Ollietaylorphotography Avis 47

I recently attended Ollies workshop in the Lofoten Islands. Despite several organisational challenges (not of Ollie's making) the trip went ahead. It was very enjoyable, educational and I got some great images of Aurora and the stunning landscape. I would also like to thank Simon Waldram and Petter Pan for the excellent guiding and aurora hunting. I am now considering what my next trip with Ollie will be.

I have just returned from my 5th workshop with Ollie and, as expected, the overall experience was great. From accommodation to finding the best shooting locations despite the adverse weather, he and Ellie will do their best to ensure that the group comes back with lasting memories and amazing pictures.

I've attended several of Ollies tours; most recently Dolomites this year. One of the biggest challenges to any tour guide is how they can adapt to unpredictable weather.. and we were a bit unlucky on this occasion (for astro) but thats life. We still made the most out of everything and it still ended up being a fun trip. Ollie still took us to key areas and there are always options available depending on how the group feel. There's no way you can have a fixed itinerary for changeable weather and I respect that this is a challenge not only for Ollie but for any guide. Nevertheless, we took advantage of landscape photography and the Dolomites is purely amazing. With one of the days; it was raining + 100% cloud cover but we simply waited and the weather turned quickly within 1hr; it ended up being a beautiful sunset. Ollie is always around if you need help in the field and during editing sessions. When it comes to editing sessions; in general, I've travelled with other astro tours too and this has never been easy for anyone.. some guides omit it completely. There's simply too much to take in. Thankfully Ollie will record the sessions and they're much more helpful when you re-watch in your own time. Once you get a grip on what is done, his technique to milky way editing in photoshop is actually quite easy/simple, fast and really effective; it made a significant difference to my photography. I would like to book Dolomites again with Ollie but his tours have become more popular/book up quite quickly!

Slovenia 2025 was my first photography trip and Ollie, Elly and the supporting photographer Simon were really lovely and did their best to ensure we got as much from the week as possible - even when the weather wasnt ideal! Ollies knowledge of the area, culture and photography in general was worth every penny and the group of people I had the pleasure of spending the week with were great company and a good laugh. I'll definitely be keeping my eye on future workshops with the team!

I just finished my second trip with Ollie to Slovenia and had a great time. Ollie always spends the time to get us to the best locations for the conditions and I appreciate the effort and time that goes into this, particularly when the weather doesn’t play nice. Thanks Ollie & Elly for another fun experience.

Just finished an AMAZING week with Ollie and Elly in Slovenia. The amount of time and preparation that they both did to ensure this trip ran smoothly was great.
Ollie was fantastic in sharing his knowledge and assistance with all of us in the group at each location and in particular - night photography as we had the Super Moon on one night of the trip.
Can highly recommend Ollie Taylor Photography tours from beginners to advanced photographers.

Had a great time on the Slovenia workshop. The weather wasn’t cooperating at all but Ollie was keen to get us to locations based on conditions. Help was available if needed. Will be looking at future workshops with Ollie and happy to recommend - thanks for a good trip!

Ollie is a fantastic leader and teacher. I have traveled with him on two photography adventures - Lofoten Islands (Norway) and now, Iceland.

Ollie patiently taught me in-the-field skills on how to photography and time-lapse Auroras and Milky Way. Also, he walked me through how best to compose landscapes and water shots.

Ollie always got our group to be in the best possible situation and location to photograph Auroras. As everyone knows, this can be quite challenging in the often stormy and inaccessible Arctic regions.

I found Ollie to be extremely personable, friendly, compassionate, and high energy.

I wholeheartedly recommend Ollie Taylor.

This was my third workshop with Ollie (and won't be the last). He's obviously a great photographer, but what's of equal importance is the planning and preparation he does for each workshop. He's got it all mapped out for where to take us for the most picturesque locations, and he's got backup plans for his backup plans in case weather doesn't cooperate. Looking back at my work from past workshops, I can tell my photography skills have improved. Great guy, great workshops.

WOW! what an experience. I can highly recommend Ollie. If you are looking for that special adventure with a professional who provides excellent tuition, stunning locations and the best accommodation, then look no further.
I have attended several workshops with Ollie (second workshop in the Atacama Chile), and will continue to do so. The workshop’s are full on covering not only Astrophotography but also amazing landscapes, wildlife when out visiting locations during the day.
A huge amount of planning goes into these trips ensuring his clients receive the best of everything available.
I would not bother looking anywhere else, Ollie is the best in his field.

I've been on quite a few tours with Ollie now, as have a lot of people that I've met on these tours. The fact that Ollie gets so much repeat business says it all, I think.
My latest, to the Atacama and Bolovia took us to amazing locations, all meticulously planned and researched in advance by Ollie who, as ever, was always on hand with tuition and advice whenever any of us needed it.
Ollie goes above and beyond to make sure all participants get the most photographically out of the workshops, which are always a lot of fun too.

Just got back from a photo trip through Chile and Bolivia – such a great experience and adventure. The landscapes were incredible: salt flats, deserts, wild rock formations, so much fun to shoot in places like that.

The trip was well planned, with good hotels and smart timing for best light and conditions. It was also great to travel with fellow photography enthusiasts.

Came home with a bunch of photos I’m really happy with, and memories I won’t forget anytime soon!

I booked Ollie's Atacama and Bolivia workshop on a whim, and boy did it deliver! The combination of surreal landscapes, remote locations, and Ollie’s guidance created a perfect environment for growth, inspiration, and unforgettable imagery.

