Street photography workshop HAMBURG
Hamburg feels like a city that finds its own rhythm between water and steel; in the harbour, in the grey light above the Elbe, and in the faces of people who always seem to be on their way but rarely in a hurry.
Hamburg is a city that moves with the tide.
Hamburg is raw and rich at the same time. A city of contrasts and characters. From glittering water and stately warehouses to graffiti and docks. Germany’s second city after Berlin, and a good deal closer. During this two-day street photography workshop you immerse yourself in the rhythm of the city, from the Fischmarkt to HafenCity.
Hamburg is large, but in many places it feels almost like a village. We photograph in the Reeperbahn and the Schanzenviertel among others, and in the Speicherstadt built out of warehouses. The route is being put together at the moment and will follow the light and the places where street life shows itself.
My conceptual street photography workshop in Hamburg invites you to look beyond the harbour and the rough edge. You learn to sense moments before they happen and to recognise the small, almost invisible interactions in the rhythm of the city. With me beside you as a searching guide you work on composition, timing and atmosphere. Slowly a personal visual story grows in which your Hamburg becomes visible.
Michiel runs fantastic street photography workshops. I did the one in London. Well organised, beautiful routes through the city, a good group, a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of inspiration. My next one with Michiel is Paris. Do it. It is almost addictive.Cees Kole, group street photography workshop
Street photography in Hamburg: character in every street
Fancy taking your street photography further? And doing it in a city that is hip, raw, energetic and full of contrasts? Then Hamburg is exactly what you are looking for. Germany’s second city offers variety and challenge.
This northern German port city is alive. You hear it on the quays, see it in the lanes of St. Pauli and feel it in the modern lines of HafenCity. Hamburg is not a city that shows itself all at once, you really have to dive in. During this workshop you learn not only to look better but also to react faster and to choose deliberately what you do and do not put in the frame. We wander through visually rich neighbourhoods, look for tension in the everyday, and build step by step towards a series of photographs that reflects your view of Hamburg. No clichés, plenty of character.
I love passing on my enthusiasm for street photography and I take you along the places where the city is at its most photogenic and most exciting. Along the way you get guidance, prompts and specific feedback, with one aim: making better photographs and developing your own style more and more clearly.
Who is this workshop for?
The workshop lasts two days, from ten to three, and is approachable and challenging at every level. Whether you are just starting out or have been photographing for years, you are met exactly where you are. All you need is a camera, any camera. A DSLR, a mirrorless camera, a compact or even a smartphone, although a real camera is of course more comfortable to work with.
We get to work on looking. On composition. On reading light and shadow, colour, movement and perspective. And on people. How to photograph somebody on the street without disturbing them, with respect and a feel for the moment.
Above all you learn by doing. By watching, by trying it yourself and by getting feedback. Over the two days you get assignments that pull you out of your habitual way of looking and create focus. Those assignments make the difference, because they force you to photograph more consciously. By the end you notice you look at the city differently, and you see that in your photographs.
Hamburg? Easy to reach!
For anyone travelling from the Netherlands: Hamburg is genuinely easy to reach by train. I travel first class for 65 euro one way myself. Second class starts at around 50 euro. Cheap, and sustainable. Hotel prices vary, but Hamburg is not necessarily an expensive city. You will find a perfectly good hotel at a reasonable price. Public transport is well organised too.
Book soon, because places are limited. Do not miss this chance to sharpen and refine your photography and discover this extraordinary city. See you in Hamburg.
The schedule for this photography workshop in Hamburg
This workshop is not currently scheduled.
If you would like to photograph this city with me, that is of course possible one to one, and you may bring somebody along free of charge. It costs € 595 plus € 1,000 in travel and accommodation. Send me an email and I will put a proposal together. In that case the price of the workshop goes up by 1,500 euro for travel and accommodation. Get in touch with me.
London or Paris?
