London | Art & Photography | October 2026 – July 2027
Fancy sharpening your photography skills? Montcalm East, the design-led hotel between Shoreditch and the City, has teamed up again with Ravensbourne University, London for a new series of Photographer in Residence workshops. Across the year, three rising photographers from the university’s Masters programme will each lead three sessions in the hotel’s own photography studio and around East London.
Here are five reasons to book.
1. Learn to see light on the streets of East London
Music, event and street photographer Colm McCarthy kicks things off with “Observing and Capturing Light and Composition”. The first session is an early-morning photo walk around the City’s architecture, the second follows the changing afternoon light through the more creative side of East London, and the third turns your best shots into a printed zine. Sessions: 17 October, 14 November and 12 December 2026.
2. Master lighting and editing for every skin tone
In early spring, creative photographer and filmmaker Elijah Booth leads “Skin Tones & Identity”. You will learn how to handle tricky lighting, how to edit and retouch using just your smartphone, and how to light and position groups of people with different skin tones confidently. Sessions: 20 February, 13 March and 10 April 2027.
3. Photograph professional dancers
The series ends with “Out of Place”, led by dance and portrait photographer Steven Gooderson. Working with professional dancers in the studio, you will freeze movement with studio lighting, use motion blur to capture energy and rhythm, and create dramatic silhouettes and shadows. Sessions: 15 May, 12 June and 10 July 2027.
4. Just £15 a session, for every level
Each workshop costs only £15 and is open to photographers of all levels, from complete beginners with a phone to keen amateurs with a camera. It is a very affordable way to learn from talented young photographers in a professional studio setting.
5. A hotel built for creative people
Montcalm East’s diamond-patterned building is a nod to the Op Art of Bridget Riley, and inside there is a fully working photography studio. Hotel guests can also follow the new “Framed by You” photo itineraries, created by the Curator Concierge and packed with photography tips and local facts to guide you around East London. Make a day of it with a visit to the Marlowe Café, Bar & Restaurant.
Plan your visit
Photographer in Residence workshops at Montcalm East
Montcalm East, between Shoreditch and the City of London
October 2026 to July 2027, all Saturdays
£15 per session, all levels welcome
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