Voted one of the best places to visit in the UK by Rough Guides, Dungeness is part apocalyptic desert, part Wild West landscape, an expanse of shingle on the Kent coast peppered with abandoned boats, perfect for photography. We'll combine a visit here with some reportage street photography in nearby Rye, drone test flights, a night shoot under the stars, finishing in an award-winning winery (wine included) to round off our 3-day adventure.
Closer to France than London, this surreal spot on the Kent coast is home to teeming nature and striking art — and Britain’s strangest tourist attraction.
In this Weekender we'll cover a mixture of landscape, reportage, portraiture and night photography, in stunning locations, with feedback and tutoring as you would expect from a normal Creative Escapes trip, but in a handy travel-pack size.
Days
3
Shoots
5
Level
All levels
Tuition
1-to-1
"Great weekend, great tutoring, great group of people - and lots of laughs. Til next time!"
SHARON KYNASTON, SNOWDONIA JULY 2021
Highlights.
We'll mix a range of locations across Kent and East Sussex to try out landscapes, reportage, portraiture and night photography (with a few great nights out in between).
Capture the myriad of stars fronting a Grade II listed lighthouse, on one of England's most famous beaches.
We meet up in Rye for a late lunch and a quick lesson in night photography before heading out to the shingle beaches of Dungeness and taking up our positions for some star trail loveliness. There's a ton of options here, from snapping the sweeping rays of the Old Lighthouse, the plumes of the nearby power station, to turning night into day on the vast expanse of deserted beaches, on super long exposure landscapes. We'll be on hand to give you some expert advice, and top up your glass to help those creative juices flow.
Today we head to the beach, enjoy a test flight with drone, snap some reportage scenes of picturesque Rye, before sunset over Dungeness.
Up first, we'll try our hand at drone photography, strapping you into the pilot seat for a short flight along the coast with your camera. Then it's into the quintessential cobbled streets of Rye to capture some reportage shots of the action. After a delicious lunch at one of the many gourmet spots in the town, we're back out to the beach and our headline shoot towards the low light of dusk shooting stunning black and white images at Dungeness. Later, we'll retire to the very comfortable George in Rye for gastronomic loveliness and a night with friends old and new.
On our final day, we head inland to take a look at the beauty of East Sussex, and taste some of England's finest wine.
Having had our fill of the seaside, it's time to venture inland to one of England's most celebrated vineyards at Tenterden. We'll shoot in the environs of the wine making process, before tasting a range of their whites, roses and fizz, to round of our weekend on one of the most beautiful coastlines in the UK. After sunday lunch at a nearby country pub, we'll have some final reviews of your work and say our farewells until next time!
Where to Stay.
Rye has a range of options for a 2-night stay, starting from £80 a night - including Old Borough Arms, Mermaid Inn plus an array of AirBnB options.
Jon Cunningham is a professional photographer, tutor and founder of Creative Escapes.
His work has been published in The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Country Living and more, shot 7 books for Penguin and Dorling Kindersley, taught photography internationally across 16 countries, mentored dozens of photographers from beginner to professional, and is the author of ‘Teach Yourself : Your Complete Photography Course’ (Hodder).
Book Now.
Our Creative Escapes Weekender to Dungeness will be held on the weekend of the 22 - 24 October 2021. Places are limited and first come first served.