New York Street Photography
Group Workshops
The New York You Won’t Find in a Guidebook
Spend the weekend learning street and city photography with a lifelong New Yorker.
Explore the most interesting, off-the-beaten-path corners of the city, meet new photography friends, and learn some fascinating New York history.
Just bring good walking shoes.
New weekend dates coming soon.
The next downtown weekend workshop — SoHo, Nolita, Chinatown, and the Lower East Side — is being finalized now.
Join the list and you’ll be the first to hear when spots open.
Get Notified FirstRecent workshops — sold out — October 2025 · May 2025
Prefer to go at your own pace?
Book a Private Tour InsteadQuestions?
Contact James anytime.
Learn the City and Improve Your Photography
The goal of these workshops is to blend photography education with a real knowledge of the city — to improve your photography and inspire you.
We’re here to meet new photography friends from around the world, to work hard and come back with unique, beautiful photos, and — most importantly — to have fun.
I want to introduce you to photographing the parts of the city most people never see, and to teach you the history of those neighborhoods so you understand more about what you’re shooting. The aim is to help you appreciate New York in a more nuanced way.
Each workshop is a little different, so the schedule and focus are shared on its registration page. Topics range across street photography, cityscape and architecture photography, portraits, and the history of New York neighborhoods. Some workshops add night street and architecture photography, along with the history of the famous street photographers. Weekend classes typically include presentations.
All skill levels and camera systems are welcome — phones included. If you haven’t tried street photography before, we’ll teach you what you need to know and help you get much more comfortable with it; New York is one of the easiest and best places in the world to learn. Tripods and laptops are only necessary when indicated.
Hope to see you in one of the workshops!
– James
Gallery
Watch at 10-minute documentary about James’ work:
I leaned toward photography as a hobby because it helped capture memories from the countries I've been able to visit, but also to see the world around me more thoroughly, more carefully. I needed a nudge to start taking street photographs. James provided that nudge.
Reviews:
In 5 minutes he changed the way I will do street photography for life.
— Duncan Stafford
“As a workshop veteran, I honestly can’t see how you could have made it better… nothing was even B- work.”— George Whitson
“Hidden gems down random alleys, and architecture I never would have seen in my life… I ended the workshop with photos to take back to New Zealand that I was proud of.”— Chawit Rochanakit
“I left as a better and more confident photographer, and it changed my way to approach the street.”— Lars Wiklund
“James showed me places in NY that I never would have gone or found myself. I felt a sense of confidence and safety on the street.”— Gail Mancuso
“It was not just a photography workshop but also an historical tour.”— Tammie Bryant
“I can’t imagine a better introduction than James provided… fun, enlightening, and fascinating.”— Joe Routon
“This is a must-do NY street photography workshop. We had a great time with the group and got some good photos too.”— Michel Bunch
“James opened my eyes to small things I never thought of photographing before.”— Nour Aboujeb
What we will cover:
- Camera settings, technique, and zone focusing
- The ethics of street photography — and overcoming the fear
- The tricks for capturing close-up, candid photographs
- Gesture, expression, and emotion
- Light and composition
- Telling stories and developing your own voice
- Reading the city — its history, its layers, and the ideas beneath the image
- The history of the great street photographers
- New York history, architecture, and current events
- The best locations for street and architecture photography
- And much more!
Prefer a private, one-on-one session? Explore private daily photo tours →
Want to spend a weekend photographing New York?
New weekend dates are coming soon — join the list and you’ll be the first to know.
Get Notified of New DatesQuestions?
Reach James directly at [email protected]
How big are the group workshops?
Small group workshops are typically 4–5 people. Larger weekend workshops run 8–10, and I use class time and route strategies to break into smaller clusters so everyone still gets individual coaching.
How long do the group workshops run?
Weekend group workshops run two (or three) full days, roughly 10am–5pm, mixing morning instruction with afternoon shooting in the field.
What will I learn in a group workshop?
Everything from camera settings and technique, the ethics and confidence side of photographing strangers, composition and light, zone focusing, and the conceptual, including deep history and current events of the neighborhoods we shoot in. We also cover the work of famous street photographers and, in some sessions, night photography.
Do you also offer private one-on-one tours?
Yes — if you’d rather have a fully customized, one-on-one experience, see Private NYC Photo Tours.
What if it rains?
Light rain is amazing to shoot in, but heavy rain sucks. I’ll check the forecast with you the week of the workshop and am flexible with cancellations, reschedules, and refunds.
What should I bring?
Any camera — phone to pro — a charged battery, an empty memory card, and comfortable walking shoes. No tripod needed unless specifically recommended. Comfortable sneakers and clothes.
Is the workshop accessible?
Private workshops are, but it depends for the group workshops. Please let me know your mobility needs in advance. I know these neighborhoods well enough to plan slower routes, shorter distances, and more seated pauses when needed.