This trip with Creative Escapes was discounted in exchange for an honest review, the photos in the post were taken by me and the opinions expressed in this post are all my own.

As most people are replacing their cameras with the latest mobile phones and Instagram filters are taking over from standing in a darkroom, it would be easy to question the need for photography holidays with companies such as Creative Escapes. Why would you need to learn about the manual settings on your camera when mobile phones technology is advancing so quickly? Do you even need a camera? Despite the modern technology available skilled photography is becoming even more special and appreciated, being thought of as a craft.

A photography holiday isn’t about taking professional-quality photographs – it’s actually about improving your images technically and creatively. Travel has always been inspiring but instead of just traipsing the streets alone or with the distractions of family and friends wanting to walk the tourist trail, it means being in the company of an expert photographer, perhaps even local guides and a group of passionate creatives with whom you can share your interests.

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What is a Photography Holiday?

A photography holiday is all about following an itinerary but also being flexible. 

Then there is the technical aspect, where you will be given the opportunity to learn about your camera settings, your instructor will provide ongoing support and advice regarding aspects such as aperture and white balance. They will also encourage you to walk around and see your surroundings from different perspectives.

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Why You Should Take a Photography Holiday With Creative Escapes

Who Are Creative Escapes?

This UK based photographic holiday company offers almost a dozen trips across the world, offering you the opportunity to explore some of the most fascinating and picturesque locations and produce some of the most beautiful images.

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Locations

Amongst trips to the USA, India, and Costa Rica is a 10 day trip to Japan, which is the one I went on. Starting in the vibrant, bustling city of Tokyo, venturing through beautiful landscapes to the peaceful and enchanting city of Kyoto.

Some tours may involve long drives, early starts, late finishes or even staying in one place for the whole trip, so it’s important that you understand the logistics and are prepared.

Accommodation

Staying in a variety of accommodations from boutique hotels, traditional ryokan, to a Buddhist temple. These trips may be made of early mornings, late nights and lots of work in between but you deserve a good night’s sleep along the way.

Group Travel

Whether you’re experienced at group travel or it’s your first time, you’ll find that travelling with a group of like-minded people and an experienced tutor will not only give you the confidence to try new techniques and aim for a new subject matter, but you’ll also get the opportunity to discuss your work and receive genuine feedback.

Group sizes are generally kept small, so you should have plenty of time for one-to-one chats with the photographer, providing advice tailored to your own interests and your own equipment.

My Review of Creative Escapes

Before taking a trip with Creative Escapes I was starting to question the type of images I wanted to create. Primarily my photos are for this blog and so it has always been important for me to show where I’ve been but I was finding it increasingly difficult to only take photos of landscapes and buildings and still provide my audience with a sense of the place.

My consistent attempt to avoid taking photos of people meant that I rarely showed genuine street scenes and as my lack of confidence and desire to not make others uncomfortable were always at the forefront of my mind I often restricted myself and therefore the work I wanted to produce.

It turns out that Japan is by far one of the most intriguing and diverse countries I have visited but with the help of the wonderful itinerary curated by the team at Creative Escapes it is easy to focus on your surroundings and the taking of photographs rather than worry about travelling from place to place and navigating unfamiliar locations.

In the past I generally take photos of everything and anything as I travel, filling up my sd-card and then spending a few hours upon my return going through all of the images and filtering out the  rubbish images. I have been known to come home from a week long trip with around 1000 images. The great things about doing a trip with Creative Escapes is that you are encouraged to slow down, to look at your surroundings and really think about how to get the best from it photographically.

You are by no means spoon fed a load of standard snapshots to impress your friends, rather you are encouraged and assisted so that you can find your own style and get the images that you can be proud of. Advice and assistance with the technical aspects of using your camera are covered if you need it, but the primary focus is about tapping into your creativity and helping you work with confidence.

If you are genuinely interested in taking your photography to another level, and opening yourself to being gently pushed out of your comfort zone then this company is for you. You’ll gradually see your images improve with each challenge and you’ll be doing all of this with the encouragement of the rest of your group.

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The best thing is that it isn’t just about long hard days, you’ll come away having spent time with great people, maybe even made a few friends, you’ll have stayed in some cool hotels and found the best places to eat and drink along the way. 

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Regardless of whether you travel alone or with someone, it is always important to make sure you have sufficient Travel Insurance – single trip and annual multi trip cover is available from Unite Travel Insurance

Have you been on a photographic holiday with Creative Escapes or any other company?

Let me know in the comments.