Welcome to the Blackthorn

The Blackthorn Centre School of Photography provides expert training courses in digital photography, black & white and colour film photography in our professionally equipped lightroom, darkroom and lighting studio. The Blackthorn is a UK based professional photography training centre, located near Cricklade in the south-west of England.

We cater for the complete beginner through to the professional photographer. We have a photography course to suit your requirements whether you are looking for a day, weekend, evening course, or a group or One to One session. Learn all the important fundamentals of photography with our Starting Photography courses. Each course has been carefully designed to guide students through every aspect of the subject in a clear and logical way, yet encouraging individual creativity.

Whatever your level of photographic experience, our courses are designed to suit your needs. Beginners are made welcome and often have an advantage having no pre-conceived ideas or bad habits. The more experienced photographers enjoy our fresh approach to creativity both in the studio and on field trips. This is extended still further in the lightroom and darkroom.

Each pupil is constantly monitored and assisted. Students are encouraged to look upon their work with a critical yet constructive eye. You will quickly learn to appreciate the effect a lens or exposure will have on the finished print.

Our digital photography courses cover colour and monochrome image-making. Beginners' photography courses start by teaching students to understand their cameras and how to get the best results from them. We use professional level equipment to teach colour management, post processing using Photoshop, lighting and high quality printing.

The dark room courses, which run in our purpose built premises, allow the student to create images by techniques such as burning and dodging, sepia and selenium toning, cropping and vignetting. Learn how to build up your pictures to produce exciting and creative images.

All courses are limited in the number of students allowed to enrol to ensure maximum learning and individual attention. It is therefore advisable to book courses well in advance.

Learn the magic of Landscape Photography course on this popular photography course. With our Portrait Photography course you will learn about studio lighting and the techniques involved in producing high quality portraits.

Learn how to process your own film using traditional darkroom techniques in your own home with our Black and White Photography courses.

We also specialise in travel photography courses, wildlife photography courses, and arrange trips abroad capturing those special images.

The Blackthorn Centre School of Photography is located just outside Cricklade on the Wiltshire - Gloucestershire border, South-West England, UK. We are within easy travelling distance from Swindon, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Cirencester, Oxford, Bristol, Bath, Reading, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. If travelling a further distance such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle or Kent, we can arrange accommodation for weekend courses.

Who are the courses for?

Will I be out of my depth?

Certainly not! Whatever your level of photographic or darkroom skills, our courses are designed to suit your needs. Beginners are made welcome and often have an advantage having no pre-conceived ideas or bad habits. The more experienced photographers enjoy our fresh approach to creativity both in the studio and on field trips and this is extended still further in the darkroom.

What equipment will I need?

Any SLR or medium format camera. You must be able to control both the aperture and shutter speeds of your camera. "Compact" cameras, instant or any other camera without adjustable f-stops, focus and shutter speeds are not appropriate. You will also need a sturdy tripod, cable release and light meter, either hand held or built into your camera. Other lenses if you have them and lens hoods. Film, paper and chemicals when necessary. Wet weather clothing and a packed lunch on field trips.

What do the courses involve?

Each course has been carefully designed to guide students through every aspect of the subject in a clear and logical way, yet encouraging individual creativity.
Whether in the studio or on location, attention is always paid to picture composition, depth of field, choice of lens, film, exposure, negative density (the Zone System) and, last but not least, print quality.
Each pupil is constantly monitored and assisted. The emphasis is always on making students look upon their work with a critical yet constructive eye. In this way you will quickly learn to appreciate the effect a lens or exposure will have on the finished print. Mistakes are quickly identified and corrected.
The darkroom courses, which run in our purpose built premises, allow the student to create the "pre-visualised" picture by techniques such as burning and dodging, sepia and selenium toning, cropping and vignetting. Learn how to build up your pictures to produce exciting and creative images. It is fun learning!
All courses are limited in the number of students allowed to enrol to ensure maximum learning. It is therefore advisable to book courses well in advance.

Why are our students so successful?

Our team of highly experienced lecturers have been teaching photography locally for fourteen years and during that time we have made many friends whilst teaching students. Several continue to enrol on courses purely to enjoy their photography and friendships made whilst attending our courses. Since opening the Blackthorn has encouraged ‘cascade teaching’ so any student having difficulties can be given individual tuition on a one to one basis.
Since opening his own school we have encouraged ‘cascade teaching’ so any student having difficulties can be given individual tuition on a one to one basis.

'My first visit to this centre. A very high standard of work & an obviously enthusiastic team. Refreshing to see!'
Ian Kent-Robinson, City & Guilds Assessor 20th July 1998