Jack has produced a brand-new field guide booklet (yours to keep), that you will be given at the 'meet & greet' at the beginning of your day. This is yours to keep and provide a useful reference for you to use, next time you take your camera out on your own. All course participants will also receive Jack's guide to 'Exmoor Red Deer' handout.  Jack advises having a DSLR, mirrorless or bridge camera with a lens that is at least the equivalent of a 500 mm for Red Deer Photography. So, for example a DSLR with a 500 mm or a Bridge camera with at least a 24x optical zoom lens. If using a mirrorless system micro 4/3 you will need at least a 400 mm lens (a 300 mm is NOT recommended). We recommend that a DSLR with a 150-600 mm lens is perfect for this course. If you’re not sure, please ask Jack for advice. We also have cameras and lenses you can hire if required, must be booked prior to course, subject to availability.  We also have tripods and monopods that you are welcome to use, I often find a monopod is more practicable, so please bring yours if you have one. 

They are designed to educate, be fun, relaxed, and hopefully enjoyable! We pride ourselves on providing first class customer service here at Exmoor Photography, something that is supported by our customer reviews. Lunch and hot/cold beverages are included. There is also always a supply of Alison's legendary flapjack & homemade cakes.

Sorry, but we do not take other professional photographers on this course.

Red Deer are wild animals, therefore as with all our wildlife courses, we have a strict ethical approach. The best way to stalk deer properly is by foot, using the advice and field craft, we will teach you. The emphasis is always on as little or no disturbance as possible. We don’t interfere in any way with their natural environment or habitat and do not chase or push the deer, all over the moor (like some). The perfect stalk is to leave them where we find them, our absolute golden rule.

Therefore, all customers attending this course should be aware that to get the most from it, you should be able to walk a minimum of 1 mile unaided per stalk, as they can often be quite strenuous and over rough terrain. You should expect to get wet and muddy; this is October on Exmoor and the deer stalking may require some sitting, kneeling or perhaps crawling.

We will make sure that you are properly prepared for your day by providing you with all the information you need during your booking, including wearing the right clothing, what lens and camera is suitable etc. A warm welcome awaits you at the ‘meet and greet’ on your day. This will include a friendly briefing on our ethical approach to photographing wild animals. We will, of course, assist and advise you constantly throughout the day.

One fact about the deer and its sense of scent versus taste is how the deer keeps its sense of smell so acute. A deer licks its nose at least several times a minute to keep it moist. A moist nose allows scents to “stick” to the nose, making the scents much more detectable. The deer uses the tongue that has poor taste receptors to keep the scent receptors powerful. Who knew Bambi was so complicated? Some scientists suggest that a Deer’s sense of smell is 1000x more sensitive that a human!’ 

• Composition (Landscapes & Wildlife – when applicable): We will show how to compose the image or view you are trying to capture using basic composition guidelines and principles.
• Understanding your camera: We are very much aware that modern digital cameras can be quiet intimidating pieces of technology. Jack is very good at helping you understand your own camera during the workshop, and he will show you what most of the buttons, dials do!
• The Exposure Triangle (aperture, shutter speed & ISO): Three of the most important settings to learn understanding these elements will help you achieve the results you want.
• Aperture priority (f-stop): We will show how this setting controls the depth of field (DOF, what part of the image is in focus) & the effect on the shutter speed.
• Shutter priority: We will show how to set and adjust the shutter speed to control movement.
• ISO: This stands for International Standards Organization, and it is a standardized industry scale for measuring sensitivity to light. We will show how and when to adjust this to control how your digital camera sensor reacts to available light.
• Manual mode: We will show how and when to use this mode on your camera, it’s not as complicated as most people think. This is very useful for all types of photography especially when presented with difficult lighting conditions.
• Metering modes: We will show you how the camera measures the brightness of the subject and the different modes available to do this.
• Bracketing (exposure compensation & auto exposure compensation AEB): We will show how to use these settings to control dark or bright images. Part of the cameras metering system.
• Depth of field (DOF): We will show you and demonstrate DOF, this is the distance between the nearest and furthest elements in a scene that appear to be sharp, sometimes called depth of focus.
• White balance (WB): We will show how and when to adjust the cameras WB the process of removing unrealistic colour casts, so that objects that appear white in person look white in your photo for example. By using the Kelvin, colour temperature scale, both camera defaults and manual options.
• Histograms: We will show how to find this on your camera a useful graphic representation of the tonal range in a photograph, and its analysis of the image's tonal range provides a precise check on exposure.
• Picture Styles: We will show you these settings on your camera, these pre-set functions bring together the settings for image processing parameters you can use to control in camera colour matrix settings, sharpness contrast and saturation etc.
• Scene modes: If your camera has the feature, we will show you them. They are not always perfect but can be useful for a beginner if all else fails. In addition, some new digital cameras have a new ‘selective’ colour feature that can be fun and creative.
• Lens choice: We will advise you on what lenses to choose when available to best capture different genres of photography.
• Auto Focusing / servo mode: We will show your cameras focus modes, manual, AI focus & AI servo (different names sometimes depending on cameras make). How to set them and when to use them for stationary or possibly moving subjects.
• Panning & subject tracking (part of the focus system) & birds in flight (BIF) photography: We will show you how to successfully ‘lock’ onto and track stationary and moving targets using your cameras focus system (how it focuses) and also how to set and use different camera focusing patterns (where it focuses), including the latest eye/subject detection when applicable.
• Back Button Focus: How to set it on your camera and why we use it.      

Jack was trained to a very high ‘advanced’ standard to drive while in the service.

We use a new Ford Kuga Hybrid that will comfortably seat 3 guests and their equipment, the vehicle is maintained to a very high standard, it has dual zone air conditioning for your comfort and heated seats! The vehicle is fitted with a ‘cold climate pack’ heated windscreen etc.  Although we do not intend to go ‘off road’ and ‘bounce’ you and your camera equipment about while on the course, the vehicle is fitted with ‘all weather’ tyres that give enhanced traction. We carry a BSI compliant (BS-8599-1) first aid kit on board & a fire extinguisher.