This was my first experience of one of Tesni’s own workshops, she is professional, knows her stuff and has a great sense of humour. I was there to learn, take great pictures and have a great day out which I (and the other workshop attendees) had even though it was a long day.  How Tesni does this day in day out just amazes me – I don’t think I could. Tesni has comprehensive knowledge of how to get the best out of the Olympus OM-D system for nature and wildlife photography, what works and doesn’t work, as well as demystifying the myriad of focusing modes and options at our disposal. Her subject matter knowledge was extensive, and interesting and useful facts about the birds we were photographing were provided to help get the better shots. As we were taking photographs Tesni also reminded us to think about the more camera agnostic aspects of photography such as exposure and composition.  Finally, it was obvious that Tesni knew the area well and we were directed to the best locations at Bempton Cliffs to get the photos that we wanted. Thank you Tesni for a great day out and I look forward to my next workshop with you.

“Skomer is an amazing place, something I’ve never experienced before. Though my skills normally lie in capturing shots of cliffs in the landscape, she was able to teach me how to use my camera equipment properly, understand the wildlife as well as my surroundings.  So even I could capture some birds in those shots of cliffs by the end of the day.  Her understanding of the wildlife, the island, the weather the conditions made it a truly remarkable experience. From the first moment of meeting Tesni, her passion for her craft shines though, her knowledge about her equipment is only surpassed by her knowledge of her subjects.  It’s a true pleasure to be surrounded by such expertise, passion and attention. Tesni’s outgoing and warm personality makes it easy to connect quickly, she is kind and considerate, working with all people in the group, taking her time to make everyone comfortable.  Her knowledge of OM System (Olympus) equipment is impeccable, but she’s able to support other systems with extensive knowledge and guidance. If you are thinking of taking the step of doing a workshop with a professional photographer, I cannot recommend Tesni’s Skomer Workshop higher. Skomer Island is an incredible experience in itself, but coupled with that you get Tesni’s incredible attitude, approach, knowledge and commitment, some funny jokes, silly moments, good food and a few cuppas.  You will have a great and memorable experience, you will leave with great photos, but more importantly you will have learnt new things that you can apply to your photography from that day forward.

Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire had been on my bucket list for some years and finally I was able to book a three-night residential photo workshop with Olympus Ambassador Tesni Ward. I was aware of Tesni’s wildlife photography and the great reviews her workshops have received. From the moment of booking in 2022 until the morning of departure in May 2023 Tesni communicated as necessary, providing the salient details at the appropriate time. At departure time Tesni was relaxed and took the strain of logistics in her stride, a sure sign of an experienced professional who knew the procedures. Once landed on Skomer, Tesni again knew exactly how matters would be handled, making for an stress-free arrival. Once at our accommodation Tesni discussed the proposed itinerary and scheduling for our days on the island, explaining why each location and time were chosen. Her knowledge of the island and its wildlife was detailed and in-depth, meaning that time was never wasted on poor locations or unsuitable light, and our chances of successful images were greatly increased. Our small group of four plus Tesni meant that each of us received plenty of personal coaching with as much advice and help as we needed or asked for. It was with the coaching that Tesni combined art and technique, explaining how lighting, background and particular settings could increase the likelihood of a successful shot. It is important to state that at all times Tesni’s real concern for the welfare of our subjects was never compromised and she ensured strict observation of rules and ethics. Never patronising and always supportive, Tesni’s bubbly personality shone through and I know that our little group had a wonderful time, returning with images that we love from a few days we will never forget, for all the right reasons. In summary I would say that any aspiring wildlife photographer would be well advised to spend time with Tesni, whether on a one-day workshop or a longer photo break and regardless of species, camera brand or location. Tesni possesses a depth of subject knowledge that she passes on willingly and her respect for both place and wildlife is to be admired. Her workshops will never be of the “get the shot regardless” style.

I genuinely recommend time with Tesni as a learning experience.

I did a bird photography workshop with Tesni at Bempton in June 2022. First of all, the venue is outstanding – it is a paradise for bird photographers, especially in June. Tesni is also outstanding.  From the beginning to the end, she was friendly, very knowledgeable and professional. She started with the basics, how to stand etc. and made sure my camera was appropriately set up, carefully explaining each step and giving pointers going forward e.g. keeping an eye on shutter speed while in aperture priority mode and watching exposure compensation. Her knowledge of birds – bird behaviour, calls and species, is encyclopaedic and she continued to share this throughout the day. It was particularly relevant when I was trying to get a pic of a puffin (my main priority for the day), she showed me the path a puffin took when leaving the cliff and then returning, brilliant stuff! All in all, it was an absolutely magical and inspiring day and I can’t recommend Tesni highly enough.

