STREET PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP - MANILA HOLY WEEK
March 20-29, 2027
With Leica Ambassador Robin Schimko
Location: Manila/Philippines
FAITH, STREETS, CROWDS & EVERYDAY LIFE
Manila is intense.
Crowded streets. Jeepneys and tricycles. Markets overflowing onto sidewalks. Food vendors working beside churches. Families gathering in the streets. Religion and commerce existing side by side.
During Holy Week, another layer is added to the city.
For ten days, we'll photograph Manila as it moves through one of the most important religious periods in the Philippines - from Palm Sunday and the gradual build-up of Holy Week to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
But this workshop isn't only about religious events.
We'll explore markets, neighbourhoods and downtown districts, photograph everyday life and spend time away from the city's more obvious locations.
The goal is to experience Manila as street photographers - getting close, observing carefully and learning to find order within one of Asia's most visually complex cities.
WHY MANILA?
Manila can be overwhelming.
And that's exactly what makes it so interesting.
The streets are dense, unpredictable and full of competing elements. People, signs, vehicles, vendors, overhead wires, markets, churches and fragments of light constantly overlap.
Finding a photograph within that complexity takes patience.
You have to learn what to ignore.
You have to anticipate.
And you have to get comfortable being close.
During Holy Week, the photographic possibilities become even richer.
Churches become gathering points. Streets fill with worshippers. Palm branches, candles, processions and public expressions of faith appear alongside the ordinary rhythm of city life.
The contrast is what interests us.
Sacred and everyday.
Quiet moments surrounded by chaos.
Tradition unfolding within a modern megacity.
For ten days, Manila becomes our photographic playground.
THE JOURNEY
MARCH 20 - ARRIVAL & FIRST MANILA STREETS
First Encounters
After arrival and check-in, we'll head into the streets for our first photography session.
The afternoon and evening are about getting a feeling for Manila rather than trying to understand everything immediately.
We'll photograph neighbourhood life, street vendors, transportation, food stalls and the changing atmosphere as daylight disappears and artificial light begins to take over.
It's our introduction to the rhythm of the city.
MARCH 21 - PALM SUNDAY
Holy Week Begins
Our first major Holy Week photography day begins early.
We'll work around one of Manila's churches as families arrive carrying decorated palm branches for Palm Sunday services and blessings.
But our attention won't only be on the ceremony itself.
We'll look at everything happening around it - people arriving, families waiting, vendors selling palms and food, activity in the surrounding streets and the small moments that happen between the more obvious events.
This will be our first opportunity to experience how faith and everyday street life overlap during Holy Week.
MARCH 22 - MARKETS & LOCAL MANILA
Everyday Life
After Palm Sunday, we shift our attention back toward everyday Manila.
We'll begin early in a local market district away from the main tourist areas and continue through the surrounding residential and commercial streets.
Markets are ideal environments for working on proximity, layering and anticipation.
Vendors, customers, workers, street food and constant movement give us an opportunity to practise finding clean compositions within visually complicated environments.
MARCH 23 - QUIAPO & DOWNTOWN MANILA
Religion, Commerce & Chaos
Today we photograph one of Manila's most fascinating areas - Quiapo and the surrounding downtown districts.
Few places represent Manila's contrasts as clearly.
Religion, commerce, markets, street vendors, transportation and dense pedestrian activity exist almost on top of one another.
We'll explore Quiapo, Santa Cruz and surrounding streets throughout the day, returning later as the light and character of the area change.
This is the kind of environment where strong photographs can happen almost anywhere - but learning to recognise them is the challenge.
MARCH 24 - HOLY WEEK BUILD-UP
The City Changes
As Holy Week progresses, religious activity becomes increasingly visible.
We'll explore neighbourhoods, streets and areas around selected churches, watching how the city prepares for the days ahead.
Rather than following a rigid schedule, we'll remain flexible and respond to what we find.
Preparations can often be as interesting as the main event.
People decorating. Vendors setting up. Families arriving. Churches preparing. Small gatherings beginning to form.
These transitional moments give us opportunities to photograph Holy Week from a more observational perspective.
MARCH 25 - MAUNDY THURSDAY
Visita Iglesia
One of the main photography days of the workshop.
Maundy Thursday brings large numbers of people into the streets for Visita Iglesia, the tradition of visiting churches during Holy Week.
We'll follow the movement between selected churches and surrounding neighbourhoods rather than concentrating only on what happens inside.
Pilgrims, families, candles, vendors and streets filled with visitors create constantly changing photographic situations.
We'll work with crowds, movement and layers while also looking for the quieter moments within them.
This should be one of the strongest street photography days of the entire workshop.
MARCH 26 - GOOD FRIDAY
Faith in the Streets
The principal Holy Week photography day.
Good Friday is traditionally marked by processions, ceremonies and public expressions of devotion.
We'll begin early and keep the entire day flexible.
Depending on the final programme, we may photograph within Manila or travel to surrounding communities where Good Friday traditions are particularly strong.
The photographic possibilities extend far beyond the procession itself.
We'll stay with situations as they develop rather than rushing from one event to another.
MARCH 27 - BLACK SATURDAY
Between Good Friday & Easter
After the intensity of Good Friday, the rhythm changes again.
We'll spend the day exploring neighbourhoods and everyday street life while keeping an eye on preparations for Easter.
This quieter day gives us a chance to slow down and work differently.