This year I am running several workshops in London and Paris. Have a look at those pages for more information:
2 days · 10.00 to 15.00
We walk from the Planten un Blomen park towards the Karolinenviertel and the Schanzenviertel. We lose ourselves in St. Pauli and photograph the Reeperbahn. After a walk through the Portuguese quarter we wander through the Neustadt together, ending at the Rathaus. Day two belongs to the Speicherviertel and Hafencity. This redeveloped district of old warehouses invites you to take a photograph on every corner. We start just outside it, at the Binnenalster, and walk in from the north. We visit the quays and promenades and all the fine modern buildings such as the Elbphilharmonie. It is an industrial day, and a lovely one by the water.
Day 1
We start in the park at Planten un Blomen, by the Rosengarten
- 10.00
Meeting and introductions
A short talk about street photography
- 10.30
Into the streets with the first challenge
- 12.30
Lunch break (at your own expense)
- 13.15
Into the streets with the second challenge
- 15.00
End of day one
Day 2
We start at the Jungfernstieg promenade
opposite the Alsterhaus department store · Google Maps
- 10.00
A short recap of day one
Room for your questions
- 10.30
Into the streets with the first assignment
- 12.30
Lunch break (at your own expense)
- 13.15
Into the streets with the second assignment
- 15.00
We close the workshop with a drink
Photo review
After the workshop you can email me up to eight photographs you took during the two days. I will give you personal feedback on them, and tell you what I would try next.
We start both days at ten and finish around three, so you still have time to explore Hamburg yourself. Most of the places we visit are within walking distance, which does mean you need sturdy shoes.
What this workshop costs
This two-day workshop costs € 695 incl. VAT. That includes my book De Straatfotobijbel 🇳🇱.
Groups are two to five people at most, so there is time for everyone. If you would like a certificate of participation, I will gladly send you one after the workshop.
Price excluding travel and accommodation, which you arrange yourself to suit your budget. Halfway through we stop for lunch (at your own expense). There is something to eat everywhere in Hamburg, so that will sort itself out.
What are you waiting for? Treat yourself to this two-day workshop in Hamburg. See you there.
Included
- Two days of guidance, 10.00 to 15.00
- Guided assignments with assignment cards to take home with you
- My book De Straatfotobijbel 🇳🇱
- A free month of access to all Photofacts courses with the book
- A short review over coffee or tea
- Feedback by email on up to eight photographs
Not included
- Travel to Hamburg, which you arrange yourself to your own budget
- Accommodation, which you arrange yourself to your own budget
- Lunch on both days, at your own expense
- Getting around the city
Groups are two to five people at most, so there is time for everyone. Price excluding travel and accommodation, which you arrange yourself to your own budget.
Details of the workshop
- Guided assignments using assignment cards you can take home with you.
- Lunch included, we pick up a sandwich and something to drink.
- You get my book Straatfotobijbel so you can keep practising after the workshop.
- This street photography workshop runs over two days from 10.00 to 15.00 (2 × 5 hours).
- A short review at the end of the workshop, with coffee or tea of course.
- Level: all levels.
- Recommended lens: whichever lens you feel comfortable with, but 28 to 50mm full frame is a good guide.
- Technique before lunch, building a series after lunch.
- I share all my experience with you, and help you learn to look differently.
- A free month of access to all Photofacts courses with the book.
- I take you to the best spots.
- Groups of up to five people, so there is time for everyone.
- Recommended camera: any camera, ideally with a prime lens.
- You do your own editing at home, as you see fit. I am happy to give you feedback by email on eight photographs.
This workshop can be given in Dutch or in English. The group workshop goes ahead with a minimum of two participants.
No date scheduled yet
Would you like to come to Hamburg?
This masterclass is not in the schedule at the moment. Let me know you are interested and you will hear from me as soon as there is a date. A one-to-one masterclass in Hamburg is always possible, and you may bring somebody along free of charge. It costs € 595 plus € 1,000 in travel and accommodation. Send me an email and I will put a proposal together.
About Michiel
I am Michiel Heijmans, a professional photographer. I run street photography workshops at home and abroad. I wrote the photography books De Wet van de Straat, The Observer and the course book Straatfotobijbel. In 2025 I appeared on Het Perfecte Plaatje op reis. I am also co-host of the popular photography podcast 30 Minuten Sluitertijd.
