Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. © Bjørn Joachimsen.
The city of Naples offers an endless array of exciting photography opportunities. During a seven-day photo workshop, you will explore this vibrant city with its narrow streets, market places, tiny squares, and an abundance of wonderful buildings. In this workshop, we will concentrate our work on the large city centre and its adjacent areas. With Tore Utheim and Bjørn Joachimsen as instructors and workshop leaders, you will be inspired to be brave when photographing in the streets of Naples. They will share from all their experience in street photography from early to late throughout the workshop. [Naples, 5-11th May 2025]
Registration deadline: 15th January 2025
Maximum number of participants: 12
After the workshop, there will be a collective photography exhibition featuring works from all participants. The costs associated with the production of the exhibition are included in the workshop. The event is sponsored by Foto.no and Epson.
Read more about the workshop below the image.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Tore Utheim.
Ambitions and Goals for the Workshop
The purpose of the workshop is to create an environment for developing your photography skills, which will be useful when photographing during travels, whether it’s people or architecture. Bring your digital or analog camera and join us in exploring the photographic opportunities in the exciting city of Naples. The value of a workshop also lies in the community, photographing together and getting to know other photography enthusiasts.
A workshop is a learning and inspiration community with unique qualities for those who want to develop their photography skills. In this workshop, you'll work in two small groups of a maximum of six participants, ensuring close follow-up throughout. We emphasise professional development, mutual inspiration, and a pleasant social environment. Each evening, we gather for dinner and conversation at one of the many excellent restaurants in Naples.
Read more about the workshop below the image.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. © Bjørn Joachimsen.
Naples
Wonderfully situated in a natural amphitheatre beneath the volcano Vesuvius, the city was founded by the Greeks, who named it Parthenope, in 700 BC. Later, it was renamed Neapolis (the new city), from which its current name has derived. As it has been continuously inhabited ever since, it is one of Europe’s most ancient cities. The historic centre, the largest in Europe and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is quite extraordinary and one area we will cover in detail.
Read more about the workshop below the image.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Tore Utheim.
Throughout its history, spanning over 2,700 years, it has developed dramatically. After the philosophically oriented Greeks, Roman rule followed and under Augustus, once again, the city flourished. Over the following years it was ruled by several foreign powers, notably the French and Spanish. Worth mentioning are the Viking-descended Normans under whose rule the city flourished once again during the time of Richard II of Normandy and, in particular, the House of Bourbon who ruled with enlightened despotism during the reign of Charles of Bourbon and his successors. As any Neapolitan would proudly tell you, the Bourbon era was a golden age for the city, as evidenced by the many palaces and monumental buildings from this time. However, long periods of unrest followed, particularly during the unification wars. Ultimately, on March 17th. 1861, Giuseppe Garibaldi could finally declare the unification of Italy from a balcony on Piazza Dante in Naples and the city transformed into its current status.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Bjørn Joachimsen.
A cultural development from the 1700s deserves particular attention. Naples was the endpoint of the Grand Tour for aristocratic youth from Northern Europe and by the early 1800s it had become a tourist magnet thanks to its natural beauty, its history and, then as now, its people. Artists adapted to this new market of tourism by developing a school of quick painting techniques where paintings were made on site, depicting exotic scenes which travelers from the north could bring home as souvenirs. As photographers of Naples we follow a long and proud tradition and the expression from those days, “See Naples and die,” still holds validity.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Tore Utheim.
Finally, this beautiful city offers everything but boredom. The people are friendly, lively, full of humour and, not least, courageous. Throughout the centuries they have endured periods of unimaginable hardship, such as Allied bombings during the Second World War, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, fires, plagues, and more. Nonetheless, in spite of all those strains they have optimistically shaken it off and carried on with their lives without losing hope and love for their city. One can safely say that with its fascinating history and vibrant atmosphere today it will always attract photographers like a magnet. You could roam the streets of this wonderful city day in and day out for years and always discover something new and as one of the workshop leaders who has lived in Naples for years says: “For a street shooter? You would never have a dull moment”.
