Two-day photography masterclasses abroad

Learning to look. Finding stories. And photographing together in a new city.

A new city opens everything up. Your rhythm changes, you look differently, you feel more room to play with images. You walk through big shopping streets and across small squares, into a city park, a stretch along the water. That is exactly what makes a street photography masterclass abroad so valuable. You are away from home for a while and you spend two full days immersed in street photography, inspiration, light, rhythm and creativity.

These trips are for people who enjoy photographing together. Not anonymous big groups where someone always talks loudest and takes up the most attention, but small, easy-going teams who get to know each other while walking through the city. We talk a lot, we look a lot and we photograph even more. All at a relaxed pace. No stress, but plenty of depth.

And along the way you notice how quickly you grow. How you become calmer. How your eye gets sharper. How you start to recognise your own style. Sometimes in a single frame.

These two-day trips combine practice, pleasure and clear assignments that help you look differently. The approach is the same as my Conceptual Street Photography Workshop, but much longer, more intensive, and with the added gift of a foreign city that magnifies everything: light, colour, silence, sound, people. Two days full of input that stays with you long after you get home.

The next masterclasses

Fri 20 Nov 2026+ Sat 21 Nov
London
Two-day street photography masterclass
Fri 4 June 2027+ Sat 5 June
Paris
Two-day street photography masterclass
Fri 2 July 2027+ Sat 3 July
London
Two-day street photography masterclass
Fri 17 Sept 2027+ Sat 18 Sept
Paris
Two-day street photography masterclass
Fri 19 Nov 2027+ Sat 20 Nov
London
Two-day street photography masterclass

PARIS: two-day street photography masterclass

LONDON: two-day street photography masterclass

Why photography abroad works so well

In an unfamiliar city you step straight out of your habits and your daily routine. You notice things faster that you would normally miss. You walk differently. You react differently. And because you have two days, you experiment more and feel less pressure.

You are not busy performing or competing, you are busy discovering. And that leaves room to grow.

Many participants say the same thing afterwards: “I look at my own favourite city differently now. I suddenly see new things again.”

That change often starts in the first hour. As soon as you understand how light works in another city. Or how to pick up a story you would normally walk straight past. It is the magic of being out of your routine.

See all cities

Three women stand on a street in Paris, looking at their phones together and drinking from cups.

A street with construction fencing and signs reading gasser, someone walks past a glass building with chairs and tables inside.

A young woman with brown hair and glasses walks down a city street wearing a black coat, a beige-brown scarf and white headphones.

A black and white photo of people waiting at a zebra crossing, with a young boy on a balance bike on the right.

A black and white photo of a couple kissing on a city street, with a few passers-by in the background.

The cities

Paris

Paris is elegant, raw, chaotic and calm all at once. The perfect city to learn to look. We work in black and white a lot, we look for how the light falls in the city of light, we wander through small streets and try to catch that typically Parisian mix of romance and reality.

You get assignments that help you build stories, think in scenes and follow the light. All in the style of street photography with a hint of conceptual work, the way you know it from my Conceptual Street Photography Workshop.

London

London is alive. Always. The pace is higher, the contrasts are stronger and the streets are full of unexpected moments. That is exactly why London is a great place to train your photographic instinct. You learn to see in chaos, to find calm in busy situations, and you discover how differently light behaves in a city where a change in the weather is part of the game.

We work a lot with rhythm, distance and timing. You get assignments that force you to choose your frame and to read stories in movement.

Other people go looking for a street photography workshop in London or Paris, but what you find here goes further than that. You live street photography for two days.

What a two-day masterclass looks like

We usually start around ten. Enough time to arrive without rushing.

We walk a lot, but never in a hurry. We stop at moments that are good for talking, for looking, or for a drink. On the first day we mainly work on the basics, rhythm and light. On the second day we go deeper into stories, series and personal style.

Each day ends around three, although we often carry on longer. Sometimes because the light is too good, sometimes because a conversation starts that you do not want to put an end to.