Depending on the final programme and local conditions, the evening may also include photography around Easter Vigil celebrations.
MARCH 28 - EASTER SUNDAY
Before Sunrise
Our final major Holy Week photography day begins very early.
We'll position ourselves around traditional Easter Sunday celebrations before continuing into the morning as families gather, churches fill and neighbourhoods begin the day.
After several days of photographing increasingly intense Holy Week traditions, Easter Sunday gives us another change in atmosphere.
The afternoon remains flexible.
We may explore a completely different neighbourhood or return to a location that has proved especially interesting during the workshop.
MARCH 29 - FINAL MANILA STREETS
One Last Session
Our final day takes us away from the major Holy Week events.
By now, Manila should feel different.
We'll use our final session to explore another side of the city - perhaps a market, residential neighbourhood or one of the strongest locations we've discovered during the previous nine days.
Rather than trying to photograph everything, the goal is simple:
Find a situation.
Stay with it.
And make the strongest photograph you can.
WHAT TO EXPECT
This is an intensive street photography workshop built around photographing real situations as they unfold.
We'll work on composition, layering, gesture, light, color, anticipation and visual storytelling, with particular attention to handling busy and unpredictable environments.
Manila is an ideal place to work on complex compositions.
Instead of avoiding clutter, we'll learn how to use it.
We'll look for relationships between foreground and background, work with multiple subjects and learn how small changes in position can transform a chaotic scene into a structured photograph.
Holy Week will add another challenge.
Religious events and processions can move quickly, crowds can be dense and situations won't always develop exactly as expected.
We'll learn to adapt rather than trying to control what happens.
I'll work closely with each participant throughout the workshop, helping you recognise your photographic habits, strengthen your individual approach and push beyond the obvious photographs.
We'll also make time for image reviews and discussions so that lessons from one session can immediately influence how you photograph the next.
HIGHLIGHTS
Over ten days, we'll photograph Manila through one of the most visually and culturally fascinating periods of the year.
Palm Sunday - decorated palm branches, church gatherings, families and activity spilling into the surrounding streets.
Local markets - vendors, workers, street food and everyday neighbourhood life away from Manila's main tourist areas.
Quiapo & downtown Manila - dense streets where religion, commerce and daily life constantly collide.
Maundy Thursday - Visita Iglesia and the movement of thousands of people between churches and neighbourhoods.
Good Friday - processions, ceremonies and public expressions of devotion.
Easter Sunday - early-morning celebrations and the changing atmosphere around churches and communities.
And between those events, we'll photograph Manila itself.
The ordinary moments are just as important as the extraordinary ones.
YOU’LL LEAVE WITH
The goal isn't simply to return home with thousands of photographs from Vietnam.
It's to become a more intentional photographer.
You'll develop greater confidence working in unfamiliar environments, a better understanding of how to read complex scenes and stronger instincts for recognising photographs before they fully develop.
We'll work on getting closer, simplifying compositions, building layers, recognising gestures and understanding when patience is more valuable than movement.
And throughout the journey, you'll be encouraged to think beyond individual "good shots" and start recognising connections between your photographs.
The aim is to leave Northern Vietnam with a stronger body of work - and a stronger way of seeing.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
This workshop is for photographers who want more than “lucky shots.” Whether you’ve been shooting for years or are just starting to take your practice seriously, if you’re ready to go deep, this is for you.
You don’t need to shoot with a Leica - all gear types are welcome.
We’ll work hard, shoot a lot, and have honest conversations about your strengths, blind spots, and potential.
ABOUT YOUR MENTOR
I’m Robin Schimko, a photographer based in Heidelberg, Germany. I’ve been shooting street for over 15 years - mostly while on the road - and working with Leica since 2015. As a Leica Ambassador, I’ve led workshops, mentored photographers, and pursued long-term projects across Asia and Europe.
This workshop is a reflection of my own photographic journey - full of movement, culture, and moments of unexpected connection.
DETAILS
Dates: March 20 - 29, 2027
Location: Manila/Philippines
Group size: Max 5 participants
Skill level: Intermediate and above
Language: English
Workshop fee: € 1250 (€ 1050 Early Bird until November 30)
Included: Mentoring, group walks, reviews, assignments
Not included: Travel, accommodation, insurance, meals
STAY READY. STAY CURIOUS.
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
In Hong Kong, opportunity never stops moving - and this workshop will teach you how to keep up, see deeper, and photograph with purpose.
READY TO JOIN?
If you’re ready for five days of high-adrenaline photography, intense cultural immersion, and personal growth with your camera - this is for you.
Let’s go deep. Let’s shoot hard. Let’s experience something unforgettable together.
Reserve your spot now.
See the dedicated workshop page for details. (click here)
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The exact meeting location will be communicated two week before the workshop.
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You'll need a digital camera capable of manual settings for exposure and focus. I recommend bringing a single lens with a focal length between 24 and 35mm (full frame equivalent). Shooting film is also an option, but ensure you can develop and scan the film on the same day, ready by the following morning. If you have additional questions about required gear, please reach out.
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We can make arrangements—just contact me before the workshop begins.
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If I need to cancel the workshop for any reason, a full refund will be provided. If you need to cancel, a full refund (minus a 10% administration fee) is available up to two months before the workshop. If you cancel within two months, you can attend any future workshop within one year from the original date at no extra cost.
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If you need help choosing a hotel, feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to recommend the best areas to stay in and suggest options based on your preferences.