The best part wasn’t a single photograph. It was watching people change how they see—right there on the sidewalk.

Paris has a way of inviting you to make beautiful pictures, but it also has a way of distracting you with “Paris-ness.” The cafés. The architecture. The idea of it all. So we did what we always do in my workshops: we didn’t chase postcards. We chased light, timing, and small stories.

We did it simply, following the “One Lens For All” philosophy.

All images in this post were taken with the Leica M9, 50mm Summilux f1.4 ASPH

And I’ll say it clearly—because it’s always where it starts:

The light means everything.
This is what we search for. This is what we’re inspired by.
And then we seek the moment.

We worked the Latin Quarter and the side streets, using the river light along the Seine as our classroom.
We began at 10:00 and used a simple structure: meet, set a goal, then step out and work.

What the Paris workshop looked like (in real life)

If you’ve seen the behind-the-scenes images, you’ll recognise the rhythm:

• Someone stops and frames something across the street.
• Someone drops low because the background suddenly cleans up.
• Someone hesitates—then tries anyway.
• And then we talk about it. Not in theory. In reality.

That’s what I love about street photography workshops: you don’t learn this by sitting at home. You learn it by being out there, making choices, missing shots, adjusting, and trying again—while someone experienced helps you simplify the chaos.

And this is where I’ve been especially happy lately: I keep getting positive feedback that my explanations are clear—and that the hands-on experience we have in the field makes it stick.

The workshop structure (why it works)

The two-day workshops follow a simple rhythm:

• Day 1: orientation and setup in the morning, guided street sessions, and a recap to cement what you’ve learned.
• Day 2: builds on day one’s goals so your progress becomes visible—and repeatable.

Typical hours are 10:00–17:00 (Day 1) and 10:00–15:00 (Day 2).
Group sizes are small (4–8), so there’s space for personal feedback and time to work at your own pace.
Bring any camera—brand doesn’t matter. The picture matters.

After the workshop, we meet again for a free group Zoom critique, so you can edit at home and then refine your work with fresh eyes and support.

The biggest “Paris lesson”

Many people arrive thinking:

• I need inspiration.

• I bought a new camera, and I’m not using it fully.

• I want to get better, but I don’t know what to practice.

Having fun and enjoying it is as important as practising photography. Scene from a break at the Paris Workshop with Jan and Ferenc.

And then something shifts when we simplify the approach.

Instead of “What should I photograph?” we start with:

• Where is the light doing something interesting?
• Where is the cleanest background?
• What is the moment that makes this scene come alive?

That’s the craft. And it’s also the joy.

And now we’re switching scenes: Paris → Berlin

In two weeks, we will take the same workshop experience and drop it into a different city: Berlin (May 1–2, 2026).

Berlin is a favourite of mine: history in the walls, contrast in the streets, and constant opportunities to work with layers.
We’ll base ourselves around Charlottenburg, Fasanenstraße, Prenzlauer Berg and Potsdamer Platz—and we’ll take the side paths to find the scenes most people walk past.

We meet at 1900 Café, Knesebeckstr. 76, 10623 Berlin.
There’s also an optional visit to the Helmut Newton Foundation exhibitions after the workshop day ends.

“But Berlin is easy, right?”
Yes. Berlin is genuinely one of the easiest workshop cities to reach from  cities around Europe.

If you missed Paris, Berlin is your next chance

If you want two days where photography becomes simple again—less overthinking, more seeing—then Berlin is for you. Two spots open for booking.

Berlin workshop (May 1–2, 2026): https://www.mortenalbek.com/vare/berlin/
Full workshop calendar: https://www.mortenalbek.com/workshops/ 

See you on the street,
Morten