I cant thank you enough for the brilliant day with the mountain hares, it delivered well beyond my expectations. A challenging day for getting about with the drifted snow but well worth the effort. Having 18 separate encounters was exceptional – I think its down to how really well you know the area and your close relationship with the hares. I certainly learned some new field craft on the day – thats some skill you have in reading the hares behaviour when approaching and getting close. I also appreciated your care, not only with the hares but in looking after your client with some tricky conditions underfoot. I came away with a card full of photographs, with quite a few to choose from to add in to my wildlife slideshows and talks – exactly met my aim for the day!

Tesni’s one to one instruction on the OM1 has been invaluable – I learnt so much about features of the camera of which I was previously unaware, despite having it used it extensively for over a year. I cannot recommend the value of such personalised tuition enough – far quicker and more effective than trying to decipher the manual or spending hours watching YouTube instruction. Well worth the additional investment to make the most of the equipment you have already bought.

This was my second 1-2-1 workshop with Tesni.  Tesni is very professional and has a wealth of knowledge on the Water voles in the locality.  She spends time ensuring you and your camera are set up and discussing options for the appearance of the Water voles putting you in the location of the prime activity.  It is a long day with some waiting for the voles to make an appearance and she was always on hand during the waiting period  ensuring your setting are right for the conditions and your ready.  As an experienced wildlife photographer is was great to be with a like-minded photographer and chat through a variety of photography subjects.  Blessed by both fine warm spring weather and several appearances by the voles along with Lapwings, Common lizards and a obliging Sparrowhawk and the sound of the first cuckoo to arrive in the location it was an absolute fantastic day and I can recommend the workshop for those who wish to photograph and observe these beautiful rare mammals.  Thank you Tesni for another great day.

I spent a fabulous day with Tes on the mountain hare workshop and learnt so much –  not just about mountain hares but also other local wildlife and the Peak District in general. Her knowledge of the area and its wildlife is amazing and we quickly found several hares to photograph that I would never have seen without her help. Her ability to read the hares’ behaviour and her knowledge of how to approach them allowed us to get incredibly close to the hares and achieve some super images. As an experienced photographer I wasn’t particularly looking for photography tuition but nevertheless Tes was still able to add to my knowledge base and share many useful tips. The day was fun, interesting, and informative. The area covered was quite large and the terrain quite rough but despite me being more than twice her age and far less fit, Tes was always thoughtful and considerate in finding routes that I could manage. Tes also worked hard to make sure the workshop covered the things that I wanted to see. I’m sure I will be back for another workshop! Patrick

My wife and I had a wonderful day with Tesni recently, during a one-to-one workshop photographing seabirds at RSPB Bempton Cliffs. Neither
of us are experienced photographers but, having attended several wildlife photography workshops before (all of which we enjoyed), none has come anywhere close to our time with Tesni in delivering improvements to the photographs that we take and enhancing the enjoyment of our hobby more generally. In particular, my wife’s confidence and ability in using her camera – both for static subjects and birds in flight – have literally been transformed by the experience. We are both very pleased with the photos we took on the day and have been able to apply the lessons we learned on subsequent occasions. The main reason for our success: Tesni was enthusiastically focussed on us throughout – from the interactions we had via a brief questionnaire and e-mails beforehand, to the responsive and helpful e-mails afterwards, we consistently felt we were at the centre of her attention. Tesni began the workshop by taking time to understand what we wanted from the day; what we struggled with and how we wanted to improve. She then introduced us to our feathered subjects and some of the challenges we might be faced with later on: before we realised, we were learning. From the moment we arrived at the viewing platforms overlooking the cliff edge, Tesni was quick to adapt her tips and advice to the situations evolving in front of us and was patient, encouraging and creative in helping us to put them into practice. Without ever interrupting or imposing on what we were doing, Tesni checked our progress at regular intervals, commenting on both technical and artistic aspects of our photos. Tesni is a great communicator and we felt relaxed and at ease in her company; no question was too basic (or advanced!) and, throughout the day, each was met with a practical response which seemed to be put at just the right level. In spite of all the learning that was going on, we enjoyed ourselves immensely. In short: we cannot recommend a one-to-one workshop with Tesni highly enough.