Michiel is a highly talented and passionate photographer. Going on a journey through London with him, doing street photography, was a wonderful experience. The workshop felt more like a natural collaboration than a purely educational programme. I learned more than ever before and found real joy and inspiration during two intensive days. I will certainly join him on more photographic adventures in the future.Edwin Sturrus, participant, London workshop

What participants say

★★★★★

A beautiful and inspiring workshop with Michiel on Saturday 13 April. We were a nice group, not too large. Everyone had room to ask questions and to get feedback between the assignments. Michiel had prepared a good route and programme in Amsterdam. The weather was on our side, too. In short: a lovely, instructive day with cheerful, dedicated photographers. The workshops of Michiel Heijmans Fotografie really are worth it!

Paul Blahowetz

★★★★★

I learned so much in this workshop! It was a sunny day in Amsterdam. With a small group, four participants and Michiel, we made our way through the centre via the Zeedijk, the Waterlooplein and the Kalverstraat. Michiel is friendly and approachable, and he puts a group at ease straight away. We worked from practical assignment cards to practise a particular theme. Plenty of personal attention, every chance to ask your questions, and a lot of tips on what to watch for or how to do something better. The feedback you get on a few of your photos after the workshop is constructive and motivating as well. The book, De Straatfotobijbel, which comes with this workshop, gives you so much to carry on with. It does not end after the workshop, it starts there! Plenty of photographers offer street photography workshops online, but I am so glad I chose this one. It is worth every penny. I will definitely join again.

Trudi

★★★★★

A street photography workshop in Utrecht with the expert on conceptual photography in public space. You are sent into the city with assignments while you stroll and shoot, in easy and useful contact with the rest of the group. The group is kept small, and that is one of the good things about this workshop. Michiel sees you, takes you along, and shows you how he looks and photographs himself. In one word: brilliant.

Sybrich Bootsma

★★★★★

I came away from Michiel’s workshop with a lot of inspiration. He takes you along and helps you get over the fear of photographing other people. A very enthusiastic photographer. Highly recommended. We did the workshop with FODO, the photography club of Doesburg.

Egbert de Ruiter

★★★★★

A really enjoyable workshop. Michiel is a relaxed guy who knows his subject. Good assignments, a book beforehand, feedback on your work afterwards, and plenty of good company and insight during the day. Well organised. Definitely recommended.

whoogenboom

★★★★★

A day I learned a great deal from. Personally I took a lot away from it.

Mechteld van Kessel

Frequently asked questions

What level do I need?

If you know how your camera works, you can join in. You learn by doing, by looking and, now and then, by simply having no idea what you’re doing. That’s part of it.

It doesn’t matter whether you normally shoot landscapes, documentary work or portraits. Street photography mostly asks you to look, respond and dare to try.

The assignments grow with you. If you’re just starting out, I’ll help you with calm, choices and technique. If you’ve been photographing for longer, the challenge is often in looking more sharply, getting closer and working less on autopilot.

What about portrait rights and the law?

Respect comes first, always.

Photographing and publishing are two different things. In public space, quite a lot is allowed, but not everything. A covered shopping centre may have its own rules, covert photography is not allowed, and in places where people can expect privacy, you really shouldn’t be photographing. A café terrace is a good example.

Portrait rights mainly come into play when publishing. During the workshop I share the knowledge you need, with examples from practice. The rules differ per country: this applies in the Netherlands, elsewhere it’s different. On the two-day workshop in London or Paris, I’ll explain what applies there.

If you want to read more about how that works in the Netherlands, have a look at De Wet van de Straat (in Dutch), the book I wrote with legal expert Charlotte Meindersma.

What if it rains?

Well, the weather is always a bit of a gamble, especially in autumn. But in principle, we keep photographing. Rain is image. Umbrellas, reflections, people suddenly moving differently. I’ll show you how to make use of that.

Sun brings its own challenges, like backlight and hard shadows. Every kind of weather has its own hassle. And sometimes its own little gift.

All right, a snowstorm may not be the handiest weather to photograph in. But no snowstorm = yes, workshop.

Is the workshop suitable for me if I come alone?

Yes. Many participants come alone. That actually works well. You focus more on your own photos and usually settle into the group quite easily.

My experience is that we get used to each other quickly. Everyone is walking around with roughly the same doubts: am I seeing enough, do I dare to get closer, why didn’t that one photo work? The ice is often gone sooner than you think.

All questions about workshops

Paris or London, that is the only choice you make

Both two days, both five participants at most. You pick the city, the rest is taken care of.

See the dates in Paris See the dates in London