Welcome to the Stu Brown Photography Blog, sharing stories and photography from Saltburn-by-the-Sea, the North Yorkshire coast, and the Cleveland Way.
Here you’ll find field notes from landscape and wildlife shoots, updates from my photography workshops, and insights into working along one of the most dramatic stretches of coastline in the North East of England.
I spend most of my time outdoors — watching the tides, the weather, and the changing light across the moors and cliffs. This blog is a place to share those moments: coastal landscapes at sunrise, wildlife encounters around Saltburn and the North Yorkshire Moors, and the quiet details that make this coastline so special.
Whether you’re here to discover new locations, improve your photography, join a workshop, or simply enjoy the view — I hope these stories bring you a little closer to the landscape.
Beginner Photography Workshop at RSPB Saltholme – A Relaxed Day Learning Wildlife Photography
I’ll soon be back at RSPB Saltholme running another Beginner Photography Workshop, and honestly, I’m really looking forward to this one.
Saltholme is one of those places that’s perfect for learning photography. You’ve got wildlife everywhere, open landscapes, peaceful walks and constantly changing light, which means there’s always something interesting to photograph no matter your experience level.
What I love most about running these workshops at RSPB Saltholme in Teesside is how relaxed they feel. There’s no pressure, no complicated jargon, and no expectation that you need expensive camera gear or years of experience. Most people who come along are simply wanting to understand their camera properly and feel more confident using it.
RSPB Bempton Cliffs – Small, Characterful and Completely Captivating
There’s something about razorbills at RSPB Bempton Cliffs that always makes me stop and watch a little longer.
They’re not the biggest or the most dramatic seabirds on the cliffs, but they’ve got so much character. Small, compact, with that distinctive black and white colouring and the thick, blunt bill, they almost look like little wind-up toys dotted along the rock edges.
I was photographing at Bempton Cliffs in East Yorkshire recently and found myself completely drawn to one particular razorbill. It was just sat there quietly, perched on the cliff face, totally unfazed by everything going on around it. Then for a brief moment, it turned and looked straight into the lens.