Street photography masterclass PARIS
Paris is a city that does not pose but breathes; in the soft light along the Seine, in the glances of passers-by, and in the silence between two footsteps you taste why people keep dreaming here.
- two days
- 10.00 – 15.00 (2 x 5 hours)
- max. 5 people
- book included
September
September is the month of the return. Parisians come back from holiday, rested, and reclaim their city. The cafés fill up again, the markets are livelier, and you feel that typically French energy that summer had briefly traded for silence. The tourist crush has gone, but the life certainly has not. In September Paris belongs to Parisians again, and you can see it.
The light changes in September. It turns more golden, lower, and the shadows gain character. The trees are just beginning to turn, the streets are slightly quieter and therefore easier to photograph. People dress differently, the terraces fill with coffee cups instead of glasses of rosé, and the city has a calm about it that leaves you room to look. Photographically, September in Paris is one of the richest months of the year.
In September 2026 I am staying at the Ibis Styles hotel Paris Batignolles.
In 2027 as well, on 17 and 18 September.
June
June is the month when Paris really comes alive. Parisians trade their coats for light clothes, the terraces fill up and everyone seems to have more time. The city breathes summer, from the people buying ice cream by the Seine to the students lying in the grass of the Tuileries. You see that relaxed feeling in the faces on the street, and that is exactly what makes it so good to photograph.
The light in June is long and soft. The sun sets late, which means you can keep photographing well into the evening in that golden hour photographers love. Long shadows, warm tones, busy terraces. Paris in June is generous. The city hands you the photographs.
Who is this masterclass for?
This masterclass runs over two days, from 10.00 in the morning to 15.00 in the afternoon, and is suitable for anyone who wants to take photography seriously, from people just starting out in street photography to photographers who have been at it a while and want to take a next step. That mix is exactly what makes it interesting: you learn from me, but also from each other.
All you need is a camera, whether that is a DSLR, a mirrorless camera, a compact or a smartphone. You learn to look at a city differently and to build stronger compositions. You learn to work with light, shadow, colour, movement and perspective. You learn how to photograph people without disturbing them.
And you learn how to tell your own story with your photographs. You do that by doing, and by watching me and the others in the group. Through the day I give you assignments that force you to look differently. They are always well received, because they create focus. Together they make you look at your surroundings more consciously, and that gives you stronger photographs.
The plan for this street photography masterclass in Paris
2 days · 10.00 to 15.00
The masterclass runs for two days: Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September 2026, with extra editions on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 June 2027 and Friday 17 and Saturday 18 September 2027. On day one we visit the Bassin de la Villette, the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, the beautiful old quarter of Belleville and the Père-Lachaise cemetery. On day two we head past the Louvre into the covered passages of Paris. By way of the Palais Royal we visit the Passage Vivienne and the Passage Verdeau among others, and end up in Montmartre and at the Sacré-Cœur.
Day 1 Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September
We start on the square by the La Villette rotunda
Stalingrad or Jaurès metro station · Google Maps
- 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 Saturday 26 September
We start at the Jardin des Tuileries, Grand Bassin Rond
Tuileries metro station, by the Louvre · 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 masterclass with a drink
Photo review
After the masterclass 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.
Still in Paris on Sunday? Do go and see the Rue Mouffetard, where local residents dance in the street every Sunday at midday. Highly recommended.
Photo review: after the masterclass you may email me up to eight photographs taken during it. I will give you personal tips to take them a step further.
We start both days at ten and finish around three, so you still have time to explore Paris yourself. Most of the places we visit are within walking distance, which does mean you need sturdy shoes.
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 Paris, 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 book yourself to your own budget.
What this masterclass costs
This two-day masterclass in September 2026 costs just € 595 incl. VAT right now. That includes my book De Straatfotobijbel 🇳🇱. Normal price € 695.
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 book yourself to suit your budget. Halfway through we stop for lunch (at your own expense). Paris is of course full of boulangeries, but you are free to choose something else.
What are you waiting for? Treat yourself to this two-day masterclass in Paris. See you there.
Paris? Easy to reach!
For anyone travelling from the Netherlands: Paris is genuinely easy to reach by train. In my experience you end up somewhere between 50 and 150 euro one way. Manageable, and sustainable. Hotel prices vary, and in Paris they vary by neighbourhood. I am a fan of the B&B Hotels chain myself, simple but perfectly good, though I also enjoy a chain like CitizenM. Public transport is well organised, with an excellent metro.
Book soon, because places are limited. Do not miss this chance to sharpen and refine your photography and discover an extraordinary city. See you in Paris. 📸
Details of the masterclass
- Guided assignments using assignment cards you can take home with you.
- 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.
- Technique before lunch, building a series after lunch.
- You get my book Straatfotobijbel so you can keep practising after the masterclass.
- This masterclass runs over two days from 10.00 to 15.00 (2 × 5 hours).
- A short review at the end of the day, with coffee or tea of course.
- Level: all levels, from newcomer to street photography to experienced.
- Recommended lens: whichever lens you feel comfortable with, but 28 to 50mm full frame is a good guide.
This masterclass can be given in Dutch or in English. The group workshop goes ahead with a minimum of two participants.
About Michiel
I am Michiel Heijmans, professional photographer. I run street photography workshops in the Netherlands and abroad. I wrote the photography books De Wet van de Straat, The Observer and the course book Straatfotobijbel. In 2025 I appeared in Het Perfecte Plaatje op reis. I am also co-host of the popular photography podcast 30 Minuten Sluitertijd.
Paris was beautiful. Excellent routes from Michiel with plenty of variety in the streets. We talked a lot about choosing colour or black and white, and about the photographs you ‘can make but do not want to make’, about developing your own style. With Michiel you really do move forward.Cees Kole, street photography masterclass in Paris and London
Book your workshop in Paris
A maximum of five participants, so there is time for everyone.
from € 595
Including 21% VAT
Paris is far more than the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
I would love to invite you to my street photography masterclass in Paris this year. Immerse yourself in two days of street photography in this world city.
Every year Paris is flooded with visitors drawn by its iconic monuments, its lively squares and its unmistakable atmosphere. It is a city of contrasts: the refined cafés along the Champs-Élysées against the raw energy of the street performers in Belleville, the quiet beauty of the Jardin du Luxembourg beside the busy hum of the Marché Bastille. Here the light changes with every step. From the soft morning glow on the Seine to the dramatic shadows in the lanes of Le Marais. Paris breathes art, romance and stories waiting to be captured.
Paris: a classic experience
Do you love photography and are you looking for a new challenge? Do you want to discover a city that will surprise and inspire you? Then my conceptual photography workshop in Paris is for you.
Paris is the city where classic black and white photography comes to life. The timeless charm of the cobbled streets of Montmartre, the elegant silhouettes on the Pont Neuf and the play of light and shadow in the lanes around the Panthéon evoke the mood of masters like Cartier-Bresson.
The soft Parisian light and the singular architecture make a perfect canvas for images full of contrast, depth and feeling. As a street photographer I would love to help you capture those classic moments. With my guidance you learn how to use composition, timing and atmosphere to make images that not only catch the character of Paris, but that also help you discover your own black and white style.
I have a boundless love of portrait and street photography and, so others tell me, a talent for passing on what I know and the enthusiasm that comes with it. I will guide you along the most interesting and photogenic locations in the city. My aim: to give you all the feedback and advice you need to improve your photographs and develop your own style.