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Ultimate Introduction to Photography: South Bank, London

4.9(54 reviews)
Master your camera and take your photos to the next level while exploring London with Travel Photographer of the Year Finalist, Matthew Williams-Ellis
South Bank
In-person
£149 pp
5hrs 30min
Beginner
Next available date:4th April 2024
What happens in this class?

If you love taking photos, but want to understand how to take complete control of your camera to achieve the photos in your mind’s eye, then look no further. This photography workshop - lead by professional travel and landscape photographer Matthew Williams-Ellis - will teach you all you need to know!

During the workshop you will learn the fundamentals of photography through ‘in the field’ tutorials, allowing you to practise and experiment with newly learned techniques while photographing some of London’s most iconic locations.

At the same time as learning the technical side of photography, we will talk a…

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Things to remember

Equipment

-Camera: Essential(!). Ideally a digital SLR or other camera that can be controlled manually. Please contact before booking if you only have a point and shoot or smart phone. -Lenses: Wide angle lens essential, telephoto lens optional. -Tripod: Not essential, but without it you will be limited during the…

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Latest Reviews
4.9(54 reviews)
Paul Bailey - 29 December 2023
An excellent course. Matthew is very friendly, knowledgeable and gives everyone in the group enough time to develop their skills. I will definitely book another day with him
Denise Ventriglia - 25 November 2023
Really friendly and knowledgeable!
Eli Gasgil - 25 November 2023
I had such a fantastic day with Matt. His explanations were clear and he really knows his stuff. He also gave really good tips around composition and what to look out for. I’ll definitely be booking another workshop with him!
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Booking Options
5hrs 30min workshop1 class
£149
Private BookingFor groups of 2 to 20 guests
£175
Book for a large groupAre you looking for a large group/private event?

Obby Guarantee

We ensure quality. If your class doesn't reach your expectations, we'll give your money back.
Obby guarantees good classes

Age Requirement

16

Flexible cancellation policy

Any class can be cancelled and fully refunded within 24 hours of purchase. See cancellation policy.
Your Teacher

Matthew's photography workshops are about learning your camera inside out, immersing yourself in photography, trying new techniques, and having fun with your camera alongside like-minded people! Tutorials are 'in the field', where you are encouraged to experiment with your new skills to create eye-catching photos of some of London's most iconic sites!

You will always receive plenty of 1 to 1 time ensuring you master your camera, develop a proactive photography mindset and further your photographic eye. You will leave feeling confident about both the technical and creative aspects of photography, allowing you to capture unique…

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Class Location
South Bank, London, SE1 7GQ
South Bank
South Bank
SE1 7GQ
London