LOCATIONS
The most important locations will be:
The Historic Centre
Sanità
The Spanish Quarter
San Ferdinando
San Giuseppe
Forzella
The historic centre of Naples contains the core of its history over 27 centuries. It’s unique in numerous ways, with its ancient Greek road layout and wonderful buildings erected with the local and readily available material, tufo (petrified volcanic ash), and remains of the city walls. Small chapels and richly decorated churches abound, with Duomo di San Gennaro a Napoli being the most famous. One of its most fascinating areas is the famous Forcella, with its small shops of all kinds and miniature markets in its narrow streets, featuring iconic laundry lines crisscrossing above your head. For good reason, it has been one of the prime locations for filmmakers.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Bjørn Joachimsen.
Sanità
What is now Rione Sanità was a burial place in Roman times. The area was settled in the late 16th century and originally established as a home for Naples' aristocracy, which can be seen in the presence of its palaces. However, following the departure of the aristocracy, the area turned into a working-class district. Unfortunately, over the years, it declined and became one of the most degraded areas of Naples, characterised by unemployment and poverty. Yet a stroll through its many streets and narrow alleys offers rich photographic opportunities.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Tore Utheim.
The Spanish Quarter
The area was developed in the 16th century to house troops during the Spanish occupation of Naples, hence the name. The Spanish Quarter, or Quartieri Spagnoli in Italian, was laid out in a military manner with a grid of narrow, straight roads in a dead square pattern. Nowadays, with the Spanish garrison long gone, it is home to around 15,000 Neapolitans. It’s a very lively and colourful neighbourhood where laundry flaps from the balconies, and residents sit relaxing with a coffee right in the streets just outside their ground-floor flats. Bars and restaurants are plentiful, and scooters whizz by at rocket speed at all hours.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Bjørn Joachimsen.
San Ferdinando
The San Ferdinando district is located right on the waterfront southwest of the port area. For centuries, it was a residential area for the wealthy aristocracy of Naples, which is evident when observing its beautiful palaces and richly decorated squares. However, the most prominent landmark is undoubtedly the Piazza del Plebiscito, with the Royal Palace of Naples on one side and a fabulous church with an equally fabulous name, the Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco da Paola, on the other. As a place for the wealthy to live, it is no surprise to find the Teatro di San Carlo, the oldest opera house in Europe, and the beautiful shopping mall, Galleria Umberto I, in the neighbourhood. Not to be forgotten is Castel dell’Ovo, located on the waterfront along Via Partenope.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Tore Utheim.
MONTECALVARIO
Montecalvario is a neighbourhood west of the historic centre and right next to the Spanish Quarter. Here, you can start at the top and walk down Via Pasquale being the start of the famous Spaccanapoli (The Naples splitter). Spaccanapoli’s earned its name and claim to fame from being so arrow straight in such a length that it bisects the city of Naples as if cut by a knife. Should you decide to get up to the top of Vomero and Castel Sant'Elmo you will get a beautiful overview of the city with Vesuvio in the background with Spaccanapoli running straight through the lot.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Bjørn Joachimsen.
Forcella
Forcella is the most important part of the historic centre. Its narrow streets are busy and full of life as in ancient times. Its many little bars, small restaurants, tiny shops and pizza places add to the smell of history rather than ruining it. Here you will find monumental buildings, palaces, beautiful churches as well as living areas being organised in much the same manner as from early history.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Bjørn Joachimsen.
What can you expect from us?
We will be present and available for you as a participant.
We will provide professional guidance and assistance throughout the entire workshop experience.
We will share all of our photography knowledge and skills.
What do we expect from you?
You should set aside all hours of the day to work on photography.
You should follow all joint teaching plans during the workshop.
You should work independently and on your own.
You should actively seek guidance during the workshop.
You should remember to charge the camera batteries before each workshop day.
You should contact us before, during, and after the workshop if you need help of any kind.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Bjørn Joachimsen.
During the workshop, we will work on night photography, which always presents a certain challenge for photographers. Although darkness is demanding, there is always plenty of exciting light to take advantage of. I will share all my knowledge on how we can create successful photographs after dark and how we can find light that can set fascinating moods.
During the workshop, we will also teach how we work with street photography, which involves capturing images of people in the urban landscape. How to observe, position yourself, and capture the decisive moments? How to establish contact with strangers to gain acceptance for taking portraits? These are some of the challenges we will work on.
