Steam Train Photography Course
Steam Train photography at the Kent and East Sussex Railway
New for 2026 I will be running courses for the Kent and East Sussex Railway. This is a fantastic opportunity to photograph iconic steam engines. You will get special access to photograph the steam-raising activities as the crew make these trains ready to run. There will be so many photo opportunities from close-up shots to candid images of the crew and of course the pictures we all want of the engines engulfed in steam. Truly atmospheric!
The day starts with a 7.30 am start at Rolvenden Locomotive Yard, an area not normally open to the public, where you will have the opportunity to photograph the steam-raising activities before returning to Tenterden for a light breakfast.
Having photographed the locomotive “in steam” at Tenterden Station, you then take the train to Bodiam where I will share more of my expertise en-route before disembarking to photograph the run around and coupling before returning to Tenterden where your experience ends at around 13.30 pm
During this photography course many subjects are included from the technical to the artistic aspects of image making. You will learn about the creative use of depth of field, camera controls and menus, exposure histogram, exposure compensation, exposure modes including manual exposure and spot metering, white balance and the use of photographic filters to the more artistic areas of photography such as developing the photographer’s eye and the use of light and colour.
Once the course is completed I will send all students a full set of notes relevant to all the subjects covered during the course. I think the notes are important because it is really hard to retain all the information we are given. The notes act as a good memory-jog which helps each student get the best from their tuition. My photography courses are run in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere because I think we all learn more when we’re enjoying ourselves. They have a flexible format, allowing us to react to changing lighting conditions as well as giving me plenty of time to answer any questions you might have. Each shoot is designed to boost your confidence so you have a much greater success rate when it comes to taking images with mood and impact.
To book this course, please disregard the ‘PRICE’ section on the right of this web page. You will need to book directly through Kent and East Sussex Railway’s website.
