The Manchester Photo Walk

Dusk view of Manchester - photo by Aidan O'Rourke

Dusk view of Manchester from the roof of the Arena by Aidan O’Rourke

Photographic Walking Tours in Manchester with Photography Tutor and Writer Aidan O’Rourke – as featured in Amateur Photographer magazine

To book, email info@aidan.co.uk or phone

Photo Walk Meeting Point Manchester Piccadilly Station

Introduction

The Manchester photo walk combines a lesson in photography with a walk through the city. Nowadays I prefer to work with individuals and very small groups. It’s suitable for photographers at any level of experience. All you need is a camera: compact or DSLR or film.

£35 per person for three people
£45 per person for two people
£75 for one person
For more than 3 people please contact.

Meeting point: At the front entrance to Piccadilly Station, top of the Approach next to W H Smiths.
Lesson in Exposure with free handouts and crib card.
Lots of ‘over the shoulder’ feedback from Aidan.
Ask any number of questions about photography.
You will benefit from lots of individual attention.

The Old Fire Station

Trying out the controls on the camera

Old Fire Station coat of arms of Manchester

Old Fire Station exterior

Sackville St Building Man Uni

Alan Turing Statue Sackville Park – Photo Jared Hull

‘Over the shoulder’ feedback

Dates and times

Walks can be arranged on a variety of dates and times, generally Sundays, starting at either 10.30am or 2pm, though other dates/times are possible. To book simply get in touch via the contact form or send a message to my iPhone using the following number:

Feedback

Thank you very much, I had a great time on the walk. I have been out a couple of times since, and your tips have been a great help! The time taken to sit down and explain the basics of photography was very helpful, and the crib card is something that I will take with me at all times. I also appreciated your extensive knowledge of Manchester, it made the walk a lot more interesting and enjoyable.
Eugene Orpin

St Peters Square Metrolink sign

Rochdale Canal monochrome image

Minshull St Police Courts

Canal Street

Manchester Art Gallery Mosley Street

Tourist signs MOSI Liverpool Road

Adrift statue in its former location

Aidan O’Rourke

Day walks

Most walks start and end during daylight. There is no set route, we could head towards the Northern Quarter, or along Whitworth Street. We may take the Metroshuttle bus to another part of the city centre. We will find a quiet place or sit down in a cafe to do the lesson in exposure. This is a concentrated lesson in the simple but often misunderstood principle that is the key to photography. We will continue, taking photos as we go along. I will offer feedback, tips and suggestions. We may finish in the centre, or we may go back to the station. The walk lasts for three hours.

Start times generally 10.30am or 2pm, acco. Walk length: 3 hrs.
There are numerous routes we can take. We will decide at the beginning.
We will stop in a quiet place to do the lesson in Exposure.
Alternative routes: Northern Quarter, Whitworth St or we will take the Metroshuttle.
Make sure you are dressed for the weather conditions and wear a good pair of shoes!
A tripod is not required for the daytime walk.

Bridgewater Hall Metrolink blurred tram

St Peters Square 1996 with blurred tram

Bridgewater Hall Metrolink blurred tram

Central Library 1998 with firework display

Central Library 2005

The Mancunian Way at dusk

Portland Street at dusk

St Peters Square at dusk 1996

The Mancunian Way at night

Dusk Walk

We can arrange for the walk to start in daylight and finish after dusk. We meet at Piccadilly Station and then take the free Metroshuttle bus or the tram to St Peters Square. We may go to a cafe – for instance at the Manchester Art Gallery or Central Library – and do the lesson in Exposure, focusing on techniques for night photography and long exposures. As dusk approaches we do low light photography in St Peters Square, focusing on the relocated War Memorial and the Central Library. We will continue down Lower Mosley Street and take passing trams and the Bridgewater Hall. There is the option of continuing to HOME, the new arts centre and on the bridge over the Mancunian Way for light trail photography. If the moon is out we will photograph it!

Meet outside the main entrance to Piccadilly Station.
Free bus or tram to St Peters Square.
Lesson in Exposure focusing on night photography.
Subjects: War Memorial, Central Library
Take photos practicing principles covered in the lesson.
Plenty of ‘over the shoulder’ feedback from Aidan.
A tripod is strongly advised.
Always text me on the day.

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Who is it intended for?

The walks are attended by many beginner, some intermediate and a few advanced level photographers. Participants will benefit from lots of individual attention! My goal is to help everyone at any level to learn, improve and achieve great things. The walk makes a great gift for people celebrating birthdays or as a Christmas present.