Reviews

Paul Bailey - 29 December 2023
An excellent course. Matthew is very friendly, knowledgeable and gives everyone in the group enough time to develop their skills. I will definitely book another day with him
Denise Ventriglia - 25 November 2023
Really friendly and knowledgeable!
Eli Gasgil - 25 November 2023
I had such a fantastic day with Matt. His explanations were clear and he really knows his stuff. He also gave really good tips around composition and what to look out for. I’ll definitely be booking another workshop with him!
Tom Wallis - 3 November 2023
Very knowledgeable and a great teacher. Highly recommend!
Caroline Pearce - 1 November 2023
I really enjoyed this course with Matt. He is very pleasant, knowledgeable and patient, and explained everything clearly. He took us to interesting locations and provided valuable instruction. Highly recommend this - it does exactly what it says on the tin, and was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
Margaret Frost - 1 November 2023
A really good session. Informative, easy to understand, imaginative, would highly recommend.
Tom Grace - 26 October 2023
Really good experience, learning about both how to use my camera and how to frame better photos
Lorna Weaver - 12 September 2023
I attended the beginners course on 29th August without a clue how to use my new camera. It was great to be able to pick up some skills, pther than auto, to help me along the way to start taking better photos.
Sangna Unadkat - 2 September 2023
Matthew organised the group well, where we had time at the beginning to learn about the three important settings to take a good photo. We became familiar with our own cameras and Matthew helped us, if we were not sure. We had time to take pictures with the tasks he set us, which allowed us time to review our images. Southbank is a lovely location and taking pictures in Leach Street, felt quite overwhelming. But Matthew helped by asking us to take pictures that show depth, interest and mood, in order to tell a story. It made me realise the hours photographers put in and the patience needed to take their pictures. London at night is magical and it was a great way to end, learning how to use my camera to take a night shot and the best time is in the blue hour. A great course as I learnt how to set up my camera for the type of shots I wanted, and Matthew kindly viewed my pictures to guide me on the composition of a good photo. Thank you.
Charles May - 30 August 2023
Great afternoon with Matt! Would highly recommend for anyone figuring out how to use their camera and the different settings on it!
Michele Guerra - 30 August 2023
The workshop was amazing ! It was exactly what I needed to learn the basics of photography and be more confident with my camera. Matthew is really friendly and a great teacher and would recommend his course to any beginner photographer.
Lisa Hother - 15 July 2023
A very enjoyable afternoon/evening. A great introduction to photography and I came away feeling confident about using my DSLR. Matthew is a great teacher - friendly and relaxed and it was good to meet the other people on the workshop.
Latheesh Manikoth - 15 July 2023
Mathew is an excellent trainer who got in depth knowledge in his subject. He explains each aspects of photography in detail. I would recommend this course to whoever wish to get into photography
Sarah Shepherdson - 7 July 2023
I did the introduction to photography lesson on the south bank and it exceeded my expectations. Matthew was informative, patient and took time to help with everyone’s different cameras. He showed genuine interest in what we wanted to gain from the experience and helped individuals accordingly. His lesson was well thought out and planned while being relaxed enough for us to play and learn. I left filled with knowledge I did not have before and would highly recommend his lessons.
Nikki Davies - 13 June 2023
Matt is super knowledgeable & talented but was also able to translate this into layman’s terms for my beginner knowledge. The time flew by and I got to use the camera and learn to take photos in different environments and using techniques that I can use again. Highly recommend
Stephen O'Connor - 7 June 2023
I found the course very helpful to get up to speed with the fundamentals of photography. Matthew was clear with his explanations, and provided excellent individual tips and advice on how to get the most out of my camera. I feel much more comfortable with my camera now. Thank you Matthew!
Viet Trinh - 6 June 2023
Matthew explains everything clearly. I learned a lot throughout the session
Angelos Andreou - 20 May 2023
A crash course on how to use your camera with the perfect balance between chilled and informative guidance. Thanks Matthew!
Andrea Chenery - 19 May 2023
I would definitely recommend doing one of Matthew's courses. He was extremely knowledgeable and the locations he took us to photograph were brilliant and gave everyone the chance to experiment with their personal skills, and learn some new ones. Whatever your level of photography you'll have fun.
Susie Clarke - 28 April 2023
What a great day. I didn’t really know what to expect, the course said beginner and I truly was a beginner full of rediculous questions and a camera I didn’t know how to work. The group size was small enough so that even though some of the people were obviously not as beginner as me I still had all my questions answered and I felt as though Matthew had time to answer me without being rushed. I didn’t come away an expert but I have a much better idea of how to use my camera and I took some awesome shots on the day that I didn’t believe I’d get
Anthony Lewis - 23 April 2023
Great course! Matt was really insightful and helped me bring my photos up a level. Highly recommended!!
Suan Pickard - 14 April 2023
Excellent day taking photos on London’s Southbank. I learned a great deal as Matthew explains everything simply and clearly and is always there to help with your photos. Highly recommend !
