Passionate Photographer Steve Simon

Join me for a photographic experience that goes far beyond travel. My workshops are designed to challenge, inspire, and transform the way you see and photograph the world. Each destination is carefully chosen to provide unique access, rich cultural encounters, and opportunities to make images you simply couldn’t capture on your own.

New workshops for 2025–2026 are being added, and I invite you to sign up for the newsletter and you’ll receive my free 78-page Workshop Guide filled with practical insights and inspiration to help you prepare for your next photographic journey.

Your safety is always our first priority. I strongly recommend travel insurance, and SquareMouth curates policies that cover a wide range of travel issues, including “Cancel For Any Reason” coverage.

If you prefer to learn from home, I also offer online Nikon Z-Series Bootcamps (Z9, Z8, Zf, Z6III), along with mentoring and photobook classes that provide the same depth of education in a virtual setting. Look for more online workshops to be added in the fall.

As the author of The Passionate Photographer; Dream It; Be It, I’ve spent a lifetime chasing images and refining an approach I now share in my masterclasses. Each workshop combines hands-on shooting with daily critique and thoughtful lectures. My goal is to help you push past your comfort zone, discover new ways of seeing, and create work that reflects your true voice as a photographer.

I hope you’ll join me for one of these unforgettable learning experiences—and take the next step in your photographic journey.

"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!"

ANNA BLANCO

Philosophies

Steve's intensive street & urban workshops will help you find your own unique vision and style through assignments created to get you past photographic fears and cliches to capturing lyrical, poetic and decisive moments that communicate the energy of life.

All levels of photographic experience can benefit from Steve's workshops. You’ll learn about the “rhythm of place” and will discuss the laws and ethics of urban and travel photography as well as dealing with difficult situations that might pop up. You will define a strategy for capturing rich daily life; 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!

Steve Simon is an award-winning documentary photographer and author of five critically acclaimed photography books including The Passionate Photographer (first edition), which was chosen as one of Amazon’s "Top Ten Art and Photography Books."

He has photographed on assignment in more than 45 countries and his work has been published in the New York Times Magazine, Mother Jones, Colors, Life, Time, Le Monde, Harpers, Macleans, Walrus and many others.

His documentary work has been featured in solo shows across the globe. His post 9/11 work Empty Sky has been published by Life Books and a complete set of prints from that project was acquired by the 9/11 Memorial Museum for their permanent collection.

Corporate clients include Nikon, SanDisk, McDonalds, Sony Music & Apple. Among his honors: Art Director’s Club NY, Canadian News Photographer of The Year, Global Health Council, NPPA , American Photo, PX3 & the Moscow Photo Awards. Steve is passionate teacher as well, participating as a guest lecturer and workshop leader at various photography events worldwide. He lives in New York with his wife Tanja and 10-year-old son, Sawyer.

View his series of photography videos on Lynda.com - LinkedIn Learning, including his weekly "Critique of the Week Show". Check out his portfolio images here.