New York Photography Tour

After a good breakfast, we'll meet for a little introduction to composition rules - and how to break them. 

We start shooting at the south end of Manhattan, beginning with the special flair of Wall Street and the financial district, the huge buildings of downtown creating light reflections in the dark canyons and shadows. 

We take the ferry along the Statue of Liberty and get an iconic view of the southern tip of Manhattan. The afternoon belongs to the 9/11 Memorial and Ground Zero, Calatrava's sculptural Subway station and One World Tower. In the evening we "climb" to the top of the tallest building, enjoying the sunset with a breathtaking overview of the whole city. 

In the evening you will have time to relax and edit your best pictures to discuss the next morning.

We will start in the morning by reviewing and discussing your selected images from the first day. This will be followed by a short lecture on street photography, which will introduce today's topic.

Today's assignment will deal with an art form that New York seems to be made for. Walking through the streets of China Town, SoHo, NoHo and the Lower East Side, you learn that in no other city you can find as many opportunities for unique and memorable shots. 

After lunch you will have time to people watch and photograph along 5th Avenue in the tradition of the most famous street photographers. 

The golden hour will give us magnificent views of the skyline around the "green lung" in Central Park. 

We start the day as usual by reviewing yesterday's pictures. Having learned that a second can make a big difference in an image, today we will focus on a more immobile subject: architecture. This will be (if you like) the focus of the day.

We will spend the morning walking from Chelsea through the High-line Park to Hudson Yards. You'll be able to capture details at the new Whitney Museum and discuss the impact of an entirely new part of the city. You'll learn that capturing architecture isn't just about documenting buildings. 

After a break, we'll take the cable car to Roosevelt Island to the Roosevelt Monument. The unique view of the East River will be enhanced when we take the ferry to Hunters Point. After dinner together, we'll settle in for indescribable views of the eastern Manhattan skyline. 

We'll start with the usual review of yesterday's best pictures. Then we'll look at how a single photo can tell a whole story and how a series of images can help convey an idea. 

Our rehearsal stage is the spectacular Mist Garden in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. It was re-landscaped during the pandemic and is an insider's tip for ambitious photographers. The same grounds are also home to the 1939 World's Fair constructions made famous by movies such as MiB, Iron Man and Captain America. 

The area is known for its diverse and very authentic cuisine, so lunch here is a must. China Town Queens is the less touristy district where immigrants from Asia have settled. 

We take the evening for a sensational experience atop One Vanderbilt, Midtown's tallest skyscraper. 

After seeing parts of Queens yesterday, today we'll head to the Bronx. 

In the south of the borough, we'll follow in the footsteps of JLo and Co. to look for the most artistic grafitties and see how we can stage them. 

We'll spend the afternoon in the green oasis of the north of New York City - the Botanical Garden. Portrait photography, landscape photography and macro shots can be practiced here - we'll see what you're in the mood for. 

Alternatively, there is plenty to see in and around New York. For example, we can take the subway to the beach at Coney Island or admire the city from above on a helicopter flight (I'll be happy to organize this for you - costs are around $400). Are you an art lover? New York is full of the world's best museums and galleries. The ferries to Ellis Island and/or the Statue of Liberty run regularly. 

Visit other boroughs and neighborhoods of New York - the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn (which alone is somewhat the size of Paris) or Staten Island. 

We will spend the evening in Dumbo between Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge looking for unseen angles at probably the most famous place for New York photographers. 

Check-out from the hotel is usually at 12 noon. There are no plans for today. So it's time for goodbyes and making sure everyone gets to the airport or their next destination on time.

If you would like to extend your time in New York (or even explore the city before the program) and would like us to arrange this for you, please let us know well in advance. We will be happy to extend your reservation at the hotel. 

Please note: This itinerary is only a first sketch and can be changed depending on weather conditions and availability. In case of heavy rain we can e.g. scour the Grand Hall of Grand Central Station or the subway for motives (not only the mosaics in all stations are legendary). Or we shoot atmospheric portraits with rain background in the underpasses in Central Park. We can also include a theory day with tips and tricks for Photoshop. We ask you to trust in the experience of our guides and tutors, who will occasionally change the program to give you the best experience possible.