George Murphy - 30 March 2023
What a fantastic workshop! Matthew made me feel at ease and settled my frustrations about my DSLR from the get go. Everything was explained so simply and the locations we visited were a great way of experimenting with so many different styles of photos. A double rainbow appearing over St Paul's Cathedral definitely wasn't in the script and just solidified to me that no matter the weather, there is always a photo to be taken! I thoroughly enjoyed the day and cannot wait to book on to the night shoot workshop next. Thank you Matthew!
Tristan Murphy - 27 March 2023
Fantastic course I learnt alot and got to know how much more I could do with my camera. Had a great day out and met some very nice people. Well dont Matt!!
Daniella Williams - 25 March 2023
Such a great day out, Matt was really good at explaining everything and also very patient. Can’t wait for my next course on Monday and potentially a trip to Uganda which he may be arranging. Thank you Matt
Amy Caddick - 27 February 2023
I'm so pleased I choose the Ultimate Introduction to Photography workshop as my first step into the photography world. I'd recently bought a camera, but really didn't know where to start! After an afternoon with Matt I now feel so much more comfortable with my camera and a variety of the settings, along with having a much better eye for how to make a photograph more interesting. It was a lovely afternoon with a great bunch of people and has only encouraged me to want to learn more!
Marian Mollett - 14 January 2023
Simply excellent. Matt was clear and patient in covering the basics of using the camera, and composition. A very enjoyable 5 and 1/2 hours.
Clare Kenny - 7 January 2023
I can highly recommend this course! My 14 year old son and I undertook this course and we both felt that we had learned so much; from mastering basic technical skills, learning more about our cameras, and how to compose photographs. It is wonderful way to get to know the Waterloo and South Bank area, and is a truly enjoyable experience. Matt is a patient and talented teacher, and we would love to do more of his courses in the future. Many thanks!
Julia Solovyev - 5 December 2022
I have learned so much in my Photography class with Matthew. He helped to resolve the issues I had with my camera. He leads the class just right so you feel challenged but not overwhelmed. Matthew is patient and eager to help. I’m thrilled to have found his class!
Mark Rowlands - 4 December 2022
This was a great course. 5 of us, 3 including me were complete beginners and 2 had more experience. Matthew gave us all great confidence and shared his skills. Highly recommended
Rosie Truman - 16 November 2022
Fantastic course! I really grasped the basics of how to use my camera and I now understand a lot more about composition too. Matt was a great teacher and made sure to spend time with everyone in the group. Will definitely consider another course in the future!
Guleraana Mir - 30 October 2022
Really enjoyed the group workshop. Feel like I have a solid understanding of the basic fundamentals of photography, and how to use my camera. Matthew is super helpful in answering questions or repeating information, and very encouraging overall. It was a fun afternoon, learnt something and met some great people.
Dean Stevens - 24 October 2022
An enjoyable day. Matthew was both attentive and informative, ensuring all questions were answered. Gave me a much better appreciation of light and shadows and how to accentuate them with camera manual controls.
George Hourmouzios - 28 September 2022
Matthew is a rare talent. I attended his group session for beginners, on the South Bank. I found Matthew informative and patient. He's great at explaining stuff in an accessible way. The afternoon is well structured and I would definitely recommend Matthew as a teacher.
Nicola Mecrate-Butcher - 23 September 2022
My son (16yrs) attended the beginners course at South Bank as a complete novice. He had such a brilliant time, learnt loads and was hugely complimentary about Matthew. He is really keen to do one of the other courses too. Thank you so much for making it such a great experience.
Matt White - 22 September 2022
I attended one of Matthew's 'Ultimate Introduction to Photography' Workshops in London, I thought this was great and highly recommend this to others. I learnt a lot and enjoyed this session and as a result have booked both Matthew's 'Wildlife' and 'Shutter Speed' further Workshops which I am looking forward to and advancing my photography skills.
Jennifer Potts - 18 September 2022
It was a very interesting experience. Matt was very patient, had time for everyone, to explain the techniques needed to produce better photos. I would definitely recommend Matt to others.
Ted Horwood - 31 August 2022
Matthew did a nice job providing the basics for the beginner photographer. He is knowledgeable of the variety of cameras used by the students and he is very willing to help with settings. The Southbank has a good variety of learning locations. The class size was small enough that everyone felt they could get individual assistance. Even those familiar with photography are able to learn new skills. I’m happy to recommend Matthew’s course.
Lucie Phillips - 24 August 2022
I really enjoyed the Photography class with Matthew. He is incredibly patient and was able to explain the difference between shutter speed, aperture, focus and various other settings in a way that I will actually remember!! It was fun and engaging to take photos around The Southbank, especially as the light changed into the evening. Thank you Matthew-I learned a lot!
Yolinde Musgrave - 23 August 2022
Thank you, Matthew for the great “ Ultimate Introductory To Photography “ around the London Eye. South Bank, London. A quick overview on camera basics and then diving right into actual photography of different sceneries was so worth the course. I definitely learned to capture the magical🪄 storytelling of photography. Hoping to do the another one your exciting courses. Wildlife.
