New York Photography Tour
The big Apple, epicenter of the arts or trendsetter - New York City bears many names and attributes and offers unlimited opportunities for everyone. Discover the capital of the world with our experienced photography instructor, Philipp Funke.
This trip will be led by: Philipp Funke who speaks Deutsch, English
Location
Where do we go?
No one will come back from this trip with the same photos. Whether you want to explore New York's most glamorous facades or its darker underbelly is up to you - there is no better place in the world for street photography and hardly a better opportunity to sharpen your eye for architecture. The metropolis offers the perfect setting for everything. Together we will explore the area - on foot, by subway or by boat, trying out many types of photography.
New York City is so iconic, even in the minds of its residents, that it represents the United States to many who have never been there. In truth, the city is so different from the rest of the country that it is a world unto itself. Even residents find it impossible to sum up what makes it different from other cities in the world. For no two people is it the same. It reflects one's own personality: in its infinite splendor or its abruptness. In skyscraper canyons flooded with sunlight and deep in the shadows, in the constantly active street life and in the inhabitants who believe they have seen it all, we discover stories, absurdities, triumphs and catastrophes.
You can experience the city in an infinite number of ways. Maybe you are attracted by the monumental architecture, maybe by the beautifully landscaped parks that are full of life. You may be fascinated by the street vendors selling everything from hot dogs to counterfeit handbags. Junkyards alternate with pop-up stores and high fashion boutiques, world-class museums, rivers, harbors and even wide sandy beaches. In New York City's five boroughs, which are home to more people than all of Switzerland combined, you'll find almost anything you can imagine.
But above all, it's the people who provide endless fascination and wonder. In the borough of Queens alone, you can hear no less than 138 of the estimated 800 languages spoken in the city. Huge flagship stores for the world's most luxurious brands line 5th Avenue. It is an ever-changing canvas of different faces, commerce, culture, fashion and design - for the country's richest and poorest. Millions of people pass through it every day, trying to stand out from the crowd.
Trip highlights
What you can expect from this trip
- Arrival
- Financial district, ferry to Staten Island
- Street photography at China town, SoHo, Noho & Lower east side
- Architecture photography from Chelsea to Hudson Yards.
- Mist Garden in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens
- Bronx, Botanical Garden - portraiture, landscape & macros
- Last day, departure
See full itinerary here
Day 1
Arrival
Take time to arrive at the hotel, settle in and get used to the city that never sleeps. Meet for a brief introduction and some tips on photographing New York. Enjoy the first golden hour on the hotel rooftop or get some sleep to be ready for your first day with your camera.
Day 2
Financial district, ferry to Staten Island
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.
Day 3
Street photography at China town, SoHo, Noho & Lower east side
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.
Day 4
Architecture photography from Chelsea to Hudson Yards.
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.
Day 5
Mist Garden in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens
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.
Day 6
Bronx, Botanical Garden - portraiture, landscape & macros
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.
Day 7
Last day, departure
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.
Accommodation
Where do we stay?
We will be accommodated at the luxurious Four Points by Sheraton hotel, right in downtown Manhattan.
All rooms offer premium bedding, free WiFi, iPod docks, and LCD TVs. Coffee makers and free newspapers are among the other amenities available to guests.
Included
- Intensive daily photography instruction, practice, and critique
- A master photographer as instructor with 10 years of teaching experience
- 6 nights in the Hotel
- Local Transportation MTA Card
- Welcome dinner
- Entry to One World Observatory
- Entry to One Vanderbilt Summit
- Entry to Botanical Garden
Not included
- Flights to and from New York City
- Meals are not included in the price, we will usually eat out (not mandatory and the prices are a bit cheaper than in Switzerland).
- ESTA and from the US authorities (costs around $15) : Must be obtained before the trip.
- Personal expenses like souvenirs, bar beverages, laundry,
- Travel, medical and cancellation insurances are not included and strongly recommended.
** If you decide to come earlier and / or leave later, we can arrange you extra nights at the same room from the same hotel
Previous trips
What happened last time
Your instructor
Philipp Funke
Philipp FunkeLanguage: Deutsch, English
Philipp Funke discovered his passion for photography in his early childhood. Coming from a family of architects, his interest in the interplay of formal and social aspects was fostered. He studied architecture at the Berlin University of the Arts and at the Macintosh School of Art in Glasgow. In 2006, he graduated with a master's degree.
After ten years as an architect, he concentrated on his work as a photographer and completed further training in visual design with a focus on photography at the School for Design in Zurich.
As a primary motif, architectural content characterizes his work. He analyzes the situations depicted on a formal as well as on a political and social level, often abandoning the purely documentary character of photography and giving the images an intrinsic value by making his original intention visible.
In various group exhibitions in Germany and Switzerland, he mainly showed his large-format works such as "lichen structures", "Nature of Geometry" or "Opening Red Doors". The latter series about the rooms of Enver Hoxha's villa in Tirana was awarded in the category architecture at the International Photography Awards 2021.
Philipp Funke lectured at the University of Liechtenstein, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich and the Fotoclub Schweiz on various topics of (architectural) photography. He lives and works in New York, Zurich and Berlin.
