The Amazing West Coast
Experience the beauty of Northern Ireland and County Donegal through an immersive creative workshop designed for artists, photographers, and explorers. Together we’ll journey along the Causeway Coast, visit hidden glens, and connect with the landscape’s stories.
Inspired by the success of our Highland retreats, this new adventure offers space for creativity, rest, and shared discovery.
Excellent rating
Based on 31 reviews
I had a great 1-2-1 day with Dean. The itinerary took us to a wonderful variety of locations - castle, lochan, woodland - offering both big vista and close-up opportunities. Dean was generous with his advice and guidance, sharing his own approaches and providing valuable feedback on mine throughout the day, so I came away with plenty of ideas to take forward.
Suzy Braye25/10/2026Having just returned from attending Dean’s Harris and Lewis workshop and looking through my images, I realise what a varied programme we had in terms of weather, locations and excellent accommodation & catering. Thank you for making this trip so enjoyable and for driving around to take in so many highlights - the Butt of Lewis, the arch near Shawbost and the beautiful beaches on the western coast of Harris. Our accommodation was so comfortable and Sally’s catering delicious- lovely to come back to a bit of home cooking. I liked the idea of having a ‘free’ day as the last day which meant we could individually choose a favourite location and be taken there. This is an excellently organised trip and I recommend it wholeheartedly for the intrepid photographer prepared to take on the weather and stunning landscape.
LM11/11/2025Torridon trip was fantastic- beautiful landscape and photo opportunities (thanks Dean). Great accommodation with excellent food (thanks Sally) and great company (it’s been a long time since I’ve laughed so much)+0
Helen Barry18/05/2026The benefit of a Dean Allan workshop is I can switch off from having to think about organising a week away including the what, how, when and where for all locations. Dean does it all. A great week to think only about photography, make new friends, eat well and relax. A week in Orkney provided great landscape, nature and environmental photography. There was no rigid timetable and the week flexed around individual requirements and weather conditions. Sea stacks, puffins and lighthouses could be the highlights, but in reality every location provided opportunities for great photographs. This is a customer focussed experience with no enforced agenda or script from Dean.
Mike Farrance02/06/2026Another great workshop with Dean! This was the seventh one and I keep learning from him and enjoying the way things are organized throughout the week. There will be an eighth one!
Jean-Luc Duchemin23/04/2026Dean, thank you for a fantastic immersive adventure on the Sma Isles from wild seascapes, the wildlife and of course the brilliant photo opportunities. After a wild day it was great to return to Gallanach Lodge where the accomodation and food were outstanding. I particularly enjoyed sitting with a dram in the lounge looking across the wild seas to Rum. My favourite photo location was on Laig beach on Rum, outstanding. Thank you. Logan.+4
Logan Steele31/03/2026I’ve just completed Dean’s Northern Ireland and Donegal workshop. It was an outstanding experience, tailored to each individual’s skill level and goals. Dean took us to breathtaking locations and provided guidance on how best to photograph them. We had ample time to venture out on our own to practice skills we learned and to experiment. Dean’s wife Sally provided us with delicious meals. This was my third workshop with Dean, and I have seen significant improvement in my photography after each one. I will definitely attend others in the future.
Susan Dutt25/10/2026I recently attended a workshop on the Moray Coast of Aberdeenshire plus the Cairngorms, with Dean and fellow participants. I was extremely pleased with how it all went, Dean is a talented photographer and was always on hand to answer questions and help out with camera position and settings. The workshop was all inclusive and his lovely wife, Sally, was an amazing cook and provided us with excellent meals throughout the week. The accommodation was first class and a comfortable place to return to after a long day out. We enjoyed very relaxed evenings chatting about the day and spent a bit of time processing some of our images. The schedule was very well organised with plenty of time to spend at each location without being rushed. We visited some lovely coastal villages with great character, the famous Bow Fiddle Rock, Rattray Lighthouse, Dunnottar Castle, plus a couple of days in the beautiful Cairngorm mountains. We were treated to a surprise trip on the Cairngorm Mountain Railway on our last day. Dean's workshops are above and beyond what I would expect from such a trip, and I would highly recommend anyone with an interest in landscape photography in Scotland and beyond, to book with him.
Claire Gilbert30/10/2025I recently went on the Isle of Skye workshop with Dean Allan. It was this January (2026), so the weather offered very cold, wet and icy challenges. Dean is a very friendly and personable guide. He would get a feel for your photography skills and offer suggestions if needed, or stand back and let you carry on. He was very extensive in his knowledge of the places we visited, and would scout out some choice compositions for us. I made some wonderful images I would'nt have been able to get on own or on family holiday. I compared the value of what Dean offered to several other similar workshop options by other photographers. I found that the workshop I took was about twice as long and about half the price per day as many of the other workshops. Also, the workshop I took had more included amenities that were offered. We had a lively group of participants and I made some new friends. I would highly recommend Dean's workshops for photographers at any level of experience. I can't wait to join another one of his workshops in the near future! Thanks Dean! Cheers! Wes Pettus+2
Wes Pettus03/04/2026Had a pleasure to take 2 wonderful photo tours in Assynt. Dean is very professional photographer who went above and beyond to accommodate my requests. Definitely recommend Dean to anyone who is interested in photography tours.+2
Igor Sorokin31/08/2025
