Shetland Seabird Photography Workshop: In collaboration with Wild Discovery

Closer to Norway than mainland Scotland, Shetland is shaped as much by sea and weather as it is by land. Working across carefully chosen locations throughout the archipelago, this immersive small-group workshop offers exceptional opportunities to photograph some of the UK’s most spectacular seabird colonies, from the towering Gannetries of Noss and Hermaness to the quieter encounters found along Shetland’s sheltered coastlines with a host of 'Taamie Norie' (Puffin), 'Tirrick' (Arctic Tern), 'Bonxie' (Great Skua) and more.

Expedition Highlights

• Seven days exploring Shetland at the height of the seabird season

• Two bespoke boat charters to the cliffs and Gannetries of Noss

• Photograph Northern Gannets plunge-diving at speeds of up to 60mph

• Extended time at Hermaness National Nature Reserve on Unst

• Atlantic Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, Arctic Terns, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, and skuas

• Late-night visit to the Storm-petrel colony and Iron Age broch on Mousa

• Experience the soft northern glow of the Simmer Dim

• Small-group format for tailored, in-field tuition

• Creative techniques including high key, low key, and in-camera multiple exposures

• Strong emphasis on producing finished images in camera

• One-to-one guidance, image reviews, and continued support beyond the workshop

Shetland exists in a different rhythm. At this time of year, night never fully arrives. Instead, the islands settle into the Simmer Dim, a lingering northern twilight where soft light stretches late into the evening and the sea seems to hold its glow indefinitely. It creates an extraordinary atmosphere for photography: long hours in the field, changing weather, and light that rarely feels static.

Across the islands, seabirds dominate the cliffs and coastlines. At Hermaness, vast colonies of Gannets circle endlessly above towering headlands while Puffins gather along the grassy slopes below. Guillemots and Razorbills crowd the ledges in dense formations, while Great and Arctic Skuas patrol overhead with unmistakable intent. This workshop is designed not simply to visit these places, but to spend meaningful time within them. Working at a slower pace allows space for observation, recognising behaviour, understanding movement, and responding instinctively to changing conditions. The emphasis throughout is on producing images that feel deliberate, creative and resolved, rather than reactive.

Two bespoke boat charters around Noss form a defining part of the workshop. Here, Gannets move through the air with astonishing precision before folding into the sea at extraordinary speed. From the water, the cliffs become alive with movement: birds crossing paths, wheeling against dark rock, and diving through shifting Atlantic light. The workshop also explores Shetland’s quieter moments. Along sheltered coastlines, Arctic Terns, Black Guillemots, and Eiders offer more intimate encounters and opportunities to refine composition and timing in calmer conditions. One of the most memorable evenings comes on Mousa. As the light softens into near-darkness, European Storm-petrels begin returning with intent to their nesting crevices around the ancient Iron Age broch. Small, delicate, and almost ghost-like in their movement, they create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the British Isles.

Throughout the workshop, Rachel offers tailored, in-field tuition shaped around each participant. Guidance is responsive and practical, from technical decisions such as exposure and autofocus, to the more nuanced process of reading behaviour, working with light, and refining personal style. You will work with Rachel’s distinctive creative techniques including high key and low key imagery, in-camera multiple exposures, and motion-based approaches such as intentional camera movement and shutter drag. Central to her teaching is a commitment to creating images in camera, refining light, composition, and timing in the field, rather than relying on post-production.

This is a workshop designed for photographers who want more than a checklist of species. It is about immersion, observation, and learning to work more intentionally within wild environments. 👉 Sign up at Wild Discovery: https://wild-discovery.com/tours/fully-inclusive-tours/shetland-seabird-photography-workshop-bigsby

Outline Itinerary (Weather Dependent).

Day 1 — Arrival in Shetland

Arrival via Sumburgh Airport or Lerwick before transferring to our base in Brae. Following a welcome dinner and workshop briefing, there may be time for a first coastal session nearby.

Day 2 — Hermaness & Unst

A full day at Hermaness National Nature Reserve, one of Europe’s great seabird spectacles. Photograph gannets, puffins, skuas, and dramatic cliff landscapes overlooking Muckle Flugga.

Day 3 — Fetlar & Yell

Explore quieter corners of Shetland in search of breeding waders, Red-necked Phalaropes, Red-throated Divers, Arctic Terns, and Black Guillemots.

Day 4 — Creative Techniques at Hermaness

A slower, more focused day refining creative approaches with gannets and seabird colonies, alongside visits to historic Viking sites and coastal wildlife locations.

Day 5 — Noss & Mousa

Private early morning boat charter to Noss for close encounters with plunge-diving gannets. Later, transfer south to Sumburgh before an unforgettable late-night visit to the Storm-petrel colony on Mousa.

Day 6 — Sumburgh & Evening Charter

Photograph puffins and seabirds around Sumburgh Head before a second private Noss charter, offering different light and behaviour. Farewell dinner and optional sunset session.

Day 7 — Departure

Workshop concludes following breakfast with transfers to Sumburgh Airport or Lerwick.

About Rachel

Rachel Bigsby is a wildlife photographer specialising in seabirds, known for work that balances visual impact with behavioural depth. Her images are shaped as much by observation and fieldcraft as they are by composition and light, an approach developed through years of independent study and time spent volunteering with seabirds in remote coastal environments. She is the winner of the 'Natural Artistry' category in Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Portfolio Winner of Bird Photographer of the Year. Her work has been published by organisations including National Geographic, and she is a Nikon Europe creator and RSPB ambassador. Rachel has photographed extensively across the Antarctic, subantarctic islands, the Falklands, the Arctic, and the British Isles, often working in challenging marine conditions. Alongside her photography, she lectures internationally, with talks hosted by institutions such as the Royal Geographical Society and the Natural History Museum. As an IAATO-certified expedition guide, licensed powerboat operator, and advanced first aid professional, she brings a high level of operational experience to her workshops. This ensures that participants are supported not only creatively, but practically, allowing them to focus fully on their work in the field. Her teaching combines tailored, in-field tuition with an emphasis on observation-led photography, helping participants develop a personal visual style while working with light, movement, behaviour and creative technique in a deliberate and considered way.