remote workshops, and we will specifically state this requirement on the website page, where appropriate.
Absolutely you can, but they will be paying the same price as any other photographer guest. Spaces on our trips are limited and seats in transport are tailored for the number of participants. It is not possible for friends or spouses to self drive along with the workshop. We find that a camaraderie develops within the group and we talk about landscape photography almost the entire time.
Full details are available on each workshop sign up page, but typically, Ground transport, accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, along with all tuition and guiding. Please refer to each workshop page for specifics and our terms and conditions for more detailed descriptions.
At Expressive Photography we believe that small groups are better. We don’t want to line you up and shoot the same thing at the same time. We like you to be able to explore and engage with a landscape at your own pace. We also believe that smaller groups have less impact on the locations and reduce erosion and harm to vulnerable landscapes.
The absolute maximum we would travel with would be 6 guests, with either 2 or 3 guides. We like a good ratio of guides to guests to ensure someone is always available to help in any way we can. Many trips only have, 3, 4, or 5 guests, again with 2 or 3 guides.
Please refer to individual workshop pages to see how many guests and guides will be attending.
First and foremost, our objective is to run a photo workshop that is rewarding, challenging, stimulating and enjoyable. Every day we’ll have time for a good breakfast and evening dinner. Lunch may be on the road, or in the field and at times may be only a sandwich or some energy bars/snacks while on the move. Don’t worry, you’ll be well fed on our workshops.
In short, no! Not unless you are traveling with a partner, spouse or good friend with whom you want to share a room. All Expressive Photography Workshops are priced on a single room basis, and we’ll never ask you to room with someone you’ve only just met. We wouldn’t want to, and nor should you have to.
Nobody can control the weather, and as landscape photographers we’re all aware that forecasts can not always be accurate. Over the years we’ve had a few days when it’s been impossible to go out, due to severe storms and life-threatening winds. So, we’ve always sat down as a group and done some additional processing, talked through some of the more in-depth and philosophical aspects of our art and craft, or had a Q&A session. There is a huge amount of experience in our guides and we have a very broad range of topics we can demonstrate and discuss.
Otherwise, we get out in it and catch those fleeting moments between the rain storms when nature turns on its best light show. Landscape photography is an experiential pastime, and we encourage getting out there and having experiences, if at all possible.
We all want to get out there into the landscape and make photographs. Unfortunately, as a business, we have to protect ourselves and you, from legal implications of a dispute. Our Terms and Conditions document clearly lays out our policy for Payment, Cancellations, Refunds, Insurance, Liability etc in plain English. Please read these before you sign up for a workshop, as submitting your booking form confirms that you have read and agree with them.
