© 2026 Robert Canis
Due to the unpredictability of the British weather, please leave the whole day free in case the workshop is brought forward by a few hours.
Need a lift?
The gardens are very difficult to reach unless you own a car with the nearest train station several miles away. Therefore, if you can get yourself to Sittingbourne train station, I would be more than happy to pick you up and take you back again.
Set within the grounds of an imposing Victorian mansion in the north Kent countryside, Doddington Place Gardens provides the perfect setting for a full day of inspiring photography.
This flower and garden photography workshop begins with a presentation of my images, where we explore both technical approaches and aesthetic considerations. From there, I’ll guide you on an introductory walk through the gardens. With time on our side, you’ll have the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the surroundings, while I explain how and where I captured some of the scenes you’ve just seen. This relaxed introduction is sure to spark ideas and inspire your own creative interpretations.
NEED A LIFT?
The gardens are very difficult to reach unless you own a car, with the nearest train station several miles away. Therefore, if you can get yourself to Sittingbourne train station, I would be more than happy to pick you up and take you back again.

The warmer, lengthening days of May make this a wonderful time to visit, where, along the woodland walk, Edwardian rock garden, sunken garden, and formal clipped yew hedge lawns, blossoming rhododendrons contrast beautifully with a myriad of other flowers – both wild and cultivated - including cow parsley, buttercups, water lilies, and azaleas.


And, with the workshop held on a day closed to the general public, barring any last-minute group visits (which are often quite brief and are held early in the afternoon) we will have the ‘run’ of these beautifully landscaped grounds in which to explore and capture scenes and intimate details found amongst its many hidden corners.

Amongst other things, we will look at differential focus...

Black and white conversions...

Colour grading and capturing patterns in nature.

Midway through the day, we’ll pause at the café for a well-earned refreshment break. During this time, I’ll offer a short Adobe Lightroom tutorial, sharing practical ideas and techniques to help you refine and process your own images with confidence.
And then, as the day unfolds and the light begins to shift, we’ll move between different areas to make the most of the low, warm, raking light. We’ll explore how to capture intimate landscapes, the layered patterns of overlapping ferns, and soft, ethereal floral compositions.

FINALLY...
Thank you very much for considering this Kent flower and garden photography workshop at Doddington Place Gardens. If you have any questions - no matter how small they may seem -please do get in touch. I’m here to help and to ensure you enjoy a workshop filled with springtime inspiration.
I very much hope you can join me!
‘It was a fantastic opportunity to visit a garden when it was closed to the public, something that I have never been fortunate to be allowed to do. No risk of people tripping over your tripod. Expert tuition by Rob, who knows the gardens well, and encouraged us to look for compositions that I would not have naturally seen. We had plenty to time to explore the extensive gardens and photograph in the formal borders, rock garden, wildflower areas and woodland. Lots of areas to stretch our imagination and experiment and, as usual, Rob is always on hand to offer guidance and help to get the composition just right. It’s a garden that I will certainly visit again, but unfortunately, the public will inevitably be there also."
James Alexander
"It was so lovely to be at Doddington Place Gardens when it was closed to the public and to be able to immerse myself in the beautiful surroundings and be thinking only about my photography. There are many different areas within the gardens which gave lots of opportunities for experimenting with lenses and compositions and the structure of the day allowed plenty of time to be creative. The fantastic weather helped too! Robert was, as always, generous with his time and feedback. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone who likes outdoor photography."
Marcia Hood-Leeder
"The location was beautiful and loads of different subjects to keep everyone busy for the whole day. It was great to try out some new techniques and it has given me a focus to keep working on my macro photography this summer. Loved trying the double-exposure photos for the first time. As always your feedback and guidance on the day are invaluable in helping us all to improve our photography."
Graham Niblock
"Thank you for the afternoon we spent at Doddington. It was such a privilege not only to have the garden to ourselves, but also to have the opportunity to stay after opening hours and see the gardens in that beautiful evening light. It was magical."
Pam Bellchambers
"The visitor centre was an ideal base for our group tutorials, offering easy access to the gardens. From the formal garden and woodland to the meadow areas, water features, and architectural highlights, everything was within a short walk, making it incredibly convenient to explore and enjoy every opportunity. The workshop started with a presentation of Rob's images, detailing his vision, settings, techniques, and composition. Next, we took a stroll around the gardens without cameras, where Robert highlighted potential subjects and techniques. After a quick refreshment break, we moved to the woodland to take our own photos. Following another break for refreshments and a casual chat, we spent the evening in various parts of the garden capturing images of our choice. Throughout the workshop, Robert provided individual guidance, connecting with everyone at their experience level. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone. The workshop reminded me of how crucial background and light are for artistic flower images. I will now see the photography potential of future garden visits in a new light (pun intended)."
Eddie Bradley
Thank you for dropping by and considering attending a workshop. I love nothing more than to pass on to others the knowledge I have gained over the last 30 years as a professional photographer and 15 as a workshop and tour leader. My group sizes are always small ensuring a fun and friendly group dynamic, lots of 'personal space' in which to photograph without too much fear of others getting in your way and as much tuition as you would like or feel that you need. I hope you can join me!
Although under the 'umbrella' of Workshops, please note there is a difference between the three types that I offer. To avoid any confusion, please see below.
Those taking place in the UK are classed as Workshops where learning is the primary aim, and in the case of those which are multi-day residential, very often include image critique and post-processing sessions.
Overseas trips are classed as Tours where the logistics are all taken care of and where the emphasis is on getting you to great locations at the best time of the day. Since these may include hide photography and working in cold, windy conditions where one-on-one tuition isn't practical, these are less hands-on. However, prior to the hide session or upon arriving at a location, I will give advice and suggestions on composition, lens selection and exposure.
Creative Visions is a new concept that I have designed to specifically nurture your artistic growth. They can take place in either the UK or abroad combining both workshop and tour principles. There will be critique and post-processing tutorials and, most importantly, you will be encouraged to go beyond the record and representational and instead produce more intimate creative interpretations.