58. Chicago Photo Workshop

Four days, 70,000 steps, 20 hours of photography, and a bunch of great pictures.

I spent this week in Chicago on a creative photography workshop. Over four days, six of us explored the city while practicing techniques like long exposure, HDR, panoramas, and blue hour shooting—working to capture some of Chicago’s iconic imagery while also expressing our own creativity.

By the end, my feet ached from nearly 30 miles of walking (about 70,000 steps), but it was worth every one of them.

A Workshop with a Different Focus

What made this workshop refreshing was its focus. So many photography workshops lean toward landscapes—or if they’re city-based, they center on street photography. I’ve heard great things about those, but they don’t align with my interests. This one was about the city itself: its architecture, geometry, and built environment.

It was inspiring to spend a few days fully immersed in photography—shooting, learning, and sharing meals and ideas with others who see the world through a lens.

San Francisco Spring Photo Workshop

Workshops like this inspire me to keep developing new experiences for photographers who share that same passion. In late April, I’ll be leading the Cameras & Coffee: Spring Light in San Francisco workshop. Over three days, we’ll explore classic parts of San Francisco as well as photogenic—but often overlooked—corners of the city. We’ll practice photographing with intention, learn new techniques, and enjoy the sense of community that forms when photographers shoot and learn side by side.

Why San Francisco?

I spent ten years writing and leading historic walking tours for San Francisco City Guides, so this workshop will blend that storytelling background with hands-on photography. We’ll visit iconic views, notice hidden details, and stop at places most people pass by. Whether you’re new to the Bay Area or have lived here for decades, you’ll leave seeing the city—and your photography—in a new way.

If you’re interested in learning more or discussing, lace up some well-broken-in walking shoes and reach out to me (josh@weinbergphoto.com), and we’ll find some time to talk. I’ll be posting full details here in the next 4–6 weeks. The final workshop will be shaped around participants’ skills and interests, so the sooner we talk, the better. I’ll also be offering a few one-day workshops, so let me know if those are of interest.

In the meantime…

Here is some of what I captured in Chicago.

This panorama was made from 11 long exposure shots merged in Lightroom

Blue hour is not only great for the light and colors but at Cloud Gate (aka The Bean) its the only way to get pictures without folks filming Tiktoks.

I took 100s of shots of the El from stations, from the street, in the rain, with tripods, handheld, holding still, panned, and more. The 1/4 second handheld shot was my favorite. It reminded me of the amazing Impressionist paintings at The Art Institute.

P.S. It had been decades since I was last in Chicago, and this time I finally got to experience the city—its architecture, food, and art—in a way I never had before. I’ve really begun to appreciate it.