About Josh Weinberg
I’m a San Francisco Bay Area–based photographer and photography teacher.
I’ve been photographing throughout my life, and I’m still drawn to the same thing: how a camera changes the way we see. Over time, photography became less about capturing moments and more about paying attention—slowing down, noticing what others pass by, and finding meaning in everyday scenes.
Learn Photography With Me
👉 Book a Free Lesson Consultation
I teach through small-group photo walks and one-on-one lessons (in person and on Zoom).
I help people move from taking pictures to making photographs.
If you work with me, you’ll learn how to:
Understand your camera, get the most out of it, and use it creatively
Create stronger compositions before you shoot
Use light, lines, textures, and layers to shape an image
My Approach
I teach the basics to kids or adults who have never done more than take snapshots with their phones; I help dust off old cameras and get back in the groove; I help experienced photographers move to the next level.
I don’t teach this as a technical checklist or a rigid style.
The camera is just the tool. The goal is learning how to see.
That means understanding what draws you to a scene, and then figuring out how to translate that into a photograph. Sometimes that’s about settings. Often it’s about patience, positioning, and awareness.
Every session is customized—whether you’re just getting comfortable with your camera or refining a more advanced body of work.
Photography improves when it has a direction
Not just taking more pictures, but working toward something—whether that’s a personal project, a zine, an online portfolio, or a curated social media feed.
We’ll focus on getting your photos out of your camera and bringing them to life.
Having an output forces you to look closely at your own work, make decisions, and understand what’s working and what isn’t.
Get Started
👉 Book a Free Lesson Consultation
Background
Alongside my own photography practice, I:
Serve as a supporting instructor for photography classes at the College of San Mateo
Lead small-group photo walks
Spent 10 years writing and leading historic walking tours for San Francisco City Guides
Before focusing on photography, I spent 30 years in corporate communications, helping people clarify and tell their stories. That experience shapes how I teach—clear, practical, and focused on helping you express what you see.
Random Capture
Random Capture is where I write about photography as both a craft and a way of seeing.
Some posts explore my own work and process. Others are more observational. The common thread is slowing down, paying attention, and finding something worth noticing.
About Paid Subscriptions
Random Capture is free to read. All writing and photos are open — nothing is behind a paywall.
That’s intentional. I want the ideas here — about slowing down, seeing differently, and finding joy in making photographs — to be accessible to anyone who finds them useful.
At the same time, I’m in the middle of a transition. After decades in corporate communications, I’m shifting my work fully toward photography and photography education: teaching, mentoring, portfolio reviews, photo walks, workshops, and helping people clarify what they want to say with their images.
Paid subscriptions ($50/year) are a way to support that work without locking content.
Instead of gated posts, paid subscribers receive:
Two hours of personal photo consulting each year, usable for portfolio reviews, lessons, mentoring, or a custom photo walk (in person or on zoom)
Your choice of one photo zine or an unframed 8×10 print each year
If you’ve been reading for a while and would value deeper engagement or one-on-one guidance, a paid subscription is a good fit. If you just want to read and think along, stay right where you are — nothing changes for free subscribers.
Once you’ve subscribed, you’ll receive an email explaining how to use the consulting time and how to choose a zine or print. There’s no rush — it’s there for you when it’s useful.
Warmly,
josh