Explore the Streets of Naples Workshop 2025. ©Bjørn Joachimsen.
Practical Information - Explore the streets of Naples Workshop 2025
TIME FRAME
5 to 11th May 2025.
Start: 5th May at 2:00 PM
End: 11th May at 8:00 PM
Note: This means that you should be prepared for your return journey on 12 May 2025.
INSTRUCTORS
Bjørn Joachimsen
Tore Utheim
WORKSHOP LANGUAGE
English
Individual tuition in Norwegian upon request.
TRAVEL
Flight suggestions from Oslo
Oslo Gardermoen - Naples: Monday, 5 May 2025, 07:00 –10:15.
Naples – Oslo Gardermoen: Monday 12 May 2025, 11:15–14:30.
Wait to book flights until you have confirmed your spot in the workshop.
You must have travel insurance that covers the trip.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation is not included in the course fee and can be booked at the Royal Rooms Station Hotel. Wait to book accommodation until you have confirmation on your spot in the workshop. Price information and other details will be updated on this website soon.
MEALS
There will be organized group lunches at cafes/restaurants in Naples every day.
Costs are covered by the individual participant.
WHAT TO BRING
Good shoes
Clothes for various weather conditions. (Check the weather forecast the day before departure.)
Camera, along with any additional lenses and accessories you have. Contact us if you are unsure about your camera equipment.
Extra camera batteries and memoryn cards.
Camera filters (if you have them).
Laptop PC/Mac or tablet if you wish to edit photos during the workshop. (This is optional but highly recommended.)
Please contact the course organisers well in advance if you plan to leave parts of your camera equipment at home.
Contact bjorn.joachimsen@gmail.com if you are unsure if your photo equipment is suitable.
COURSE FEE
EUR 1350 for registration before 15th December 2024
EUR 1450 for registration from and including 15th December 2024.
A deposit of EUR 300 is required after registration.
The deposit and course fee will be paid against an invoice sent via email. The registration form can be found below.
Registration deadline: 15th January 2025
About the instructors
Bjørn Joachimsen
Photographer Bjørn Joachimsen.
Bjørn Joachimsen is a versatile photographer who works with people, nature, architecture, macro, and much more. In recent years, he has photographed extensively in Croatia and is familiar with many of the country's old towns. Bjørn has been working professionally in photography for 20 years, covering a wide range of genres and gaining extensive experience in various types of commercial photography. He is one of the most active photography instructors in Norway, conducting courses across the country. Bjørn teaches Lightroom and Photoshop in addition to photography courses. Over the years, Bjørn has collaborated on workshops with several photographers from both Norway and abroad, including Sandra Bartocha, Anna Ulmestrand, Otto von Münchow, Bjørn Opsahl, Bård Løken, Magnus Reneflot, David Beckstead (USA), Jens Haugen, Trine Bjervig, Lars Andreas Dybvik, Dag Nystuen, Rune Eraker, and Kate Monica Myrmellom. In the spring of 2014, Bjørn was responsible for the artistic decoration of the Clarion Hotel The Edge in Tromsø—a prestigious assignment in decoration and art photography.
Portfolio: www.joachimsenphotography.com
Commercial photography and workshops: www.fotografjoachimsen.no
Facebook: www.facebook.com/joachimsenphotograpy
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/joachimsen/
Tumblr: www.bjornjoachimsen.tumblr.com/
Instagram: @joachimsenphotography
Tore Utheim
Tore Utheim.
Tore Utheim is a photographer who mainly works with feature/news reportages, documentary and travel content. His photos are published in a number of national major newspapers such as VG and Dagbladet as well as in glossy magazines amongst which are Traveler Magazine, Songlife Magazine, Yachting Monthly and more. Out of his most emotional and evocative photos are those appearing in a documentary article from the Carcere Napoli Poggioreale, one of Europes most crowded prisons and Italys most feared where getting admission is harder than the work itself. He has taken part in several street photo workshops together with Bjørn Joachimsen, Bjørn Opsahl and others. He has lived in Naples for a number of years in what he refer to as the street shooters Mecca where he also have had two photo exhibitions.
Instagram: @toreutheim
