Capture the Moments of Warsaw Life
Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen
Explore Street Life & Urban Landscape in Warsaw
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP IN WARSAW: A city where echoes of history mingle with the pulse of modern life, where cobbled streets, hidden courtyards, and weathered façades meet the sleek lines of contemporary architecture and bustling riverfronts — Warsaw is a city of contrasts. It tells stories of resilience, creativity, and urban life in motion. In this workshop, we invite you to explore Warsaw through your camera, capturing fleeting gestures, architectural details, and dynamic interactions that bring the city to life. [Warsaw, 18–22 November 2026]
Workshop overview
Dates: 18 November 2026, 16:00 – 22 November 2026, 16:00
Location/Base: Hotel Logos Warszawa, Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 31/33, 00-379 Warsaw, Poland.
Accommodation: Estimated cost for hotel accommodation (single occupancy in a twin/double room) is EUR 445–510.
Maximum participants: 10
Registration deadline: 18 October 2026
Workshop Fee: EUR 950 (tuition fee). Accommodation and meals are not included.
Early Bird Discount: 10% discount when registering before 18 September 2026. The discount will be applied directly to your invoice.
Designed for photographers of all levels, the workshop focuses on street photography, urban landscapes, and architectural studies in black & white. You will develop your ability to observe, anticipate, and respond to the rhythm of the streets, refine your composition and storytelling skills, and create a cohesive photo reportage that reflects your personal vision. Through guided exercises, hands-on practice, and constructive feedback, you will leave with not only stunning images but also a deeper understanding of how to capture the decisive moments that make urban photography compelling.
Participants can choose between the Standard Workshop, a focused 3-day programme, or the Extended Workshop, which offers additional days for deeper exploration and practice, allowing more time to develop skills and create a complete photographic reportage of Warsaw.
The crucial moment occurs when observation, decision, and positioning align, producing images that convey emotion, narrative, and urban rhythm.
Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen
Capturing the Moment
This workshop is a challenge and learning journey. During the sessions, you will develop essential skills to capture the decisive moment in street photography. We will spend time together in the group on the streets, where I will inspire and demonstrate how I work in the field — how I observe, respond, position myself, and frame unfolding moments. You will see how I anticipate gestures, interactions, and movement patterns, turning ordinary street life into photographic opportunities.
During the workshop, you will develop essential skills to capture the crucial moment in street photography.
Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen
At other times, participants will work independently, practicing these techniques on their own, applying observation, decision-making, positioning, and timing to capture fleeting interactions, gestures, and light that define a street photograph. You will cultivate rapid decision-making, learn to position yourself thoughtfully, and ensure that subjects and backgrounds combine to tell a cohesive story.
Warsaw Street Photography Workshop. Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
The crucial moment occurs when observation, decision, and positioning align, producing images that convey emotion, narrative, and urban rhythm. You will also practice both strategies of waiting and hunting to engage with the urban environment effectively. Street portraits, ethical engagement, and presence in public spaces are also explored, helping you capture authentic responses and meaningful moments.
CAPTURING MOMENTS: You will cultivate rapid decision-making, learn to position yourself thoughtfully, and ensure that subjects and backgrounds combine to tell a cohesive story. Warsaw Street Photography Workshop. Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
Through guided exercises, reviews, and feedback — both during group sessions and individual work — you will refine your ability to anticipate and capture meaningful moments that contribute to a cohesive black & white photo reportage, enhancing both your technical skills and your personal photographic vision.
Observation involves noticing and anticipating gestures, interactions, and movement patterns, turning ordinary street life into photographic opportunities. Decision develops rapid judgement for whether, where, and when to press the shutter. Position allows mastery of framing and vantage points, ensuring subjects and backgrounds tell a cohesive story. The Crucial Moment is capturing fleeting interactions, gestures, and light that define a street photograph. Waiting vs. Hunting involves practicing both strategies for engaging with the urban environment. Street Portraits teach ethical approaches while capturing emotion and context. Visibility and Presence show how your presence in public spaces shapes authentic responses and photographic results.
Seeing Warsaw in Black & White
Black & white photography is more than an aesthetic choice — it is a powerful storytelling tool. By stripping away colour, you focus on light, shadow, texture, and composition, creating stronger, more evocative images. Black & white also helps unify sequences, giving your photo reportage coherence and a timeless quality. Throughout the workshop, you will explore how black & white enhances street photography, urban landscapes, and architectural studies, helping you craft a personal and cohesive visual story of Warsaw.
The goal of the workshop is for each participant to produce a photo reportage, using black & white to simplify, strengthen, and unify the narrative of their images.
Participants can bring either digital or analog cameras, according to their own preference.
BLACK & WHITE: Throughout the workshop, you will explore how black & white enhances street photography, urban landscapes, and architectural studies. Warsaw Street Photography Workshop. Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
Areas We Photograph
Śródmieście
Śródmieście forms the core of Warsaw’s urban life, where modern business districts, historic streets, and everyday city rhythms intersect. We will work in areas such as Nowy Świat, Marszałkowska, and the surroundings of the Palace of Culture and Science, focusing on flow, layering, and interaction within a dense urban environment. This area offers strong opportunities to develop observation, positioning, and timing, capturing both structured compositions and spontaneous moments in a constantly changing city landscape.
Praga
Praga tells a story of resilience and continuity. We will explore Ulica Brzeska, with its historic façades, local shops, and street life, alongside Stadion Narodowy, where modern lines and structural forms create striking contrasts. This district offers the perfect combination of old and new, ideal for street and architectural photography.
