Philadelphia Workshop Details
Join award-winning street photographer Steve Simon and Owen Seidenberg for an unforgettable weekend of living and breathing photography in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, PA.
An Intensive & Transformational Shooting Experience
This 3-Day Intensive workshop begins with a meet, greet and lecture followed by a ice-breaking photowalk and shoot, we then share a fabulous meal at one of Philadelphia's finest restaurants, Buddakan, a true culinary event. The atmosphere is stunning; food is absolutely delicious and it’s quiet enough for great conversation.
In this intimate masterclass (limited to 6 students) we explore some of the best photo opportunities Philadelphia has to offer, designed to get you a great portfolio from Philly in the short time we have.
Cheesesteak Central at 9th & Passyunk (Pat's King of Steaks / Geno's Steaks)
©Owen Seidenberg
We have curated this tour to alter between iconic Philadelphia photo opportunities and those less known.
Locations may include: The Rocky Statue & Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Liberty Bell and Independence National Historical Park, Race and Cherry Street Piers, Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk, Dilworth Park/City Hall, Elfreth's Alley, Spruce Street Harbor Park, Chinatown, Love Park, Boathouse Row, Logan Circle.
©Owen Seidenberg
Street Philosophies
Steve and Owen will help and encourage you to find your own unique vision through assignments created to get you past photographic fears and cliches to capturing lyrical, poetic and decisive moments that communicate the energy of the city.
All levels of photographic experience can benefit from this workshop. You’ll learn about the “rhythm of place” and you will discuss the laws and ethics of street photography as well as dealing with difficult situations that might pop up.
You will define a strategy for capturing the rich daily life of people, overcoming fears and shyness, approaching strangers, framing, juxtaposition, layering your compositions, letting the image come to you and whether color or black and white best suits your vision. And you will have fun!
Street Tech
You will talk street-tech and Steve will give you his minimalist view on gear along with a simplified shooting process to maximizing your response time to capture decisive moments. Steve’s street tools include the a Nikon Z Mirrorless Bodies, D850 and iPhone cameras, along with a carefully curated selection of lenses; but he’s familiar with a wide range of equipment to help you maximize your mirror-less, compact, rangefinder, DSLR or even your camera phone to create a compelling Philadelphia portfolio.
You will talk lenses, auto focus, zone focusing, shooting form the hip, using live view, flash and a host of other tips, tricks, distractions and ideas that will improve your work dramatically. It’s a street photography workshop but the lessons learned will benefit you in all genres of image-making.
In class, you will look at a selection of your best work from the previous day. These daily critiques are of crucial importance, where you share ideas and constructive criticism as you look through each others’ images. The workshop will be a “safe place” for group discussions with suggestions and new ideas put forward.
Our Venue: Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District, 400 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106, United States, 866-573-4235
All Photos: freephillyphoto.com & ©Owen Seidenberg
Itinerary To Come...
Testimonials
Gary Niederpruem, Chicago
“What a fabulous experience. I learned more about photography in one week than I had in 5 years. Steve is very knowledgable about the technical side as well as composition. He is very patient, gives excellent feedback and will work one on one with you on any photography subject you want. I asked him for help on night photography and at 10 PM he was out on the streets of Havana with me with step by step instructions on how to take the shot. 5 star plus rating!!”
Anna Blanco, New York City
“Best workshop I’ve ever taken! Steve is not only a great photographer, he is also a terrific teacher. He is patient and very hands- on. In some workshops the instructor sends students out to shoot after a short lecture–Steve goes out with his students, coaching them throughout the process. His course is well organized and covers diverse topics. He is funny and engaging and generous with his time and knowledge. I had SO MUCH fun and am ready to sign up for the next one. Highly recommended!”
Anne Dunford, Ithaca, New York
"My week in Steve’s Street Shooting workshop challenged me tremendously. There’s nothing like taking your work apart and putting it back together with new vision to make you a better photographer. If you take this workshop, I guarantee you will see the world differently at the end."
Paul Lavergne, San Juan, PR
"Steve’s passion for photography is contagious and his teaching abilities and knowledge extraordinary! I highly recommend this workshop to anyone interested in photography."
Chapman Solomon, Mountain View, CA
“Participating in the NYC Street Photography Workshop was an enriching and exhilarating experience. It challenged me to step out of my comfort zone to improve my skills. Steve’s curriculum and hands on approach offered me an opportunity to learn new techniques, add some creativity and visualize subject matter from another perspective. Each day presented abundant photo opportunities, resulting with the capture of some amazing images, exceeding my greatest expectations.”