Photographers at any level welcome to come on the walk.
Participants will benefit from lots of individual attention from me.
On a one-to-one photo walk you will have my complete attention.
Any camera is okay – compact, bridge, DSLR or film.
If you’ve recently bought a camera and don’t know how to use it, this course is for you!
If you want to give a unique gift, the photo walk is ideal.

What people say

‘Thoroughly enjoyed my photo walk in Manchester yesterday. I think the combination of learning about photography and the interesting buildings of Manchester works really well together. Eye opening stuff!.’
Craig Millar

“Thank you for an interesting and enjoyable afternoon. I learnt a great deal that will help me take better photos.”
Shirley Black

“Despite the poor weather, I really enjoyed the afternoon and really learnt a lot. Although I understood the theory of aperture,exposure and film speeds from the distant film days, I had never really managed to bring that knowledge into the digital domain. I now feel that I can master the basic controls of my digital cameras and will be able to finally move forward. Also it’s a long time since I’ve visited that part of Manchester and it was great to be able to walk around looking out for photographic opportunity. I’ll definitely have to go back one day when the weather is a little kinder. Thanks again”
Tony Stanton

“I just want to say a big thank you for a very informative photographic adventure yesterday around my City, Manchester. I paid for a photographic learning experience – and got that with knobs on! Your short course is put together in such a way as to fit the beginner “Where do I start?” to the more experienced “I had forgotten or never really grasped that”. What I didn’t expect was the insight you provided of a city I thought I knew quite well. So, not just a how-to photography lesson but a how-to look through new eyes at a subject and appreciate the importance of what may be shown in your viewfinder. Thanks again Aidan, and thanks for all you have done, and continue to do, for my Manchester – MY HISTORY.”
Geoff Featherston

“Hi, Aidan I just wanted to a big thanks for yesterday. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was just what I needed. I will definitely come on an evening walk some time. Thanks again.”
Lucy Fenton

Brilliant afternoon with @AidanEyewitness seeing parts of Manchester I never knew existed and all through my camera lens 🙂

— Siobhan White (@SiobhantheHack) January 10, 2016

Tweet by Aidan 'Just completed 2 photo walks totalling 6+ hours. I could do another! Actually it's like a 'gig' - same script different people. Tweet by Sean Walton @Walton_FIRE @AidanEyewitness and very good they are too, thoroughly enjoyed the walk around Manchester especially the London Rd Area

“We both really enjoyed it and learned a lot. It’s completely changed the way I would approach taking a picture now.My dad really enjoyed it too. He said he has never had the confidence to go out and just take pictures, but he said he wouldn’t have a problem doing it now.”
Carly Scott

“Just a brief e-mail to say how enjoyable and informative the walk was on Saturday. After previous ‘lessons’ with professionals have been a complete let down for me, it was refreshing to be led by someone willing to pass on his skills rather than just bragging about how good they are. I walked back to the station with a couple more of the guys that echoed my sentiments and I have some interesting pictures to boot. I can even say that the criticism was welcomed as it will stop me making the same mistakes in the future, plus I will now switch from Manual to Programmed more now that I have a better idea of how to use it.”
Tony Dickinson

The Manchester Photo Walk was featured in the 2 Jan 2016 edition of Amateur Photographer Magazine next to a listing for an exhibition by Lee Miller, one of Aidan’s all time favourite photographers.

About Aidan O’Rourke

Aidan O’Rourke has been running his photo walks in Manchester and Liverpool since 2010. He has had a serious interest in photography since 1981 and is very experienced with film. He has been using Adobe Photoshop since 1995. He switched fully to digital capture in 2000. He has specialised in documenting the development of Manchester and the North West. His photos appear in a number of books including ‘Manchester Then and Now’, ‘Rebuilding Manchester’ and ‘Around the M60, Manchester’s Orbital Motorway’ which he co-wrote. His weekly ‘Eyewitness’ column appears in the Manchester Evening News on Thursday. He is a fluent German speaker with a background in teaching languages. This experience enables him to explain photographic subjects clearly. He is building a portfolio of e-books on photography.

Seriously interested in photography since 1981.
Highly experienced with both film and digital.
User of Adobe Photoshop since 1995.
He has a large photographic archive of Manchester
Contributed photos to the book: ‘Manchester Then and Now’.
Co-wrote ‘Around the M60, Manchester’s Orbital Motorway’.
Author of e-book ‘Digital Photography Rules of the Road
Background in education and languages
His languages background enables him to explain photographic subjects very clearly.
Always keen to meet new people and share his knowledge.

Contact and book

To enquire or make a booking, just get in touch via the contact form.

You can also text me on this number: