Teaching a Beginner Photography Workshop at Sewerby Hall, Bridlington
There’s something really rewarding about teaching a beginner photography workshop and seeing that moment when everything finally clicks for someone. Recently I had the pleasure of running one of my Beginner Photography Workshops at Sewerby Hall in Bridlington, and it turned out to be a fantastic day for everyone involved.
Sewerby Hall and Gardens is one of my favourite locations to run workshops on the East Yorkshire coast, not only because of the beautiful grounds and coastal views, but because it offers so many different photographic opportunities in one place. For beginners especially, having a variety of subjects to photograph helps people build confidence quickly.
A Relaxed Start to the Day
The workshop started with a relaxed classroom session where we covered the foundations of photography. Many of the people who attend my workshops arrive with cameras full of buttons and settings that feel confusing or intimidating. So we begin by breaking everything down into simple, easy-to-understand concepts.
We looked at the core basics including:
Aperture
Shutter speed
ISO
Composition
Understanding light
The aim of my workshops is always the same: help people understand their camera and feel confident using it, rather than relying on automatic settings.
Once everyone started to see how these elements work together, we headed outdoors to put everything into practice.
Practical Photography Around Sewerby Hall
One of the best things about running a photography workshop at Sewerby Hall is the sheer variety of scenes available. Within a short walk you can photograph gardens, historic buildings, coastal views, and plenty of interesting textures and details.
For beginners this is ideal, because it allows people to experiment with different styles of photography in a relaxed and supportive environment.
We spent time practising:
Using aperture to control depth of field
Finding strong compositions
Understanding how light affects an image
Slowing down and observing the scene before taking the shot
Watching people begin to understand their cameras and gain confidence is honestly one of my favourite parts of running these workshops.
A Bonus Visit to Sewerby Zoo
One of the highlights of the day was being cheekily granted access to the zoo area, which the students absolutely loved.
For many people on the workshop this was an unexpected bonus and it gave everyone a completely different subject to photograph. Animals are great for practising photography because they introduce movement, personality, and a bit of unpredictability into the frame.
It was fantastic seeing everyone experimenting with their settings, trying to capture expressions and moments they might have missed earlier in the day.
The excitement and enthusiasm from the group really summed up what these workshops are all about — learning, experimenting, and enjoying photography together.
Building Confidence with Photography
A common theme I hear from people who attend my workshops is that they’ve owned a camera for years but never really felt confident using it properly.
By the end of the day at Sewerby Hall in Bridlington, everyone had moved beyond that uncertainty. Cameras that had started the morning on automatic were now being used in manual or semi-manual modes, and people were beginning to see the difference in their photos.
It’s not about creating perfect images in a single day — it’s about giving people the knowledge and confidence to keep improving.
Photography, Fresh Air and Good Company
Another thing I always notice on these days is how much people enjoy simply being outside and sharing the experience. Photography has a way of slowing you down and making you notice things you might normally walk straight past.
Between the gardens, the coastal views and the surprise visit to the zoo, the workshop at Sewerby Hall had a great mix of learning, creativity and a bit of fun as well.
Join a Beginner Photography Workshop
If you’ve ever picked up a camera and thought “I wish I knew how to use this properly”, my Beginner Photography Workshops in Yorkshire are designed exactly for that.
They’re relaxed, supportive days where you’ll learn how your camera works, practise in real locations, and leave with the confidence to keep improving your photography.
You can find upcoming workshop dates and details here: - https://www.stubrownphotography.co.uk/group-photography-workshops
