ISLE OF HARRIS AND LEWIS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

I am a full-time commercial and landscape photographer & filmmaker based in Portrush on the Causeway Coast in the north of Ireland. Please take the time to explore my range of work on this website.

As well as guidance on landscape photography I can also give valuable insights into film and drone work. I also specialise in motion timelapse which I can impart knowledge on. See my year long timelapse project covering the 4 seasons in our Mourne Mountains below.

View ‘Mourne’ timelapse film here.

For this workshop we’re staying in the the charming Harris Hotel. Each participant will have their own room and breakfast is included each morning. Free Parking on site.

Hotel website here.

We’ll be staying in the Harris Hotel in Tarbert on the Isle of Harris.

Ferry - crossings go from either Ullapool to Stornoway (approx 2hr 30mins) or Uig (on Skye) to Tarbert (approx 1hr 30mins). The ferry is operated by CalMac - please note ferry timetables for spring 2026 are yet to be released. I will pick up and drop off workshop guests from the ferry terminal and advise on suitable ferry times when released.

Flights - you can fly directly to Stornoway from Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness. I will designate flight times where I’ll do pickups and drop offs at the end of the workshop for those that chose to fly.

There is also a bus service between Stornoway and Tarbert if guests want to arrive or depart on different dates.

Depending on workshops numbers I’ll either be flying to Inverness and renting a people carrier, or bringing my van from Northern Ireland. So it may be possible to collect participants from Inverness or even travel from Belfast - but each participant will be responsible to cover their own ferry costs and an additional nights accommodation will be needed if coming from Belfast.

Some locations require a short hike of up to 60 minutes. You must be able to walk on uneven ground, beaches and sometimes steep steps & slippery surfaces.

On location tuition

Compositional guidance

Understanding the exposure triangle

Advantages of shooting RAW

Understanding light & reacting to the conditions

Capturing panoramas and focal blending

Using Neutral Density, Graduated Filters and Polariser

Understanding depth of field for maximum sharpness

Choosing the correct shutter speed for various results

The importance of composition, leading lines and texture

Histograms explained

After you complete your booking I’ll email a full packing list. We’ll also set up a workshop WhatsApp group chat where all questions can be answered.

Cancellations with less than 30 days notice will be refunded their fee minus their booking deposit. If I’m able to fill their place the participant will also be refunded their booking deposit. It is not advised to book your transport until we confirm we have adequate numbers for this workshop to go ahead. In the event of the workshop not going ahead, I will refund deposits in full. However, I can not compensate flight costs.

After my first workshop in Donegal, I knew I had to join Richard again — this time on Harris & Lewis. And once again, it was an unforgettable experience!

I only started photography last year, so I still feel like a beginner. But with Richard, that never mattered. He creates such a supportive and inspiring atmosphere where learning feels natural and fun. Even when the weather didn’t play along, he always found a way to make the most of it, showing us how to work with the conditions rather than against them. I loved exploring new techniques like ICM and capturing the little details that often go unnoticed.

The locations were simply magical - from endless sandy beaches and dramatic cliffs to abandoned fishing huts and Highland cows standing peacefully in the mist. Every place had its own unique mood and story to tell, and Richard helped us bring that to life through our photos.

The group was fantastic - so much laughter, shared passion, and great energy throughout the trip. Thank you, Richard, for your patience, encouragement, and for making every moment count. I learned so much and had the best time - can’t wait for the next adventure!

I knew from previous experience that Richard is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic workshop leader, so I had no hesitation in booking a second workshop, this time to Harris and Lewis. Richard was very well prepared and had a detailed knowledge of the key locations and the best times to visit them. Although the weather was challenging, Richard ensured that we were in the right place at the right time to make the most of each location. Normally, I would stay at home in bad weather, but I quickly learned that it is possible to shoot in most weather conditions. Richard spent a lot of time with each participant to help us learn new photography techniques and skills. Also, when the weather was too bad to shoot, he led an excellent editing session and demonstrated many useful editing techniques.

Richard’s enthusiasm is infectious, and he ensured that we all had an enjoyable time as well as developing our photography skills. I would not hesitate to book with him again and am happy to recommend his photography workshops to anyone who wants an enjoyable workshop experience.

I recently went on a photography workshop on Harris and Lewis run by Richard Watson. While the weather was not great, Richard still made the workshop a really enjoyable experiance, where we all improved our photography and had a great time while we did it. Despite the weather, we travelled all over the island visiting all the iconic locations, and learned how to still get good images in demanding conditions.

I have been on one of Richard’s workshops before, and I have booked to go to the Faroes with him in November, so it goes without saying that I am really happy with the service he provides, and the way he gets on with people. In short, he cannot do enough for his guests and always goes " the extra mile " to ensure that everyone has a great time, and come away with great images.

I would have no hesitation reccomending Richard to anyone wishing to improve their photography, and visit beautiful locations at the same time.