Photographers gathered around parade participants on Fifth Avenue, photographed by Steve Simon

October 11, 2027: New York City Parade Photography Workshop

Photograph New York’s Columbus Day Parade with Steve Simon, with special on-route access and pre- and post-workshop Zoom sessions

DateOct 11, 2027

LocationNew York City, USA

GenreStreet • Parade

Group sizeMax. 4

Skill levelAll Levels

Tuition$899.00 USD

Deposit$99.00 USD

Book now

Workshop overview

“Behind the Ropes” Access to the Columbus Day Parade

We’ve negotiated special access to New York’s Columbus Day Parade for a group limited to just four photographers. It’s a rare opportunity to photograph the event from within the parade, not simply watch it pass from the sidelines.

Our city-authorized press credentials let us walk and photograph along the NYPD-secured parade route, alongside the participants. You won’t be confined to the crowded sidewalks behind the spectator barricades.

That freedom lets us choose our position, spend more time with the people and floats that interest us, and look for gestures and encounters that are harder to see from the sidelines. Steve will photograph alongside you, offering individual guidance as the day unfolds. We’ll respect the participants and follow the organizers’ and NYPD’s directions throughout.

A parade gives us more than a procession to photograph. There are gestures between the bigger moments, faces in a crowd, a performer waiting for a cue and spectators caught up in what passes before them. On October 11, 2027, we’ll spend the day working with that energy at New York’s Columbus Day Parade.

Find Your Own Parade

Steve will photograph alongside you, helping you work through technical questions and creative decisions in real situations. Assignments will encourage you to look beyond a record of who marched past and find photographs that reflect what interests you.

The workshop is open to all experience levels. You’ll be encouraged to follow the people, gestures, colors and small encounters you respond to, not try to photograph everything. We’ll leave room for chance, and for the pleasure of being out there with a camera.

The Learning Continues Online

A pre-workshop group Zoom meeting and lecture will help us prepare our cameras, discuss our approach and arrive ready to photograph. After the parade, we’ll meet again for a two-hour Zoom lecture and critique, with time beforehand to edit the work.

For the final session, you’ll submit up to 60 of your best parade photographs and create a 20-picture narrative. Steve will make his own 20-image sequence from those same photographs. Comparing the two selections gives us a practical way to explore editing, sequencing and what each of us notices in the work.

A New York parade photograph by Steve Simon

Photographing the parade from behind the spectator barricades

A New York photograph from Steve Simon’s original workshop listing

The route

Where we'll photograph

Before the Parade

The time before the procession begins can be as interesting as the parade itself. Bands, floats and groups gather in the formation area, preparing for their turn to move onto Fifth Avenue. We’ll look for those moments of waiting, concentration and interaction.

With Steve’s guidance, you’ll work on finding a position, watching the edges of the frame and recognizing what draws you toward one person or group. A quieter moment can give us something different from the spectacle to come.

Rather than move constantly from one subject to the next, we’ll spend time where we see a possibility. The exact formation areas and access arrangements will be shared when the 2027 event plan is available.

Along Fifth Avenue

Our special on-route access puts us alongside the parade participants rather than confined to the sidewalks behind the barricades. It gives us room to consider our angle, the background and the relationships between people moving through the scene.

Floats, marching bands and performers offer plenty to photograph, but you don’t need to cover them all. We’ll pay attention to the characters and gestures that interest you, staying with fewer subjects when that helps you work beyond the first obvious frame.

Steve will be nearby to help with timing, focus and composition as conditions change. We’ll follow the organizers’ directions and work with the light and activity we find, rather than treat the route as a checklist.

Spectators & the Edges of the Event

The parade’s story is not confined to the people marching. Spectators bring their own gestures, conversations and reactions. Looking toward the sidelines can reveal photographs you might miss if your camera always points at the procession.

We’ll watch how people respond to what passes before them, and how the event changes the familiar street around it. A face, a small exchange or a relationship between foreground and background can become the reason for a photograph.

You’ll be encouraged to follow your own curiosity while remaining considerate of the people you photograph. These quieter observations can help give your final sequence a sense of the day beyond a succession of floats and bands.

A New York parade photograph from Steve Simon’s workshop collection

Three connected parts

How the Workshop Works

The schedule will remain flexible so we can respond to weather, light, local events and unexpected photographic opportunities.