Cathy and I went to meet up with Tesni in the Peak District for one of her Landscape Workshops, the weather forecast was against us so we did a quick access version of the workshop so we could get hands on quickly and learn about the Olympus cameras we both have as well as learning more techniques and composition guides for landscape photography. The first half of the day was spent at Solomon’s Temple just outside Buxton, we both gained a lot of useful guidance from Tesni’s detailed photography knowledge and patient teaching methods, we also learnt some of the better ways to use the camera, for example around white balance and exposure compensation. We broke for lunch as the rain started then headed over to the tunnels on the Monsal trail to try some low light photography, using tripods and a good teaching session around these  tools and the camera again. Whatever your level of knowledge Tesni can offer some insights into photography, from basic principle to advanced features of the camera and photographic technique. Tesni is an Olympus brand ambassador but this doesn’t mean she only teaches Olympus users, whatever system you use Tesni’s skills will be of help to you. This is the third workshop I’ve done (Landscape, Waterfowl and Mountain Hares) and the second Cathy has done (Landscape and Mountain Hares) with Tesni, and we keep going back as she’s such a good teacher with amazing knowledge of the natural world and always good fun to be with.

Tesni’s artistry with a light pen and anatomical knowledge also allow her to demonstrate the Live Composite feature of the Olympus EM cameras in a unique way.

Tesni’s workshops are a great way to enjoy a relaxed and stress-free photography adventure and very good value. I thoroughly recommend them, whatever level of experience you have or camera you’re using. My recent trip to the Farne Islands was my fourth workshop with Tesni. As usual, arrangements were straight forward with Tes taking care of all the chores such buying ferry tickets, getting the group into the best places and unobtrusively making sure each member of the group was safe and getting the most from their time and investment. Tes’s knowledge of photography and wildlife is really extensive and very informative; and her ability to help with camera settings is extraordinary given the variety of cameras people bring to these workshops. I’m sure I will be going on more workshops with Tesni, they’re addictive!!

I spent a great day with Tesni on one of her workshops; the Red Deer Rut at Bradgate Park in Leicestershire. I use an Olympus OMD EM1 camera, not the easiest to master due to the amount of settings that can be pre-programmed. This being said, it did not phase Tesni, in fact she is on the Olympus team for wildlife photographers, so my camera settings were a doddle for her. She guided me through the settings, as the light changed during the day. Tesni had done her homework on Bradgate regarding the locations were the Deer had been seen in the last few days, which was really beneficial in seeing and taking shots. Four times during the course of the day Tesni worked through the photos I had been taking and gave advice on any adjustments that needed making. I usually shoot in Aperture mode only, but again Tesni gave me the confidence to shoot in manual mode. The wildlife was stunning we managed to see the magnificent Red Bucks in fighting mode trying to protect their Hinds from younger male Bucks, with no other people about, that was down to her preparation  prior to the workshop taking place. Later in the day it was the turn of the Fallow deer, again the Bucks calling in there Hinds. This workshop was a full twelve hour day to reap the full benefits of the Deer Rut, and I can’t thank Tesni enough in giving me guidance through the lens to photograph this truly great event. I would recommend anyone who enjoys taking photos of wildlife to book a workshop with Tesni.

I had been following Tes’ work with the badgers this year and waited in anticipation for the news of the workshops kicking off.  When Tesni let me know dates were now available I was over the moon and booked almost immediately.  I had been waiting to get photographs of badgers for a long time and Tesni enabled me to fulfil this ambition.  Tesni was extremely knowledgeable and explained everything clearly and in depth before arriving at the Sett.  I must add that Tesni is one of the most dedicated and passionate photographers I have come across, and clearly loves what she does.  I can’t wait to get some more badger action next year!  Thanks so much Tesni for an unforgettable evening with the Stripey Guys!