Stephen Sholl, New York City
"Not only is Steve a great photographer, he is also a caring, compassionate person as well. He is constantly trying to help participants achieve their photographic goals in a gentle, caring, and sincere manner. Sadly, the critiques of my work were very helpful. Steve was right-on in terms of his suggestions to better my work. The totality of the workshop was terrific, primarily because the parts were all excellent as well. Choice of shooting locations, image reviews, suggestions, videos shown, and galleries visited were all great. Steve also promoted wonderful interactions among the participants. The venue was perfect for the workshop. We could spread out, leave our things there, use the facilities, and eat the goodies provided. You know you’re in good hands with Steve! An outstanding workshop!"
Steve Lavelle, London
"This is an outstanding workshop, led by a world-class photographer. It is impossible to spend time in a room with Steve Simon and not be inspired to get out there and make great images …I had high expectations and you exceeded them…Steve is very personable, articulate and passionate about photography, very welcoming with a warm, engaging personality. Steve’s style is outstanding. I knew of Steve from the TWiP podcast and would have attended if he was talking about how to watch paint dry…”
Oscar Piñeyro, Dallas
"I just spent the last three days with Steve Simon, What a wonderful experience, the best time spent in a workshop ever. Steve is a perfectionist, every presentation not only had spectacular photography but also the perfect music to enhance the mood, a roller coaster of emotions. He cannot hide his journalistic background every single image tells a story. His technique is flawless; his teaching patience unparalleled. I am eager to start a new chapter of my photography applying what Steve taught me in the last few days."
Steve Simon
Steve Simon has been passionate about documenting the beauty and drama of the human condition his entire photographic life. The author of five critically-acclaimed photography books with works in major museum collections worldwide, he is on the faculty of the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York. He has also done a series of photography videos on Lynda.com.
Steve is as passionate about teaching as he is photography. His recently launched blog: thepassionatephotographer.com has info on workshops he teaches globally, including Street Photography Workshops, PhotoPlus Expo, Nikonians, Gulf Photo-Dubai, MacWorld & Nikon Mentor Series. He has been published and profiled in a variety of magazines: Photo District News, New York Times Magazine, Life, Harpers, People & Walrus among them. Corporate clients include Nikon, SanDisk, Sony Music & Apple. Among his honors: Art Director’s Club NY, Canadian News Photographer of The Year, Global Health Council, NPPA & PX3.
His book THE PASSIONATE PHOTOGRAPHER was chosen one of Amazon’s Top Ten Arts and Photography books. He is working on a new book on Street Photography and The Nikon System.
Read More about Steve Simon hereOwen Seidenberg
Owen Seidenberg became interested in photography in 1970 when his uncle lent him a Kodak Retina folding 35mm camera. After exposing and developing his first roll of Kodachrome slide film, he knew that he wanted to pursue a career in photography. Fast forward to 1975 when Owen was hired by Photo Corporation of America (PCA) as a full-time photographer, taking portraits of children and their parents in department stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic & New England states. In 1976, he was named PCA’s Photographer of the Year. It is often said that the difference between a photographer and a pizza is that a pizza can feed a family of four. After photographing over 50,000 portraits, Owen decided to leave PCA and get a “real” job working for the Postal Service.
In 1988, he read an article in the now defunct Modern Photography Magazine about Garry Winogrand photographing strangers on the streets of New York. At that point, Owen became what he likes to call, an “Armchair Street Photographer” devouring every article and book he could get his hands on about this unconventional photographic genre. With the advent of digital photography and his retirement from the Postal Service in 2012, Owen got up out of the armchair and has been an extremely passionate street photographer capturing candid images in New York City.
Pricing
Total Cost: USD $1,300.00
Deposit: USD $250.00
The cost of this workshop covers tuition only, the welcoming dinner, SEPTA pass for local transportation, museum & Gallery entrances and of course, Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. The cost does not include accommodation or travel to and from Philadelphia.
Deposit
Payment of deposit secures your spot and is non-refundable. This workshop is limited to 8 students so we encourage you to book your spot as soon as possible. If for any reason you need to withdraw from the workshop within 30 days of the start date, please notify us in writing (email is okay). The workshop organizers will endeavour to offer you a refund if your spot is filled, (less the deposit). Full payment is due one month before workshop. Photo Educate and The Passionate Photographer Inc. are not responsible for cancellations due to medical emergencies or unforeseen circumstances. Please insure that these last-minute emergencies are covered by your travel insurance policy.
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