Before the Parade — Group Zoom Meeting & Lecture
We’ll meet online to discuss our approach, photographic goals and practical preparation. Steve will share parade-shooting strategies, help with camera setup and answer questions about working in a fast-changing environment.
This is a group meeting and lecture, giving us a foundation for the day together. The Zoom date will be shared with participants before the workshop.
October 11 — Photograph the Parade
We’ll meet in the morning to plan our coverage, then photograph the gathering participants and the parade along Fifth Avenue. Steve will work alongside the group, offering individual guidance and assignments as situations unfold.
Confirmed special on-route access allows us to work with the participants, following the organizers’ and NYPD’s directions. We’ll also watch for photographs among the spectators and at the edges of the event.
The meeting point, start time and final route arrangements will be confirmed before the workshop. Meals, transportation and other activities are not included.
After the Parade — Two-Hour Zoom Lecture & Critique
After time to edit, you’ll submit up to 60 of your best photographs and create a 20-picture narrative. Steve will make his own 20-image sequence from the same photographs.
During our two-hour Zoom session, we’ll compare selections, consider the strongest frames and discuss how order and pacing affect a photographic story. This gives us time to look beyond the individual photograph and think about the body of work you made.

Red flags and a performer at New York’s parade, photographed by Steve Simon

In the field and in class

What You’ll Learn

Street Philosophies

We’ll use assignments to move beyond photographic fears and clichés toward photographs that communicate the energy of the parade. The aim is to develop your own way of seeing, not come home with the same pictures as everyone else.

We’ll work on recognizing gesture, anticipating moments, choosing a position and making relationships within the frame. Steve will offer suggestions as situations unfold, with room to address the questions that matter to you.

Street Tech

We’ll talk street tech with Steve, who will share his minimalist approach to gear and a simplified shooting process that helps you respond quickly when a photograph presents itself. Steve uses Nikon cameras with a carefully chosen selection of lenses, but he can help you get more from your mirrorless, compact, rangefinder, DSLR or even your camera phone.

For photographing a parade, travel light. A wide-to-telephoto zoom can be a good choice, letting you move from the larger scene to a face or gesture without constantly changing lenses. Carrying less also makes it easier to move, stay comfortable and keep your attention on what’s happening around you.

You don’t have to photograph every float or every person who passes. Spending more time with fewer characters and floats can lead to stronger, more personal photographs. Notice whoever or whatever you respond to, and let that interest guide what you cover. Stay with a subject when you can, looking beyond the first obvious frame. And don’t forget the spectators. Their reactions, conversations and interactions with the parade are part of the story.

We’ll discuss lenses, autofocus, zone focusing, shooting from the hip, live view and flash, along with how to handle yourself on the street, approach strangers and adapt to constantly changing conditions. The aim is to become comfortable enough with your tools that you can give your attention to light, gesture and timing. It’s a street photography workshop, but these lessons will serve you wherever you take your camera.

Class Lectures & Critiques

Our pre-workshop Zoom meeting and lecture will lay the foundation for the shoot. We’ll discuss our approach to the parade, practical preparation and the photographic ideas you want to explore.

The post-workshop session is a two-hour Zoom lecture and critique. You’ll have time after the parade to review your images, submit up to 60 favorites and build a 20-picture narrative. Steve will create his own 20-image sequence from the same selection, and we’ll compare the choices together.

Why does one frame hold our attention while a similar one does not? What changes when we place two photographs next to each other? We’ll look closely at those decisions in a supportive setting for honest observations, questions and constructive criticism. The goal is a clearer understanding of the work you made and ideas to carry into the next shoot.

A photograph from Steve Simon’s New York parade workshop collection

Travel & logistics

The in-person workshop takes place in New York City on Monday, October 11, 2027. We’ll meet in the morning to discuss our approach before photographing the Columbus Day Parade. The exact meeting point, start time and access instructions will be shared before the workshop.

Special on-route access is confirmed for our group. We’ll follow the parade organizers’ and NYPD’s directions throughout the day. The final route, formation areas and working arrangements will depend on the event’s 2027 plan.

We’ll work on foot, so bring a camera setup you can carry comfortably, charged batteries, memory cards and clothing suited to the forecast. A wide-to-telephoto zoom is useful if you want to keep lens changes to a minimum.

Please arrange your own travel to and from New York, accommodation if needed, meals and local transportation. This workshop covers the parade shoot and the pre- and post-workshop Zoom lecture/critique sessions only. It does not include a dinner, transportation pass, museum or gallery admission, snacks or teaching materials.

