Burrator Photowalk Portfolio Builder with SamJazBurrator Reservoir, Yelverton

Saturday 8th August, 2026 @ 3pmjust £80 per person

Join us on this location Photowalk event on the scenic Dartmoor

On Saturday August 8th, we'll be running this location portfolio builder event at the picturesque Burrator Reservoir on Dartmoor! Working at this diverse location with everything from woodlands and crumbling buildings to beaches and meadows. The shoot will be organised by our resident photographer, Chris Conway, with our model being the lovely Sam.

For those of you that may have attended our studio portfolio builder events, the format for this will be similar - but with some light exercise! Sam will be modelling up to topless levels. This is open to just 6 photographers and will run from 3pm till 7pm.

Weather clause: In the days leading up to the event, if the forecast is for rain then the shoot location will change to somewhere more covered in the Plymouth area. Cloudy is fine, we can create some moody images - but the studio lights don't like water!

During the 4 hours we will cover several sets, most of them will be mixing flash with natural light, with all attendees being provided with their own flash trigger for the duration of the event. We suggest packing light, with fast, prime lenses being the optimum weapon of choice. Click here to see images created on previous outings!

In the hope of bright sunshine, if you prefer to shoot shallower depth of field images then we would advise that you bring along ND filters for your lenses of choice. Typically to shoot at F2.8 in bright sun you'll need a 3 stop filter (ND8), or a 5 stop (ND32) to work at F1.4. A CPL filter is a good option for boosting colours and being able to open your aperture by 2 stops. Help will be available on the day for anyone that doesn't fully understand what all these numbers mean!

Whilst we won't be climbing mountains, there may be some rough terrain on the day. So please make sure you're wearing some sensible footwear. We won't be going anywhere that the lighting buggy can't get close to.

The meeting point will be provided closer to the time, but it will be around the Burrator Reservoir loop.

Please bring along food, drinks, sun-cream, change for car parking etc.

FAQ

What is a Portfolio Builder event?

Our aim is to take a lot of the hard work and financial outlay out of adding great images to your portfolio. We arrange a top photographer to host our events along with an experienced, professional model. Together they will create several unique set-ups for you to photograph.
The lighting will be put in place on all of the sets, and our host will pass on the camera settings to our attending photographers on each one. Then, one at a time, you will be able to shoot with our model for a few minutes - that may not sound like long, but once everything is set you really don't need much time!

What do I need to bring with me?

Any camera that can shoot in manual mode and has a hot-shoe will be fine. The lenses you choose to bring is purely personal preference, but the majority of our test shots will be taken on a full frame camera with 50mm lens. If you're unsure if you have the right kit, or would like any advice, please feel free to contact us and we'll do our best to help.

I'm only a beginner, can I still attend?

Absolutely! Our group events always have a great mix of experience and ability levels from those photographing a model for the very first time up to full time professional photographers. Everyone is welcome and it's a great way to familiarise yourself with the studio and lighting. It's beneficial if you're familiar with setting up your camera in manual mode (shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance etc), but help will be on hand throughout the event to those that may need it.