Street photography workshop UTRECHT

Utrecht is compact, but nowhere the same. Up along the canal the city moves, down by the wharf cellars the pace drops. In between lie alleys, squares and one new background after another.

In this workshop you learn to use those differences. We work with light, layers and gestures, and go looking for images that reach beyond a pretty canal or the Dom tower in the background.

€ 295

Pick your date

Including 21% VAT

5 spots left on 10 April

10.30 to 14.00
max. 5 participants
lunch included
book included

Black and white photo looking down on a woman walking alone across a concrete parking deck, among painted markings and arrows, through a hard band of sunlight beside a dark ribbed wall.

A fantastic workshop in Utrecht! I had some experience already, but I learned to look far more creatively thanks to the varied assignments, valuable tips from Michiel and the experience he shared. I would happily do it again.Susanne Wegen, group street photography workshop

Street photography with an idea behind it

Between the centuries-old canals and the shaded alleyways you find the right mix of history and present-day life.

The Oudegracht is the artery of the city. Along the quay stand stately townhouses, the perfect backdrop for our street photographs. The smell of fresh bread from the bakeries mingles with the sound of bicycle bells and footsteps. Watch out for the workmen, because something is always being rebuilt on the Oudegracht.

After a busy walk we rest for a moment in the Domtuin, tucked away behind the well-known cathedral. Wedding photographs are taken here, and you find shaded passages. I like coming here, and I often stay a little too long. Something is always happening.

Utrecht is about the small moments. The student hurriedly parking a bicycle, the market trader laying out their goods, laughing children running across the cobbles. Shoppers with far too many clothing bags, and well-dressed people strolling past.

In the workshop I teach you to hunt and to fish. We look at light and shadow, and at textures and patterns. And if you have questions of your own, we cover those too.

Your day in Utrecht

10.30 to 14.00 · 3.5 hours

10.30
Kick-off
We start with coffee and the technique: framing and capturing movement. There is room for your own questions too.
10.45
Getting to work
Into the city, with guided assignments using assignment cards you can take home with you. I take you to the best spots.
12.30
Lunch
A sandwich and something to drink, included. After lunch the focus shifts from individual techniques to building a series.
14.00
Wrapping up
A short review over coffee or tea. You do your own editing at home; I am happy to give you feedback by email on five photographs.

Changes to this schedule are possible during the workshop/masterclass, in consultation.

Workshop details

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 (in Dutch) so you can keep practising after the workshop.
This street photography workshop runs from 10.30 to 14.00 (3.5 hours).
A short review at the end of the workshop, with coffee or tea of course.
Level for this street photography workshop: 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 personal attention 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 five photographs.
After the workshop, I’ll send you an invoice and a certificate of attendance for your funding application if you ask for them.

This workshop can be given in Dutch or in English. The group workshop goes ahead with a minimum of two participants.

Before you come: the preparation page says what to bring and what we do that day. Still wondering about something? Have a look at the frequently asked questions. Does this date not suit you? The schedule lists every date, and the same workshop also runs in Amsterdam.

Book your workshop in Utrecht

Five people at most, so there is time for everyone.

€ 295

Including 21% VAT

Utrecht invites you in

It is one of the most easy-going cities in the Randstad, and it manages to combine urban swagger with a relaxed atmosphere.

Here you find old buildings, the canals and small city parks that invite you to photograph in a different way. Sitting in the middle of the country, Utrecht is easy to reach from most cities. Participants often come from every corner of the Netherlands, each with their own stories and surprises.

The workshops below are for beginners and for people who have held a camera plenty of times before. I am certain I can teach you to look differently.

About Michiel

I am Michiel Heijmans, a professional photographer. I teach street photography workshops in the Netherlands and abroad. I wrote the photography books De Wet van de Straat (in Dutch), The Observer (in English) and the course book Straatfotobijbel (in Dutch). In 2025 I appeared on the Dutch television programme Het Perfecte Plaatje op reis. I am also co-host of the popular photography podcast 30 Minuten Sluitertijd.

Two people in traditional dress talk under a large modern arch on a tiled pavement, with shadows falling across the ground.

A person looks out through a glass door, with people on the street behind them.

Three people stand at cash machines set into a wall, two using them and one waiting.

Several people cross a street in sunny weather, with historic buildings behind them.

Two young women with striking make-up and gothic clothing talk in a shopping centre.

A black and white photo of a street with people. A woman holds out her arm to show a ring to a man holding a glass. Behind them cyclists and pedestrians, including a child, near the waterside with trees and a bridge.

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