A day photographing Mountain Hares delivered more than I dared hope for. As we set off into an area of high moorland Tes outlined what we would attempt to do during the day while giving detailed information regarding appropriate camera settings and tips on technique in a knowledgeable and very enjoyable way. Early rain and a fast moving fog soon gave way to some beautiful varied light conditions as we approached an area Tes knew to be the hare’s territories. Further detailed information on ‘field craft’ regarding the best way to go about approaching our subjects was outlined, as soon, sure enough, we got our first distant glimpses of Mountain hares! Only deep experience could account for Tes’s uncanny ability to spot these beautiful animals in the vast landscape. Shortly we had picked our way close enough to our subjects (closer than I would have though possible) and were able to enjoy fantastic views. As we watched, we were able to observe them in their natural habitat, in a relaxed state doing the things that hares do. Breathtaking!  All worth it to just see these animals, but took a ridiculous number of photos that were far better than I would have done without Tes’s help. In short, I learned a whole lot about the Olympus camera and its capabilities, helping me to reevaluate my approach and improve on my day to day photography, even though I’m not knew to photography or the Olympus system. I also learned how important field craft is in wildlife/nature photography, something I had suspected, but Tes demonstrated just how important it is; both rewarding and inspiring. I learned a whole lot about Mountain hares and their habits too, a fantastic and enjoyable day! I’d recommend Tes as a tutor without hesitation.

Photographing Hares with Tes in the Peak District was a fantastic experience. It was clear right from the off that Tes’ knowledge of the area as well as how to approach the Hares was second to none, and we had some great encounters with them. I had gone with the hope of taking some habitat shots showing the Hares in their environment as well as the frame filling portraits, and Tes didn’t disappoint! Tes’ field-craft skills were brilliant in reading the behaviour of the animals, enabling us to get up close to them. I’ve never crawled across the Peak District before and it was great fun! Not only was Tes’ knowledge of the area and ability to approach the Hares fantastic, she is passionate and enthusiastic about wildlife and great fun to chat to – I’d thoroughly recommend this workshop!

Your knowledge of photography and wildlife is very impressive, but your efforts to ensure everyone gets something from the day and learns something is also most welcome. I’ve done a number of photography workshops, albeit only one wildlife related (at a safari park – it was honestly not very good); its surprising how few photographers running workshops put in the same amount of effort as you. I would certainly recommend you.

We spent a day and a half with Tes high up on the moors photographing the Hares.  Why a half day ?  Well it was the first of 2 days.  To put it mildly, the weather was just horrendous !  Driving rain, 40-50 mph constant wind, tramping around  in the clouds, visibility about 20yds………..I had no idea where we were, or whether we were just walking round in circles !   By 12 noon we were absolutely soaked, and gave up the challenge – but were still in good spirits, and really wanted to get some shots of the Hares.  Now Tes is a spirited individual, and she was not prepared to see us go home with no shots of her beloved hares, so she organised a replacement adventure for us a few days later, and this time, the weather could not have been better.  Clear blue skies, visibility about 60 miles – we could even see the snow on Snowden ! – and no wind.  Perfect weather for photography.  And yes, we saw lots of Hares, and were able to get up quite close to some thanks to Tes’s field-craft skills.  In fact for some shots we were too close, and the Hares were bigger than the frame with my 500mm lens – which was not easy to throw around when hand holding.  Tes really knows her stuff with the Hares, and knew all the best locations to find them. Thanks for a great day Tes.  I’ll look back on both days with great fondness, especially the banter about our experiences of photography and life in general, which at times had us roaring laughing.

I spent 2 days with Tesni on a Grey Seal workshop and had a fantastic time. I’m quite new to wildlife photography but have done sports and portrature for years: it was the perfect crash course on a different style and I couldn’t believe how many seals were on the beach and so many pups! I nearly filled 2 memory cards and will definitely go on another workshop in the future. Thanks for a great trip! J

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this workshop. I hadn’t been able to get any good photographs of Red Grouse on my own so decided to book on a day with Tesni. We started at dawn and headed out. The weather was stormy but it didn’t take long for Tesni to spot the first grouse in the distance. Before long we were practically surrounded by them, making it difficult to decide which way to face. Tesni moved us into a spot near a male Grouse and sure enough we managed to get our first shots. I was very impressed with the advice she gave me, both in terms of settings and composition but also fieldcraft. It was very clear from the start that Tesni is highly passionate about wildlife and it’s welfare and she made sure that we let the wildlife come to us rather than us chasing them. Throughout the day there were few occasions where we weren’t taking photographs and the day ended with all my expectations exceeded. I will definitely go on future workshops with Tesni, thank you!