From the high roads in the Atacama with the darkest and clearest skies ever, to the breathtaking Salar de Uyuni sunset with flamingos, every day offered a new visual and creative adventure. The high-altitude landscapes were challenging (expect late nights, living off sandwiches, lots of time on the road) but maddeningly beautiful. I still can't stop thinking about it!

Just back from my latest adventure with Ollie to Chile and Bolivia, and it was hands down the best one yet! Every trip with him is an incredible experience, but this time really stood out. Even on the other side of the world, Ollie had scouted out the most unique and breathtaking locations — stunning views, crystal-clear night skies like nowhere else, and nearly alwasy to ourselves.

What truly sets Ollie’s workshops apart is the care he puts into planning and how dedicated he is to making sure everyone has the best possible experience. He’s always available with expert guidance, tips for capturing that perfect shot, and handles any unexpected hiccups with calm professionalism. You always feel safe, supported, and free to just enjoy the adventure.

Already looking forward to the next one!

I attended Ollie's November 4th 2024 tour in Iceland.
It was awesome.
Ollie adapted the whole tour to maximise the best photography opportunities. Initially the tour was to be in southern Iceland but because of the weather at short notice we moved up to northern Iceland.
Ellie drove hundreds of kilometers to get us to places I could of only dreamed of. AND we where taken to see and photograph magnificant auroas.
Ollie's experience and planning and thinking brought the whole photography tour together.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience

Having not been on a workshop with Ollie before or having experience of night-time photography, I was a little apprehensive about what to expect in sub-zero conditions in Icelandic winter. As it turned out, my fears were unfounded. Ollie went to every possible length to make it a brilliant trip for each one of us. He went above and beyond to chase the best weather, put us in front of magical scenery and give guidance where needed. I was grateful to already have a decent understanding of manual camera settings. With that foundation, I was able to enjoy stunning scenery, excellent company and develop my photography skills. I wouldn’t hesitate to travel with Ollie again.

Ollie made the maximal effort for a great tour, by planning accomodations on the fly and allowing us to chase the good winter weather in Iceland. Because of his extensive experience of the whole area, he always has multiple options of interesting places to photograph. He is also a friendly guy who provides tutoring or advice on demand.

This review relates to the same workshop in Iceland that Paul Gibson reviewed below much more eloquently than I could. I agree with everything that Paul wrote.

In Iceland the weather varies greatly over small distances and from day to day. Ollie puts a lot of effort into responding to conditions and moving everyone around if necessary. Hard work for him, but it gives you the best chance of catching the aurora in a great landscape.

That’s why Ollie gets a lot of repeat business and why I’ve booked on two trips with him next year.

Schon seit einigen Jahren gehe ich mit verschiedenen Fotografen auf Tour, und dieses Jahr sollte es mit Ollie nach Island gehen. Geplant hatten wir diverse Spots im Süden und Südwesten von Island zu besuchen, aber manchmal kommt es anders...

Ollie sagt, er versucht für seine Gruppen das Maximum rauszuholen und das kann ich absolut bestätigen!
Die Wettervorhersagen für Süd-Island waren derart schlecht, dass Ollie buchstäblich in letzter Minute neu geplant hat und so waren wir letztendlich im Norden von Island unterwegs. Respekt! Das hat ihm sicher ein paar graue Haare gebracht 😉

Wir haben viele lohnende Orte besucht, teilweise am Tag und in der Nacht. Immer auf der Suche nach klarem Himmel und gutem Wetter und dennoch ohne Hektik. Letzten Endes sind wir ohne Regen durch die Woche gekommen und haben einige wirklich unglaubliche Polarlicht-Shows erleben dürfen.

Vielen Dank an Olli für eine tolle Woche und an Elly, die uns sicher durch die Nacht gefahren hat.

I can’t say enough good things about Ollie or this workshop; it was one of the best adventures of my life!
I did my research before selecting this workshop, and among the reasons I chose Ollie Taylor Photography were that he is an accomplished and experienced astrophotographer, that he had conducted multiple workshops previously in Iceland and obviously knows the country, and that he conveys a commitment to not only providing quality workshops, but also to teaching astrophotography skills – including in this case, skills in aurora photography. I’m delighted to report that my decision-making was sound, because this workshop met – or exceeded – the hopes and expectations behind all of those reasons!
The weather in the south of Iceland (where Ollie had planned to conduct the workshop) was not cooperative, and the forecast looked true for clouds and rain every night of the workshop. Ollie adeptly switched gears and shifted the workshop to the north and northeast of Iceland – which I know is a tactical feat that required great organizational and logistical skills, but also excellent knowledge of weather, geography, and aurora monitoring.
He had stated in the workshop materials that we could end up chasing the aurora, and that is exactly what happened. Along the way we saw and photographed some superb scenery in the Highlands of Iceland, and we had two extraordinary nights of incredible auroras!
The group size was small, and we avoided crowds of tourists at all spots except one. I genuinely enjoyed the company of every other photographer on this workshop as well as Ollie and Elly. We all got along really well and shared some remarkable hours under spectacular auroras. I captured scores of great aurora photos as well as great daytime landscape photos from fabulous locations in the North and Highlands of Iceland. This was one of the best and most memorable vacations I’ve ever experienced. Five stars for all aspects of this fantastic workshop. Yes, absolutely I will book future workshops with Ollie!