Karen Litchfield - 20 August 2022
Great course, very helpful for me as a beginner to photography. Matthew never made you feel silly for asking basic questions and was more than happy to help everyone and meet them at their own individual levels. It was a full on day, but I left feeling much more confident and eager to continue practicing and learning! Thanks so much, Matthew!
Rachael Conquest - 1 August 2022
Great locations used throughout the afternoon allowed for a variety of camera settings to be explained and then practiced. Along with the small group size, suitable pace, Matthew was very approachable, explained techniques effectively, and there was always opportunity to ask questions. I would definitely recommend this workshop to others!
Eddie Short - 21 July 2022
Great evening on the Southbank with Matt. I learnt so much in such a short time, and managed to get some great (yes still some not so great...) pictures on the way. I'm looking forward to building on the lessons over coming weeks to further improve my Photography.
Elizabeth Bryan - 14 May 2022
Matthew provided a great course for beginners. He was very friendly personable and easy to talk to. It was a small group which was nice as we all got lots of time to ask questions and get Matthew’s help. We went through some really useful aspects of the camera that would allow us get better use out of our cameras and to experiment more with effects and lighting. I would definitely recommend this course.
David McLean - 12 May 2022
Only clue to whether this course would be worth it were the reviews, so here is mine. You'll find Matt to be very chilled and smiley. Initially I thought he was another student. There were only 4 students on my course, which meant there was plenty 1-2-1. His manner provides a calm confidence, and he knows his way around all the main types of camera, allowing you to achieve excellent effects. I noticed that he was quick to find that opportunity, and that inspired us all to look for that shot. It was a good evening with cloudy sunshine, so plenty dramatic light and sky. 5.5hours was plenty time, with a break at a Pret in the middle. Don't be afraid to take loads of photos, play with Matt's ideas and find that you understand the components very quickly. This course will give you the opportunity and confidence to move away from auto, portrait or landscape modes. Well worth it for the 1-2-1 time from someone who is clearly accomplished.
Derek - 16 April 2022
Matthew was excellent, very informative, patient and taught everyone at their level. Highly recommend this workshop
Sandra Goncalves - 11 April 2022
I really recommend this experience for photography lovers who want to understand the basics of their camera. I have learnt a lot and can't wait to put it to use! P.S. Bring a tripod!
Heather Duffill - 10 April 2022
I absolutely loved this workshop! It was very practical and therefore a great way to learn. Matthew is a brilliant teacher, very patient, and knowledgeable. He knew all the different camera makes/models, so was able to help us individually too. Highly recommend!
David Norman - 21 March 2022
Great course, well managed and presented. All questions answered and individual assistance provided in the Group. Lots of techniques covered and things to try. Would recommend to anyone.
Kirsty Cartlidge - 10 March 2022
This was a really good experience to get to know my camera and how to use it effectively. Mathew was great at showing us all individually and showed patience. Thank you so much for this experience and l look forward to seeing my results! I would totally recommend this to someone who has a keen interest in photography and wants to learn first hand!
Abi - 20 November 2021
I would highly recommend this course to anyone who is struggling to maximise the potential of their camera. Matt is extremely knowledgable and explains everything at a pace where you understand the core components of your DSLR and l came away feeling excited and confident using a variety of setups to create lots of different shots.
Nick - 21 January 2019
Matt is such a great teacher and makes the process so fun - he knows how to break everything down and explain it in layman's terms, I never thought I would learn so quickly! Thanks, can't wait for the next one!
Sophia Constant - 9 January 2019
Matthew is a wonderful teacher with an incredible eye for photography and I would highly recommend his workshops, whether you're a beginner or advanced and looking to learn more on style and composition. He taught me as a beginner and I now always attend a workshop before I travel to a new destination to learn new tips for shooting in different locations. Matt is incredibly knowledgeable on the technical side, whilst sharing his passion for photography and his love of exploring new and interesting places. In London we explored some of the most iconic sites alongside hidden wonders in the heart of the city. I particularly loved a sunrise workshop when he taught me (very patiently!) how to capture the changing light. I couldn't recommend Matt's photography workshops more highly!
Louis Tambe - 7 January 2019
This class was great! When arriving Matt, the teacher, immediately made everyone feel welcomed and relaxed, talked to us all about previous photography experiences and so immediately you could see this was going to be much more interactive than other classes i’ve been too where it can be a bit more lecture-style. There was a clear structure to the class, I particularly liked the focus on panning from a technical standpoint but also the lessons about sorry telling in the market were very helpful to know how to create unique shots. The location was also perfect and clearly one Matt knew very well! I now feel completely confident with my camera and can’t wait to get out again and use the techniques I learned!