Powiśle and the Wisła
Part of central Śródmieście, Powiśle and the Vistula riverfront offer a dynamic mix of riverside life, modern architecture, and everyday urban activity. We will explore areas such as Bulwary Wiślane, Kładka pieszo-rowerowa na Wiśle, and the surroundings of Centrum Nauki Kopernik, working with the interplay between open spaces, pedestrian flow, and layered city structures.
This environment provides strong opportunities to work with light, movement, and timing, capturing interactions, spatial relationships, and visual rhythm. The combination of open riverfront, architectural lines, and continuous human activity makes this area particularly well suited for developing coherent black & white sequences with a clear sense of atmosphere and narrative.
Old Town and Royal Route
Warsaw’s Old Town (Stare Miasto), together with Plac Zamkowy and the areas surrounding the Royal Castle and the Presidential Palace, offers a more structured and historical visual environment. Here, we work with light, geometry, and human presence within architectural space. The contrast between open squares, narrow streets, and formal urban design creates strong compositional opportunities, particularly in changing light conditions from late afternoon into evening. This area is especially suited for exploring atmosphere, timing, and the interaction between people and historic surroundings.
PRAGA: The Praga district offers the perfect combination of old and new, ideal for street and architectural photography. Warsaw Street Photography Workshop. Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
Workshop Programme
The workshop follows a structured daily rhythm combining image reviews, guided fieldwork, and independent shooting.
18 November – Introduction and First Session
16:00 – Meeting at Hotel Logos: welcome, introduction, and workshop briefing.
16:30 – Photography session around the Palace of Culture and Science, focusing on observation, positioning, and timing.
18:00 – Group dinner.
19:30 – Evening photography in central Warsaw.
19 November – Praga
09:00 – Group session: image review and discussion.
11:00 – Photography in Praga (Ulica Brzeska and surrounding areas), working with street life, structure, and layered compositions.
18:00 – Group dinner.
19:30 – Evening photography in the Old Town (Stare Miasto), focusing on light, atmosphere, and human presence in historic surroundings.
20 November – Powiśle and the Vistula
09:00 – Group session: image review and discussion.
11:00 – Photography in Powiśle (including Powiśle station), focusing on movement, interaction, and urban rhythm.
13:30 – Continued work along the Vistula riverfront (Bulwary Wiślane and pedestrian bridge), exploring light, space, and composition.
18:00 – Group dinner.
19:30 – Evening photography along the river and nearby districts.
21 November – Independent Work and Final Evening Session
09:00 – Group session: image review and discussion.
11:00–15:00 – Independent photography. Participants choose their own locations and develop their personal approach.
18:00 – Group dinner.
19:30 – Evening photography in the Old Town (Stare Miasto), focusing on light, atmosphere, and human presence in historic surroundings.
22 November – Final Session
09:00 – Final image review and discussion.
11:00–14:00 – Final photography session in central Warsaw.
14:00 – Group lunch.
15:00–16:00 – Workshop conclusion and wrap-up.
Warsaw Street Photography Workshop. Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.
What can you expect from me?
I will be present and available for you throughout the workshop.
I will provide professional guidance and assistance during the entire workshop experience.
I will share all of my photography knowledge and skills with you.
What do I expect from you?
You should dedicate all available hours to working on your photography.
You should follow the planned teaching programme during the workshop.
You should work independently and on your own initiative.
You should actively seek guidance when needed.
You should remember to charge your camera batteries before each workshop day.
You should contact me before, during, and after the workshop if you need help of any kind.
Practical Information
Accommodation: Hotel Logos Warszawa, Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 31/33, 00-379 Warsaw, Poland. Estimated cost for hotel accommodation (single occupancy in a twin/double room) is EUR 445–510. Participants should book as soon as their workshop place is confirmed. Detailed booking information will be updated shortly. In the meantime, please contact the organiser at bjorn.joachimsen@gmail.com if you require further information.
Meals: Group dinners daily; participants cover their own costs.
Camera: Digital or analog, according to personal preference.
What to Bring: Good shoes for walking and exploring the city, clothes for various weather conditions, a camera with any lenses or accessories you have, extra camera batteries and memory cards, camera filters (if available), and a laptop, PC, or tablet for editing. Contact the organiser if unsure about your equipment.
Currency & Payments: Polish Zloty (PLN); cards widely accepted; ATMs available.
Insurance: Participants must have travel insurance covering the trip.
Workshop Fee: EUR 950 (tuition fee). Accommodation and meals are not included.
Early Bird Discount: 10% discount when registering before 18 September 2026. The discount will be applied directly to your invoice.
Deposit: A deposit of EUR 200 is required upon registration and is non-refundable in the event of cancellation by the participant.
NOTE: Registration deadline: 18 October 2026.
About the Instructor
Photographer Bjørn Joachimsen.
Bjørn Joachimsen is one of Norway’s most experienced photography instructors and tour leaders, specialising in street, documentary, urban, architectural, and landscape photography. He works as a photographer and workshop leader in many European countries, including Italy, Spain, Croatia, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Romania, and has organised numerous workshops across Poland. Bjørn combines hands-on expertise with a deep understanding of visual storytelling, helping participants capture decisive moments and develop cohesive photo reportages.
Portfolio: www.joachimsenphotography.com
Instagram: @joachimsenphotography
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/joachimsen
Images from Warsaw
Photo: Bjørn Joachimsen.