Who you'll work with

Your instructor

Steve Simon

Steve Simon is an award-winning documentary photographer and the author of five critically acclaimed books, including The Passionate Photographer, selected as one of Amazon’s “Top Ten Art and Photography Books.” He has photographed in over 40 countries on assignment, with work appearing in publications such as The New York Times Magazine, Time, Mother Jones, Le Monde, Colors, Life, Harpers, Macleans, and The Walrus.

Best known for his humanistic approach, Steve’s photography explores the complexity and beauty of the human condition—capturing authentic, unscripted moments in real time. His images have been exhibited in solo shows in New York, Toronto, Montreal, and Buenos Aires, and three times at Visa Pour L’Image in Perpignan, France. An excerpt from Empty Sky, his photographic tribute to the aftermath of 9/11, was published by Life Books. The 9/11 Memorial Museum later acquired the complete set of prints for its permanent collection—recognizing the work as both witness and memorial.

A passionate educator, Steve has taught at the International Center of Photography (ICP) and the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York, and continues to lead workshops around the world. He is currently working on two new books—one on the art of photographic critique, and another exploring the American political convention.

Pricing

Your $899.00 USD tuition covers the October 11, 2027 parade photography workshop with Steve Simon, confirmed special on-route access, a pre-workshop group Zoom meeting and lecture, and a two-hour post-workshop Zoom lecture and critique.

A $99 USD deposit secures your place. The balance is due July 13, 2027, 90 days before the workshop. The group is limited to four photographers. Accommodation, travel, meals, local transportation, attraction admissions, snacks and teaching materials are not included.

Tuition

$899.00 USD

Deposit: $99.00 USD secures your place
Balance due: July 13, 2027
Group size: Limited to 4 photographers

The remaining balance may be paid by bank transfer, wire, ACH, or credit card (3% processing fee applies to credit card payments).

What's included

Parade photography workshop with Steve Simon on October 11, 2027
Confirmed special on-route access to New York’s Columbus Day Parade
Individual guidance and assignments during the parade shoot, in a group of no more than four
Pre-workshop group Zoom meeting and lecture
Two-hour post-workshop Zoom lecture and critique
Post-workshop editing exercise: your 20-picture narrative and Steve’s sequence from up to 60 of your parade photographs

Our goal is to provide a seamless, supportive experience so you can stay focused on making your strongest work.

Not included

Accommodation; Travel to and from New York City; Airport transfers and local transportation; Meals, dinner and snacks; Museum, gallery or other attraction admissions; Teaching materials; Personal expenses; Travel and medical insurance (strongly recommended).

Before you reserve

Deposit & Cancellation Policy

A $99 USD non-refundable deposit secures your place. The remaining balance is due July 13, 2027, 90 days before the workshop begins.

If PhotoEducate or The Passionate Photographer Inc. needs to cancel the workshop, your deposit will be refunded.

If you withdraw more than 90 days before the workshop begins, tuition paid beyond the deposit will be refunded once we receive your cancellation in writing.

If you withdraw less than 90 days before the workshop begins, a refund is possible only if we can fill your place. In that case, tuition paid beyond the deposit will be returned. If your place cannot be filled, tuition cannot be refunded.

PhotoEducate and The Passionate Photographer Inc. cannot offer refunds or credits for medical or family emergencies, travel delays, illness, weather, transportation disruptions, political events or other unforeseen circumstances.

A Note on Travel & Medical Insurance

If you are traveling to New York, we strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance that includes medical coverage, trip cancellation and interruption protection, delays, lost luggage, emergency evacuation and, when appropriate, coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. Some coverage must be purchased within a set period after your initial trip payment.

Travel insurance may help protect you from the financial loss of an unexpected situation, subject to the policy’s terms, exclusions and limits. Review those details carefully before choosing coverage.

Squaremouth is one resource for comparing policies: www.squaremouth.com

Videos

Testimonials

From Steve’s Workshops & Mentorships

“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!!”
Gary Niederpruem, Chicago

“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, New York City

“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.”
Anne Dunford, Ithaca, New York

“Steve’s passion for photography is contagious and his teaching abilities and knowledge extraordinary! I highly recommend this workshop to anyone interested in photography.”
Paul Lavergne, San Juan, PR

“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.”
Chapman Solomon, Mountain View, CA

“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. you 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!!”
Stephen Sholl, New York City

“This is an outstanding workshop. 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…”
Steve Lavelle, London

“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.”
Oscar Piñeyro, Dallas