Join professional photographers Loren Fisher and Ron Lake as we take over New York City for a fun weekend photography workshop.
You’ll be transported around the city during the workshop in Loren’s 12 passenger Sprinter van, so all you need to think about is what great images you’ll make. Loren and Ron will make sure you are in great locations and will make suggestions for angles and help with any photography quandaries.
We begin the weekend on Friday afternoon by shooting in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn and photographing the Empire State Building as it is framed by a Manhattan Bridge tower. We’ll go up on the Brooklyn Bridge to get incredible views of Brooklyn and Manhattan including the Statue of Liberty. Then we’ll grab a quick dinner and the van will take us to photograph old pier pilings in the foreground with lower Manhattan as it lights up after the sun goes down. We’ll end the day after getting back in the van and moving to the north side of the Brooklyn Bridge for night shots of the classic bridge leading into Manhattan. We’ll be done at 9:00 p.m.
Saturday the photography starts at 10:00 a.m. at The Vessel at Hudson Yards, New York’s newest must-see attraction. It just opened in March and is 150 feet tall and has 154 interconnecting flights of stairs with almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings. It is one of the craziest public attractions anywhere and seems like it was built for photographers. It is truly a $150 million stairway to nowhere. It looks different every time you go!
From there we walk on the High Line, a former elevated railway that has been turned into one of the most unique parks anywhere. We’ll walk about a mile of the High Line and you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the streets below and a rare opportunity to photograph the people and architecture of New York.
We’ll head to lower Manhattan and the excitement around China Town. There is always colorful people and places, where else can you photograph cooked ducks hanging in windows?
We then hop back in the Sprinter and go to the World Trade Center where we will photograph the reflecting pools and Oculus, the new train station with its unique architecture. We’ll be done by 7:00 p.m.
Sunday morning we start shooting at 9:00 a.m. as we explore Central Park beginning at Strawberry Fields then walking across the park past the boathouse and going to Bethesda Fountain, the nearby tiled ceiling and Bow Bridge. We’ll get back in the van and go over to Grand Central Terminal to photograph inside the splendid beaux-arts landmark. I have attained special permits to allow you to use a tripod, which you normally can’t do. Our workshop ends at 1:00 p.m.
Each day as the workshop begins the van will pick participants up at NY Penn Station or in Bridgewater, NJ. You will be returned at the end of the day. If you live out of the area you can either stay in New York or you can commute a little over an hour with Loren back out to New Jersey. I’m suggesting you stay at the nice Hilton Garden Inn in Bridgewater for about $115 per night plus tax if you get a AAA discount. (Last year I reserved a block of rooms but people got a better price with AAA, so I’m not doing that this year.) Lodging is not included with the workshop fee. So for the weekend you can drive to New York or New Jersey or take the train to New York and then commute with Loren or stay in New York. Loren will help you make whatever arrangements work best for you.
Who should attend:
Anyone interested in photographing New York City and getting around town the easiest way possible. Your photographic experience doesn’t matter, even if you shoot entirely with an iPhone you’ll come away with amazing photos. If you would like to have professional photography instruction, Loren and Ron will be there to assist you. While the van will get you as close to all shooting locations as possible, there will some walking each day, especially on the High Line and in Central Park.
What’s included:
- Professional photography instruction
- Transportation during the workshop in a 12-passenger Sprinter van
- Great NYC locations
- Grand Central Terminal photography pass
- Pre-trip planning assistance
Not included:
- Transportation to daily meeting site
- Meals and snacks
- Lodging
For photo equipment you’ll want a wide angle lens and a telephoto as a minimum; a wide angle to telephoto zoom is great to have in the city. You can leave things in the van while you are out at specific locations but you are better off using a small bag or backpack and have your lenses with you. You never know what you will see. A sturdy tripod is a must for dusk shots at the Brooklyn Bridge, Ron and Loren will be shooting with a tripod the entire time. You might want a polarizing filter but you really won’t need any special filters but be sure to have plenty of memory cards and batteries. There will be an inverter in the van so if you bring a battery charger we can probably keep your batteries going.
This is April in the Northeast so it may get chilly, especially in the evening. Bring plenty of layers to keep warm, you can leave extra ones in the van. Don’t forget gloves, if your hands get cold you won’t want to shoot much. In some locations the van will be nearby so you can jump back in to get warm but at times it won’t be parked near us and will only show up when it is time to leave. We’ll be shooting even if we have rain, so be prepared. If there is heavy rain we’ll go to some great indoor locations.
We will moving as a group but you may want to wander away from the group at some locations. There will be meeting times and locations at every stop, it is imperative that you are at the meeting place on time, I won’t hold up the entire group waiting for one person. If you are late and we had to leave, you’ll have to grab a cab to catch up with us. You will be given the cell phone number of myself and Ron so we can always be in touch. The itinerary may be adjusted to make sure you are in the best places at the right time.
Friday, April 17 from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 18 from 10 a.m to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Limited to 10 photographers
Price
Returning clients: $425
Regular registration: $455
Cancellations
Notice of your cancellation must be made in writing, at which time the following refunds are offered:
• 60 days or more before workshop: Full workshop refund.
• 59 to 30 days before workshop: 50% of workshop cost. Your payment will be refunded if your spot can be filled.
• 29 or fewer days before workshop: no refund. Your payment will be refunded if your spot can be filled.
No partial refunds are made for unused portions or services of a workshop. Workshops are sold as a package only.
What else you need to know
Once you register, you will receive more information about the trip with more suggestions for equipment and clothing. You will be required to sign off on a Liability Release Form and complete an Emergency Contact Form.
Questions? Email Loren at Loren@LorenPhotos.com or call 802-332-6611. 
To register go to my partner’s website at https://lorenphotos.com/mevents/new-york-city-photography-workshop-weekend/