A PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS WITH BRUCE GILDEN 

 28–30 November 2025

Fotomuseum WestLicht 

The workshop will be held in English

Please register with:

masterclass@westlicht.com  

Bruce Gilden is one of the great representatives of street photography – and one of the most uncompromising portrait photographers of our time. For more than five decades, he has been pointing his camera at those who otherwise remain invisible: the ‘underdogs’, the ‘misfits’ and marginal figures in society. With radical closeness and unvarnished directness, he creates images that confront, disturb and move us.

A member of the legendary Magnum Photos agency since 1998, Gilden has shaped photography like few others. Now he is coming to Vienna: as part of the exhibition A CLOSER LOOK at WestLicht Photo Museum, he is holding one of his rare masterclasses in Europe – a unique opportunity for photographers to engage in an in-depth exchange with this exceptional artist.

The three-day workshop combines discussion and practice:

- Mornings: discussions about image selection, sequencing and personal style with constructive feedback from the master

- Afternoons: practice in the streets – participants carry out assignments set by Gilden

DETAILS

Dates: 28 – 30 November 2025, Friday to Sunday, starting at 10 AM each day

Location: WestLicht Photo Museum, Westbahnstraße 40, 1070 Vienna

Participation fee: EUR 1190

Early bird until 15 October: EUR 990

Limited number of participants

I want to help you MAKE photographs, not TAKE photographs!

Bruce Gilden

DESCRIPTION 
Bruce Gilden brings to his master class his unique style of street photography which has truly become his own over the past 50 years of working in New York City and other urban areas, both in the US and abroad. He will work with the students to teach them how to improve their pictures shot in the streets by best identifying their working ‘style’ for street photography, and define their personal vision.

Bruce will share his own experience in the street to aid the students in gaining ‘street smart’ sensibilities. These principles are necessary to work in any environment and to be in the middle of the scenario without being obtrusive.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS MASTERCLASS 
This masterclass is open to both passionate amateurs and professionals who want to work on their personal style and profit from Bruce Gilden’s experience and the principles that have informed his career.

PRE-CLASS ASSIGNMENT 
Shoot either 50 digital images or 2 rolls of film in an area or a situation where you are ‘comfortable’ working in, AND 50 digital images (or 2 rolls of film) somewhere else where you are ‘not comfortable’ working in. Please present no more than 5 images.

FIRST DAY OF CLASS 
In addition to the pre-class assignment, bring your best photos, ones that are indicative of your style (they do NOT have to be ‘street’ photographs). Maximum 15 photos. After Bruce has reviewed their portfolios, each student will be given a personal assignment related to their strengths or weaknesses.

SCHEDULE 
Class with Bruce Gilden starts every day at 10 AM and finishes around 1:30 PM. Bruce personally reviews the work of each participant and gives feedback. After the in-person session, participants are expected to go out in the afternoon and work on their assignments on the streets on their own. On the last day of class, each participant will have produced an essay from the completed assignments that Bruce will help in putting together.