Church Photography Workshop - Withernsea

Church of St Nicholas, Withernsea, East Yorkshire

Do you enjoy visiting historic churches and wish you could take better photographs?

At this workshop at St Nicholas’, Withernsea, we will discuss and explore the use of composition, exposure and lighting to get the best out of your photographs. We will look at the use of wide-angle and telephoto lenses to understand the differences they can make to the final shot. 

You will have plenty of opportunities to practice your skills whilst exploring St Nicholas’, which was built largely in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The original church dates back to 1488 and fell into disrepair after a storm in 1609. The ruined church was rebuilt in 1858 and closed for regular worship in 2014. After extensive conservation work by the CCT, the church is open again. St Nicholas’ has a number of beautiful stained glass windows and a lovely, painted 5-bay arch-braced chancel roof with carved bosses and angels holding shields.

The workshop is suitable for all abilities, though it is probably best suited to those with a DSLR, Mirrorless or bridge camera. You should have a basic understanding of your camera controls. Please bring along your camera, lenses, spare batteries and memory cards. If you have a tripod and/or flash, bring that too.  

The workshop will be led by Peter Clegg, who spent over 20 years working as a professional photographer and who now works for the Churches Conservation Trust. Peter has an extensive knowledge of church buildings and loves to pass on his knowledge and enthusiasm to others. 

The workshop will run in two halves: We start at 10am with an introduction to the day and have an hour's break at 12 noon before resuming at 1pm. The day will finish at 3pm. Tea, coffee and cake will be provided. We suggest that attendees bring a packed lunch or walk into town, 10 minutes away, to buy lunch.

Please note that the church is unheated and we will be spending time both outside and inside, so make sure you wear warm clothing. Some of the floors are uneven due to the historic nature of the building. There will be a portaloo outside the church. 

If you have any questions about access or if there is anything we can do to make your visit more comfortable - email Peter at [email protected]. 

The workshop is limited to 8 participants so that everyone can benefit from the personal attention of the leader.